EMHE

I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer at the central IL home that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was building. It’s in Pekin, IL. What a cool experience! I love the show though I rarely watch it since it airs while I’m at church. When I heard that Confession, our young adult group, was going to volunteer at the site, I immediately signed up. I love doing construction/home improvement type work. I didn’t care about meeting Ty or the other designers. I didn’t care about getting on TV (and even avoided doing so). I simply wanted to be there, to see the house in progress and to lend a hand wherever I could.

My friend, David, and I headed down to Pekin, checked in, got our blue shirts and hardhats and boarded the volunteer bus. Upon arriving, we were directed to the volunteer waiting area. Basically there’s a designated spot in front of the house where volunteers wait to be given a job. David and I exchanged cell phone numbers just in case we got separated but also made a pact to stay together as best we could. There were so many people milling around! We unloaded cedar flooring and drywall mud. We moved a massive, muddy hose. Unloaded wood from the Menard’s truck. Shoveled gravel into wheelbarrows and dumped them into their appropriate places. Painted picture frames for the daughter’s bedroom. And even broke the glass on one of the frames.

It was so neat to see that house unfolding with all the people who were pitching in to make it possible. It’s a massive coordination effort on the part of ABC, the builders and especially the volunteer coordinator. I’m glad I got to be a part of it. Seeing a project like that gives you a renewed hope in the goodness of humanity. With all the negative stuff that we read, hear and see, there is still hope in their world and people still care about people.