Men and Women of Action Serve Cleveland and the World
(NOTE: The following feature first appeared in the Cleveland (TN) Daily Banner highlighting the ministry of the Church of God organization, Men and Women of Action.)
By Christy Armstrong, Cleveland Daily Banner
An organization based in Cleveland has noticeably made its mark on the city with work on several public projects, but its reach goes all around the globe.
Men and Women of Action, an organization that operates under the umbrella of the Church of God denomination, connects people who want to put their abilities and faith into action with projects that could use some extra sets of hands.
Helping with everything from disaster relief to building community playgrounds, volunteers all over the world work with one thing in common; they give their time to renovate and build.
“It’s the good side of what you see in the world today,” executive assistant Teddie Bennett said. “You see the good, pure hearts of those who give their time.”
Cleveland residents have likely seen the finished results of Men and Women of Action volunteers’ efforts or even seen them working around town.
Currently, the group is building a new restroom for the Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway near the Church of God International Offices.
Volunteers are also assisting Cleveland’s New Hope Pregnancy Care Center as it prepares to move into a new location on Worth Street.
Men and Women of Action volunteers have also provided the work behind projects like a restroom, playground, pavilion and stage at Greenway Park near Raider Drive.
Since it was founded in 1983, volunteers have contributed to projects all over the world, working everywhere from Alabama to Zimbabwe.
Some 7,000 volunteers have been part of the organization worldwide, and Bennett estimates some 2,000 remain active somewhere in the world today.
“Looking at the schedules, we decided there is a team working somewhere in the world every day,” Bennett said.
The projects themselves have ranged from churches and schools in both the United States and far-flung countries to disaster relief efforts.
Local projects like the ones along the Greenway share space on a list of projects with the “Firewall Project” being done in cooperation with Church of God World Missions to build Christian community centers in African countries that have seen war and other challenges.
Among the projects the organization hopes to complete this year are plans to build dorms for a ministry in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti; plans to install a playground in Bethlehem, Israel; plans to renovate a church in Glasgow, Scotland; and plans to construct new churches in cities like Folly Beach, S.C., Mulotana, Mozambique and Argoba, Ethiopia.
When disaster has struck both in the United States and overseas, volunteers have lent their skills to efforts to reclaim and rebuild what has been lost.
“We usually will assess a situation and see what we can do,” Bennett said. “We try to do our small part.”
The organization put crews to work in picking up the pieces after natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region and tornadoes in Moore, Okla.
On April 27, 2011, volunteers with the Cleveland-based organization helped people in their own backyards when tornadoes struck here. They helped with the clean-up efforts, using their expertise and machinery to move debris and begin helping their neighbors regain a tangible sense of normalcy.
“All of our projects are different,” Bennett said, adding the “secret” behind the organization has been the diligence of the people who have given their time.
The volunteers that have kept the organization running since the 1980s have been of a variety of skill levels, and she said amateur handymen and women have worked alongside builders with professional experience.
Even if someone is not a professional, each person is assigned a set of tasks that allow him or her to be a valued part of the team.
Bennett laughed and said her role on a project site is to sweep a broom to keep things tidy.
While that might not be the most glamourous role, she pointed out that there are several seemingly minor jobs that play important roles in getting projects done.
“You need a broom on every project,” Bennett said with a grin. “You need good cooks and food servers, too.”
Men and Women of Action provides the labor for the projects in which it’s involved, but the money for the projects typically come from contributions from other individuals and organizations. For example, the latest restroom being built on the Greenway was made possible by the Church of God donating land and the Bradley Sunrise and Cleveland Rotary Clubs donating money for the building materials.
In another instance, volunteers worked with another locally-based organization, People for Care and Learning, to construct buildings in Cambodia.
As it is a nonprofit organization, Men and Women of Action also accepts charitable contributions. Though the workers are volunteers, Bennett said the organization still has expenses. For instance, it takes fuel to run the heavy machinery sometimes used in construction and clean-up efforts.
“All of our projects are different, and they all depend on the generosity of volunteers and others,” Bennett said.
She said some volunteers choose to help where they live, while others enjoy going overseas to volunteer.
Bennett said she refers to the Cleveland office as “the facilitator office” because its main job is connecting projects with workers who want to make a difference.
She said the organization is always in need of new volunteers, for projects both big and small.
And a project doesn’t necessarily need to be a big one in order to make a difference, she pointed out.
She told the story of one volunteer in Georgia who routinely helps some of the older, widowed women in his church who may not be able to fix things around the house on their own.
The overhead light in one lady’s bathroom was burnt out. Unable to get up on a ladder and change it herself, she went for months without a light — until this man finally learned about it.
Bennett said the woman broke down in tears when a kind volunteer did a task that was, for him, simple and only took minutes.
Men and Women of Action has many large-scale projects, but she said its core mission is to inspire people to help others wherever they are — whether that be in Cleveland or Cambodia. Bennett stressed small actions can make a difference, too.
For more information about the organization and how to get involved, visit http://cogmwoa.org or call 423-478-7955.
Men and Women of Action is a partner in ministry with Church of God World Missions, aiding in ministries including disaster relief and construction projects, helping to spread the Gospel in a practical manner in the lives of those they help. Many churches now stand testament to their efforts.
(Source: Cleveland Daily Banner)
