MacDonald Family Update | 11.19.12

Dear Friends,

A quick update on the MacDonald family- I wish I could respond to each of you individually, but have been overwhelmed with phone calls and emails… all GOOD!  I’ve been on the phone for 6 hours straight and they’re still coming in, praise God!!

The MacDonalds have housing in town available to them, and will move into it tonight.  A friend has offered an apartment where the entire family can be together, and it’s only two blocks away from the house they will be renovating.  They plan to demo the burned home themselves, and then concentrate on renovating the other house.  If anyone has LABOR SKILLS to donate please contact us.  They specifically need a mason to put a new chimney in, and then there will be electrical wiring and general capentry work.  They are needing a dumpster immediately as they are sorting through the rubble.

The immediate need now is BEDS.  They have an assortment of air mattresses, but specifically need three more twin size.  If anyone has a bed (s) to donate, we will start replacing the air mattresses with actual beds.  BUREAUS would be real helpful, too.  Also, LINENS (all twin size, and only one queen size) and BLANKETS.  They have enough towels and pillows, so do not need those items.  They’re not sure if the kitchen area survived, and will let me know soon if they have access to their pots and pans.

I know we are out of the way, but if folks would like to donate FOOD ITEMS (or anything else), we will collect all at our home and distribute it to the family.  READY MADE MEALSwould also be a HUGE help.  I have an extra fridge and freezer and will bring meals as they can receive them.
If you would like to have your church organize premade meals, it would be a blessing to provide the family with meals over the next few weeks.  I can receive meals in waves if organized ahead of time, heat them and bring them to the family as they are ready for them.
They may also use our home as a place to eat, decompress before going back to work.  

We will plan to be at the Keene SDA Interfaith Service on Tuesday at 7PM held at the the SDA church in Swanzey, NH and will bring our trailer to load any donations (beds, furniture, clothing, food, etc.).

I requested our local Bank of America  set up a fund for them.  Checks can be made out to “MacDonald Family Fund” and mailed to Bank of America, 85 East Main Street, Orange, MA 01364.

If you choose to deposit directly, the Account # is 004637894478, and the Rounting # 011000138.


Please PRAY for them- the reality is hitting and they are feeling the strain, yet pushing forward as there is so much to do.  Poor Hannah (youngest child) said last night as we stood in front of the burned home, “I want to go home, but there is no home to go to.”  Just heartbreaking.  On the brighter side, they recovered two guitars, one tuba and one flute which they use in their ministry.  Donations of MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS  would be wonderful! One of their freezers was accessable and we carried the partially frozen foods to their other house.  The Red Cross donated funds and they were able to purchase under garments, deoderant, toothbrushes.  I’m waiting to hear if they could recover their washer/drier and will update as soon as I know.

The CLOTHING NEEDS are listed below.  Laurie asked me if I could request black dress pants, as well as black suit coats for their concert performances!  Can you believe that with this loss, she was thinking of their upcoming commitments to sing for God!?
Laurie also asked for ORGANIZATIONAL HELP- with coordinating foods, clothing, donated labor, donated items, etc.  She is just overwhelmed.  She also has her elderly father (who lives with them and has dementia) and is caring for him in all of this chaos.  Please, please pray for her.  She is trying to hold it together, and go forward but she is under tremendous stress.  She, and the rest of the family, has thanked us and all of you again and again for showing God’s love and compassion by being there for them at this time.

Thank you all and GOD BLESS YOU for your generous spirits!
 
Warmly,

Terry Mott and family

http://www.macdonaldfamilysingers.com

There are 12 family members which include 8 men, 3 ladies and a 3 month old baby girl.  (please view website above)



Ladies Shirts/Blouses    Size Small, Medium and Large
Ladies Pants              Size 8-10, and 12-14
Ladies Shoes             Size 8, 8 ½ - 9, 9 ½ -10,
Ladies Jackets           Size Small, Medium and Large


Mens Shirts               Size (3) Medium, (5) Large
Mens Pants               Size 31x30 loose fit, 32x30, (three)32x32, 34x32, 34x34, and (elastized waist 34x32)
Mens Shoes              Size  9 ½ ,10, 10 ½, 11E, 11, 11 ½, 11 1/2W, 12, 14
Mens Jackets            Size (2) Medium, (6) Large

Black Dress Pants and Suit Coats

Any donations of clothes that do not fit will be shared with our local Community Clothing Center where the MacDonald family volunteers each week.

