Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a time of celebration for Americans across the nation every year, but Saturday a group of volunteers chose to honor the civil rights icon two days early by joining Widows Harvest in a day of service.
A group of 50, including local volunteers and members of a youth mission group from Birmingham, Ala., worked on the homes of widows in East Chattanooga and helped with the interior demolition of a home donated to Widows Harvest in St. Elmo.
After the historic home is fully restored, it will be available for purchase, and the proceeds will help fund the many ongoing projects of the organization.
While leaning on his truck outside a widow's home in the 1400 block of Arlington Avenue, project coordinator Dick Mason said that the nonprofit assists approximately 540 widows in Chattanooga every year.
"That could be anything from fixing a loose door to changing a light bulb in a closet to doing a full roof repair," he said.
The 72-year-old has been with the organization since 1987 and he still does more than his fair share of the labor, be it painting, hammering nails, or cutting the grass.
"I still do it all," he laughed, "though not as quickly as I used to."
But having a horde of teenagers ready to work can help lighten the load. The dozen students who had come to work on the home of Airlean Hutchins, 84, had managed to prime and paint the exterior with a fresh coat of white, with orange trim for the shutters, after a couple hours of work.
As they cleaned up the site, washing paintbrushes and putting away extension ladders, the volunteers spoke about their experience with Widow's Harvest, saying that it was an admirable ministry and they have been glad to participate.
Hudson Phillips, 15, said that he's appreciated getting the chance to come to Chattanooga and participate because the work is a direct reflection of what is commanded in Scripture.
"It's helping out people who can't help themselves," Phillips said, "It's stated in the Bible that caring for widows and orphans is the purest form of worship."
Margaret Allen, another member of the youth group, said that it was enriching to meet Hutchins and "see how God works through her and how she has faith in him."
In speaking with Hutchins, who stood in her doorway surveying the clean-up work that was happening in her front yard, it's clear that she radiates the faith in God that the volunteers noticed.
"I've got Jesus in the front and behind, and everything else just falls into place," she said.
Hutchins has been widowed twice, most recently in 1976. She said she worked in environmental services at Erlanger hospital for 23 years before retiring and now she spends her time visiting with family or traveling with her children.
She said she's appreciated the work of Widow's Harvest and has been participating in the program for two years, joining in a prayer group with other widows and worshiping with several of them at her home church, Mount Zion Baptist.
God has provided for her and he will always do so, she said.
Hutchins said, "He may not come when you want him to, but he always comes at the right time."
"He's an on-time God."
Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.