Day Two and all is well. We got started on our main work of the week. We went to the home of Eddie and Betty. Both of them were home and with us all day and all of us had a chance to visit with them several times during the day. Eddie is a likable guy who is without a job at the moment, but never seems to be without a good story. He was laid off from a chicken business a few months ago, lost his health insurance and suffers with bone-on-bone pain in his knees. This does not seem to deter his spirits. We found out today that he was pictured in and contributed writing to the Foxfire books. Remember those books with the brown covers on life in rural Appalachia? He told how his school teacher told the students to interview their grandparents and find out about mountain life of old. They came back with a paper written in proper English and the teacher said, "No. Write it the way they say with mountain expressions and all." The rewrite with words like "fir piece" (long way) was turned into a book which he produced and I have seen. I think I read it in Boy Scouts years ago. Fascinating guy.
His wife Betty was raised in the home we are working on and after her father passed away moved back to her girlhood home. With Eddie out of work and her working at a Thrift Store, they are simply not able to do what is needed at the house. That is our work this week We are bringing the exterior back to good condition through paint and light repairs. Today, we had one group of our team replacing the front porch railing and the rest of us scraping the entire house of flaking paint while dogs and chickens wandered through the yard as we worked. I have the feeling it will take a while to get truly cleaned. After the coldest shower ever in the history of all showers ever taken, I still have dozens of flecks of paint stuck on my arms.
I got to thinking about the people we are helping and our motivation for helping them. Our goal is to serve Christ. Our team in Honduras a few weeks ago met the working poor there as we are meeting them here. The working poor are in Pinellas County. They are in Dunedin. Someone mentioned Matthew 25 last night during worship. We may not be aware of it in the moment, but when we help someone in need - ANYTIME we help someone in need - we are honoring, loving and serving our Lord Jesus himself. That reality makes our work meaningful, especially in times like now when we step back and ponder it.
We've had some tensions on the team, although nothing that we haven't been able to work through. And we have also had some amusing moments so far. A few highlights:
- A quote heard on the ride here: Your breath smells like an attic
- A road sign at the entrance to I-75 north read "Valdosta 500'" One thought that meant we would reach Valdosta in 500'. We were in Lake City, FL. It was early and she was sleep deprived.
- Jean MacKenzie on naming a movie that begins with the letter S: Selma and Louise. Said a very amused Jean: (The actual movie in question is titled THELMA and Louise.)
- The boys were able to practice slam dunking a basketball with a five-gallon bucket as a spring board. After a particularly successful dunk, we will also be replacing our homeowner's clothesline in which one of the boys landed.
We're having fun. This afternoon during free time, most of the team were together and talked about all kinds of subjects. I was with another group, but the report from them was it was a unifying moment for that group.
Even better was what has been happening in the hearts of some of the students. I see God moving in all of the hearts, and some in particular have been feeling something important. I asked you last night to pray for God to break through. Keep praying! It is happening! Under the stars on this mountaintop in Tennessee, God is stirring the hearts of our students. It is nearly taking my breath away. I want to tell you everything, but like last night it's late as I type. Plus, I want to see it play out this week. I will tell you it is good to be here and be a part of the movement of the Holy Spirit.
I am off to bed.
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