Day 2 - July 5, 2008

Day 2 (Saturday) dawned bright and early as we start the routine of the week. Breakfast at 7:00am (5:30am if you are on the breakfast cook crew) and then some time for prayer and reflection before our day begins. We will begin and end each day reflecting on our theme of GRATITUDE. Those of us that have been here before are grateful to return and our freshman teammates are excited to find out why this place has touched us all. Then it’s off to assemble our “battle gear” for the day….tools, work aprons, gloves, bug spray, hats/bandanas and water, water and more water. Kimi and her helpers of the day keep us well nourished for our work here.

We break into work teams with our leaders Tom, Rod and Henry – who is a PDA construction manager filling in until Mike arrives today. Team Tom heads to a home to paint only to find they aren’t quite ready for them…so they switch gears and join Team Henry for a day of sheetrock work. Heidi, Robin, Harriette, Terry and Jeanne are quickly dubbed “human beignets” as they work hard to sand the ceiling in the living room to prepare it for painting. (For those of you scratching your head, beignets are to New Orleans what cheesesteaks are to Philly…a light donut/pastry topped with mounds of powdered sugar). Tom, Henry, Linda and Kathy work on repairing some sheetrock in two of the bedrooms. The demolition was the most fun part of the job! This homeowner is working two jobs to pay to finish his new home and the burden just got worst as his girlfriend has lost her job. His home was elevated enough to avoid the worst of the Katrina waters….until they eroded his foundation and his house virtually fell over and split apart.

Team Rod heads to an air conditioned home (again – how does that Rod manage that every year?!) to remove and replace a laminated floor damaged by a water leak. Anne, Sarah, and Debbie get to work on carefully removing base moulding, then the floor. We are excited to help this 80 something couple as they are coming down the homestretch of their home being finished.

While some worked on homes, others stayed at camp and cleaned, cooked, and organized.  The water pump broke from all the dish and pot washing!  After several hours without water, the camp crew of Beth, Diana and Kim, ran out of water-free projects.  Soon, though, the water was flowing again - just in time for dinner preparations to begin.

Back at camp late afternoon the line for the showers form as the wonderful smells of dinner fill the air. Evening brings a bit of relief from the heat – and biting bugs. Sigh.

We agree—the face of God is shown to us in the faces of Pearlingtonians. Their gratitude is infectious—spreading to all who talk with them. Grateful for every day and every gift of generosity, they remind us to approach life itself as a gift.