The blessings continued....

The "revival" from the parking lot last night carried all the way through today! I am not sure where to begin!

The teams headed back out this morning leaving the vacation Bible school set up ready to go for this evening. Sitting underneath racing flags made me think of home, we only live an hour from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where the 500 mile race is.

Our team for Dane made some real progress today. The women got all of his fill dirt spread as needed. The men were busy carrying the sheetrock up all 20 feet, thank goodness for the young with their strong backs and endless energy! They were also busy installing the hurricane straps and who knows what all else. There were volunteers upstairs and down and working as though they would never get a chance to return! Dane was the biggest duck in the puddle and smiling through all the sweat like he hasn't smiled in a long time!

Julia's team had a new member today, Gwen. She decided Julia might benefit from some one on one care and direction and was she ever right! An enormous amount of progress was made and they actually cleared a room well enough to get the carpeting removed. Step by step trust is being built and Julia is feeling safer and safer, the description of rebuilding hope!

Delores was blessed with a trip to Lowes to pick out new kitchen cabinets today, a real surprise she hadn't planned on! Her husband joined in the work today and was busy trying to memorize the names of all the volunteers. He is going to end up making me look bad as names are extremely difficult when you see so many people! God is working in Delores's household and she is so moved that she returned to join the team outside this evening with devotions and just general sharing of their day! Look out --- there's a possibility of the revival continuing!!!! Praise the Lord!

Last, but definitely not least, was Barbara's team. Just as I thought, she came to meet this team and is staying the entire week! Good thing she has a sister here! Her team also made tremendous progress. They reframed her master bath into 2 flowing rooms, no longer separated by a door that was always in the way. Pastor Tim also made the trip and returned with a new stand up shower and tub! They also took her shopping at Lowes and purchased her bath vanities and sinks. Monty and I were blessed with funding to go and purchase all 11 of her interior doors this morning! Like I said, a really blessed day!

Monty and I also had another visit from the Convoy of Hope leaders this afternoon. They came to load up the forklift and take it to our new warehouse. This warehouse is amazing and will be such a blessing. It has a roof which means no leaks, something new for us. The loading of the lift was not an easy task and although we got it done, the effort was filled with gasps of holding our breath combined with laughter! Fory doesn't mind going the wrong way on a one way street and God didn't mind either as He lead the way and cleared any traffic that might have usually come the right way on the street! We look forward to the blessings that will come with this new warehouse and all the space it has. Big things are in the works so be sure and stay tuned, you won't want to miss the upcoming blessings and new adventures!

We are also relieved to know that our best friend, Joe, is safely on his way and should be arriving sometime tomorrow morning. We have missed him more than anyone could know and are so anxious to spend some time with him. He brings the part of "home" that we need. Thanks Joe, not many people would take the "adventure" you are for us! We love you!!!!

It has just been so amazing to see God moving today. The kids that came to the Bible school this evening were just more evidence of Him. There were around 19 kids, most of them not members of The Refuge! To see the smiles on their faces as they learn about the love of Jesus, to see their minds thinking, to hear their laughter and joy at being in the presence of Jesus is such a God-thing. Jesus reached out to the children and rebuked the disciples when they tried to keep them away. It used to be that the parents brought the children to church but times have changed. Now we must reach the children in order to get the parents! Whatever it takes!

Today was one of those days that Monty and I strive to see. God moving, blessing the disaster victims as well as the volunteers, seeing Jesus in the faces of the children, all of which blesses us in return and gives us the refueling we need to get up and do it all over again tomorrow! Right now I have been working for 16 hours straight and although I am physically tired, it will take some quiet reading to quiet my mind. God is such an amazing God and He loves us so very much that after days like this it's just hard to take it all in. We are just so very blessed to be allowed to work in this disaster relief, blessed to be working with and for the people, but even more blessed that God chose us, just plain ole' sinners, to work through! It just gives me the chills!

We thank YOU for supporting us in our mission. Without your support we would not be able to pay our existing bills to maintain our house at home or eat while we are here. Those are the basics, the only things we ask for. Thanks to those of you who have dug deep in your own pockets, those of you who believe in our mission, those of you who can't be here but make it possible for us to be here and for all of you who keep us in your prayers!

For those of you who haven't made the step to come along with us on our mission, you can do so just by sending your support to our home church, Vineyard Community Church at PO Box 3277 in Bloomington, Indiana 47402. Please make sure and note "Katrina" on your donation as all of it comes to us, the church keeps nothing back for itself. May God bless you as you come along with us and make yourselves a "real" partner in God's work!

Until tomorrow...when there will be a pictorial feature of the volunteers this week...thank you!
Susan and Monty