ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network) — Finding a broken gas line or a leaky roof can be the beginning of a bad day. But having to fix it on a limited income can turn it into a crisis.
Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona (CHRPA), located in Tucson, tries to fix those problems without cost to the homeowners. The organization was started by Mennonites in 1982 to make repairs affordable, and partners with volunteers across the country, including SOOP and Mennonite Voluntary Service participants.
SOOP participants, Norm and Phyllis Lind, came from Salem, Ore., to serve in Tucson for six weeks in February 2014. “When we see a need … it’s hard not to get involved,” said Norm, who is a retired radiologist and who volunteers his time with CHRPA.
In Tucson, SOOP and MVS participants work together with people of all ages. Each morning, SOOP and MVS participants, along with community volunteers, gather at the CHRPA office to receive their daily assignment. “We don’t know where we’re going until that morning,” Lind said. Then, like an army of ants, the volunteers scatter to repair roofs, floors, or bathrooms.
Download full-resolution image.One day, Walter Good, a SOOP participant who calls himself “one of the Good boys,” walked into the morning meeting and introduced himself to the other volunteers. Good recognized Jonathan Harnish, an MVS participant, as the grandson of Good’s friend, Robert Harnish. Their life-long friendship began when Good and Harnish served in MVS together years ago.
When Jonathan Harnish started to serve with CHRPA, he had little experience with home repair. But Harnish learned quickly, thanks in part to SOOP participants who wanted to share their skills. Between building wheel chair ramps and stairs, he learned more than construction skills. “Some of the older CHRPA volunteers have also become friends and mentors of mine who have walked beside me during some challenging times. They … provided guidance and wisdom from their life experiences,” he said.
In addition to organizations like CHRPA, SOOP participants have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities where they can share their wisdom. Phyllis Lind volunteers at The Adaptation Center in Tucson where she collaborates with others, mostly all volunteers, to design custom furniture for people with disabilities. Sometimes, this means designing and building a chair to help a child with cerebral palsy to sit up straight, or a weighted blanket to calm down anxious children dealing with autism.
Download full-resolution image.Lind made a fabric marble maze for people who are mentally and physically disabled. Lind sewed together two squares of cloth, trapping a marble inside. Then, sewing lines that wove around the square cloth, Lind created a maze for the marble to be pushed through.
“This was a rewarding experience, and I believe I made a small difference in the lives of those with special needs,” said Phyllis.
Norm and Phyllis Lind are grateful that their health has allowed them to volunteer with SOOP in six different locations, and they look forward to many more SOOP experiences in the future.
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.
