Family of 14 Makes Great Construction Crew

They came in late Monday night, about 9:30 or 10:00. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall showed them their quarters for the week--they set up tents near the lodge at Wildwood Christian Retreat. Then they stopped at the cabin for a real meal before heading to bed. All of them looked weary and worn. And no wonder. It had been a long trip for the Rogers Family, originally from Pensacola, Florida. They were taking their oldest son to a school in Virginia and called about stopping by on their week of vacation. "I've known the Rogers for a long time," Mrs. Marshall told us. "They used to live in San Diego and attended the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Lemon Grove, California." On Tuesday the two oldest sons, Ben and Zach, along with Mr. Rogers showed up to help. They worked on electric, sanded walls, and finished digging a ditch to the electric pole. By Wednesday, the two oldest girls had joined the crew. The kitchen, which was awaiting the installation of cabinets, was prepped. The log walls were sanded, as well as the ceiling. Then they were coated with polyurethane. By Thursday one more girl was added to the crew. The sounds from upstairs were constant: saws, sanders, and drills. Other rooms were added on to the list of construction. Mrs. Marshall and any other unemployed workers were kept busy in the kitchen. All was not work, however. In the evenings, both families enjoyed a variety of activities. One evening was spent playing instruments and singing together. Another evening, they played volleyball at Wildwood Christian Retreat. Yet another night found them at Pringle Falls, where just about everyone had their fill of jumping into the icy water after a long day of hard work. Although the entire family did not end up on the crew, Mr. Marshall expressed his thankfulness for the extra workers. "There were a lot of questions to answer, a lot of details to think about," he laughed. "I had people coming to me, one right after the other to ask, 'What should we do about this, Bro. Marshall?' or 'Do you have another job for us?' "I know it was a real sacrifice for them to come. And I know I speak for my whole family when I say we really appreciate all of the help we've had lately. We'll get this thing licked yet!" You can view pictures of the progress of the cabin at the Marshalls' Photo Gallery.