Technical Difficulties

Sorry for the "off" time with blog entries. There were some technical snaffoos that needed to be taken care of with the internet connection we have here at the church. Getting reconnected took some time but we are back and faster than ever!

The photos above show all the work that continued over the past days with our teams from Iowa and California. You can also see that this type of work will "stretch" you in some ways you might not have stretched before. No one complained and sooooo much work got done, both in the rebuilding and in the relationships!

Mike, from Iowa, took some time and played a one man band concert on his harmonica for Rosemary's mother, Dixie. I don't know who enjoyed it more, him or her!

Mary, also from Iowa, literally cleaned everything there was to clean in Mike's house. She even emptied the refrigerator and cleaned it! I would love to have seen the look on Mike's face when he returned home to not only find his two bedrooms completely rebuilt but his entire house cleaned!

California got 95% of Rosemary's tile flooring done. Her brother, Maury, will take it from here as David taught him step by step the entire process.

Susan's electric is completely done along with all of her wall insulation and most of the ceiling. As soon as her heating and air items are completed the ceiling insulation will be done. Her son, Milton, continued working right along side the team and they (and we) discovered the extreme gift Milton has in his artwork! He can draw faces of people that are identical to them in reality! I have never seen such amazing work! Both Scott and Jim from California took home pictures of themselves, and took home utter amazement and a new family.

Yesterday one of the Iowa team members, Gil, helped with the big Convoy of Hope outreach held across the highway from us. The church here, The Refuge, along with 10 other churches help sponsor the event and it was awesome. 700 people came for the entertainment, free lunch, games for the kids, free groceries and prayer before they left. What a blessing to the community!

This morning we bid farewell to both teams! It was really tough this time as they are the last teams we will host here in Mississippi. They just don't have any idea how much they ministered to Monty and I while they were here! Both teams are planning on returning and working with us in New Orleans as soon as they can! Like I have said before, that's family!!!

Tomorrow Convoy will be coming here and packing up their tools and things to start the official closing process. We approach things with both sadness and excitement! Please keep us in your prayers as we go through this transition process.

Speaking of prayers, I need to send a special note to Diane's church team who were here a couple of weeks ago. There was a very special group of those kids who got to know and bonded with Mr. Leroy from the church here. They lit a spark in him and spent time with him and really blessed him with their hearts and love. FYI --- this past Monday night Pastor Rick received a call that Mr. Leroy wasn't breathing and his heart had stopped. Pastor lives right across the street, ran over and found Mr. Leroy ashen in color and literally "dead". He was on the phone with medical staff getting directions as to what to do to get his heart started but nothing was working. He immediately phoned 2 men from church and told them to pray and pray hard! Within 10 seconds of that call Mr. Leroy started breathing. He did have more trouble on the way to the hospital and was put on a breathing machine. Late in the night the hospital staff told the family to gather as Mr. Leroy wasn't going to make it. When Pastor went to see him early the next morning Mr. Leroy was sitting up and drinking from a straw and on seeing Pastor in the doorway said "Hello Preacher!" And on Saturday Mr. Leroy was helping at the outreach!!!! God isn't finished with Mr. Leroy! He was dancing and praising all morning in church and I thought the Wisconsin team would join him (and us) in that praise!!!!

Until tomorrow.... let us all count our blessings tonight before bed ... AND tomorrow morning when we awaken!!! Susan and Monty