Sunday and Saturday at Gautier April 9

Sat I finally got pictures added to my former blogs so you will have to recheck them if you have read them already. You gotta see my truck anyway.

Sat was a long day as one group left at 4 AM and the others left at 6:30 am. 2 groups were to arrive Sat pm. One group arrived 9 pm and the other one about midnight. Camp had been left quite clean but we had some heavy rain starting about 5:30 am so many of the tents had water on the floors. I didn't get it all cleaned up so some of the kids were doing theirs. The group of 20 has 10 youth with lots of energy which we need to get channeled into the work sites soon. They will be split and part of them will redo a roof and the other part will do drywall, tape, sand, etc. I had some great helpers in the kitchen and office areas last week but now I have to train new people again this week. Hopefully the right people volunteer for them. the day was long and I could not leave as there must be someone in the village at all times. There was one guy around part of the day as he had arrived a day early but was doing some assessments of work to be done. When I find people with certain skills I use them.

Friday nights in the village are really special if the groups have been here a few days. They start out the week by sitting together,staying to themselves, etc. Gradually that changes and by the end of the week they will be all mixed up. It is also a special time of sharing before they go home. Their question was "What is the one thing they will take home with them or remember from this week?" They all admitted how their lives, attitudes were changed by this experience. I would tell them what they may experience while here in the orientation I give but they stay skeptical. Several found out and shared that what I told them really happened. It is so neat to see that. Those are the blessings to me. It was a great week but the people (volunteers) make it that way and bless me. One group comes today and another one Monday so we'll have about 45 in the village. It cooled off last night as a cool front moved thru the area.

I went to church this morning and found an old friend (from Dec). Brian was there from VA. I helped set up the village with him and we got along so well so it was such a surprise to see him. But he was more surprised to see me as the manager at Gautier. He came by to see all the changes/improvements since Dec and had lunch with us. He and I laughed as we shared our stories about those days. I met his wife and they are staying at Long Beach with a group from their church for this week.

Grace to you all, Phyllis