Work Day 2 Wrap, back at Camp Victor

Today was workday 2 of the trip already! It is hard to believe it is already day 2 of working. We started the day again with devotions and a breakfast to prepare us for the day. We have to drink a ton of liquids because the sweltering heat and humidity cause us to lose most all of the liquid we drink through our sweating. Even the ladies are sweating more than ever!

We are learning, on our job sites, that all of us are able to contribute, whether we were previously skilled or unskilled. Our Habitat leaders are very patient leaders and teach all of us the skills we need to know to build the homes we are working on. When we started just yesterday the homes were in stage one of the building process and since then we have seen walls and roofs raised….It’s such a rewarding feeling to see so much progress in such a short amount of time, especially when we know that God working through us made this happen. We know it has to have been God working through us because our team members have worked with persist, patient, and joyful attitudes despite the heat. The more skilled members of our team have taught the less skilled members of the team so much about the building process, and without God the learning could not have come so easily. We have had the opportunity to share our joy with other Habitat volunteers from other locations and with the Habitat staff and also Americorps staff on our sites. We’ve enjoyed meeting and talking with them and sharing stories.

It is encouraging to see that so many volunteers are continuing to contribute to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. We see the evidence of this at Camp Victor, where we are staying, by murals and tee-shirts on display that represent all the volunteers who have come before us.

Many of our team members returned to Camp Victor at the end of the work day exhausted and feeling utterly depleted of energy yet filled with God’s love. Each night after dinner we meet as a team and sing and worship, and during this time our empty fuel tanks are refilled with encouragement from one another. This experience is bringing team members who barely knew each other before together in a way that unites us like brothers and sisters. Only Christ’s love could do this…. This is truly “bodacious”. (By the way, “bodacious” is the word of the day)

One more note…. The team would like to wish a very happy birthday (just a little belated!) to Tammy Grimes. Keith mentioned that he has been with Tammy on her birthday every year for the past 31 years but is not with her this week while serving with our team. We hope Tammy had a bodacious birthday!!!!