Wednesday

Our Wednesday started like the other days with breakfast and prayer partner letters.  THANK YOU prayer partners for your cool letters of encouragment and for your prayers.  I wish you could see the faces of the kids as the wait for me to deliver their letters.  We have all been blessed by your encouragment!

Our work day started much the same as the other days as the group split and worked in different areas.  The group that went out to Delph and Reda's house was able to pour a 2nd concrete landing area at the bottom of the ramp leading to their front porch.  They also hung the new upper cabinets, fixed some miscellaneous problems with the cabinet doors and drawers, trimmed out the new floor in the living room, started painting the bathroom, removed wallpaper in the kitchen to prepare for paint, and finished the soffit.

The group that stayed on campus was able to build and install the new cross (more on that later), apply a new coat of stain to the docks at the pond, fix a roof, fix and trim doors, and rake.  The groups came back together as usual for dinner.  As an alternative to the dining hall food, Natalie and her mom made spaghetti for supper.  Yummy.

We built the cross first thing in the morning from 6x6 treated timbers.  Our original plan was to use a tractor or utility vehicle to carry the cross up to top of the hill to install.  But the hill was still wet enough from the recent rains for the driver to decline the trip up the hill.  Jim had the cool idea of having the group (mainly the kids) carry the 200 pound cross up the hill for installation.  With our trip taking place during Lent and with Easter approaching, this act took on additional significance as we were able to remember Christ carrying his cross up the hill to his crucifixion.  The kids commented on how light the cross seemed with everybody helping to carry it, and the group had a neat discussion during their ascent about carrying burdens together to lighten the load.  It reminded me of the time Eric had the kids all lift the cross during a children's sermon!

After dinner, we enjoyed a fire (thanks Mark!) and were able to hear Christie Schumacher talk a little about the horse ministry she and her husband lead on the campus of JCM.  They minister mainly to the boys of the Barnabas house (a home at JCM for boys who are wards of the state), using horse behavior and training to introduce kids to Jesus.

Three days of hard work is taking a toll on the group--lots of sore muscles and tired people.  Pray for refreshment for our group members as we strive to finish strong tomorrow!

Kids in leaves

Staining the dock

Evan and Lori on top of the hill

Peach pop from Kentucky--when in Rome...

Silly group photo

Walking through campus with the cross

Up the hill...

The old cross, which will be relocated

Setting braces and getting everything lined up

A view from the campfire of the new cross (still braced while the concrete cures)