[nabs-l] volunteering and missions

[Robert Jaquiss]

Hello Ashley:

     I have done some volunteer and missions work. I am currently the 
Missions chairman for Faith United Methodist Church in West Monroe, 
Louisiana. One Saturday each month, I help distribute food as part of our 
work with Angel Food Ministries. As the Missions Chairman, I also deal with 
a small budget and hold periodic meetings.

     When I lived in Oregon, I went with a church group to help winterize a 
house. I am familiar with the use of hand tools and I installed screw on 
weather stripping which included a bottom door gasket. We also installed 
plastic sheeting on the inside of the windows and I got the difficult window 
that had an airconditioner in it.

     In 1996, I went by myself on a short trip to the Commonwealth of 
Dominica to investigate the needs of the blind living on that island. It was 
quite an experience and I was able to provide a little help.

     If I recall correctly, members of the Greater Baltimore chapter of the 
NFB helped install vinyl siding on a Habitat for Humanity house. The report 
I heard was that they did a very good job.

     My thoughts on this sort of work are that doing some planning is a good 
thing. Learn how to use hand tools. We can certainly hammer nails, drive 
screws, cut boards etc. I have installed a garbage disposal, kitchen sink 
faucets, a new bathroom sink and cabinet including all the plumbing. When I 
was twelve, I laid the decking for an eight by twenty-one foot deck. I have 
helped my Father roof a house and also helped with other maintenance. In 
case you wonder, I am totally blind. If you want to go overseas, I suggest 
trying a domestic opportunity first. Go with an organization that has a good 
track record and experienced leadership. Study about where you want to go, 
learn about the culture, the food eaten etc. Of course learning a foreign 
language is also helpful. Hope this helps.

Merry Christmas,

Robert Jaquiss


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:01 PM
Subject: [nabs-l] volunteering and missions


>    Hi all,
>
>
> This list is sure quiet.  I was thinking this is the time of giving around 
> the holidays.  Have you participated in an outreach project?  Anyone done 
> Habitat for Humanity and if so what did you do and what alternative 
> techniques did you use?  Can we hammer and drill safely?
>
> For those of you who are religious, have you been on mission trips?  I 
> would like to do that someday.  So far I have been to a shelter to serve 
> lunch with my church.  I have volunteered for the talking book library and 
> political campaigns.  So what are you all doing lately?  I hope to hear 
> someone has done Habitat because that is something I am interested in but 
> I don't know how I can contribute.  I think I could paint  and mix and lay 
> concrete outside.  Look forward to your responses.
>
> Ashley
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