Report to March 21, 2008

If I were to describe this week in one word I would use “diverse”. The weather brought everything from highs of 80F to cold nights, and from sunny days to rainy thunderstorms. The volunteers this week came from three states and one province. Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, and Ontario were all represented by the short term groups this week. Their ages also ranged from 13 to 65. This eclectic group of people managed to work hard together and become a group of friends in the week that they worked together. 

The work continued on and for the second week in a row we can announce the completion of a house! Mr. Lloyd’s house has passed final inspection. We plan to dedicate it in the week after Easter.

Ms. Josie’s house has been drywalled and the painting has begun. In addition some brave women from Ontario crawled into the “mud pit” underneath the house to put up the insulation. They required showers as soon as they returned from work in the evening. They also worked with some of the young men to dig a ditch and lay sewer pipes. The house is now hooked up for sewage. 

Mr. Mitch’s house is progressing toward completion. The yard has been cleaned up, the doors and windows have received casing and trim, and the floor is nearly finished.

Mr. Winnie’s deck has been finished. He was so happy with it that he came to our camp to tell Jim about what wonderful volunteers were here.

Friday morning saw a very special crew heading out with a trailer to help Ms. Ruby move into her new home on Grand Bayou. It has been a long and difficult journey, but now she, her daughter, son-in-law, an d newborn grand-baby finally have a home to live in again. Praise God for new beginnings.