Synchronized swim team???

Yes, these men were "razzed" this morning. Mike was wearing an Ohio State jacket when someone asked them if that is where the synchronized swimmers came from! It was meant to be a "dig" because right now Ohio State is ranked number one in college football and the big game with number two is this Saturday! Just the thought of these three men and synchronized swimming was really funny! They enjoyed the joke and it will, no doubt, follow them all the way home!

The top two photos show them still hard at work at Jim and Cindy's home. They have the electrical complete and it will hopefully be inspected next week. They were busy with insulation and sheetrock this afternoon. They have been a wonderful team and we are so thankful for the week we have had them here!

The next two photos are of one of the families that we were able to bless with some furniture this afternoon. Lisa and her family are members here at The Refuge church and were in dire need of some bedroom furniture. After this afternoon each of the children has a place to put their clothes and the daughter now has her own bed! This is only the beginning of the blessings to come!

The final photo was taken yesterday morning during the storms that hit the area. The waves were crashing up on the beach area higher than we have ever seen them. It just made me wonder what it must have looked like days before the storm and then during the storm! You can see one of the piers in the background but what you can't see is that the pier is destroyed, just like every other one around here. The storms finally died down in the afternoon although the high winds continued throughout the night - something easy for us to hear living in the camper trailer!

Speaking of the high winds, they finally did in the disaster tent we have had out back since the storm. We were able to salvage the back part of the framing and are in the middle of recreating it, only smaller. We took most of what was inside to the warehouse and will be able to keep just a few things under the new area. It sure made it look different back there!

This evening we were all blessed to be invited back to Jamie and Cindy's for a homecooked meal. This couple loves to have the teams over for a real southern meal and they do such a wonderful job. They served us "true" gumbo with rice, potato salad and the best greens I have ever had! Jamie had seasoned them with venison and it was outstanding. They topped it all off with sweet potato bread for dessert! It's just such a nice evening to relax and spend eating and talking around the table, something I really miss from home! Their daughters, Elaine and Anna are such help and seem to also enjoy meeting new people. Thanks Jamie and Cindy, you are fantastic hosts and we always look forward to coming and bringing the teams!

We will be saying goodbye to our Ohio team tomorrow. They plan to work for a little over half the day and then start the trip home. Please keep them in your prayers.

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

Tornado warnings on the coast

Yes, we awoke to a tornado warning -- at 4:30AM!!! When the winds kick up down here it gets rather nasty rather quickly. And when the radar is solid red it's time for us to pack up the dogs and head out of our camper trailer and inside the church! It blew over - again and again throughout the day. There was a touchdown in the city less than 5 miles to our west where they said it damaged 10 homes but we are fine. This evening the winds are quite strong but hopefully the rain is gone.

Our Ohio men are really working wonders at Jim and Cindy's house. They are rewiring nearly the entire house, something it really did need. When you pull walls out of a home it can be amazing what you see underneath. When we talk with the teams about the rebuilding process we ask them to remember that we are rebuilding the house for Jesus and to always do their best. This team of three really took that to heart and are correcting things that a hired electrician would not have the time to do! We are so thankful for their talents and that they are using them to be such a wonderful blessing to this family! Jim himself had started putting in some of the insulation last night. Since he has had 5 heart bypasses we need him to take it easy yet enjoy and feel a part of the process. Once again this team has brought that renewed enthusiasm that so many homeowners need, that sense of hope returning and the light at the end of the tunnel. Rebuilding lives through rebuilding homes, as simple as that!

Monty and I went on the hunt for warehouse space today. With the Stardust out in Las Vegas releasing 150 semi loads of furniture over a 4 month period early next year we need some extra space, and quickly. We checked out a few leads and will see where they take us. This furniture release is only the beginning of what hopes to be another fantastic (and unexpected) branch of the relief effort. We were able to bless one family today with a bed combo, entertainment center, desk and lamps. If only you could be here to see the faces when they fully realize that there are no strings attached, that it is just given to show them the love of the Lord! Priceless!

