Church practices 'home missions'
BAXTER - Church summer missions project often involve international flights, time change adjustments and language barriers. For the youths of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter, this summer's missions experience involved a camp out at Shady Hollow campground and a week's worth of home demolition right here in Brainerd.
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Lord of Life Lutheran Church Pastor Erika Nilsen (right) talked with homeowner Sammy Thesing outside of Thesing's home.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Last summer, the church went on a missions trip to New Orleans to help with the continued rebuilding of the community damaged by hurricane Katrina in 2005.
"Our trip to New Orleans inspired us to come home and do something in our own community," Pastor Erika Nilsen said.
The team of 15 teenagers began work on the home of the Thesing family in northeast Brainerd on Aug. 2 and continued through the end of the week.
The youths spent a week dismantling the inside of a home while contractors moved in to help remodel the entire house.
Nicole Marguart (left) and Taylor Huber removed drywall from a previously unuseable room in the home. The newly remodeled room will be the Thesing's new living room.Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Youth ministry volunteer Jake Mehr said the house, built in the 1950s, was fitted with a new roof to replace the previous leaking one. The crew insulated the house's living room that was left unused prior to the remodel.
In addition to the construction work, the house also received an aesthetic makeover with all new sheet rock, paint and flooring, plus new kitchen and laundry appliances.
Homeowner Sammy Thesing is a longtime member of Lord of Life and has had the opportunity to travel on past missions trips with the church. "We just wanted to give back for what Sammy has done all over the country," Nelson said. "This is an opportunity to do it."
Thesing's husband, Scott, purchased the home before the couple got married with plans to renovate.
Like millions of others, Scott was laid off during the economic downturn and had a difficult time finding a new job. In 2009, he joined the Army Reserve and was deployed to Iraq at the beginning of 2010. Thesing's tour was his first experience overseas.
Thesing, who returns home early this week for two weeks of leave, will be coming home to a big surprise. He has no idea that his home has been remodeled. "He's going to very surprised," his wife said.
Friends and family have gone the extra mile to make sure the surprise stays a secret until Thesing returns. Sammy said after four months of keeping the secret, she's anxious to see her husband's reaction.
The Thesings will have two weeks together before Scott is scheduled to be re-deployed for a new mission having completed his first earlier this month.
In addition to the work in nNortheast Brainerd, Lord of Life members were also working in Wadena in partnership with members of Emmanuel Lutheran Church. The Wadena effort was to help with the continued clean-up following June's tornado.
"It's good to be able to do something in our community," Nelson said, "As Christians this is what God calls us to do."
SARAH NELSON may be reached at sarah.nelson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5879.