Day 5; Oct 7

Whew!  Today is the day when muscles start to ache and the team feels the drain of full days of hard work. Then we spend some time with the people we are doing this for and re-adjust our focus. The energy comes and we made it through another day!

We see real progress with the work we have done; feel connection to the people we are volunteering with and enjoy camaraderie with the homeowners with a delicious meal.  I think the dinner on thursday night is truly an humbling experience. The homeowners are invited to a fellowship dinner, given an opportunity to share their story but also become true friends.  We celebrate their strength up to this day and bless them for the many years to come.

Yet I am jumping ahead of myself, first we had a long day of hard work at the Philips home before we got to sit and break bread with them.

Our Tiling Grannies knocked out a closet and have a little less than a row before room 1 is done! Check out Joyce's mean tiling strokes as she lays the last tile in the closet!  And this is before lunch!

Joyce laying the final tiles in the closet. 

 Jimmie and Paul finished their work on the soffits and were put to work preparing the second entrance for a steel door.  For both safety and efficiency they have pre-purchased new steel doors that are a little larger than the existing entrance, it seems Jimmie's background comes to the rescue again!


And before we knew it, it was time to break for lunch!  Thus our lunch break was taken, as usual in the driveway, today however in the shade. (Minus the bathing beauties that got a little sun)

Kate and Sarah bathing in the sun after lunch

After lunch, we got back to work.  We had a good system going with 'go-fers' and even the recently trained teaching the Americorp how to properly lay tile. We will see tomorrow how well Sarah taught as we spend our last day at the work site.

But before we could head back for  dinner, all our tools had to be cleaned and major tools had to be put into our trailer for the night. Sandy made sure everything we used that day got spick-and-span.

Look at the progress in Room 1; and revisit day 2 to see where we started!

 With enough time to clean up and get a little rest, Olive Tree Village volunteer's hosted the homeowners and invited all the worksite crew to dinner. Our homeowners this week, Minnie & John and Zanrey (only 2 of the homes we are working on this week are for present occupants. The third home, on Rampart St. was donated to Project Homecoming if they can repair the street facing parts of the home in 6 wks. They have the intention to repair this home completely than sell it below market to a lower income family. Project Homecoming is also hoping this home to be an example for future work)

Both families shared their stories and thanks for all we are doing for them. We got to spend significant time with both homeowners to hear more than their survival of Katrina. John & Minnie shared with the volunteers about their lives afterwards and of course many words of thanks for all we have done.
We were so honored to have the footprints of their warmth and perseverance upon our hearts as we travel safely home.

As we bid John and Minnie goodnight, we gathered for a quick group photo. It was an exhausting day, and  we have all hit the sack hard.



so with parting words from John, may God hold you and sustain you always.  Amen