Sanctuary
Working with MDS can introduce you to some unusual living arrangements. Since the presence of an MDS project in an area is for a somewhat limited time, the accommodations will likely be adapted from some other use. MDS does have bunk trailers, and in Conway, SC and for the first two weeks here in Grand Forks, I slept there. Since the bunk trailers are not very roomy, they are often the "bed of last resort". In addition, long-term volunteers come with more "stuff" and need somewhere to put it. In Grand Forks, I was assigned to the bunk trailer for the first week, but I was worried that since I had to get up an hour earlier that other volunteers, it would be disruptive to the their sleep. I also wanted to get to bed by 9 p.m., which is an hour earlier than the quiet curfew. Fortunately, I ended up with the perfect bunkmate, Larry Hamm from Calgary. I had gotten to know Larry during my week of training in Winnipeg back in June, and knew that he was a very gregarious and easygoing individual. The first week, things worked out so well that when we were offered an upgrade to "the big house" (the church building), we turned it down. We acted like it was a hardship, but that we could sacrifice our comfort to make it better for another volunteer since we were already set up in the trailer. We got along well together and kept similar hours, but truth be told, we liked the air conditioner! The trailer had two, the church had none in the sleeping areas, and I had to get away from the heat at night. Daytime temps had been running up to the triple digits, and the church cooled off slowly at night.
At the end of week 2, I finally moved out of the bunk trailer because they had a lot more single men than the church could accommodate, and Larry had also completed his assignment in Grand Forks . I was assigned to "the Upper Room" due to its position directly above the kitchen, which is located in the church basement. The upper room is unique in that it is a former baby nursery off a back corner of the sanctuary. The room has one door to the outside, which is a fire exit with a window (patterned glass, but still fairly transparent). The other door leads directly to the sanctuary. There are a cluster of vent pipes coming through my room from the kitchen vents directly below. The room always smells like a kitchen, and not always in the good way. Lots of dishwasher and cleaner smells, which I find difficult to ignore.
There are sometimes activities at the church during the week, and on weekends, when there are a lot of people right outside my door, not being aware of me being inside the "closet". Its kind of like being at the grocery store and encountering one of those annoying people who have those little Bluetooth earpieces and loudly carry on phone conversations that they somehow assume nobody else can hear. You can't help but hear what they are saying. At least here, they have no way of knowing. "Why don't I ask them to hold it down?" you might ask. The fact is, that my "upper room" is just another space of their church that we have occupied since May. The only part we don't use is the sanctuary. We took over their entire office annex, their youth lounge, their fellowship hall, their kitchen, their newer baby nursery, and most of their storage space.
How many of our churches would go this far to assist a group, not even of their own denomination, in a program of this length. I know the Mennonite Brethern church in Grand Forks declined to have us operate from their location.
The River Valley Community Church has been far more gracious and accommodating that I would ever have imagined possible. I will not be complaining.
At the end of week 2, I finally moved out of the bunk trailer because they had a lot more single men than the church could accommodate, and Larry had also completed his assignment in Grand Forks . I was assigned to "the Upper Room" due to its position directly above the kitchen, which is located in the church basement. The upper room is unique in that it is a former baby nursery off a back corner of the sanctuary. The room has one door to the outside, which is a fire exit with a window (patterned glass, but still fairly transparent). The other door leads directly to the sanctuary. There are a cluster of vent pipes coming through my room from the kitchen vents directly below. The room always smells like a kitchen, and not always in the good way. Lots of dishwasher and cleaner smells, which I find difficult to ignore.
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| The Upper Room. Notice the painted sky and clouds on the walls |
There are sometimes activities at the church during the week, and on weekends, when there are a lot of people right outside my door, not being aware of me being inside the "closet". Its kind of like being at the grocery store and encountering one of those annoying people who have those little Bluetooth earpieces and loudly carry on phone conversations that they somehow assume nobody else can hear. You can't help but hear what they are saying. At least here, they have no way of knowing. "Why don't I ask them to hold it down?" you might ask. The fact is, that my "upper room" is just another space of their church that we have occupied since May. The only part we don't use is the sanctuary. We took over their entire office annex, their youth lounge, their fellowship hall, their kitchen, their newer baby nursery, and most of their storage space.
How many of our churches would go this far to assist a group, not even of their own denomination, in a program of this length. I know the Mennonite Brethern church in Grand Forks declined to have us operate from their location.
The River Valley Community Church has been far more gracious and accommodating that I would ever have imagined possible. I will not be complaining.
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