If this rain will stop there will be even more people receiving those blessings! Pretty hard to haul furniture in a downpouring of rain!

We are getting really excited as we have a team from our hometown church, Vineyard, coming to spend next week with us! There may be 4 to 7 of them! It will be such a blessing to us since we will be away from our families for the Thanksgiving holiday!

We are also excited as another hometown church, Life Church, is organizing a toy drive for us. Bob and his son, Chris, came with a team and volunteered for a week this past summer. Bob was touched by what he saw and did that he went home and felt the call to organize this toy drive. We have no idea how many he has ended up with but even a few will be a wonderful blesssing for Christmas! He is planning on driving them here after the Thanksgiving holiday and we look forward to seeing him again! Delores is also excited as he and Chris did alot of the electrical in her house!

Speaking of Delores, Monty got to see how beautiful her home has turned out. We stopped by today to pick up a CD she put together for us and he agrees -- it's beautiful!!!! Bob will get to see for himself when he gets here as she is expecting him!!

Until tomorrow ..... Susan and Monty

Behind the scenes

There is so much that happens "behind the scenes" with this relief effort and today was one of those.

These photos explain some of it. Another Convoy of Hope truck arrived this afternoon with supplies. You can see it being unloaded and the crew of people it takes to organize and get out the food and supplies to those in need.

Pastor David is head of this sector of Assembly of God churches and today he found himself behind the forklift (until Monty arrived). It isn't easy unloading these trucks! The supplies may be on pallets but getting them out of the back of the truck and placed where they should be - without dropping them, takes some practice!

You can also see the women in charge of the food operation at Pastor David's church. Kaye runs the program (gray tshirt) and does a fantastic job. Having all the food and supplies organized as she does, making sure the entire place runs smoothly and the people's needs are met is quite an undertaking. They have been feeding more and more people lately, just another sign that this effort is not over and the need is still great!

Also shown in the photos is Leon, our new "doorman". There were a large amount of doors donated to us - without the jams. Leon and his wife are with the US Maps organization and also decided to come and donate their time, and talents, to the relief effort. Leon has taken it upon himself to organize all of the doors and arrange for the frames, which were delivered this afternoon also. He will soon be getting the jig that will enable him to cut out for the hinges and then we will be ready to hang some doors!

Both of these are just SOME of what goes on behind the scenes down here. It's all part of rebuilding the homes by rebuilding the lives! Feeding them, clothing them and housing them are the same ways Jesus reached the people while He was on the earth. He set the example for us - and then commanded that we do the same! It wasn't posed as a question to us, He didn't ask us if we had the time, He made it a priority and told us that when we care for the least of these we are directly caring for Him! I don't know about you but I don't want to deny Jesus by denying His children!

We once again thank Convoy of Hope for providing the supplies so desperately needed here on the coast! Please pray for this organization, pray that the help continues to come to them so they can continue to share with everyone who needs it.

Meanwhile, our Ohio team continues to work on the electrical at Jim and Cindy's. A couple of them spent most of the day up in their attic (thank goodness it was cloudy and around 70). They are making wonderful progress and are able to repair some things that needed repairing as they install the new. Cindy blessed them with a wonderful lunch today -- shrimp that Jim had grilled for them last night! I think they might be quite spoiled by the end of the week! They will continue tomorrow and will most likely be installing insulation. We are just so thankful that they are working so hard and yet building relationships with Jim and Cindy that will last a lifetime! Something about that relationship thing that God had planned for us all?!

PS I must share how happy I am that I have talked with both of my daughters in the past couple of days!!! Those of you at home know my joy and I thank you for your prayers!!!!

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

Welcome Ohio (and James)

Here they are, Ohio men at work! They were up bright eyed and ready to go this morning. We also had a special "guest" volunteer working along with them today - James - the gentleman in the last photo. James is a member of the church here and took time from his own schedule to join in with this team and do some serving to others. He fit right in with Ohio and they all had fun working together, working for the Lord.

