By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice
For the past 15 years, two church families have put their faith in action by way of the Backyard Mission Project in Chatham.
A joint effort between Chatham’s First Presbyterian Church and First Christian Reformed Church, the initiative sees volunteers come together to transform the outside of a home for those in need.
Journey’s Recovery Home on Joseph Street, a facility where men receive help for substance abuse, is benefitting this year with a gleaming coat of new paint.
“This is a big project,” said Rev. Nate Van Denend from the porch of the three-storey wooden structure as workers buzzed around the building cleaning, completing repairs and building scaffolding to prepare for the paint crew.
Van Denend, pastor of the First Christian Reformed Church in Chatham, said Journey’s Recovery Home was chosen to benefit from Backyard Mission 2025 in order to champion the important work that takes place at the facility.
“The idea is to show our support to the community and to show our Christian love to our neighbours,” Van Denend explained, noting he kicked off the morning devotion with volunteers with the biblical message, “Faith without work is dead.”
Volunteers at the site ranged in age from 13 to 70 -plus, including second-time Backyard Mission volunteer Ashlyn Benallick.
Benallick, 19, who was among those washing down the house, said she helps out simply to “serve the Lord.”
Her comments were echoed by first time volunteer Liane Vanderveen, who said she wanted to assist the men living in Journey’s Recovery Home and “give them some pride.”
Workers from Chatham’s Multi Construction Inc. home builders company also lent a hand to the effort.
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