This week has been especially busy with 23 guests arriving from Living Faith Alliance in Vineland N.J. late Saturday. This is Tom and Barbara's home church, as well as Carlos and Lily's.
After church on Sunday, we all went riding along the Beach.Blvd. When we got in sight of the Bay Bridge, we had to turn around: the road is not complete. Some of the group could make comparisons as to what had improved: others were seeing the destruction for the first time. There are still obvious signs of the destruction from Katrina, and probably will be empty house foundations, pillars for houses, and perhaps even steps to nowhere for several years to come, interspersed with rebuilt homes.
We came back for devotions on the beach, then returned to go to Tom and Barbara’s to watch the licensed alligator trapper do his thing. The alligator was small: about 50 pounds est. He trapped it to place it somewhere else. Some of us sat on the porch to watch: others went down closer to the water.
We were shown through the house: it is actually a duplex with an enormous shared living room.
Then we all went to Picayune to eat buffet at Ryans.
Monday I worked the front desk today, filing reports for John and pulling information for Tom, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Tonight, we met for a sharing time because so many had so much to say. The Lord is blessing the volunteers as well as those with whom they come in contact.
It was necessary to get up at 5:30 to fit in my exercise because there were so many early risers in this church. The ladies took over making breakfast so that Barbara could have a break. Everyone worked together very well. The coffee house and other church functions were canceled this week so our pastor and our construction manager could go to council. We held meetings every night with this group, sometimes lasting until 10 PM. However, it was all a blessing as everyone had so much to report.
The Prayer Team goes out to pray for families whose homes are under construction. When this group finished, they started praying for the volunteers from the community who help us daily, then spent their last meeting praying for the long-term volunteers on site.
On Friday night, they took all the long-term volunteers out to a Chinese buffet. The comment was made that they had planned it in their expenses for the trip: something that is definately not expected.
Many of the churches who have worked with the Christian Life Center over the last year or so have fallen in love with Duke and Pat Kuhn, a vivacious couple who loved everyone who helped work on their home. When folks first volunteered, I am told Duke wanted to hear nothing about the Lord Jesus Christ, but as people kept coming to work on thei r home and share the love of Christ, he changed his mind and came to know the Lord.
Duke has been struggling with cancer for several months, and was hospitalized in Jackson for about a week and a half before coming home because there was nothing further the medical people could do. We helped watch him while Pat went to work. Last Saturday night, he went to be with the Lord. the funeral was Saturday, in New Orleans.
Church support had been organized to provide food for the family. After the guests left about 8:30, Barbara and I began receiving donated food from these folks. Later, we went over to the Kuhn home to set up and serve a buffet for her guests. After making sure everyone had eaten, we also ate and joined in the conversation, returning to CLC about 7 PM. (Of course, Tom, our director, came with the other guests He had driven a van to New Orleans to help our guest meet their plane, then attended the funeral.)
I have had to make a room swap this weekend: there are more women coming in the next group than men, so we switch sides. The move was begun in the morning, and finished after returning from Kuhns.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The rest of May
May has been a busy month. I did not realize how long it had been since the last blog. The Lord has been teaching me things. One week, there was a volunteer whose personality offends me. The Lord taught me how to relate to him, something which would have been impossible for me without the Lord.
During the same week, there were two women volunteers who helped me learn to be more outgoing. After they left, I received a note of encouragement which highlighted what the writer felt made me more friendly to them. By having that pointed out, I was able to reach out again to others.
A few of us went down to the beach and played frisbee in the water. This was a break-through for me, who always says "I can't catch anything." We set a goal for each of the five of us to catch the frisbee within one round. We got as high as four-when we finished, "yours truly" had caught the frisbee several times.
The Lord has used the last several weeks to raise my personal self-esteem, something which has been lacking for me. My responsibilities have increased since arrival. Every day is an adventure which holds a variety of experiences inter-relating with volunteers as well as folks from the community.
We have been praying for someone to volunteer to put on a program for the summer for 8-12 year olds. A couple of men visited this morning who had volunteered with another organization.
They are from Detroit, but have maintained contact with a couple of the kids whom we see regularly-something about which we were glad to learn, that has a positive effect on the young people. They expressed their hearts for young people, made a donation, and promised to look for someone to volunteer in this capacity.
Praise the Lord. There is an apartment complex nearby whose children badly need supervision.
Right now we are limited in what we can do, other than recognize and pray concerning the need. If someone volunteers, they will have room and board like any others. We look forward to whatever He has planned.
During the same week, there were two women volunteers who helped me learn to be more outgoing. After they left, I received a note of encouragement which highlighted what the writer felt made me more friendly to them. By having that pointed out, I was able to reach out again to others.
A few of us went down to the beach and played frisbee in the water. This was a break-through for me, who always says "I can't catch anything." We set a goal for each of the five of us to catch the frisbee within one round. We got as high as four-when we finished, "yours truly" had caught the frisbee several times.
The Lord has used the last several weeks to raise my personal self-esteem, something which has been lacking for me. My responsibilities have increased since arrival. Every day is an adventure which holds a variety of experiences inter-relating with volunteers as well as folks from the community.
We have been praying for someone to volunteer to put on a program for the summer for 8-12 year olds. A couple of men visited this morning who had volunteered with another organization.
They are from Detroit, but have maintained contact with a couple of the kids whom we see regularly-something about which we were glad to learn, that has a positive effect on the young people. They expressed their hearts for young people, made a donation, and promised to look for someone to volunteer in this capacity.
