Like every RVICS project that we serve, we make all kinds of memories. Many of our memories are the work we did and the ministries we serve. However, many of our memories are of fellow RVICS members on our team and, just plain, being tourists in areas we don't call our home. This location near Lansing, Iowa, is no exception. RVICS is structured so we may get to know one another better other than our work skills, as well as, tour nearby sites. One night is set aside for a "social" for our team and Friday's are "tour" day. Neither has to be elaborate or expensive but all end up being special.
This month, since we didn't know much about each other when we began, we had mixer or get to know you games. Another social, we viewed a video. This week, Milo had gone fishing (they certainly were biting and he was hauling them in) in the pond and we had a fish fry (grilled). The weather was great and a perfect evening for eating out and having a camp fire!
Since we are an "older" group, we aren't always able to do lots of climbing, hiking etc. This team was certainly an exception to the rule. After visiting a museum and eating out the first week, we literally hit the trails for the last two tours. During those hikes we found burial mounds, cliffs that overlooked the Mississippi River, among other things. For both hikes, we packed lunches and literally "ate out" and it was wonderful. How often can you picnic next to waterfalls with no one around?
An additional treat has been the eagles in the area. There are none in Hartford City!! One afternoon from our back window, Don watched an adult bald eagle "encouraging" another eagle to fly. The little one was on a light pole and jumped back and forth on it to avoid getting knocked off. They soar over the neighboring hills and occasionally come lower where we can get a really good look.
As an additional treat for the RVICS team, the camp set up a time for us to ride the horses on a trail that included woods and creek crossings! Since it had been 45 years or more since I had been on a horse, when Sharon was starting out, her thoughts were "Why am I doing this?" As they say, " all's well that ends well." We did survive but it was an experience. Don's horse was pretty jumpy and not the calmest one there---but he was large and fit him! One time, the horse jumped sideways a good distance when a deer spooked it. Fortunately, Sharon's was an old, slow moving one.
Since we have just one more week of work here, we are closing in on some of the things we have started 3 weeks ago. The shed is now done but may require a second coat of paint. A "bin" which actually is used for housing in a ministry was dismantled and will be shipped to Africa. The vacated house is now ready for new occupants. The week, also, found the women washing, drying and putting away many lost an found items left behind. The men have been doing some repair work on a paddle boat, vehicles and farm implements plus installing a hot tub that was donated. In this last week, the ladies will do some more painting. The men will probably be building some feed troughs for the horses.
More memories will be made in this last week here, we are sure!
No comments:
Post a Comment