Weekly Report for Cordova RV 2

The weather this week has been perfect. We had sunshine for the most part, but with cooler temperatures. Several mornings had frost warnings out, but we did not have frost in our area. By mid-morning the temperature rises and it is perfect working weather.

Kathy and I did a lot of painting outside this week. We would paint in the shade and then carry the painted trim boards or doors into sunny areas for quick drying. It did not take long before we could apply a second or even a third coat. Mary Ann and Beverly spent most of their time mudding, sanding and painting inside. Jake also did a lot of mudding and sanding, besides picking up our building supplies. Dick finished installing the windows and started on the doors and trim. Peter and Everett are putting up new sheet rock in the bath, closet and laundry area. This part of the house has received a new floor and it should hold us up without falling through!! Alan finished the railing around the back porch, making it much safer. He also helped with the mudding.

Our homeowner, an 82-year-old widow, did take a tumble this week. She fell and called for help and the guys came to her rescue. She hurt her wrist, but the first thing she said, “It is not broken and I’m not going to no hospital!” There is no level terrain on most yards here – everything is on a slant, with rocks and roots protruding all over. It is really dangerous territory, but she likes to drive her motorized wheel chair all over and loves it when she can pull up close to us painting outside and visit. When she climbs those slanted hillsides, we watch with baited breath and just send up a prayer for her safety.

When we left her site this weekend we had one room all finished and she hoped to be able to move her bed in. She does not like to go away for night. Her son-in-law told us, “Mama is not moving in before we steam clean the carpet.” It will be interesting to see who had the upper hand here, when we return on Monday morning!

Friday evening the Walker County Long Term Recovery Committee took us all out to “The Bull Pen” for dinner. It is a unique place. It looks more like a museum than a restaurant. The LTRC thanked MDS and all the volunteers of the RV program for the contribution we all made towards their recovery effort. Jake and I were presented with a big framing hammer, painted gold and hung in a leather pouch, with a plaque attached to the pouch, ready to be mounted on a wall.

Saturday morning Len and Nettie arrived here early and some of us enjoyed breakfast together with them. The guys helped prepare the office trailer for travel, or so we thought. Jake and I accompanied them back down the hill to hook up the trailer and found out that the plug was broken and so we set out to hunt for a plug. We found one and Len rewired the setup. By 1:30pm they were ready to roll, but not before we realized what an important part Len and Nettie play in keeping the vehicles running and the equipment working. Thank you so much!

Today most of the group went to the Sixteenth Ave. Baptist Church in Birmingham. They celebrated their 139th anniversary today and a comment was made that the two-and-a-half hour service had not even seemed that long! Others who had attended the church earlier opted to attend the Methodist Church in Jasper.

Tomorrow we begin a new work week and it is hard for us to believe that half of April is gone. We only have two more weeks left before this project closes. We thank you for your prayers and ask that you would continue to pray for our safety and special relationships as we move ahead. We feel so blessed as we become friends with our clients and many others that we come in contact with.

Verna for Jake, Everett and Beverly, Alan and Susan, Dick and Kathy, and Peter and Mary Ann