Here is an overview of the Middle Oak Volunteer Effort @ Sayre:

The Lost Community:

For many years mining was the livelihood of the people of Sayre, Alabama. Then, several decades ago the mines closed and the people in the community surrounding the mines found themselves without employment.  Without other job skills and limited opportunities and transportation, the families and the community deteriorated rapidly. Once hardworking families turned to government assistance to survive.  Pride was replaced with despair.  Once quaint little homes fell into disrepair and many are now in very poor condition.  Families began to fall apart. Children suffered. Today most people in the Sayre community surrounding the old mines live in abject poverty. Illiteracy, drug and alcohol abuse, child neglect and teen pregnancy are common.  Hopelessness was all around.

The Lost Was Found

About a decade ago a light of hope came to the Sayre community.  In the late 1980s a group of men from another community in Jefferson County were troubled by the plight of many women and children there.  These men of faith began to reach out.  First a few bags of groceries were given to help relieve the hunger.  More people got involved as they saw the extent of poverty that existed.  The few bags of grocery multiplied over the years to hundreds of pounds of food donated each month. Next gifts of shoes were given to protect the bare feet of the children, then clothing, hygiene products, diapers and Christmas gifts. 

The Community of Faith

Over the years a half dozen churches have joined in the effort to restore the lives of these seemingly hopeless people.  Then in the fall of 1998 a group of children sought comfort from a church near the community.  Because of their appearance they were rejected.  So a small church began in their own community, first meeting on the front porch of a house and then later in a small room of the same home.  As more people sought sanctuary from the cruel realities of their lives, the church began to grow.  The people poured a simple concrete slab and erected a tattered tent church over it in the center of the community and named it the Middle Oak Church since it was built between three oak trees.  For the first time in many years these people began to meet and form a support system where each family wasn’t forced to fend for itself. 

These changes began to occur through the vision and commitment of one man, Del Reid.  A bi-vocational minister, he realized the great need and adopted the community and became their first pastor.  Under his leadership more positive changes took place.  First more children and adults began to attend and join the church turning to God for answers to their problems.  Baptism became a regular part of their worship as people of the community journeyed to the nearby Locust Fork of the Warrior River for baptism. 

Idea for a Permanent Building:

In January, 2001, government regulations dictated that unless plans for a permanent structure to replace the tent were initiated, the small church would be forced to disband.  A group of four men from another Jefferson County community saw the plight of these people and decided to make an effort to raise money and provide the building expertise to construct a permanent structure on the same spot as the old tent. The vision was shared and after a period of time dozens of people came forward with many skills in the building trade to make this vision a reality.  First, one of the Birmingham area’s leading contractors volunteered to draw the plan and lead the project.  Dozens of individuals began making small contribution to the projects.  Then a major corporation headquartered in Birmingham provided a significant gift from their employees’ charitable foundation. 

To maximize the usability of the proposed building, it was designed to serve multiple purposes.  This simple structure would become the foundation for rebuilding the community. Besides a place of worship, some of its uses would be:

 

  • A place for shelter in inclement weather -- not merely during tornados but it will be a place where the community can seek relief from oppressive heat in Summer and severe cold in Winter
  • A place to receive food boxes (approximately 40 families are being supplied food each month.  Everyone currently gathers at the small tent to receive the food)
  • A place to go to receive medical treatment, vaccinations, and periodic checkups from volunteer medical teams.
  • A temporary shelter for families with no place else to go.
  • A place for tutoring, adult literacy programs, community activities, etc.
  • The facility will have several computers with Internet access that can be used as a resource tool for after school study sessions and continuing education classes.
  • In the future the building will be used as a place to start a small school/learning center where we could better tackle the problem of illiteracy. 

M.O.V.E. @ Sayre:

For months a group of volunteers from all walks of life met and planned.  Ministers and leaders from a half dozen churches, engineers, an attorney, sales and marketing executives, a banker and accountant, a development professional, a meteorologist and business owner were just a few of the wide variety of people joining together to help offer hope to this community. Because of the growing momentum, in March, 2002 the project was named,  “Middle Oak Volunteer Effort (M.O.V.E.) @ Sayre.” A fundraising luncheon was held in May bringing the total funds raised to nearly $70,000 for this $150,000 project.

Where We Are

As of the middle of June, the new multi-purpose facility is being erected, and most materials and building supplies have been donated.  However there are still significant funding needs: furnishings, computers, insurance, utilities, etc.

Where We Are Going

A key component of this project is that the individuals in the camp itself are actively involved.  There are carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and drywall workers.  In addition there are many who simply help with preparing and serving food, or with helping keep the job site clean and organized. We are already seeing a wave of support from churches and individuals who want to help.  If the community is going to pull itself out of the tragic condition it is in, people and corporations must partner with us.  All gifts made will go entirely to the Sayre community. 

How Can You Partner With Us?

 

  • Cash gifts of any amount.  Make checks payable to M.O.V.E. @ Sayre.
  • Free professional services
  • Gifts in Kind.
    • Used mobile homes to replace deteriorated housing.
    • Used automobiles.
    • New or late model computers.
    • Educational resources.
    • Over the counter medicines.
    • New children’s clothing.
    • Bicycles
    • Shoes

 

If you, your church, business, or organization can help... please let us know. 

 

Churches Currently Involved: Pleasant Ridge Baptist, Dawson Memorial Baptist, Hunter Street Baptist, Canterbury United Methodist, Middle Oak Church, Briarwood Presbyterian, Grant Creek Baptist, Chinese Baptist of Southside

Businesses Contributing: Harbert Management Corporation HERO Foundation, Myrick Gurosky and Associates, Ready-Mix USA, Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, Haymaker Electric, Davis Plumbing, Paden & Paden, McCullers-Capps and Associates, Inc. Alabama General Contractors, ABC33/40, Davis NDE, Inc., Young Business Leaders, H&H Prescott.