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Published: October 22nd 2008
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This cross is over the entry way
of the conference center (lodge). I'll get a picture of it at night, because they leave the lights on in the lobby, and the glow through this cross is just warming. (Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center)
This project is different from any other we’ve been on because it primarily caters to adults. The conference center (lodge) is very large, and is as fine as any hotel; I don’t want to say it’s fancy, but it’s not a rough environment, like some we've been to. It’s been around for a lot of years, but recently they began updating (restoring) it, and the results are beautiful. There is Camp Carson for the kids, but it’s not at all a rustic camp.
We have six couples on this project, and, again, they’re all new to us, with the exception of our lead team, Gary and Sharon, who we first met when RVICS came to our home church in Sidney. Gary and Sharon visited with us about RVICS and were instrumental in getting us signed up. We haven’t met up with them since the summer of 2006, though we have talked with them several times. (They’ll also be our leaders on our November project.) They will always be special to us, and it’s fun to be working together.
We are definitely in the south! After we crossed the Ohio River we noticed
Newport is the nearest town,
but there are small towns within a few miles of every direction you travel. Most of our errands are done in Sevierville, about 25 miles. a difference in the language, and then driving into Tennessee we just had to laugh…people here don’t use long vowels, except for long O, as in foteen …I guess they use long E too, but you won’t hear an A or I. “It’s foteen mahles down the roooad.” Bear in mind, this “roooad” is six lanes wide! There are a lot of letters they don't pronounce, but as someone from the sound once explained, "It gets too hot to bother saying the whole word!" We have the cutest gal in charge of housekeeping (I’ll tell you later what I’m doing in housekeeping) and according to her, her people are from waaay back in the holler (spelled h-o-l-l-o-w). She has such a strong accent, and is delighted to use it for our entertainment! Here’s the way a conversation went the other morning,
Trish: “Last night I made bowled cabbage…”
Me: What kind of cabbage?
T: Bowled. The kids really like it , so I cooked up a beeg pot of it…
Me: Oh, boiled cabbage!
T: Yeeeah, bowled.
I asked her if it sounds funny to her when we talk, and she said no, we sound just like she does,
Our Carson Springs Team!
Tom & Lucy, Marvin & Jackie, us, Don & Sharon, Larry & Gaylene, Gary & Sharon (leaders). We're not dressed for work, we're dressed for church! except when it comes out of her mouth it’s different! She's not kidding about that! What a hoot she is!
The women are broken into two groups…one group is cleaning padded chairs…vacuuming, shampooing, and wiping down the legs. 740 chairs! Now that’s how many green chairs there are, not necessarily how many will get cleaned. I think they’re going to work on a different task next week. Our group is mudding over rough concrete walls to make them smooth, and then we’re going to prime and paint them. The room we’re working in is Trish’s office, and she’s more than delighted that it’s finally going to look like an office, instead of a closet.
The men are also in two groups; one is putting up some exterior lighting…as in building concrete forms, erecting the light poles, and having them standing straight and lighting when they’re finished. The other group (Bob) is tearing down the pavilion by the swimming pool. They’re taking it apart piece by piece and removing the nails so as much as possible can be reused.
We’ve read and heard about the Bible belt, but being in it is really an eye opener. There are
Looking down into the lobby
of the Lodge. Doesn't it look like a hotel lobby? so many churches here. When you’re driving down a country road, and there are two churches in one remote intersection, you know you’re in the Bible belt! Or when there are churches side by side on a street in a small town. I would like to know the number of churches per capita down here. And different churches than we’re familiar with. Baptist seems to be the most predominant, but there’s also Church of the Good Life….Church of the Holy Spirit Tabernacle….Church of Everlasting Christian Community Fellowship (that one sounds good, but come on…) Lots of off brands, for sure. It’s all new, and very interesting.
No cell phone or wifi outside the Lodge. A little tv most of the time. Our weather has been in the 80s, and the colors are already changing from brilliant to fading…I think that’s because it’s been so dry here. I asked Bob if he thinks this is the most beautiful place we’ve been, and he agrees that it’s right up near the top. It would be impossible to rank them.
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margo
non-member comment
language
I totally agree with the odd language. What's weird is that people from Tn, Ky, WVA and SC, NC and VA all have their own type of southern accent. I have been hear long enough to be able to pick where someone is from just by listening to them speak. The best southern word is oil. It is pronounced ooooooall. How can a three letter word end up with that many vowels. You are also correct about the churches. There are at least 4 different types of Baptist (including Primative Baptist). I am so glad you are seeing this end of the country. Everyday I am reminded about how beautiful this area is.