“Boy, oh boy, oh boy’ said one soft-spoken resident after work was done on his home bringing some much-needed improvements! For him, that was a huge compliment to the team of Impact Cares and all those who came out to help during our stay there. Hunter’s Run is situated in Armagh, PA, the oldest community in Indiana County in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1792 and still small, only 131 residents in the 2000 census, this is a great community, and we loved our time there.
Like many communities we have the privilege of visiting, Hunter’s Run is made up of a variety of people from all walks of life and all temperament’s as well. We had the vets who have myriads of stories to tell, to those who have just moved into the community and are just getting to know their neighbors. During our time here, Impact Cares was able to have an impact on many lives and over twenty different homes. The projects consisted of everything from building decks to replacing skirting to power-washing a number of homes. While the improvements are important, those projects are just the way of getting to know the folks and bless the community and meet the people.
We met those who lived out the truth that Jesus taught in Mark 9 when he said, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” How true that is! Many residents, who have, by what our culture counts as 'great,' nothing to make them ‘great,’ in reality are 'Great' because they know what it means to be a servant. It is amazing, when together we learn what this means and looks like, how people are more attracted to what we are about and who we are. When you find folks who have a servant-heart, you will find someone you want to spend time with and someone you just want to bless and help out. The challenge is this attitude goes against the grain for our human condition and the culture we live in which is ‘all about me!’ Our culture exists to make ‘me’ happy and those that recognize the lie for what it is do the best in life. Hunter’s Run had a number of these folks who wanted to serve and be a servant and oh what a difference that makes in a community.
Hunter’s Run is a small community set amidst a lot of history. Within short distances from this place, you could see memorials of a flood, of a flight that went down on September 11 and a farm from which the famous, ‘Mr. Rogers’ namesake came to be. With a long history behind it, Armagh as a community is not finished making history. A number of residents made new relationships, some even connecting with old childhood friends living close to one another and not knowing it. Some are still making history, taking care of their spouses who struggle with health issues. One home was filled with memories of a grandmother who did her best to take care of three grandchildren. She had them involved in a number of different activities from VBS to Boy Scouts, with all the memorabilia still in the home that was left when the grandmother passed away. The reality is that someday, whether we live in a place a long or short time, we leave footprints behind for others to find. The only question is will these memories encourage them to be better people, more involved, being a servant to their community or will they find little to point them in the right direction. Hunter’s Run is poised to continue pointing those around them to a better future and Impact Cares was blessed to be a part of the journey!
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