MacDonald Family House Fire | 11.18.12

Dear Friends,

Our friends, the MacDonald Family have suffered a tremendous loss… their home was lost to a fire which happened around 3AM today.  PRAISE GOD, everyone escaped safely, but only with the pajamas on their backs… literally.  Many of you know them as the Christian singing family who have visited just about every church for miles around here as well as nursing homes, retirement homes, etc.  They love to share the Good News in song, and have given away hundreds of their cds, as well as their time and talents.

Their home was uninsured, and they tremendously need our help.  We are grateful for any contribution you can share to help this precious family.  They purchased a foreclosed house recently just two doors up from the home they lost today but it is in need of major renovation… a new chimney, electrical wiring and furnace, to name a few.  Ron and I spent time with the family this afternoon and have amassed a quick list of clothing needs, and hope to open an account at our local bank tomorrow for donations to help with renovations so they can have a place to call home again.

Please contact us if you can help in any way.  Once the family has time to regroup and plan, we hope to facilitate meeting their needs by donations of monetary and tangible items, and perhaps volunteers who can donate labor.  As we grabbed our coats and shoes to run out the door and help with recovery, my eyes welled up with tears as I recognized my blessings in the shape of coat and shoes…  necessities this family no longer has.

Thank you for your help… PLEASE consider forwarding this to your email list… we have MUCH to be thankful for!

Blessings,

Ron & Terry Mott
105 Town Farm Road
N. Orange, MA 01364
978 575-0479

- -

http://www.macdonaldfamilysingers.com

There are 12 family members which include 8 men, 3 ladies and a 3 month old baby girl.  (please view website above)

Ladies Shirts/Blouses Size Small, Medium and Large
Ladies Pants Size 8-10, and 12-14
Ladies Shoes Size 8, 8 ½ - 9, 9 ½ -10,
Ladies Jackets Size Small, Medium and Large

Mens Shirts Size (3) Medium, (5) Large
Mens Pants Size 31x30 loose fit, 32x30, (three)32x32, 34x32, 34x34, and (elastized waist 34x32)
Mens Shoes Size  9 ½ ,10, 10 ½, 11E, 11, 11 ½, 11 1/2W, 12, 14
Mens Jackets Size (2) Medium, (6) Large

Any donations of clothes that do not fit will be shared with our local Community Clothing Center where the MacDonald family volunteers each week.

Cider | "It's Autumn in a Cup!" | 2012

What's the secret behind apple cider? Hard work and FUN!

When I was 9 years old, my family made apple cider for Thanksgiving. We only made about 2 gallons, but the next year that changed. In 6 years we went from making 2 gallons to 443 gallons! We started with 4 adults, and a bunch of little kids - we've now expanded to 35+ adults/older children.

In the cider making process everyone has a job.

On Friday we gather apples in Southern Vermont. Because some of us are home-schooled, we can help gather drops. With 10-15 people working, we can fill two 8-foot-truck-beds with apples in 3-4 hours.

On Sunday people arrive at my house at 10:30. [The night before pressing, we clean and prepare Dad's shop. We set up the press, wash area and filter system.] As soon as we have help we start working. We start washing apples, while Dad rinses down the press. Once our first batch of cider is made, I transfer over to manage the filter system.

The process starts with the wash cycle: four people wash the apples, while two people cut out the bad spots and rinse the apples.

To operate the press you need two or more people; someone to crank and another to throw apples. Because our press has space for two wooden baskets, we can grind and press at the same time. It takes a lot of strength to press the ground-up apple bits, so we use a baseball bat for leverage.

Once the cider is pressed it’s brought over to the filter system. From atop the ladder the cider is poured into a filter screen. After the fourth screen it’s clear of sediment. Then we bottle, cap, and number it. The gallon jugs we use are clean recycled water bottles. With three people working, the filter system goes quite smooth. Depending on the apples, we have to clean out the filter screens in the top of the buckets every so often.

We work straight through lunch time, cycling people out to eat soup and sandwiches. We finish around 5:00PM. It takes us about an hour or so to wash down the press and drain the wash bins. Then we head off to watch the football game a neighbor recorded.

Our cider pressing stretches over three weekends. The more people the merrier. With a crowd of 15 working folk, we can go through an 8 foot bin in about 4 hours.

Making apple cider is the highlight of my Fall. I’m thankful I have this experience to share with my friends.