The team is, and will be all week, working in Jim and Cindy's home. They are just what we needed - God sending them in His perfect timing as usual. Two of them are experienced in electrical and that is exactly what they are doing in the home. Today was alot of running wire, installing new electrical boxes and generally trying to figure out the game plan for the week. Jim had taken the day off and was able to be right there with them, getting them whatever they needed in the way of materials. When we last left them late this afternoon, Cindy had just returned from the store. She brought back chips, candies and drinks for them all -- poor hard workers!!! :)

Our local electrician came by this morning to lay out what needed done. He knows all of the codes for this area and after having a pow wow with Art they were ready to roll. They really made alot of progress for the first day. We even brought in some sheetrock first thing this morning so if they get to it, it's there waiting for them. Jim and Cindy already purchased the insulation so they are set for the week! It's just such a wonderful blessing to have skilled volunteers, let alone ones who welcome the opportunity to teach those with them who might be less skilled. We are so thankful for James and welcome his help any day of the week!

This afternoon I returned to Mike and Faye's to pick up the paperwork they have been working on to try and be approved for a special loan. There were so many pages and they require so much documentation and Mike only has 3 more pieces of paper to gather and we will be ready to submit everything for approval. Please keep them in your prayers. Mike was going to the doctor this afternoon to see if the new surgical area has healed enough to start using it for his every other day dialysis treatments. He wasn't feeling all that well but was doing the best he can.

Monty and I also stopped in to see how Rosemary is coming along with her electrical work. It seems the electrician has all the materials inside the house and is scheduled to start work tomorrow. He says it will take him less than a week and we asked her to "push" him along as we plan on being in there next week to start insulation and sheetrock. Rosemary asked us to send her love and thanks to Pastor Mike, Jack, Sue and Trish from New Jersey!! She misses all of you so much! You changed her life in the week you spent with her! She is now sporting a new hairstyle and plans on meeting us here at church this Sunday. She is getting someone to come and care for her mother so she can be here! She is also going to meet me tomorrow to check on some of the furniture we have gotten in! She is a changed person, smiling all the time and said she now has "life" in her life! Miracles ... happening all the time ... due to the hearts of others stretching out to those in need! We thank the 4 of you from New Jersey and look forward to seeing you again --- real soon!!??

An exciting email came to us this evening. There are plans in the works for nearly 150 semi loads of furniture to be released here on the gulf! Some of the casinos have agreed to donate the furniture removed when they remodel! This is a HUGE blessing and we would ask for your prayers to help get all the wheels in motion to make it happen! Please remember Convoy of Hope and all those agencies who are working on this. The Lord has opened an enormous door and we need your prayers!

Don't forget to email for your FREE copy of the DVD Convoy put together. It's only 4 minutes long and will really open your eyes to some of the realities here on the coast, especially in our area. Just email forycindi@gmail.com and they will see that you get however many copies you would like to have.

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

Stick to it!

Can you see him? Hiding on the side of the weeds -- the green feller with long antennas? Just another of God's creatures here that you see everywhere this time of year! I picked these weeds and made a bouquet with them and there he was, singing away, and it took me awhile to find out where the music was coming from. He didn't mind posing for the photo!

Monty and I were blessed to be able to attend church both this morning and this evening. This morning was at The Refuge, where we live. Pastor Rick had quite an appropriate message that really hit home for me. He is going to be teaching on "being connected" for the next few weeks but the area that really touched me was when he talked about the 4 things we need to realize in our connection with God. The first one was knowing our calling!

I KNOW my calling! It is as clear as the moon on a starlit night. There is no doubt in my mind. As I have said before, I grew up in the church but also knew I had never really been "called by God" into anything, or atleast didn't recognize it if I was. When He called me into this relief ministry I KNEW it was Him! No ifs, ands or buts, it was a direct calling from God! And I am so blessed to have been called into this relief effort and to be able to be here, working along side of my husband, day in and day out, 24/7, working for the Lord. There is nothing like walking in your calling, nothing!

