Goodbye New Jersey

For some unknown reason I am unable to download any photos this evening?

This morning we started the day with Pastor Mike giving devotions before loading up the team and heading to the airport in New Orleans. He told the team that their mission trip is not over and challenged them to continue to "let their light shine" when they return home to the real world! It was an amazing devotion and a great way to send them off. We trust all went well at the airport, even with all of the extra security, as we have not heard anything and they should be safe and snug at home by now. We will truly miss them. Each and every team brings something different to us and this one was no different. Mixing all of the different personalities, all the different skills and then throw in the different emotions and you always end up with a great group of people. We just want to thank them again for taking time from their own families and lives to come and bless the people along the coast! I repeat, without people such as theirselves this relief effort would fail! Thanks to all of you, NJ, we hope you will come back whenever you are able!

It was cleanup time after they left. They all do a wonderful job in cleaning their rooms and usually all we need to do is go through the refrigerator and it's taken care of. They left behind some great snacks and we are always thankful for those! Steve --- you were right, the chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy!! :)

This afternoon Monty and I were blessed to supply our Spanish family, Zoyla and hers, with a great roll of carpeting, some padding and a couple of nightstands for their trailer. It's such a blessing to be able to do so. This time I was caught off guard when Zoyla's sister, Maria, told us that she wants to be able to give back some of the blessing and would like to join in with the next team coming to volunteer! I assured her we would call and she would be able to help as much as she wanted to. Such a blessing for us and the next family who we will be rebuilding for! The best part of the entire thing is that Zoyla and the entire family are now coming to church! Zoyla cannot speak or understand any English but that doesn't stop her! Pastor Rick and Diane have a program to translate his sermon notes into Spanish so she can follow along. The rest of the family can understand, to a certain degree. They don't have to understand every single word, they just feel the Holy Spirit and know they are in the right place! THAT is the rebuilding that really counts!!!!

We thank Convoy of Hope for making the connections necessary to aquire the materials to bless those along the coast which in turn bring them much more than material blessings. The blessing of salvation is priceless!

Tomorrow is our chance, and yours, to attend church and thank God for all of the blessings we have. They are endless, think about it. If you had to write them all down, for an assignment, it would be literally impossible. We may think we are "poor" in the worldly sense, but what about our spiritual sense!?

If this were YOUR last night on earth, where would you be spending eternity? If you're not sure, better be headed to church tomorrow and get sure!!!!!

Yea God, Boo devil!!!!

Until tomorrow .... blessings to all of you ... Susan and Monty