-Autumn Story Mott

Afternoon of An Imp

Mom found this today when she was going through my Great-Grandmother's stuff.  This is about me at 2 years old when I was at a neighbor's house.  I really liked my parent's Subaru, as you will find out. :)

"Ya Ya" is Gram, "Meow" is our neighbor's cat, and "the Mama" is Mom.

○     ○     ○

Afternoon of An Imp

What a relief to get out of the car seat and stretch the legs and chase While Cat.  But the Mama kept insisting that she go in and visit “Uncle” Bob and “Aunt” Maggie with her. What a bore! The sun was still high, and everything beckoned.  Why go in?

At the door she paused and drew back.  She would rather stay outside with Meow and Ya Ya.  Meow sensed danger and took cover under “Uncle” Bob’s truck.  Searching eyes, looking for fun, spotted the Mama’s open car door.  Hesitating not a moment, the just-turned-two explorer climbed back into the car, and scrambling between the front seats to that coveted position behind the wheel, was now in command!

Beside her, Ya Ya watched with amazement as an exuberant and delighted dynamo tested buttons, tried the key, was disappointed and perplexed when the windows didn't respond, though the right buttons were pressed.  No matter.  The lights overhead answered the signal and the stick shift moved agreeably as the left hand turned the wheel deftly.  Ya Ya kept a nervous hand on the emergency brake.

All was done with alacrity ... with the urgency of a thief who knew that time was short, all the while casting hurried grins of conspiratorial glee at Ya Ya that said, “ Isn't this great!  Aren't you glad you came along?  Who wants to visit when they have this!”

Radiating sparks of excitement filled the air, while Ya Ya watched the buttons and the brake and the key as small fingers flew and warnings were blithely ignored about rolling back into the street.  Darting looks revealed a small powerhouse of energy overflowing with keen anticipation of an explorer just setting out on uncharted seas.  They said, too, “Poor Ya Ya.  She’s too old for this kind of fun.”

After such a daring adventure ... all too brief, it was agony to be plumped into a car seat again.

Back home, the Mama’s exasperated voice could be heard above the screams, “You are too much!” as Ya Ya headed for the Hermitage with relief.

-Isabel Miller - May 28, 1998

Enough Said.

-Autumn Story Mott

Traditions | Cape Cod

      We all have traditions. Some may be small, like always having hot cocoa on Christmas morning, or maybe your family always has a cook out on Labor Day weekend.

     Our biggest tradition is going down to Cape Cod sometime in September with a group of friends. It's been a get-together for over 30 years now. I've been going for as long as I can remember. My favorite part about it, is that it's always the same. I can give you an overview of the weekend right now:

-Most everyone arrives Friday night,

-Sticky Buns made by Meme Howes for breakfast,

-Around 11AM we all head over to Head of the Meadow beach- some on bikes and the rest drive,

-Most all the bikers do the 4 mile round trip bike trail next to the beach,

-We hang out on the beach 'till 2:30, or until we're all hungry,

-Haystacks for lunch, then we all chill around the campfire pit,

-Rush over to Herring Cove to watch the sunset,

-Build a fire on the beach and roast hotdogs and marshmallows,

-Return to camp around 9PM

-More Sticky Buns for breakfast, then we all pack up,

-Go shopping in P-Town, maybe climb the tower,

-Return to the campground for lunch.

     For the most part it's always is like that. I like it; you always know what's happening next. It's consistent. But just recently, my father decided that he no longer liked "the same old routine" and so he was put "in charge" of directing the weekend. While not much changed, it made for a good laugh! But we had fun and we're all looking forward to next year. 

-Autumn Story Mott

Road Trips in the Middle of Nowhere

     Since we live in the middle of nowhere, we always add in extra time when we go somewhere. No, not because of the usual problems, like cows blocking the dirt road, or getting stuck behind a tractor on Main Street, but because of our community:

-Stopping to say "Hi" to the farmer down the road as he rotates the cows to the orchard pasture,
-Chatting a minute with the young family up the road as they're out in their yard with their horses and toddlers,
-Slowing down to wave at the couple who walk the the roads picking up trash- just 'cause they care,
-Pulling over to "harass" a neighbor about coming to get his "junk" out of our back lot,
-Slowing down as we pass a empty house to remember the family that lived there,
-Taking the time to enjoy the beauty that we're driving through, instead of pounding down a highway at 65mph.

-Autumn Mott