Respite Apartment Renovations
We are humbled and blessed by your generosity and care
Since 2012, the chapel has invited missionary families to use the respite apartment in the Fellowship House when they are back in the U.S. on furlough from their assignments abroad. We weren’t sure when this ministry would continue Hurricane “She-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named” caused extensive water damage to the apartment in September 2018. (Actually, “Florence” has since been retired by the National Hurricane Center, and for good reason. Damage losses in North Carolina alone due to Florence’s winds, freshwater flooding, and storm surge flooding totaled $22 billion.)
The plan as approved by the Board of Governors before the storm was to upgrade the apartment over the winter. That plan became much more extensive after the storm. The push was on for a June 1, 2019, completion date and everybody delivered.
The first missionary family to enjoy the “new” accommodations in early June wrote in the guest book that “the apartment is lovely” and they found it “restful and refreshing”. But “more than that, (they) felt loved and blessed by EAMC”.
About their stay, “everyone agreed, even the (three) kids, that it was a magical holiday”. They learned from the guest book that we’ve hosted friends of theirs that they served with almost 20 years ago, which made them feel “even more connected to EAMC”. This family suffered some trials and tribulations during the past year, and severe illness for four out of the five of them while they were here. Nevertheless, they made it onto the beach every day. They ended their entry saying, “We are humbled and blessed by your generosity and care and feel God’s tender touch through you!”
WE were the ones blessed to have these guests and be able to minister to them just when they needed it. We wish them Godspeed as they return to their mission!
Renovations and repairs were performed by private contractors, but the special touches, kitchen details and final decorating activities were completed by Janie Hauser and Julia Sherron. The project was overseen by Wayne Reynolds and Rich Wood. To God be the glory