Amazing!

Everyone watches as Gladys and son, Gerald are being interviewed by Convoy yesterday!

Today was one of those days that never ceases to amaze me, us. Just when you think you have your day pretty much planned out -- God steps in!

We had planned to start off with breakfast this morning but when we reached the restaurant we found them closed to do some more repairs. Okay, we'll just head on to someplace else, no problem. As we are heading toward Pascagoula for our 10 am appointment we decide to stop in and see if the glass company can fix the leak in our front windshield. If you remember, a few weeks ago a rock hit it and it needed to be replaced. Within minutes they had it fixes, or atleast we hope so as we won't know for sure until the next rain.

From there we decided to skip the idea of eating and go on to our appointment. The local electrician who has been so helpful to us told us that his daughter was still not back in her home. He had been trying to help her, in his "spare" time but wasn't able to stay at it long enough to really get things accomplished. He asked us if we would take a look and do what we could to help out. Of course we will. When we pulled up to her house we looked at each other in amazement --- her house was one of them we had torn out when we came with our church back the first week of December! We thought that all of those homes had to be done by now! WRONG!!! Her she was, no subfloors still and in a state of total disarray. When she saw us she remembered who we were and couldn't believe her eyes. The main thing I remember about this house was her, Denise. At the time we stood outside what was left of her home and let her talk. Her main concern was her 8 year old son. She is a single mom and was just realizing how tramatic the storm had been for her son. She told us that it took over 3 days for him to cry and when he did he couldn't stop. The only thing he wanted was to be able to go to his room! And here we are --- 4 days shy of 1 year later--- and this little boy still cannot go to his room! It broke my heart! We reassured her we would do everything we can to get her back into her home as soon as we possible could! Thus here is our next "to the end" project so those of you who are coming down with a team sometime in the near future, welcome to Denise's house! Only God could have brought her and her son back into our lives. I truly believe it is God telling us that this is not over yet and showing us just how desperately the teams of volunteers are needed! She is not the only one like this, she is just one that we can start with, one we can concentrate on, one we CAN get back into her home!

During that meeting with Denise I got a phone call from Convoy of Hope wanting more information for their upcoming video. She asked permission to pull photos and/or wording from this blog and of course I said yes! What an honor it is to me to have someone want to use the thoughts and feelings and words that come from my heart!

From our meeting we stopped by Bethel Assembly to check on our friends, Pastor Tim and Sherry. They are coming along nicely with the rebuilding of the church. The children are back in their nursery rooms and the school is growing, just as it should. Pastor Tim was telling us the story of a volunteer in Slidell that had been in a motorcycle accident and is paralyzed from the waist down -- at the age of 27 and engaged to be married! Now you would think that would be just about one of the worst things that could happen to a person --- think again! Pastor Tim and Sherry went to pray with him, to try and cheer him up and they were the ones cheered up! This young man was busy working through his therapy and beginning to feel some sensations in his upper legs! He refuses to look at his life in despair, he says "it could have been alot worse".? Makes us all sit up and take notice at our own situations --- and then say a prayer of thanksgiving to our Lord!

From this last stop we were now way past time to eat and headed back toward Gautier. Just as we were going down the highway we noticed the clock, lights and radio acting funny. Monty took a look at the voltage meter and it had none! It was all we could do to get the van to the shop where they tested the battery --- and replaced it! Problem NOT solved! We drove it back to the church here to let it cool down. Looked like the alternator would also need replaced. Just what someone wants to do on another extremely hot day, work under a van that has all engine parts so shoved together that it is nearly impossible to just check the oil! And once again, God steps in! My phone rings and it's our dear friend at the Spanish Village, Armando. He's just wondering how we are doing. When I tell him what is happening he and his sister in law and her husband insist on coming over to help. Her husband is a mechanic!!!!!!!

We did take a minute to eat a sandwich and here they were, ready to help. Within 2 hours the old alternator was out and the new one in and we are running like a top! Such a blessing to us! All they wanted to do was to give back to us to thank us for some of the things we have done for them! Isn't this the way God wants the world to be? Another "food for thought"!

It's just these kind of days that make us so thankful to God for calling us and bringing us here! It is truly an honor to be here in the service of the Lord. His plan for us is always so much better than anything we could possibly imagine! He shows Himself to us in so many ways, every day. What an awesome God we have and what a privilege it is to serve Him each and every day!

Until tomorrow ... do something nice for YOUR neighbor --- and see how good it makes YOU feel!

Blessings to all of you ... Susan and Monty