After pastoring for 32 years –– and working on the side as a carpenter –– Rev. Steve Wallace felt a call to mission work. So, he left pastoral work and founded Missionail Ministries.

“We’re building God’s Kingdom one nail at a time,” he said. “We do building projects and furnish humanitarian aid at home and abroad.”

In accomplishing their missions, the Chelsea-based ministry operates as a partner with churches or organizations.

Ministry workers are responsible for paying their own way, but the group gets help with materials and other expenses from individuals, businesses, churches and other groups.

Wallace is presently getting a team together for a trip to Africa April 15 through 24. Ministry workers will be helping to build a church in the town of Lulembola, Bukomba in Tanzania, Africa.

It will be of homemade brick, which the African people will make and lay. Missionail members will supply the remainder of the work. He has three people lined up for the trip, he said, but needs 10 to get the project finished.

Wallace’s first mission trip was on a Crow Indian Reservation in Lodge Grass, Mont., where the group built a church. Since that time, he has made several mission trips to other countries, including the Philippines and Bulgaria.

He plans to make another trip to Bulgaria in June, taking around 35 young people for two weeks. He hopes to have about a dozen adults going as well.

Wallace said the first week will be spent in a “Youth Explosion” conference where they will have music and worship. During the second week, the group will be doing humanitarian work, taking care packages to the elderly, visiting orphan homes working with children, and doing basic home repairs.

“Our main goal,” he said, “is to get people involved in missions at home and abroad … (As) one of our young people said on one of our trips, helping others on the mission field is a life-changing experience. It’s a God thing.”

Anyone interested in helping may contact Wallace at 678–8520 or at pastorwallace75@gmail.com.

Shelba Nivens can be reached by e–mail at ssnivens@bellsouth.net.