West Virginia Volunteers-in-Mission
2006 Volunteer of the Year
John Wratchford!
A West Virginia United Methodist Volunteers-In-Mission Proclamation
Given by Tom Clark
John Wratchford Day
Saturday, June 10, 2006
West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, West Virginia
In his final discourse with his disciples, Jesus challenged them to proclaim the gospel of his life and death, beginning in Jerusalem, moving to Judea, then, to Samaria, and finally to all the ends of the earth. John Wratchford, from Ellamore, West Virginia understands these words. By the way, just where is Ellamore, anyway? John heard these words many years ago and continues to hear these words, even today.
His love and devotion to United Methodist Volunteers-In-Mission work teams is legendary. He stands as a quiet testament to God's people everywhere. You should see him with the orphans in Russia. Especially his children and youth who live and work at the Orphanage for the Blind and Deaf in Sergiev Posad, Russia. Especially at Christmas. He loves them as if they were his own. He has quietly made himself known on the Island of Tonga, in the South Pacific. You should see him in a skirt. John is known in Fairbanks, Alaska where he was a laborer for their Habitat for Humanity project. He will soon expand his Habitat work in New Zealand. He is known and loved in West Virginia too. They know John and his wife, Christine in Burlington, West Virginia. When the jars are prepared this October and the apple butter stirred for the youth who call Burlington home, you will find that he is quietly known there too.
John Wratchford generally doesn't have much to say. He is really known more for his simple actions. Just yesterday I saw John at the Volunteers-In-Mission display table, looking for a place to go next year where he will gently express his quietness. This year, West Virginia United Methodist Volunteers-In-Mission wants to recognize one of the great servants of the church who has quietly taken his witness to "all the ends of the earth".
Therefore, I proclaim this day that John Wratchford is the volunteer of the year of the West Virginia United Methodist Volunteers-In-Mission ministry.
John has served on work teams to:
- Tonga, 2004 and 2005
- Fairbanks, Alaska, 2005 working with Habitat for Humanity
- New Zealand, 2006
- Burlington, West Virginia, 2003 and 2004
- The Russian Orphans Christmas Party, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and is heading back in 2006
As his wife, Christine, said, "He loves what he does. He truly does."
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