Pastor Rick talked to us about sticking to your calling, no matter what! God calls us to fulfill His purpose in our lives and we are to stick to it, like "a pit bull on a pork chop". Or if you choose, like "a bulldog on a mailman". Know why the bull dog has his nose turned up so high? It's so that he can still breathe while he is clinging to the mailman with his teeth, refusing to let go, holding on for his purpose! It's our calling in life that keeps us going! I realize that on a daily basis. Some days it's the only thing that keeps me going. The politics, the distractions, the anything and everything that can pull my attention away from my calling, happen many times each day. It takes focusing on the calling itself, nothing else, that keeps me going forward. I know I was called to come here and help the people rebuild their lives through rebuilding their homes! Sounds simple? It really is, IF I can stay focused on that and that alone! If you want to pray for specifics - then pray that I can keep my focus! THAT will keep me going, and THAT will keep both Monty and I going!

Thank you! May God bless all of you and help you to stay focused on what He has called you to do in life!

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

Welcome the Ohio Buckeyes

This little "critter" is something we see everywhere down here. This time of year they are out in the sun trying to soak up the warmth. I love to catch critters but know that this one has a built in defense mechanism- don't catch him by the tail or it will disconnect from the rest of his body and he will keep running. Their tail grows back -- still not a good idea! I caught this one (with the camera) as Monty was talking with a group of volunteers from the Methodist church relief effort here in town. They were working on a house just across the street from the one we were in last week. They were from Pennsylvania and also headed home this morning.

This was one of those weather days down here where we needed the air conditioning this morning and the heat by evening. When the winds blow from the north they bring in cooler and dryer air -- always a welcome change. But if you leave in shorts you may wish you had on your jeans before the day is over. Plus the time change has the sun going down at 5pm so it cools down a bit earlier than during the summer. It sure gets light early in the morning though -- makes for beautiful sunrises.

Monty and I worked in our "office" area in the back of church most of the day. We did some major reorganizing of our space and in doing so made it alot more "user friendly".

This evening we welcomed our incoming team for the week, from Ohio. There are 3 of them and we have just the house for them. Two of them are skilled in electrical work and the third in general areas of construction. They will be working in Cindy and Jim's house all week doing electrical, insulation and hanging sheetrock. As always, God sent us just exactly what we needed when we needed it. God's perfect timing again!

We heard from our New Jersey team and they arrived home safely this afternoon. It was a long drive but they made it. God sent special angels for them as they drove through the night!

Our California team leader called this afternoon to see how things are going. He said two of the men who came a couple of weeks ago went back home "on fire" and are now in Mexico rebuilding a school! What a blessing that will be, for everyone involved!

Tomorrow is our special day set aside to praise and worship the Lord. We are also invited to a church in the next city for a special music service tomorrow night. Sundays are so special to us as they are our refreshment for the week, our re-fueling and our chance to thank God for the blessing of being here. We always miss our church family at home on Sunday mornings but also have found a home here. The congregation grows each week and it's a blessing to see it growing. We hope you will be in your home church tomorrow and if you don't have a home church that you will check out one and see if it could become one for you. God designed each and every one of us for relationships and the most important relationship is our one with Him.

Thank you for following along with us on this mission of rebuilding lives through rebuilding homes. We thank you for your prayers and ask that you keep them going heavenward, we always need them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

Look at Delores now!

There she is, feeling like Miss America!

Delores called me this afternoon and asked me to come and see the final results on her house. If you have been reading along you remember the teams that came and helped her and thus became family. Over the past couple of weeks she has had teams from the Methodist church here locally. Just like the other teams, they came in, met her and fell in love with her and became family! Delores not only remembers each team and each team member by name, she has photos of each person and the work they did in her home. She has written story after story and thank you letter after thank you letter! It was so wonderful to visit with her, hear her stories, see the blessings flowing from her and just being able to see a home completed! You see, we did not see any of these homes before the storm! We don't know what they looked like with the families living in them. This was a special blessing to me - one I really needed today!

