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Hey guys, just got back into town today from an 8 day mission trip in the Appalachan (sp) mountains of SE Kentucky. Great trip and I'm on a spiritual high right now. I'll post more deatails later if anyone is interested but my brain is mush and I'm sleepy.

Good to see yer back.

Get some sleep, then tell us all about it.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Welcome home Paul. Give us the goods there Man.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Welcome Back Paul.

Welcome back bud!

Hi Paul...
When you rest up I would love to hear about your Mission trip. My mother was from Kentucky. A very small town by the name of Russell Springs.

Take care
walter

Hey guys, I THINK my head is finally a bit clear and I can put two thoughts together. I'll give it a shot.
I took the youth from our church down to KY to work with Apalachian Service Project (ASP). In previous years we have been in Knox and Hazard counties. (Hazard county is the poorest county in the US). this year we were in Leslie county which is just north of Hazard. The main, maybe exclusive, industry in coal mining. Over the years the effects of mining have taken their toll on the people of that area. Strip mining has proven to me much more cost effective for the industry so there have been many layoffs. For the traditional mines, machinery has replaced a lot of the human workforce. Those that have remained at work have faced many dissabilities, primarily black lung disease.
When we got down there, I was assigned to a woman's house who was living alone. Her husband had died of black lung 3 years prior and she was surviving on his benifits, something like $256 a month.
She desperately needed a new bathroom. The floor was completely rotten and very dangerous for anyone to even walk on. Once I pulled the linolium, I realized the main culprut of the problem. There had never been a flange or wax ring on the toilet. So the sewage was seaping out with each flush. Without getting too graphic, let's just say I spent a good part of the week on my back, below the floor, pinning in sister joists, lying in sewage. Pretty bad work environment. But I just kept reminding myself that that was the situation this woman was in and I was making it better.
When we pulled out of the driveway after the week of work, the smile on her face said it all. We did our little part to make one life a little better. That smile will be etched in my mind and heart for some time. Oh, that big, beautiful, toothless smile.
It's pretty interesting to see high school kids change before your very eyes. From day one, "eeeeww, what's that smell", to day 7, "can I go down there with you", it was a pretty amazing transformation.
Very powerful week to say the least. Pwoolson38930.9731597222

Good for you, Paul. Sounds like you did some very important work. My son is on a mission trip this week.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Your a good man Paul!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Well Done Paul, I bet guitar building is pretty easy after that experience

Building guitars must feel like heaven after what you did to help, this is very generous of you Paul!

Good for you Ron

If you could have seen my smile when I read what you did for that widow! Remember - she will never forget you either.

It does a spirit good to help another. I admire your sense of volunteerism. Jeanne38931.3055555556

Paul, great story and great work. We do a similar thing down here called Southern Work Camp (SWC) and youth groups from 10-15 churches from Arkansas, Louisiana and East Texas gather and go into these poor neighborhoods and do repairs, painting, etc. I know how you feel, not only is it a wonderful experience helping less fortunate folks, but also, seeing these Youth working together in service helping folks in need as well.

My hat goes off to you for your service to others!

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Great story, Paul. Like Mike says, Service is the key!

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Paul!!!!
God Bless you and your kids on your mission!!

How often do you go there, or do you go to a different location each year??

What a great learning experience for the young kids that went with you...Priceless!!

Regards,
walter

Walter, we go every year. Somewhere in the area of SE KY. I couldn't make it last year because it was the same week as Healdsburg. So I went on another trip to the reservation in South Dakota.
Here's a shot of me in my "work space".

Great job Paul, I'm sure you will be rewarded many times over.   

Also, its nice to see a bathroom other than Hesh's.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Paul......
The smile on your face tells the true story!!!

walter