A Normal, Busy Week

Our team of 4 couples just completed our first week of work at Lake Swan Camp.   This is another good team of hard workers who are all in the second straight month of work for 2014.   However, we have come in from different locations in Florida to make up this team for February.    For 2 of the couples, this is there first time here.   We are another diverse group coming from Michigan, Ontario, Canada and, a couple of us, from Indiana!

Normally,  during our work hours, the men and women work at different jobs and, mostly, in different locations of the property.   However, for a couple of days this week, all of us got out our paint brushes and began the job of painting the outside of the "new" Lakeview Lodge.  Wow---what a difference the paint made.  (Now, we want to paint all the buildings this color but that is far down the road!)   The women finished the walls on Thursday and are ready to start of the doors and trim work on our second week.   When all the painting is complete, I will put all the pictures of the building (both inside and outside) on a blog.   It looks sharp in both areas.

The men now have undertaken a larger project in transforming an old porch into a motel room.   The demolition is complete and the relocation of the wiring has been started.   Now for the hard part, putting in windows, walls and such where the roof line varies by 3 inches or so.   They will figure it out though.   Also, some electrical repairs were done on the property.   In a camping situation, there is always electrical work.

On Tuesday evening, the camp director met with our group and shared the history and future of Lake Swan.   Lake Swan, also, is a part of Billy Graham's history.   Not too many years ago, through no fault of the camp, the future looked bleak.   God had different plans and it is flourishing again.   It really made everyone want to work even harder.

It wasn't a week of all work.   On Friday, RVICS groups from 4 different projects in Florida traveled to The Villages for a winter reunion.    In RVICS, we work very closely for a month and, in a way, the team becomes family.   When we go on to other work or back home, it is hard to say goodbye.    These reunions bring hugs, smiles back and laughter as we gather together and celebrate our time together.   

Once again, come Monday we will start all over again.   Yes, the women with their paint brushes and the men their building tools!