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.

Finished projects

When working RVICS projects at the various camps, churches etc, there are times we do not see the completed product. Last week the men saw the completion of the siding on the café and the roof on the shelter for the pump. After these things were done, one group of men started working on replacing the soffit for the bathhouse in the RV park. Don and a couple of guys started work on an old pontoon boat. The goal was to replace the decking. However, before it got that far, they found that it had holes in the tubes and that it wasn’t actually sea worthy and the idea was scrapped. Now, they are building swing sets to sit around the camp.

Since the weather improved (got warmer) the women could now start painting. Last week, we painted doors and cabins. With 2 groups of cabins completed we have moved on to the last ones. They are proving to a little more difficult and are taking longer. When these are done, there is more painting awaiting us.

On Friday, we experienced a special day. Every year in January they have an RVICS reunion of all the RVICS people in Florida (working different projects in the area and retired RVICS in that are close). This is the first one that we have had the privilege to attend. Lake Aurora Camp was the location this year and since our group is here we acted as hosts. Don gave the devotional for the occasion. It was great seeing people that we have worked with the past 3 years plus putting faces to name’s of people that we have heard about. It will definitely be a highlight of this month here.

It is hard for us to believe but there are only 6 more working days left. We are looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow.

A Week of Contrasts

Week one at Lake Aurora is now history. It was a week of contrasts. On Monday we piled on multiple layers of clothing to keep warm working on our various projects. By the time Saturday rolled around we were in "summer" type attire. We much prefer the more summer type temps.

As you can see by the picture above, the men did finish the fence work that they were working on at the Gold N Bough Cafe (breakfast & lunch only) that the camp runs on their property. A couple of men are still putting on siding on one side of the building.

Three of the men have moved on to other work. We are surrounded by orange groves (and juicing factories). There are numerous citrus trees on the property too that help supplement the income of the camp. When the weather turns extremely cold, water is pumped onto the trees to keep them from freezing. We were told that a single pump can pump up a million gallons of water in a day! The picture above is the diesel pump on this property (huge thing). The shelter that is built over it needs extensive repairs with the rafters etc. This isn't fun work but is necessary. Don will be busy for a few days working on this.

Sharon and the ladies pulled multipe staples from walls, tables etc around the property last week. Before that, we sewed potholders for the kitchen out of towels. This saved the camp many dollars. Do you know how much a single potholder costs ----$9!! Tomorrow, we will once again dig out the paint brushes and begin painting.

What will this week bring? We are excited to find out what the Lord has in store for us.

Beginning 2010 Project

January 6, 2010, found us heading south from the snow & cold in Indiana to the sunny, warm environment of Florida. As it turned out, the cold and nasty weather followed us south (no sun and no warmth). God was gracious to us in giving us safe travel (in some cases) in unsafe conditions. However, it is good to be here as we begin season #4 with RVICS and our 13th project.

It is hard to believe that in our 3 years of retirement that a year of it has been spent in the RV and working. This month finds us in Lake Wales, Florida, at Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center. Orange trees are all around with a few lemon and grapefruit trees. What a treat to have picked fruit straight from the tree. It is delicious!!

RVICS sent 6 couples to work here this month but 1 couple is arriving late because of illness. Hopefully, they will be able to join us in a couple of weeks. We are all northerners in the group----Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and, of course, Indiana with 2 of the couples new to us. What fun to meet, work with and get to know fellow Christians. There is, also, another organization here working, as well as, 3 other independent missionaries. They are, also, doing service work for the camp.

There is fence work to be done. The last couple of days Don and the men have been moving and rebuilding a fence. The holes are a little easier to dig than the ones that he dug in Wisconsin this fall. Sharon and the ladies worked in the chapel removing staples---yes, staples---the first day. Tuesday, we all got our sewing machines out to make potholders out of “orphan” towels left behind by campers. That was fun but we had lots of broken needles!

Today, we begin anew with more on the list to do. We will fill you in later on the rest of the week.

The Finish Line

The “finish line” is getting close. Monday and Tuesday are the only remaining days left for our work at Child Evangelism Fellowship. The men will finish the windows with paint. The rains this past week pushed that away back!! In fact, with record all time rainfall for Missouri this past month, many outside jobs are going to have to be left undone. However, the men worked hard inside getting staining, painting done. Don and Paul worked in the electrical room rebuilding a wall and doing shelving. The ladies continued their kitchen work and housekeeping. Sharon spent the whole week making beds and vacuuming. This coming week it will all be to do again!

October 2009 is history. Our October project here at Child Evangelism Fellowship is nearly over as well. In fact, our leaders are pulling out in a few minutes for the 3 day drive to the next project near Houston, Texas. (RVICS asks their team leaders to arrive a couple of days on a new project before the rest of the team.) Another couple will join the group there. So, the hard goodbyes are already beginning. Two of the couples we have worked with the previous 2 months are heading for Texas. The remaining 3 couples are all heading for home through the holidays. Then, we will once again be seeing new places and meeting new people.