Praise the Lord. There is an apartment complex nearby whose children badly need supervision.
Right now we are limited in what we can do, other than recognize and pray concerning the need. If someone volunteers, they will have room and board like any others. We look forward to whatever He has planned.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
My daily schedule
When ther e is a group, I get up at 5:30 to be sure to get everything done and do my exercise before 7 on Monday, and 7:30 the rest of the week. After starting a pot of coffee, I start water for tea (timed 15 minutes so I do not forget it), then check to see if the lemonade and water coolers need refilling, doing each as needed. The last refill is the small cooler used to serve ice. After cleaning the serving areas, I fill the tea dispenser with water and tea. Now it is time to do my diabetic check, then do my exercise video.
When I started walking, I walked outside, up the street. When it got to hot for that, I found an exercise video for walking in place by Leslie Sansone,called Walk Away the Pounds for abs. I walk a mile with her each morning, with a combination of steps, kicks, knee bends, and side steps.
The DVD has elements for two miles and for 3 miles, but my old machine will not skip forward, so I am stuck with one mile. A friend told me there is a device at Walmart which will fix that, but I do not have it yet.
After the exercise, I have breakfast, listen to John's assignment of the work-day to the volunteers, which includes updates on the jobs. It is very interesting, and necessary to know, since my typing assignments can include written updates that may not be easy to read. Then there is a break before going to work at 10: currently, either the thrift shop or the front desk.
After work, if there is a team here, supper will be ready. If not, it is truly pot luck! (Long-termers have access to any leftovers.)
After supper on Tuesday and Thursday are devotions and testimonies when there is a team here. Friday is youth night: Saturday is a movie suitable for all ages. Sunday is a church service followed by soup and bread lunch.
When I started walking, I walked outside, up the street. When it got to hot for that, I found an exercise video for walking in place by Leslie Sansone,called Walk Away the Pounds for abs. I walk a mile with her each morning, with a combination of steps, kicks, knee bends, and side steps.
The DVD has elements for two miles and for 3 miles, but my old machine will not skip forward, so I am stuck with one mile. A friend told me there is a device at Walmart which will fix that, but I do not have it yet.
After the exercise, I have breakfast, listen to John's assignment of the work-day to the volunteers, which includes updates on the jobs. It is very interesting, and necessary to know, since my typing assignments can include written updates that may not be easy to read. Then there is a break before going to work at 10: currently, either the thrift shop or the front desk.
After work, if there is a team here, supper will be ready. If not, it is truly pot luck! (Long-termers have access to any leftovers.)
After supper on Tuesday and Thursday are devotions and testimonies when there is a team here. Friday is youth night: Saturday is a movie suitable for all ages. Sunday is a church service followed by soup and bread lunch.
A Whole Week
I cannot believe it has been a whole week since the last communication!
The week has been a busy one: There were 26 volunteers. Fixing beverages for a group is interesting, because each one prefers something else. Each week, it needs to be determined whether the preference is coffee, tea or Lemonade before we can be sure how much to fix.
Monday in the Thrift Shop, Bible study and errands on Tuesday. Tuesday night, we had a concert by Howie and Debbie Campbell (Wisdom & Truth.org), which we all enjoyed. On Wednesday, they gave a talk on nuitrition and good eating. Thursday was busy with a staff meeting and ladies luncheon which lasted 3 hours! After we ate, we were catching up with one another. Friday was spent on the desk, learning how to enter information for John as well as being a receptionist.
My time is well spent: I stay busy. Saturday, in the thrift shop was frantic: the low prices were marked even lower, for a sale.
Mothers day was recognized during the church service by acknowledgingall the mothers and passing out bookmarks and roses.
Monday will be spent in the Thrift Shop again.
The week has been a busy one: There were 26 volunteers. Fixing beverages for a group is interesting, because each one prefers something else. Each week, it needs to be determined whether the preference is coffee, tea or Lemonade before we can be sure how much to fix.
Monday in the Thrift Shop, Bible study and errands on Tuesday. Tuesday night, we had a concert by Howie and Debbie Campbell (Wisdom & Truth.org), which we all enjoyed. On Wednesday, they gave a talk on nuitrition and good eating. Thursday was busy with a staff meeting and ladies luncheon which lasted 3 hours! After we ate, we were catching up with one another. Friday was spent on the desk, learning how to enter information for John as well as being a receptionist.
My time is well spent: I stay busy. Saturday, in the thrift shop was frantic: the low prices were marked even lower, for a sale.
Mothers day was recognized during the church service by acknowledgingall the mothers and passing out bookmarks and roses.
Monday will be spent in the Thrift Shop again.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Homesickness
Friday night I had an "attack" of homesickness that was worse because there was no one with whom I could talk.
As I prayed about it later, the Lord let me know that He is woth me, I can talk to Him when there is no one else with whom I can talk.
It has been suggested that I might return home: I gave that decision to the Lord and His will. At this time, I expect to stay: i.e. no plans to leave.
Yesterday was a slow day in the thrift store. Today, of course, is Sunday, with the soup luncheon afterward.
As I prayed about it later, the Lord let me know that He is woth me, I can talk to Him when there is no one else with whom I can talk.
It has been suggested that I might return home: I gave that decision to the Lord and His will. At this time, I expect to stay: i.e. no plans to leave.
Yesterday was a slow day in the thrift store. Today, of course, is Sunday, with the soup luncheon afterward.
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