Another beautiful morning under the Big Sky. Pancakes on the outdoor grill, bacon, and cereal started the day off right! Work commenced shortly after devotions and clean up.
Siding began going up on the bath house. Our short-term mission team has learned to use many tools as well as the structural needs of building something from a concrete pad up. Another group completed stripping 23 poles…by lunchtime! (Note to self: soak lodgepole pines at least 48 hours in the creek for most efficient bark stripping.)
Another group of our students bumped along, in trucks with no shocks, eight miles further into the hill country to serve Kim. She is our host this week and a member of the church with whom we are partnering. They chain-sawed two trees, cleared waist-high grasses encroaching on her house, moved much debris, and, thoroughly enjoyed being in the secluded yet beautiful abode.
Yesterday’s car wash at the church in town drew many, many cars! We did not count, but for two hours we had a two-lane assembly line with at least five cars waiting continually. After washing their dust-covered cars (and a few bicycles), we invited them to return for Wednesday’s worship service and ice cream social. (I’ll tell you how it goes tomorrow!)
Kenny Pretty On Top (the pastor’s son) led us in worship last night. His voice and guitar blessed us immensely. We were even able to teach him a couple songs: “Holy Hands” and “The Revelation Song”!
Each night we also meet in our small groups. We share how God has been working in our lives. It is a precious time to hear from each other and then to pray for and encourage one another. The Lord especially showed up last night as students shared! Please continue praying for these meeting times.
I’ll close with a few valuable quotes:
“Now that is the difference between heaven and hell!” One team member exclaimed after the port-a-potty company finally cleaned our potties…after four hot days.
“They really seasoned the snake meat well. It tasted pretty good.”
“Let’s have races with all the toads. We can each get one, then use nail polish to paint numbers on their backs.”
Followed by…”this is what happens when there is no tv or ESPN!”
“Shouldn’t you not ride the pony if your feet drag the ground?” Asked a team member as we passed the umpteenth person using equine transportation … but in a rather unbalanced rider/pony combination.
“Your students and leaders are amazing,” one of our facilitators told me.
“God provides.” Spoken when team members came to pick us up unexpectedly… you see, our truck had broken down.
“God is teaching me stuff I never expected.”
“God is good.” All the time.
(July 2011)
