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On June 20th, regular volunteer, Terry House, refurbished his 1,000th Sewing Machine at Midwest Mission.
Terry has volunteered at Midwest Mission since 2011, working wherever was needed. Shortly after Terry started volunteering, long-time volunteer Jack Bell, who has since passed, asked him to help in the sewing shop. Since he always liked fixing things, Terry agreed, and hasn’t left the shop since.
His service at Midwest Mission has been such a blessing to the organization and the people we serve. Every time Terry finishes a machine, he tapes the needles onto the side with a colored piece of tape. One year, we received a story and pictures from a few women who received sewing machines in Ethiopia. One woman stood beside a sewing machine with her hand on top, and on the side was that colored piece of tape. Since then, Terry felt a connection to her, knowing he could play a small part in providing what was needed.
We asked Terry a few questions about his time at Midwest Mission:
Do you like working on electric or treadle sewing machines more?
I like them both, but most of the time, I work on electric machines.
What is your favorite part about volunteering at Midwest Mission?
My favorite part is seeing new faces, meeting new people, and learning about them — why they came, where they're from, etc.
What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering at Midwest Mission?
The whole process is so rewarding. You get more from Midwest than you give — you get the feeling of accomplishment of helping others. We aren’t doing it for ourselves, but doing it for God and His people.
At the end of the conversation, Terry shared this sentiment to his time with Midwest Mission: “This place is kind of addictive. Once you come, you have to go back — you want to go back.”
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