Rebuilding Together: May 1, 2010 -- by Reia Tong

Bethesda Presbyterian Church has been participating in the annual work days of Rebuilding Together Montgomery County for a number of years.  This year, on May 1, we will do maintenance and repair work on the home of Mrs. Violet Knight, who lives near the Bethesda Naval Hospital.  Mrs. Knight’s home is a small bungalow in need of painting, some roof repair, new storm doors, some plumbing replacements, and other work. 

The idea of Rebuilding Together is to keep a home in good enough shape so that the person can keep living there.  Mrs. Knight, who is over 80 years old, lives at the house alone and has been there for over 40 years.  She raised five children there on her own after her husband was disabled with multiple sclerosis, so Mrs. Knight very much wants to stay in her home.  Her husband was in the military until he became sick and stayed in the Naval Hospital before passing away.  Mrs. Knight actually came to our Easter service last week.  She said she came because she knew that the choir was going to sing the Hallelujah chorus.

BPC has aided the county-wide Rebuilding Together before.  The organization helps Montgomery County residents who have worked hard to own their own homes, but whose bad health or fixed income means that they cannot pay for the costs of major repairs. Here are some pictures from last year.  Last year we worked on a house in Aspen Hill belonging to Janet, also an older woman living alone.  The year before we helped Robert, from Rockville; he was younger but living alone on a pension after losing his eye-sight.

We still need more volunteers for this year.  It is really a lot of fun to do the work all together.  Some of our friends from the high school may join us.  You can sign up easily, by filling out the form in the bulletin. 

I think this is a great way for the church to be involved in our community.  With this work, we are not only being charitable by helping someone, but we are also connecting with each other and with new friends from the community and getting to know one another.

Reia Tong

Moment for Mission

BPC Worship -- April 11, 2010