The summer has come and gone, and before we know it will be over. As I think about the last 2 months, I’m amazed at how God has faithfully provided comfort, friends, family, and help when it was needed.

The summer in Clendenin started out a little bit rocky, at least, for me (Hannah). My husband Jason was in a semi-freak softball game accident, and tore his patellar tendons in both legs. He had surgery the morning I was supposed to fly out to our Summer Staff Training Week, and thus started his road to recovery- that isn’t quite finished yet. Friends in Clendenin quickly caught word of his accident, and have been stepping in to help ever since. It was incredible to be loved by my community during a difficult time, but also from the groups that came all the way to serve with us!

We have had groups this summer from all over the country… Colorado, Michigan, Texas, Kansas, Virginia, Ohio, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey and more.  These groups have gotten to meet some of our wonderful partnerships while serving in Clendenin.

I think about our new friend Ron, who brings his grill to the church every Friday night to cook hamburgers, and his famous grilled onions for all of our volunteers. Or our church family at First Baptist Clendenin, who can always be found hanging out during dinner and worship in the evenings. Clendenin Little League continues to be a close partner, making sure that every Friday night we have a movie and concessions down at the field. I think about those members of the community that we didn’t know 2 years ago, who now feel like family.

While it has not been without difficulty, God continues to bring community members, students, and leaders to West Virginia to be a part of the plan He has for this town. Some of the things I’m so excited about as we wrap up our summer include:

Finishing work at the Clendenin Little League Field. By the end of the summer, CLL will have a remodeled training facility, to be used year round. What was once washed out, moldy, and in huge need of repair… has turned into a training facility to be used by over 130 little leaguers. CLL will also have a brand new bathroom house, as well as a pavilion to enjoy. It’s the little things about community that mean so much. I’m very excited to enjoy a T-ball game from the new pavilion one day soon.

I’m also grateful for our homeowners that partnered with us this year.  I think of families who didn’t have access into their homes who now can get family members to and from the car, without carrying them down a flight of steps. New friends who had flood damage that we were able to repair, and replace with safe and secure housing. Churches who looked after their congregation first, and put their needs to the side, after 2 years can now have sunday school and gather in the banquet hall again.

Little by little, Clendenin continues to recover with a lot of hard work from the community, and from teams that serve alongside them. If you were apart of this recovery, thank you. If you’d like to be in the future, I’d love to introduce you to some of our friends, and see how God continues to work in the summers to come!