Members at the Buena Vista (Va.) church are working to “Ramp Up Rockbridge” County by building handicap ramps for seniors and disabled persons in the area. As part of the church’s cycle of evangelism, as well as its participation in the North American Division’s Compassion 10 Million campaign, church members committed to building four ramps within the next year.
“In a conversation with our county’s Department of Social Services, they specifically mentioned that this is one of the biggest needs in our area,” said Daniel Xisto, pastor. This need was emphasized when a church member fell and broke his hip. Members rallied to create a wooden ramp for him to maneuver in and out of his home.
“We decided to provide metal ramps that we could set up and tear down to reuse if the person moved or no longer had a need for the ramp” explained David Hall, the church’s community outreach leader.
So far, one ramp has been installed, with a second one pending as members wait for the weather to be more accommodating for the task. “We select our recipients based on referrals,” explained Xisto. “We ask our members if they know of anyone in need. An additional benefit to the ramp is that it allows us to stay in contact with the recipient, to see if they are experiencing any issues with it, and then following up to see if there is anything else our church could help them with or if we could pray with them. We are excited about this creative ministry and look forward to helping and addressing the needs of our community.”
