The Best Thursday Ever

Thunderstorms all night and we woke to a heavy rain.

We’ve hit our stride at the work site. We understand what needs to be done and we do it. We are caulking (still!); painting; installing doors, door stoppers, closet shelves; and pouring a set of concrete stairs. I think we have shocked our site manager because there is no job we decline to do. Two of us (the shortest two) crawled around underneath the house today fixing installation that had fallen. This might not sound too bad, but you also must factor in that these two were crawling around in chicken and goat “raisins” and Mississippi mud in order to complete the job.

We’ve also come to realize that the work we do on Mr. Thomas’ home is not the only way we are serving. We are encouraging one another as we see each other take steps of faith. Our leaders challenged us today to listen to see if we could discern what God was speaking to us. Wow, is God speaking. He is telling us that we can believe that He can heal the sick, telling us how to improve our relationships when we get home, and telling us that we do not need to fear the future.

After work today, we visited the homeowner that Daybreak served two years ago. We also met his two sons. They shared what living through Katrina and her aftermath was like. They lived for six months in their front yard before getting a FEMA trailer. The three of them then lived in the FEMA trailer for over two years until Habitat rebuilt their house. The story of devastation continues to affect us, but more and more we are humbled by the graciousness of the people of Mississippi. They could be bitter, resentful, or prideful, but they are not. They are genuine, warm, and so thankful for the help that they have received.

We ended the evening at the best restaurant in these here parts. We got fed at “The Shed.” Barbequed ribs, chicken, pork, and the best potato salad this side of the Mississippi. Habitat volunteers, who are now close friends, joined us for a wonderful night of laughter. We promised Mr. Ken, a host at The Shed, that we would return, ‘cause I don’t know about y’all, but I’m fixin’ to come back to Mississippi right soon.

- Written by Mandy on behalf of the team