We're in a Routine

We have settled into a good routine as we started week #2 here at Florida Baptist Children's Home. It hasn't been hard to do with the pleasant weather etc. that we have experienced. When 49 states had snow somewhere in their borders, Florida was still decent. It makes for more pleasant outdoor working conditions!

We are greatly impressed with the ministries provided here. The on campus ministry is directed towards children from infant to 18. They are placed in a family situation in a "cottage" with a couple of house parents. Chores are assigned, public school is on the schedule with lots of love and play mixed in. It is fun to see the kids out throwing a football around and biking.

This is an oasis for these children as they are here as a result of a bad home life. Of course, we don't know their specific stories but runs the gamut of every type of dis functional home life. There is, also, a home for a few mentally chalenged ladies. Also, a sort of day care for adults (with the same issues) is provided.

Our jobs haven't dealt directly with the children but with things that help make the "home" work. There is a huge, in house, donation center. It covers the whole, 2 story building. Some of the ladies have been sorting items in there---an unending job. Some of the men have been building shelves and repairing some of the floors in the same building. A couple of days a couple of men, installed a tile floor in a utility room in a cottage. Don helped finish the garage. Then, a Don and another man have been re-building some lattice frames used for decorations etc.

Another lady and myself have "camped" out in the pantry. We are helping rotate floor. Today, we will put the last coat of paint on the shelves we have been painting.

Everything that is donated is fully utilized. This is kind of a central location for many ministries in the Lake land area to come and share in the abundance. We have heard the list of ministries that work together and there are probably 6-8 that are provided aid. In addition, the donation center is open to foster parents, adoptive parents that the children come with nothing. We know that it goes even further than these through other comments of the directors. All in all, an excellent ministry.

It isn't all work. The group celebrated Don's birthday last week with all the fixin's. For our tour day, we attended the largest RV show in the US in Tampa. Unbelievable is a good work to describe the show. However, we were very happy to come home to our simple abode!

Time to prepare for another day. It is a joy to do this work.