Engines and Automobiles
Matthew Davies, Will Kolck, Aaron Hershberger, Titus Neuschwander
March 25-29, 2019 was a week of service, hands-on learning, work, and spiritual reflection for members of the Engines and Automobile Service and Learning Team. The group was facilitated by Bryan Neuschwander and Dale Miller provided mechanical expertise and entertaining stories.
Students began the week with a tour of Mowers Plus, a lawnmower dealer and repair shop, where they learned about repairing and researching parts for lawn mower service and repair. And after a grocery run to Freeman Foods in Wellman for breakfast supplies, spent the day, changing oil and filters on several lawnmowers as a service to a neighbor.
The rest of the week found students preparing and eating breakfast and lunch together, working from 8 to 5, with a time in the afternoon for reflection and games. The theme verses for the week came from Proverbs 19:20-21, which says, “Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Students considered how God’s purposes unfold from Genesis through Revelation, thinking about how ordinary work fits in with God’s creativity and generosity and good intentions for humans, as they encountered advice from the various tours of local business and work time at the IMS shop, where they tore down a car engine to diagnose its problems. They also checked and detailed autos and dismantled a mower to see if it could be revived.
Throughout the week students also toured Kalona Auto and Reliable Tire in Kalona where they had the opportunity to ask questions about qualities and training needed for employees to diagnose and repair cars as well as other aspects of business like clear communication and honesty in dealing with customers. At Reliable Tire students were able to take apart a truck axle to learn how the differential works, to balance tires, and to locate and repair leaks in tires.
A highlight of the week was touring Stalltek, an auto restoration business in Wellman specializing in Porsches. Students appreciated the history of the cars and the level of care and detail in the restoration work, as well as hearing the air-cooled purr and rev of the Porsche 911.
It was a week of work and fun, gaining advice and instruction and learning about God’s good purposes. Pictures of the week can be seen here.