Delores is writing her "testimony" and I plan to use it on one of the blogs. For those of you who came and worked with her, teams from North Carolina, Colorado and Indiana --- you know who you are and these photos are for you! YOU are the reason she called me today! She wanted these photos to be published so YOU could see the results of what you started! YOU are the ones who shared not only your work, but your lives, with Tom and Delores and YOU changed their lives! On behalf of Convoy of Hope and ourselves, we are forever grateful for everything you did, and everything you continue to do! We hear how you keep in touch with Delores and we are the ones who get to see the smiles on her face each Sunday when she joins us in church to give all the thanks and praise to Jesus!

Hey y'all --- how about making a return trip asap?!

Now - back to our regularly scheduled programming .... we bid farewell to the team from New Jersey this afternoon. They finished up their work in both Wendell and Sharon's home and in Virgil's. Both teams made powerful impacts on the homeowners and will also join the ranks of "family" with both! We thank them for their hearts of service. We pray safe travel for all of them as they have a very long drive to get them back home!

Special note to Diane ----- call me tomorrow!!!!!

Until tomorrow ... when our team from Ohio arrives .... God bless ...... Susan and Monty

The blessings of furniture

Today we were blessed with another semi load of furniture. The team started their day with the unloading of everything -- by hand! We now have complete bedroom sets and are anxious to see the faces of those blessed with receiving them.

Our deepest thanks goes to the places who donated the furniture, to the people who orchestrated all of the details in getting it here and to Convoy of Hope for being the backbbone of the project! This is a whole new venture in the relief effort and what an awesome one it is!

It only took the team a little over one hour to have the whole truck unloaded. They were a bit on the tired side but did a fantastic job.

After the unloading they headed out to their two on-going jobs. After a much needed stop at McDonald's for some nutrition. I think anything they had in the way of breakfast was used up by then!

The work at Wendell's continued and they have really accomplished alot. There are only a couple more small items to be tended to and their mission will be complete.

The work at Virgil's also continued. The sheetrock is nearly all hung and some of the taping has begun. Virgil's cousin, Anne, stopped by this afternoon to see the progress and was quite pleased. This house has been in the family for years and had never flooded! Seeing it getting put back together was a blessing for all of the family.

The comments from this team have echoed those of all the other teams - "we had no idea so much work still needed to be done!" As I have said before, we encourage you to email our Convoy representatives and ask for the FREE video telling about what has happened here on the coast and how the help is still needed. Just email them at forycindi@gmail.com and they will send you as many copies as you request, totally FREE of charge! It will touch your heart and hopefully the hearts of those God is still calling to come and help out.

Footnote: the tests being done on Monty's step father, Tony, are scheduled for next week. Things could get rough and we thank you for praying for Monty, Tony, his mother, Judy and their entire family. God is a healing God and we pray for that healing for Tony!

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

She IS working!!!!

Yes, children, your mother IS working, not just "standing around." She has learned more about hanging sheetrock than she ever wanted to - and is having fun in doing so!

The top 2 photos are continued efforts at Wendell and Sharon's home. It is really starting to come together. The team installed 2 more windows, is working on the laundry room and hanging sheetrock. The women are thrilled to be learning and the men seem to be equally thrilled to be teaching. Relationships --- what God told us this world is all about!

The bottom 2 photos are Virgil's. The teams have knicknamed each other and are having a blast! All of the ceilings are nearly done and by the end of the week they just might start with the taping and mudding. When a house starts taking shape like this it really looks like a house. The biggest thing about this half of the team and Virgil's is the ministry that is going on --- INSIDE the house --- between team members. It's amazing to watch the changes going on in each of them, the bonding, the learning, the teaching and the joy! It's true joy with both parts of the team, each working with their hearts and having the time of their lives!

