Over the last several years, our Parish has been supporting the Wayne County Work Camp, located in the poverty-stricken Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. Last summer our first group of Missionaries participated in the Work Camp and the fruits were abundant both tangibly, and spiritually.

Wayne County is a rural area with rugged mountains and deep valleys. The area is typical of much of Appalachia: rich natural resources (primarily timber and coal) and rugged, hilly land traversed by winding roads, sharing the narrow valley floor with creeks which often overflow their banks. With the economic challenges of high unemployment, declining population and low tax revenues, the communities and residents are faced with many problems. Despite these hardships, the people of Appalachia are rich in faith, love, and generosity.

The Wayne County Work Camp provides a service experience for youth and adults who desire a “hands on” opportunity to put their faith into practice by serving those who are in most need. Its mission is to glorify God; to share the love of Christ by addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the people; to work together to make homes warm, safe, and dry; and to experience Christian community by living, working, and worshiping together.

Once again, this June a group of our adult parishioners will participate in Mission 2023 by traveling to West Virginia to build and repair homes for those most desperately in need.

A question most frequently asked by those interested in this effort is “Who funds the Work Camp?” Simply stated, it is supported by the generosity of individuals such as you. Each group participating in the Work Camp is expected to contribute a percentage of the cost of building supplies and materials that will be used throughout the course of the week. We realize that while a group of us will make the journey to Appalachia, our actual number of participants is far greater, as it is your contributions that enable us to bring the mission to fruition. You make this Mission possible through your generous support!

A replica of the first home built by Houses of Hope will be displayed in the Gathering Space in March. If you are interested in contributing to Mission 2023 and the Houses of Hope endeavor, kindly take a “saw tag” from the display. You can choose from several tags specifying suggested donations for a variety of building supplies. Please place the tag, along with your donation in the amount specified, in an envelope and return it to the Parish Office (Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00p.m.). Please make checks payable to Saint Joseph Church, in memo line “Appalachia”. You may also donate online by clicking the “How to Donate” button.

Typically, the homes we repair are shacks, cabins, and trailers, many of which do not have what we would consider basic necessities, such as running water, heat or electricity. To many of our “mountain friends”, these are “luxuries”. In choosing to be a part of this effort you will not only be improving the physical conditions of the people's lives; you will also be sending a message of hope and love of Christ.

For more information regarding Mission 2023 ~ Houses of Hope, please contact Jeanine Cavanagh at jcavanagh@sjmillstone.com.

To view the video of last years Mission please visit https://sjmillstone.com/appalachia-mission.