We have just finished our first week here. Since Monday we have been
doing many different things that we haven't done before.
Today was the most different of all for us, because they sent us
in different directions. Mary stayed in camp to help with a ladies
luncheon that was attended by about 18 women from the community.
They had lunch and did a craft project.
I spent the day with Roger and John installing carpet. That was
fun, and I felt that for the first time I was doing the real
hurricane relief work that I had intended when I came here. I had
never really done anything like this and I really enjoyed learning
new things. It was Roger's birthday today so we bugged him about
getting old.
Tonight Nola made gumbo, with sausage and whole legs of chicken.
The food gets better every day!
Tomorrow I am supposed to go with Nick to hang some drywall.
Mary is anxious for me to learn all this stuff. I wonder why?
Prayer requests
Mark's ugly legs covered with bites
Mary and I continue to get lots of bug bites, and they are growing
into large welts all over our arms, legs, necks, and even chests.
Someone told Mary today that it looks like she is having an
allergic reaction to the bug bites. We think there may be bugs
right here in the trailer where we are sleeping, biting us at
night. They did give us some Benadryl, which stops the itching
for a little while, but also makes us sleepy. I did OK today as
long as I was working hard, but as soon as I stopped to rest I
would start to fall asleep. Mary was able to take a nap in the
afternoon, lucky her.
There is always extra stress in a situation like this because you
are thrown together to work with people you don't know. Most of
the guys I have worked with are really cool and mellow. But there
are a few people here who are just really hard to read. I tend to
be insecure by nature anyway, and sometimes some of the people
give me the impression that I'm not wanted here, that I'm doing
the wrong things, or that we're rubbing some people the wrong way.
Mary has felt the same thing too. Mary and I have talked about it
and we both have similar impressions. I think maybe this is a
device of the enemy to discourage us and make us think of leaving
early. I know God has a special purpose for us here beyond just
the "normal" aid we are lending. God has us here to bless some
special someone is a specific way and it hasn't happened yet.
We don't want to miss that opportunity when it comes.
We continue to pray for all of our friends and family back home,
everyone here, Calvary Chapel San Jose, the upcoming Harvest
Crusade in October at the Shark Tank, and other things as we
are impressed to pray. We also pray for everyone here that God
will keep them healthy and effective.