Monty spent the morning loading and delivering more sheetrock to Virgil's place. Thank goodness for the strong backs and energy of those young men! He then spent the afternoon working on one of the doors here at the church. Due to his perfectionism this door is perfect --- and really does open and close and lock!

We were blessed to join the team in dinner this evening. It's always a special time where people get to know each other better, not to mention enjoy the southern cuisine.

Monty and I have a very special prayer request for tonight. Monty's step father has been very ill lately and is undergoing quite a few tests to hopefully find out why. He and his family would welcome your thoughts and prayers. His name is Tony and his mother is Judy. God is the all powerful God and with Him nothing is impossible. Thank you!

Until tomorrow .... Susan and Monty

New Jersey rolls into day 2

The top 4 photos were taken at Virgil's house. You can see the insulation and sheetrock going in and the house taking shape. They got the new subfloor put in the entryway, the last of the subflooring to be done. The pieces for the bathroom have been cut but will not be put in place permanently until some plumbing has been taken care of. The women are really into the job, you can see by the one who is operating the screw gun installing the sheetrock on the ceiling. Working overhead like that isn't easy but this team is having a blast!

The bottom 4 photos are at Sharon and Wendell's. They also are putting in insulation and sheetrock. The old flooring is being removed in the last photo on the left. This is a tough job but he is getting it done and having the time of his life. Wendell was able to line out the jobs for them today, one of which was installing new windows. The women were really into the whole project, which is wonderful to see. Too many times women feel there is no place for them on a construction job -- WRONG! There is a place for everyone and there is nothing a man can do that a woman can't; she just might have to use 2 hands instead of one! :)

I want to quote parts of what we used for our opening devotion this morning. The paper was sent to us by our dear friend, Cathy, from home. It is so extremely appropriate, and right on the money, that I want you to be able to read it and give it some thought.

"Almost nothing makes friends faster and deeper than helping someone in their time of need. The Holy Spirit is the Helper, and if we are really Spririt filled people we will be there for our neighbors to help in their time of need. This is the true ministry of "helps" to be able and willing to respond to those who cry "help!" Even some of the most radical Muslims in the world started to esteem Christians in a whole new way after the tsunami disaster in Indonesia because of the way they were helped by Christian relief agencies. When someone helps you or your family thorugh a crisis, there is an appreciation and often a bonding that goes deeper than could ever happen otherwise.

This ministry of helps that arises within the church is also going to help the church more than any other ministry project in history. It will mobilize and energize the lives of Christians like few things have ever done before. There is a fulfillment and saatisfaction that comes from helping others in a desperate time of need that can change the life of the one who helps as well. This will begin to deliver many believers from the spiritual apathy and lukewarmness that has gripped them. Souls will be saved, and teachers and pastors will be raised up to take care of them and establish them on a solid foundation. Churches will swell in numbers so fast that it is going to be extremely hard to keep up with the growth."

Some pretty strong words and sheer truth. We have seen evidence of this happening already. The bonds made between the homeowners and those volunteers who come to help them are stronger than you can imagine. Both are knit together in a bond that I believe can be stronger than blood related family ties. And the churches are beginning to see the big picture, realizing where they need to step up and how and why. God is moving all along this coast. The quote that is so appropriate is: "Hurricane Katrina brought about the best and the worst in our nation"

I also discovered that the very word Katrina means to cleanse or make clean. That will be the ultimate result of this storm. This gulf coast was hit by a mega storm and is still in a state of almost unimaginable devastation and depression. Even though the refuse of the storm has been mostly cleaned up, the emptiness is palpable! That WILL change! It will be turned into good, and the same region will be the source of one of the great revivals in history! It will be a spiritual jubilee, setting many captives FREE!

