Church helps family build child play area
When the pastor of Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church was getting ready for the church's latest missions project, he didn't need an airline ticket, or even a suitcase. The mission was taking him no farther than a few miles from the church.
Along with 20 or more other church volunteers, the Rev. David Brewer is helping a young veteran provide a safe play area for his two children. The project, already under way, will take several weeks.
A work day Saturday was not what typically comes to mind when thinking of church missions, Brewer admitted.
"We have gone to Mississippi and Nicaragua and Honduras. We still support those missions, but we're doing something local this time," Brewer said.
As part of the project, at least a dozen men were cutting trees and clearing brush from a steep hillside behind the home of Bill and Trish Essary of Penn Township.
Bill Essary served for a year in Afghanistan with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. He returned home to marry Trish on May 8, 2004.
The couple's joy quickly turned to tragedy when Essary was hit by a truck on May 18 during a training exercise in North Carolina, just days after returning from his honeymoon. He suffered two broken arms and lost part of his left leg. His recovery included a year of intensive rehabilitation in Walter Reed Medical Hospital.
"It was a miracle he survived," Brewer said. "He had extensive injuries. But he's got a great spirit, and he still does a lot of things."
The Essarys moved into their home in September. It is nestled into a steep wooded hillside. With two active young children, Hunter, 3, and Hailey, 8 months, the location leaves very little play area.
The project will involve clearing the steep hillside and moving tons of dirt from the rear of the house to the front. A large depression in the front yard will be filled in and the entire site will be graded. A retaining wall will be installed, and the finished result will provide a safe, level lawn for Hunter and Hailey.
"He's gone through so much, but he's so focused on his family," Scully said. "It's a fantastic thing to see. He's very capable, but when you get into a project like this, to try to do it yourself, it would take months and months, or even years and years."
Essary, who is now employed by a demolition company, was working right alongside the volunteers by driving an excavator to drop trees and haul the cut logs away.
The missions project came about through a chance conversation, Brewer explained.
"I happened to be having lunch and ran into Trish Essary," Brewer said. "She made a casual comment about not having a yard or lawn. It just kind of stuck in my mind."
"He came over and asked how we were doing," Trish recalled. "I said that Bill was working on the yard, little by little. Rev. Brewer asked if we might like some help. A week later he called and said, 'We're going to help you out.'"
"That's the way our church is. When they find a need, they are right on it," said Bill Essary's mother, Marjorie Essary of Saxonburg.
"It's really great to see all the outpouring," said Ira Scully of Winfield Township. "I've been in this church for four years, and the passion this church shows towards the veterans is nothing like I've ever seen."
Scully explained he was never able to attend one of the out-of-state mission trips, but he "always thought it would be great to help people who are less fortunate." So he jumped at the chance to help with a local mission project, especially one that will benefit an injured veteran."I have a deep passion for veterans, because I am one myself," Scully said. "My father was a disabled Korean War vet. He worked for the Veterans Administration for over 40 years. When I see something like this, I wanted to be part of it."Scully also said the community has stepped up to support the project, not only with manpower, but with supplies and the heavy equipment. Scully said he hopes to finish off the project with one special touch: a new flagpole."We thought it would be a really, really special thing to set that flagpole to allow him to fly the American Flag, and the 82nd Airborne flag," Scully said.Brewer said the congregation has embraced this particular church mission for one of their own."There is a lot of enthusiasm for this project," he said. "One family donated 150 gallons of diesel fuel to run the equipment. It makes people feel good to be able to really help somebody."Numerous local companies, including Bobcat of Pittsburgh, Rico, and Cleveland Brothers, are donating the use of heavy equipment. Interstate Pipe of Butler is donating all the pipe and drainage supplies.He stressed that the hands-on approach the church takes not only benefits the local community, but enriches the church ministry as well.And while donating money to foreign missions is vitally important, "sometimes there's an opportunity locally, and that helps people in your church to be compassionate and helps them to grow."We call it, 'having people eyes,'" Brewer said. "Being sensitive to hurting people."To volunteer or donate to the Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church missions project, contact Scully at 724-352-8835 or the church at 724-352-2888.
