Busy here, busy there, busy everywhere

Oh my, what a day!
We went to the Convoy of Hope this morning to see how Steve starts off his new volunteers. It just verified to us that our thinking is on the right track. It also gave us the opportunity to talk with some of his workers who happen to be from PA, WI and NC this week. They are still working on tear outs, which is stripping all drywall and ceiling materials from the houses, spraying them down with a bleach solution and allowing them to dry. The bleach is to kill the mold. They then wait for the inspectors to return and test for mold. If all checks out okay they are given the go ahead to start reconstrcution, beginning with hanging drywall, if there is any drywall.
We are expecting a semi load of drywall here at our warehouse this Thursday. All of it is already promised to people.
After a cajun breakfast in a restaurant decorated with all types of alligators we were back to the church to get started again. Monty will be working in and out of the warehouse trying to get it more organized and made more useful.
We both were runnning around like chickens with no heads most of the day but accomplished so much! We had the oppotunity to meet with 2 of the 4 board members who seemed quite pleased with what we have done so far. We tossed out our plan to turn 3 upstairs rooms into boarding rooms for volunteers. They thought the ideas were great and are just so pleased and thankful to have someone like us here, someone who really wants to work with them, to gain their trust and to be a "constant" on the grounds.
We were able to continue cleaning up so many messes and poor Dave worked like a dog all day! When the man sets his mind to something he gets it done---no matter what. He cleaned a shop vac of things inside that no one wants to really see, he picked up trash in places no one even wants to get into and the last time I saw him he was on the floor mopping underneath a sink designed for construction workers to clean up in (get the picture?) He has been so much fun to have here and has become closer than family. But by the time we had dinner late this evening he was so tired he went straight to bed! We don't want him to go home!
We also met with the director of the grade school and got some things lined out there. She was able to be a great source of information and is also more than thankful that we are here for an extended period of time.
We were able to clean up one room that was upside down and create another that we will be using as an office. You just cannot live, sleep and have an office inside a camper trailer that is 24' long and 8' wide! (and not to mention have 2 dogs inside) The board members were blown away when they saw the office and said it had been much too long since there had been such a thing in the church. I think it reassured them that we are going to be here for awhile.
And for us to see how pleased they are is a wonderful blessing to us. We knew we were being called here, we knew in what capacity God wanted us to work when we got here and felt confident in that work, but seeing their faces, hearing their stories and seeing the tears mixed with their thank yous brings tears to our own eyes.
The weather did warm up some today although it was cloudy. I think we had a high around 56 with the temp tomorrow to be 68! The humidity thing is everywhere. I think my hair will be permanently kinked (not just curly) for the next year! Thank the person who created the pony tail! You can hang a bath towel after showering and by that same time the next day it will not be totally dry!
And yes, we have seen quite a few of the roaches that are as big as my hand! What an amazing bug! Monty says we will definitely be spraying all the perimeter of our camper trailer soon! No argument from me! Good thing I grew up on a farm and don't freak at bugs! I had 3 brothers so freaking at bugs was out of the question! Thanks boys!
I would ask prayer for us! Ginny hit the nail on the head when she prayed for us before we left home. We need the ability to not get overwhelmed, the ability to take things one at a time and not get too exhausted. I think the word Ginny used was "the ability to say no when needed". There is just so much that needs done it is too easy to become overwhelmed, to have so many people saying they need this done, they need that done, and so on and so on. Each person has ideas, each person has needs and we would ask prayer for wisdom and discernment from God.
We love you all. Being away from family is tough, and it has only been a few days. Somehow it already seems like a long time.
We are in God's hands, doing God's work for God's people so we know we will be taken care of by Him.
"With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgement. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow."
Blessings and all our love, until tomorrow...... Susan and Monty