Make sure you are a part of this! Become a part, if you aren't already! If you are, hang on for the ride of your life! Like I said, God is moving all along this coast and Monty and I are so extremely blessed to be a part of it! Thank you to all of you who make it possible for us to be here and thanks to ALL of the relief efforts who have come and helped and to those who are still here for the duration. Thank you, Convoy of Hope, for bringing us into this wonderful organization. And most of all, thank you to our family and home church, Vineyard Community Church back home who continue to support us with your prayers and make it possible for us to be here, allowing God to work through us each and every day!

Until tomorrow ..... Susan and Monty

New Jersey's first day!

Here they are, ready for work. Didn't make any difference that they had to work between gully washer rain showers, they were hard at it.

The top 4 photos are taken at Wendell and Sharon's house. Believe it or not, we had a team way back in March that started some of the structural on their home. With both of them working full time, having 4 children and 1 of them in Iraq (he just came home last week) they just have not been able to get much done on their rebuilding. They are located only about a quarter of a mile from the gulf and lost everything in their home, along with their 4 vehicles. They rode out the storm in their attic, never dreaming the flood waters would rise so high. The waters stopped at the opening of the attic! This team came in today and decided to do some much needed clean up around the outside of the house. Wendell has been concentrating on the rebuilding and clean up just isn't something most homeowners have the time to do. They made a remarkable difference, which always boosts the moral of the homeowner. You can see in the one photo, someone stepped on a nail and needed some medical attention. He is fine, it barely penetrated the skin. As we tell each team - a clean job is a safe job! We thank them for all the clean up they did today. This evening they met with Wendell and have the plan layed out for tomorrows work.

The second half of the team worked in Virgil's home. We also learned today that Project Recovery found a FEMA trailer for Virgil's brother, Dwight. He should have moved into it today. Virgil still needed subfloor rebuilt in a room to the front of the home that used to be an outside porch. When they removed the rotten subfloor they discovered that all of the floor joist were also rotten from the flood waters. Virgil's house sits right next to a bayou. After some good ole' putting heads together the subfloor was rebuilt and ready to be included in the rest of the house. The rest of the team was busy installing insulation and hanging sheetrock. There are a few younger men (early 20's maybe) with this team and they were excited at the opportunity to learn some construction skills. They seemed to be doing a great job with the insulation and the sheetrock.

Ministry comes in all forms down here and each team brings something special with them. This team is no different. In photo, third from the top on the right side, the lady in the orange shirt (Susie) was soooo excited at the thought of working on a home right here in Gautier. Come to find out, her son just lives up the street and when she left him a couple of weeks ago she thought she would not get to see him until next February. God had other plans! Turns out Spence (her son) is experienced in construction and was happy to come and not only lend a hand but also bring his tools! Susie was thrilled to see him and is hoping this is the ministry opportunity she has been praying for when it comes to her son. He will be joining the team as much as possible and we are so thankful for his heart of service, and the fact that mother and son can work together on such a fantastic mission!

We heard from our truck driver this afternoon. The plan is for another semi load of furniture to be delivered to us this Thursday. We are so thankful to Convoy of Hope for putting together all the pieces of this puzzle to extend the relief operation into an entirely new rhelm. This furniture will be such an incredible blessing to each person who receives it! It's our prayer that the loads continue to come so the blessings will continue to be spread all along the coast.

I have a special prayer request this evening. Hopefully you remember the story of our neighbor ladies from back home, the one who fell and broke her hip a few months back. Frances is nearly 95 years old and had been in perfect health until her fall. She has since been through her therapy and made the move to be with family in Pittsburg. When I spoke with she and her daughter, Cynthia, yesterday it seems Frances took another light fall a couple of weeks ago. Her hip is fine but one of her ribs bruised a lung enough to cause it to fill with fluid and she had to spend a week in the hospital having the fluid drained. This has been extremely difficult for her and she is not doing well. Monty and I would really appreciate any and all prayers for her! We thank you for your warm and caring hearts.

Until tomorrow ..... Susan and Monty