Today was a very nice day. We actually got to our site on time and started working right away for once. I had the super duper fun job of ripping nails off the roof again! My favorite! It's kind of a sad job because it takes so long, but you don't have a lot to show for it. Nails don't really have much visual effect. But during the monotony, I got to know Andrew and Anna pretty well. The past two days, I wasn't sure if I was going to like Andrew, but I have decided that I like him a lot. But I've definitely found out that the more time you spend one on one with someone, the more you like them. Most people are really great people, especially the people here. It's amazing how every single person really wants to serve so much.
We ended up having to leave our site two hours late because we have so much work today. I really don't mind though; it's kind of nice to have physically taxing work today. Exhaustion is kind of nice actually; it's relaxing. Almost as relaxing as proving trig identities.
We got back and had a nice turkey dinner with ice cream at the end.
Then I talked to some more really cool people. Then I played werewolf and BS with some more great people. This trip is fab.
For community life, we sat on laps a lot. I'm kind of appreciating the hand holding more, but lap sitting was a little much. I want to play trash can soon, but I'm not sure when we're going to do it because I think we're not playing games tomorrow due to laundry. However laundry is nice.
Spiritual life was good as usual. Having gone to Lutheran schools forever, I've become decent at interpreting scripture, and I've been unusually willing to share answers to questions. And today someone came up to me and told me they were glad I was sharing things because they thought my answers were very thoughtful. And it's great to feel appreciated.
I want to sing more hymns when we have chapel. We're singing contemporary pieces which are alright, but I really like hymns. I may suggest that.
I'm also beginning to realize how much I'm going to miss this when I get home. I hope I can go next year. I just wish I could bring my cats with me too.
Vici
So today was a slower day because all of our big work is ending. There was a team that put dry wall up in all the rooms. Then there was another team that was in charge of spackling and putting tape on the lines. The rest of us were just doing random stuff that needed to be done. Like putting on new doors and door frames. We also put up a railing to the basement. I helped sand it down real good so it was nice and smooth. Others were cementing holes in her steps outside. After we had wrapped up for the day we went to the church and took showers. I actually laid down and fell asleep for about 4 hours. No one woke me up so after we finished everything some of the moms got me left overs to eat. Then we all hang out for a little bit. Now we are all going to bed. So goodnight. God bless everyone's day.
Solomon
Today was another good day on the worksites! I continue to get more blisters daily, although some of them turned to calluses or went away, so I'm about even. The homeowner’s son, whom we haven't personally met due to some personal issues, watered our trenches for us after we left yesterday, so they were much easier to dig this morning then they have been in the past few days. My back and hands are still pretty sore, but I actually gained more energy as the day went on! Patrick and I had been joking earlier that grunting when you swing the pick is a very important part of digging, but the funny thing is, yelling and grunting at the dirt occasionally actually did make me feel more energized! There was a few exciting things that happened on the worksite today! Apart from getting my first trench down to 15 inches along the entire length, we also found several huge rocks that we got out of the trenches (Margaret from Minnesota had the biggest rock). We also had a lengthy theological discussion about witnessing and the nature of sin today at the site while we worked. It was a good time! We discussed important points and nobody got too flustered or heated. It was both refreshing and a reminder that I need to work on actually witnessing to people because talking to people that I know disagree with me is rather difficult. But they need to hear the Word of God, even if I fall flat on my face trying to give it to them. We also talked about that in our prayer partners as well. Actually initiating that conversation is incredibly difficult to do, and the direction our culture is shifting is rather disheartening and downright scary at times. Which is why encouragement from the Word and being with others who confess the truth of the Word is so important. In these dark times, Christ is all that stands between us and despair. Knowing that I am not alone, that we are not alone, is incredibly comforting. The knowledge that Christ has redeemed me and no one can snatch that away from me along with the fact that others are also fighting in this spiritual war is what allows me to keep fighting the good fight of the faith. Keep the faith brothers and sisters!
God's Blessings!
Nikki
This morning on the way out to our work site, I was hopeful that there had actually been rain, as the edges of the highway were wet. However, as we got closer, the roads got drier. When we got onto the dirt road just before our work site, the Servant Event van in front of me raised dust about as high as the van itself. Clearly it had not rained in this place last night. When we arrived at our work site we found something even better than rain. God had provided for us in another way. Our homeowner had borrowed a hose to make his longer and his adult son had come out yesterday evening and watered down our trenches as far as the hose would reach. It made a tremendous difference in our digging today and we made great progress. As Solomon mentioned, we have not had the pleasure of meeting the son. His act of kindness to us was a pretty huge deal.
We also had the septic tank pumped out so that we could see where the outlet was and start on opening that up to help determine more precisely we need to run our line from the tank to the new drain field. The inspector was out while that was happening to take a look himself (he had to stick his head in the tank – blech!) and seems pleased with our progress. We had some great discussions on the work site today, that went along well with this evening’s spiritual life. Wednesday seems to be about the right time for these discussions to start. They just get better from here, now that relationships and trust have been built. It is amazing what eating, sleeping and working together fully immersed in God’s Word can do.
Dennis
Hi everybody today is going to be a short journal entry mainly due to exhaustion. Today on my site we worked on attaching bolts to three planks of wood we laid down on the bridge. We also started nailing in the felt paper for our home owners roof, in order to ensure that, in the worst case scenario, if it rains during the night, their kitchen doesn't get flooded. We also got to meet their niece, a cute little eight year old girl named Taylor. Goodnight and thank you for your continued support
Nikki's P.S. - Woo hoo!! I am posting before midnight
