Trip Highlights:
On the way down we’re sitting in a catfish restaurant and Diane says, “Hey, what did you think of that urinal
thing they have in the ladies’ room?” We look at her and say… “That was the men’s room, Diane!!!”
Oops.

Sunday morning we worship on the beach in the morning. In the afternoon Pam & Dave Western xperience
close encounters with jellyfish, and Ole Brandsgaard steps on a Stingray and gets nailed above the ankle. Don’t worry, they’re all fine.

Today we arrived on site and found a floor deck on piers and piles and piles of lumber. It was our job to build thirteen window frame sets, several door frames, and countless wall joists. Everything was done with hand-hammering, and we’re all aching from the exertion and the heat. The sun is blazing down on us and there is almost no shade to work in. A prime spot was under the deck, crawling around in the red dirt. At least it was cooler!

We met Mary Parker! She’s wonderful, and doesn’t look a day over sixty in spite of her 79 years. She is so grateful and excited about her new home, and promises to send us pictures when it’s done. She had us all write something in an autograph notebook she’s starting for the project. Two of her sons are Baptist ministers and Mary says, “I just told my children I’d claimed the Lord’s miracle and I knew He wouldn’t let me down!” Mary is a survivor of Hurricane Camille as well as Hurricane Katrina—having ridden out both storms in the house she and her husband built in 1952. We also met her little dog, Toto, who she rescued after the storm. He was one of the hundreds of left-behind pets and he seems very grateful to her for the home she has given him. They are quite a pair. (He looks a lot like his namesake.)

We’re sleeping on air mattresses in the Bethel Lutheran Church sanctuary. Tonight we may mutiny. Among the symphony of snorers there’s one whose vocalizations make quite a crescendo. We’re hoping that tonight we’ll be so exhausted we won’t notice or care.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, the plan is for us to construct and raise all the remaining walls, exterior and interior, and to begin applying the exterior decking. I’m sure it’ll be wonderful, but right now the only thing we can get
excited about are showers, food, and our beds.

Thank you all for sending us. We are having an amazing experience and getting a lot of good work done. Together we proclaim: Truly, the Kingdom of God has come near!

Grace and peace to you,
Pastor Alix and the rest of
the Team.