Tool Time

The team for January had traveled to Florida Baptist Children Home, here in Lakeland, from Michigan, Pennsylvania (2), West Virginia and Indiana (2).   Once we are here, all are anxious to get busy with the ministry at hand.   It is always an exciting time because RVICS are not the "sit at home" type individuals!

The RVICS are a "come along-side" ministry to help our host ministry to do their job better.   For our first week of work, we helped a couple of different faucets.  

One of the missions when it was organized many, many years ago was to help children.  Continuing that today, they have ranch type homes with house parents and 8-10 children that need a stable home.   The homes operate like families were designed.   They attend public school and have all the activities of a child in a normal environment.   Having seen it in operation, we are very impressed.   A definite hole is being filled in their young lives.

This past week the men have been working on windows in the game rooms in a couple of the homes.   In another home, a closet was torn out on a porch and the space is now being redone to be better utilized by the family.   The power washer has been brought out and work has been started on re-painting of a couple of the homes.   Also, four of the men drove to a location off site to repair a house being sold that had been donated.   Yes, the tool boxes were brought out and about everything was used!!

A second (sometimes related ministry) is the huge, two story building used filled with donations.   The donations are used for the families here and throughout Florida.   Every room is filled with a specialty, for example maternity, housewares, supplies, diapers, clothing and this just skims the surface.   They are used by parents here, foster families, those they are helping set up an independent life in an apartment and even ministries overseas.   The ladies worked on organizing, sorting and stocking a couple of the rooms.   This is an unending process and keeps many hands busy.

This week, we didn't always have a tool in our hand.   After hard work all day, it is good to socialize and get to know one another.   This month will be no exception.   Don and Denny celebrated birthdays to begin the new year.   Yes, cake and ice cream were enjoyed by everyone.  Plus, this is the season and location for strawberries.   A trip to Plant City was in order to enjoy the strawberry desserts!

Every team member here has a home and family in the north where all the severe weather came through.     Even though we missed the experience of the Polar Vortex, we were able to pray and be thankful it has come to an end.

Tomorrow begins week no. 2 of our time here.   Once again, we will be more than willing and able to get moving again.   The tools await----------