Life’s Adventure

BY BRIANNA STEPHENS

Geraldine Justice knew God had a plan for her in Appalachia. The day she arrived in Eastern Kentucky from Texas to begin her service as a one-year volunteer and AmeriCorps member, she was quickly diverted from her original assignment of serving at Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Grateful Threadz Thrift Store to help ongoing disaster relief efforts in response to historical flooding in the state.

Justice served at CAP’s distribution center in Martin, providing essential items, like cleaning supplies, clothing, water, and hygiene items to families impacted by the flood. While parents collected supplies and spoke with agencies at the center about their next steps, Justice occupied their children with a craft. She traced their hands; let them decorate the paper cutouts with stickers, jewels, and messages of hope; and stuck them to the wall of the center. What she thought would be a bushel of hands turned into a tree of encouraging messages with hands from children, their families, and CAP employees and volunteers.

During her service there, one little boy made the greatest impact on her. He came in with his family, all of them covered in thick mud up to their waists. They were all still in shock from the experiences they had during the flood. The little boy, who was wearing just one shoe, told Justice that he only needed one shoe because another little boy might need the other.

“That stuck with me, because he was so careful not to take more than he needed,” Justice said. She found him a pair of shoes and assured him that any other little boys who came in would be able to have a pair of shoes, too.

After spending her first weeks in Disaster Relief, Justice was able to start her service at Grateful Threadz and settle into community living with other volunteers. Grateful Threadz provides affordable clothing, household items, toys, books, and jewelry to the community. The store reopened in June 2022 after closing for two years during the pandemic. Members of the community, as well as the store’s employees and volunteers, were so excited they could enjoy shopping and socializing with friends there once again.

In her daily role, Justice runs the register at the store, helps manage community volunteers who prepare incoming donations for the store floor, and helps customers find what they are looking for.

“There is nothing like serving here,” Justice said. “People who come here are so excited to get beautiful things, not just something from a thrift store. You see their faces light up every day from what they find. Everyone is so thankful and grateful.”

Serving at the thrift store during the Christmas season was an especially exciting time for Justice as families shopped with their loved ones in mind. She helped a woman surprise her granddaughter with a bedroom makeover by finding a matching comforter, lamp, and decorative photos at the store. The woman gave Justice a big hug when she left with her treasures.

“I look at my experience with CAP and see it has been a joy,” Justice said. “I’m an adventurous person, and this is part of my life’s adventure. I’ve learned that you always get more back than you give. God brings joy out of giving. Serving is a beautiful spiritual journey. If you’re thinking about it, don’t wait. Do it. “

Whether you can volunteer for a week or a year, CAP offers several opportunities to serve. Visit our website at christianapp.org/volunteer to learn more about how you can serve with CAP.