For many reasons we are so excited each time this wonderful group from GA comes down to Waveland. This was their sixth trip since Katrina!! They have made many lasting friendships and have added many new ones this time while serving the Lord in so many different ways. They are also a tremendous source of encouragement for us as we continue in the work the Lord has laid out for us to do.
They arrived on Saturday evening and wasted no time meeting the area people with whom they were going to work on Sunday. We listened to a wonderful testimony from a local store owner who had stayed for Katrina. God revealed Himself in so many ways to him after the storm that he came to know Him personally and has given his store grounds for His work. After attending church with them on Sunday, we took him up on his offer to use his land and had an egg hunt there for the community children. Many children came and were ministered to and one child gave her life to Jesus, Amen!! It was a fun-filled exciting day for the children as they learned about Jesus.
Later that day we gave our young neighbor a surprise party for her "sweet sixteenth" birthday. Besides the 28 people from GA and all of our family, her family and some of her friends came for a "sweet" time of food, fun and fellowship. By the look on her face she was very surprised! She also received many nice gifts from the group which really pleased her and made her very happy. This time of fellowship was a very neat way to encourage this young girl in her new walk with the Lord.
Monday began some very difficult work on our family property. We are so excited and appreciative of the groups hard work to clear the land in the woods and blaze a trail that downed trees had destroyed after Katrina. For three days the group worked to clear a path 7/10ths of a mile long with the help of our neighbor and his working machine! This trail allows us to access a part of our land we have not seen for years. It will be used for our neighbors to enjoy as well as volunteers who come to serve here. We thank you for this wonderful ministry!
Also, we had repair work to our shower house done by an able bodied craftsman and his helpers. Hurricane Gustav had damaged a tree that fell on part of our building and destroyed some of our siding. They were able to repair the building and add a gutter to prevent water damage to the front of the building and the sidewalk leading up to the shower house. Then the entire sidewalk was removed, dirt was added by our youngest helpers who shoveled and moved wheelbarrow loads of dirt to lift our sidewalk and level it as well. It is beautiful and our little missionaries learned how to have a servant's heart while working hard for Him! And after almost 4 years our pump house finally received its siding and two coats of paint!! Wow, what a difference all of this makes to the camp.
Many in the group worked on the local church we attended on Sunday. They painted the interior hallway and doors of the classroom area. This church has a large ministry with the children in the community picking them up on a bus every Sunday. The area that was painted is heavily used by the children. The pastor was encouraged by the group on Sunday in church and again in the afternoon with the egg hunt that he and his wife attended. They were excited that this event led them to meet more locals they did not know.
Many area people were ministered to as well this week. One family whose home was destroyed both by Katrina and flooded again by Gustav, had the bottom of their home gutted of the last of the inside walls and fixtures. These people are so grateful for this work because they are exhausted with all they have been through these past few years they can barely exist. Dirt was moved and spread for another elderly couple. Weeds were pulled for yet another elderly lady. Baseboards were set and cleaned for another neighbor. The Waveland police and fire department were visited and given gifts for all they've done and endured these past years and they were taken away by the thoughtfulness of these volunteers representing Jesus. One man with whom we've worked for about a year is so close to finally moving into his new home built mainly by volunteers. This group was able to put the final touches on his home preparing for move in by cleaning the home of dust and dirt. The owner was very appreciative.
And last but not at all least, 28 area people were fed this week by these wonderful people!! Wow! Through food and fellowship God was indeed lifted up, honored and praised. We are encouraged and thankful for this past week and look forward to their 7th visit!!
