On Wednesday, July 29, 18 dedicated men, women and children piled into a car, a van, and two trucks, towing a work trailer full of tools, to make a nine-hour, 420-mile trip to the mountains of West Virginia, to a little town called Tornado.

Six had never been on a mission trip before. Their mission: to provide assistance to three families whose houses badly needed repair.

The group did not expect lavish accommodations, and correctly so. Imagine wall-to-wall people sleeping in one small house with one bathroom. Luckily, a nearby house offered the use of bathrooms and showers.

Why did they go? What motivated them? For some, a chance to get away from the humdrum of daily life; for some, an opportunity to know each other better; for others, an opportunity to help families in need. Did they succeed? Yes. Unbelievably so.

From sunrise to way past sunset, they repaired roofs, cleaned gutters, replaced a rotting bathroom floor, hung a new front door, patched BIG holes in sheetrock walls — bigger than a person’s head – and repaired and installed plumbing — including going to Lowe’s to buy and install a tub-shower unit. They replaced and/or added kitchen cabinets, replaced window panes and baseboards, painted interior walls, bought bedding and made beds — pretty sheets and pillow cases for the children and women — cut down waist-high weeds, and did a host of small tasks nobody had thought of. Two of them even took a very sick dog to the vet and paid for its treatment.

Twelve-year-old Robert Banks was happy to go. This was his second mission trip, and he wanted to experience again the joy of making people happy and smiling.

“Some (young) people don’t want to go without some friends, but you don’t need friends,” he said. “You interact with all the people in the group, you bond with them, and it makes you feel good.”

People returned from the trip feeling fulfilled — so blessed, so inspired. Asked if they would go again, the answers were unequivocally,”YES,” some followed by “Can’t wait.” Asked where, one member answered, “Wherever we need to be — leave it to the Lord.”

Their greatest success, however, was the concurrent spiritual impact on the involved members. In that short time — five days — each developed new insights: the recognition of kinship despite widely differing backgrounds, a realization of God’s all-encompassing love, and an amazing awakening to what God can do through a person. The Humphreys Memorial Men’s Fellowship agreed to step in to finish tasks this group didn’t have time to complete; it opened them to the realization that they too could help, and they resolved to do so.

Many friendships were made, many memories to be cherished. Dickson Memorial United Methodist Church members said the trip really changed their lives.

“How good to work for people who had no expectations; we could work with open minds and open hearts.”

“I’m a better person.”

“Everyone was willing to do whatever was needed – genuine cooperation, with no hesitation.”

“We came away so blessed.”

The outcome is inspiring.

As one member of the group said, “We mended hearts, put smiles on faces — giving them joy, giving them hope.”

Perhaps it was best expressed by 13-year-old Justin Brown on his first mission trip.

With tears running down his cheeks, he whispered, “We really touched lives — we really made a difference.

“(But) look what they did for us.”

Dickson Memorial United Methodist Church is located at 13676 Oak Highway, Townville, (864) 287-4063.