The Wesley Foundation

Spring Break 2009 – New Orleans

jayhinton — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 03:39:48 +0000

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Day 1

Jay Hinton

Sunday, March 1, 2009

We congregated at Cullowhee UMC/Wesley Foundation around 4:00pm and by 5:15am we were loaded in a 15 passenger van and the CUMC bus. The trip was pretty uneventful until we driving through Tuscaloosa, Alabama and it began to snow. It snowed and snowed and snowed. I began to wonder if we were going to have to stop and get hotel rooms because the roads were getting bad. After several hours of cautious driving, the snow let up and we were able to get back on our desired pace. As we got closer we noticed a field off the side of the interstate where thousands of FEMA trailers were parked and deemed unusable due to formaldehyde somehow contaminating them. What a shame. They were just sitting there for years unusable.

We arrived at Aurora United Methodist Church in New Orleans around 5:00pm Central time. We unloaded and shortly after went out to a local dinner called “Applebee’s.” You’ve probably never heard of it but it was pretty good (I’m just kidding, I know you know what Applebee’s is). After that, we were back to the church and off to bed to get ready for our first day of work.

DAY 2

Corey Benfield

Monday March 2, 2009

Hey my name is Corey Benfield, a sophomore at Western Carolina University. This was my first experience down to New Orleans and a widespread tragic disaster. So when we were driving to the worksites, it was just overwhelming of how much to take in from all the damage that is still here from four years ago. It just really changed who I am as a person of coming down here and seeing how much LOVE many Americans have in this darken world. God has called us to share His gospel and be Christ-like and be a light in this world that is in complete darkness of sin.

When we got to the worksite we just started working right off the bat and helped everyone out with the project that one group was on. We just had a great first day working for this stranger that we are showing love to and it just made my day just giving me the experience of helping the less fortunate out and the people that has been effected by Katrina. Then when we were eating lunch (PB&J’s) and the homeowner drives up in the driveway. Jay and I just walk over to where she was and she just came out of the place where she was with a smile, a big smile. Her name was Janice and she was probably the nicest and most loving person I have met, besides my grandma and mom. She also offered to take us out to eat for lunch and was just talking to us for a while and was just so full of life and just full of love. She seemed like the queen of the street and the light in the neighborhood. After that we got back to work and had a productive rest of the day.

When we got back to the church we had an awesome dinner and the Bible study/Devotion. In the devotion it was just so much love and happiness of the day that was felt during the time of devotion. God has placed all of us here for a reason because our calling this week is to share our love and be a light in a community that really needs a light shone and really needs God’s hand placed on it. This day was a great start to an amazing Spring Break of LOVE. Janice is AMAZING!!!!! If you read this Janice Wesley Foundation of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina LOVES YOU SO MUCH YOU ARE A BLESSING TO US!!!!

Day 3

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Haitham Dawuid

This is the best trip ever, period.

I wanted to start with that since that’s how I feel. I had a little bit more time this morning than yesterday morning to eat breakfast. It was really good food. We left about 9:10 A.M. this morning; it was fairly easy on the highway. We had to put some bathroom tiles at our site, I had to mix some more cement today. I did that yesterday too but we didn’t use it. Then we had the most delicious food in New Orleans. Janice, very nice lady from here, took us to a local restaurant where I had my white beans and rice with fried chicken. It was awesome. I think everyone enjoyed their lunch.

After lunch, we got back to our site and decided to but some doors up since we were done with the tiles. We started to cut the door frames, but them up. Manning was putting some baseboard in the closed room, Alicia was helping him. Carol and I helped David to do the doors thing; it was really educational to me personally. I learned many things. I had the opportunity to enjoy few days with great friends, and meet new ones. Like Marin and Stephanie, share some stories, worship, love each other, and help other people just because it makes us happy.

There is one more thing I’m going to learn probably tonight or maybe later on. It is the Scrabble game. I think Alicia is going to teach me, or maybe Stephanie or Jennifer. I think that’s all I have for tonight.

God bless us all.

Thanks.

Spring Semester First Week Events

jayhinton — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:58:02 +0000

Crazy Wesley Week

Celebrate your return to Cullowhee with Wesley!

We have a week of fun events planned for you!

6:30-Sunday Jan. 11~Free Meal and RACK

(Random Act of Christian Kindness)

7:00-Monday Jan. 12~Dessert Social and Scavenger Hunt

5:15-Wednesday Jan. 14~Dinner and Destination Unknown

6:00-Thursday Jan. 15~Free Meal and WHEE Worship

6:00-Friday Jan. 16~Trip to the Fun Factory in Franklin

Join us and bring a friend!

www.wcuwesley.com

Spring Mission Trip Planned for May

Admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:22:40 +0000

The Wesley Foundation students are planning a mission trip to Rabinal, Guatemala with Habitat for Humanity Global Village, May 16-25. Rabinal is in the Baja Vera Paz providence which is in the middle of the country. There will be at least 13 students going for a cost of $1,800 each. Students will pay $300 out of pocket funds and fundraise money through their home churches. If you would like to help out with a student’s expenses, please contact Jay Hinton or send a contribution to the Wesley Foundation.

Fall Break Activities

Admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:21:08 +0000

We will announce the Fall Break plans in the coming weeks. Please check back for any updates!

Newsletters

Admin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:31:47 +0000

Fall 2008 Wesley Foundation Newsletter

A Blast From The Past

Admin — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:03:36 +0000

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A Blast from the Past

Admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:41:28 +0000

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What Wesley Foundation Did for Me…

Admin — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:30:34 +0000

Hear from former students and alumni.

What Wesley Foundation Did for Me…

“Starting with day one the Wesley foundation provided a positive place for me to personally explore my spirituality and really examine my beliefs in some of the foundations of christianity. I was not Methodist coming in and had somewhat slipped away before college from beliefs and faith. At Wesley foundation I found that I could be the cynic and openly skeptical and still not suffer social consequences for my questions. That had never happened much before. Further, the people and leaders there encouraged me to push on in my search. I will never forget that gift. My years at Wesley helped to grow up faith (the cynic was surprised) and even now I benefit from this. The Wesley Foundation gave me a needed alternative to grow with others and have fun doing it.” – Eric Hamlett, WCU Student 2000 – 2002

“The Wesley Foundation has had a major impact on my life. First, it was the first place where I felt loved and accepted for who I am. Second, the friends that I made there have remained some of my best friends despite the changes in our own lives. They continue to support me and love, and I thank God for them. Finally, my time in the Wesley Foundation helped me to discover my gifts and passions in ministry.” – Burnetta “Etta” Barton, WCU Student 1997-2001.

We Want YOU! Join Us This Week

Admin — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:30:45 +0000

Find out when and where we’re meeting.

How You Can Change Lives

Admin — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:23:46 +0000

Support the WCU Wesley Foundation.