Our Wintertime at Southwind

Wow---when I logged on to do this blog, I noticed that I have done only 1 blog for this project and we finish this project in just a few days!! Time is flying because this, also, ends our second project of 2010. The dynamics of our work and socializing are totally changed also. We haven't even had our "mandatory" group picture taken yet!

Lake in the Forest (an RV park) is our “home” for the month. This time of the year it is totally retired northerners parked here. The RVICS family is scattered throughout the park and are sharing all the amenities. There have been no campfires for sharing with one another, only shared space for our social times and Bible studies. We are referred to as “the Christians”. For the most part, we notice lost people. All we have seen these retirees do is walk their dogs, sit around campfires and drink booze. So sad when that is all there is to life.
Working at Southwind Young Life Camp has been the most unusual RVICS project that we have done to date. With our work, since the men work all day, they have been packing sack lunches and staying at Southwind. Since the work is so physical, the men normally catch a quick nap before resuming their afternoon assignments. That hasn’t happened either. Verizon cell phones are the only phones that work in this area. Cell phones are our life line between the group and to the world in general. About half the group are without service. Also, many of the group have experienced sickness that comes with winter. Even Sharon was classified as injured. On the second day she pulled a hip muscle but didn’t miss any work. That muscle is getting back to normal now. Our group leaders drove the 1075 miles from here to Smithville, Texas, for the annual RVICS meetings this week. Shirley is on the board of directors. They will return to us on Monday.

Don and the men are hard at work on the huge deck. They are afraid that it won’t be near done when they leave. It is always good to see a job to completion. Sharon and the ladies have nearly finished changing the size of mattress covers, have hemmed rags and other misc. jobs. The last week Sharon and Esther have worked on shin guards for use with the weed eaters. Vinyl is very difficult to sew. The results were worth it though.

As with many parts of the US, Florida has had a very cold January and February (not our coats in pic). We have dealt with frozen water, coats and gloves. However, last weekend we had some R & R time away visiting our friends from Hartford City, Larry & Gaylene. What a wonderful time we had on the Gulf Coast, hiking, sitting on the beach, playing games that included shuffleboard. On the way back to Oklawaha, we played tourist. The weather cooperated too!

On Tuesday, we bid this area goodbye and head about 300 miles mostly north to Dothan, Alabama, and a church. We are very excited about working there since we have heard nothing but good things about it. About a year ago, we visited it. We will fill you in about our time there later-----------

Southwind Younglife Camp

Our second project in this set of 3 projects finds us at Southwind Younglife Camp near Ocklawaha, Florida, Actually, it is in a very rural area in the middle of Ocala National Forest. This forest consists of many live oak trees and pines that are covered with Spanish moss. There is lots of wildlife around. We have seen coyotes, peacocks, sandhill cranes and other water birds, wild hogs with little ones and, we have been told, bears. Our RV is parked under thick live oak trees.

As well as the animals, we have been told that many homeless people, including families, live in the forest. We are guessing that the mild winter climate is better in the wintertime. This month our RV is not parked at the camp but at an RV park about 6 miles away. A guest at this park has started a quilting ministry to give guilts to the people living in the woods.

Southwind Camp is a beautiful oasis for campers that are involved with Younglife. Younglife is a ministry for youth from middle school through college. We, also, were told of a ministry they have for handicaped individuals. They ran a camp one week specifically for them. This included renting a lift to take them to the top of a very tall waterslide! They never get to play in that way. The staff ended up being just as blessed by them as the ones they were serving.

Once again we are a group of 5 couples. However, one couple from last month didn't come with us but another was added from New Hampshire. For Sharon, it is fun---sewing! We are patching and re-sizing cotton covers for mattresses. There are many to do. Don started by taping walls for painting. The men didn't have to actually paint them because some other volunteers were doing that. Their big project for the month is building a new deck. They have started the process but have a ways to go before conpletion.

As a bonus, we saw the night launch (last one scheduled) of the space shuttle very early Monday morning! Even though we are approximately 50 miles out, we could hear the faint rumble of the engines but definitely saw it for a long time.

We are looking forward to another week of work beginning Monday.

Lake Aurora Project Finished

Can the month of January be torn from the calendar? Yes, it is and, also, our time here at Lake Aurora Camp is now done. We finished the work yesterday. The rains slowed us down the last couple of days this week. However, (mostly the men) finished in pouring rains yesterday. The playground that they were working on is ready for children! As a bonus, they, also, installed 6 large concrete pads for the "tees" on the frisbee/disc golf course. The painting the women was going to do on a couple of bathroom floors was cancelled because they were wet. Instead, we cleaned and sorted items in the gift shop.

Normally, in our past work in camps, we have been able to observe the use of the facilities on which we are working. This was different because the RV parking is separated from all the activities. However, we did hear the singing around a campfire etc. a few times. Also, the RV park is full of volunteers both working at this location plus another group working with a church in Lake Wales to assist relocated Katrina victims.

The past week we have had a persistent visitor. A bright red cardinal wants to come inside the RV. He flies around hitting the windows and sitting just outside the windows. He had visited our neighbors for 2 weeks but must have given up on getting into theirs and was trying ours.

Come tomorrow, we will pull out and head north about 100 miles. It will be good to see new things, start new work for a camp and meet new people.