HOPE Team 19
Uses Card Proceeds for Bayou Home
Trip to the Bayou / March 2009
Excerpts from Journal by Gary Mayor
Day Two 3/15/09
We arrived at the Rec Center (in Chauvin) with a bit of rain at the time. We met Diane, who is the volunteer coordinator. She is very nice. She showed us around. There are some changes! No more air mattress, they now have cots and some beds. We laid claim to our beds and moved our stuff in. We did some repairs to one of the cots and it is like new. Diane gave us our assignment for tomorrow and we will be heading to Dulac to try and put the finishing touch on oa home that the people are currently living in a trailer here at the center. The list looks like we should be able to finish in a bout two days and then the family can move back in. We are excited about this.
Day Three 3/16/09
We began the day waking around 6:15 and had a variety of breakfast items. Then it was time to find some items in the supply trailer before we began our 45 minute journey over to Bayou Dularge and to Rodney and Jackie's house to begin work. We had a list of items to work on. Some of the ladies were painting; Nancy was replacing outlet and switch plates. Bob ws installing door knobs. Jim and Jon were installing baseboard that I cut for them and Jim P. was cutting trim for under the cabinets. We continued on and got these projects done and made a list of supplie for Diane to pick up. Three windows to install tomorrow and some more trim, finish painting and the ladies are going to look at material for drapes and some furniture for the bedrooms. Some of the card money Mary Goldbeck sent will be used to help fund this family and get them moved back into their house. This family has one problem after another, but takes it one day at a time and looks at the good in everything.
Day Four 3/17/09
Slept in a little more than we should have, but that was ok. We had breakfast, some cereal and some pancakes from the bus kitchen that is serving meals to the area. We packed lunches, checked out some more tools and then took off for Bayou Dularge. We stopped at the lumber yard on the way and picked up a few items we needed. We started the journey again and Nancy read today's Lent Devotion to everyone. The theme was perfect for what we are doing. The body has many parts and we are eight parts working together to help a family of many parts get back in their home.
We (arrived at the house and) unloaded the tools and sent the ladies off shopping for drapery supplies and dressers for the bedroom. The men began working on finishing up the project list. Jim P. and Bob started the replacement of the windows, Jon and Jim F. worked on finishing up the painting. I was finishing up the baseboard trim in the closets and the pantry. We were working away and realized the time reached 12:30 and the ladies were still on the road. As we sat down to eat, there was no lunch in the cooler for Jim P. so I decided to call Nancy and see what their status was. They were still on a shopping spree and said they would be eating out so Jim got to have Nancy's lunch. After lunch the men kept on working and ladies were still shopping. The windows were completed and the baseboards are done. The light fixtures in the closets are partially installed; need to pick up some longer screws tomorrow. The ladies returned at about 4:15 with a van full of supplies. Material, dressers to be assembled, wall decorations. Everyone is excited to see what the final products will look like.
God blessed us once again and the weather was beautiful today! Tomorrow will be a full day's work again and we hope to finish up so that Rodney, Jackie and family can move back in to their home on Thursday.
Day Five 3/18/09
Well we woke today and most of us were tired because the snoring symphony was in full orchestration last night and sleep was limited. Enough of that though. Breakfast as usual and then gathering tools and equipment and we were off. One quick stop at Chauvin Brothers Lumber for a few needed items annd off we went across the bayous. We arrived at the house and the crew went into full swing. The ladies Barb and Marnie began the curtain manufacturing department, Nancy was finishing up trim painting needed, Jon was filling nail holes, Jim F. & Bob were starting to assemble dressers, Jim P. was finishing trimming the window in Hannah's room and I was working on the light fixtures. Everyone was moving along.
After the light fixtures and a few outlets were completed, I started to install curtain rods. Barb ws moving right along and Nancy started to hang the curtains. First the master bedroom and then the living room. They made a few changes as they went along and they looked great. Jon moved to the outside and was painting trim around a few of the windows that had been replaced. Jim P. was also hanging a few of the curtain rods that needed some special adaptation. During the day many of Rodney's relatives stopped by to say hello. They were all very nice and liked what was happening to the house. After lunch more of the same was going on. The curtains are completed and hung in the Master Bedroom, Living Room and kids Bedroom. The dressers have been built, trim is all up and the kids came home from school. Painting is done and we started to clean up the area. We are going to buy a medicine cabinet for the bathroom to replace the old mirror and a new light fixture. These we will put up tomorrow. There are only the curtains for Hannah's room and the kitchen to be completed and a few decorative additions purchased to put on the walls.
God has blessed us once again today and the morning devotion was talking directly to us. The Spirit is leading us every step of the way and it is evident that He brought us to the family whose house we are working on! I pray that everyone gets a good night sleep so that we can be productive once again tomorrow. We will be looking at some new projects at a new home tomorrow and we pray for that family as well.
End of Trip Notes
As I have said before, this trip was all in the hands o God. the crew which He assembled, the people we worked for and with and the special friendships that we have developed are all backed by the leading of the Holy Spirit!
Our prayers will continue to be with all of our friends and the people of the Bayou Grace area. Support from our congregation has been great and we hope to put a program together to generate new interest in this mission. There is still work to be done and without people of faith pitching in, the work will not be completed. Each time I go on one of these mission trips I watch the hand of God at work. He puts us in touch with the right people to serve and He gives us the talent to perform the various tasks they need completed. I thank Him again for all the blessings granted on this trip and I thank all of the team members for making this a spectacular trip!
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