A New Beginning

Yes, it is February and we have changed locations to Lake Swan Camp near Melrose, Florida. This is our second time here and one of our favorite places to work. This time there are only 3 couples in the group. This is about as small as we get but two couples were unable to make the trip.

We are ready to hit the road running in the morning. Don is going to find himself in the kitchen---not cooking though-----doing some upgrading and remakes. Some of it he hasn't done before. The women are going to start out using their sewing machines. About as soon as we arrived, they found some trees needed trimming in order not to scratch our RVs when they were pulled in.

We know that this will be a good month of work and,even though we are small, we will get much done.

"Finished" Business

Our time has ended at Florida Baptist Children's Home. It was a project that we really enjoyed and much was accomplished. One of the items that I had mentioned several times was building steps and a rail to one. As you can tell by the above picture, it looks great. The women could have worked many more days in the donation center sorting the items there. We did get a few rooms totally done. Above shows us working in the men's room sorting mens blue jeans and slacks. It is a never ending job as donations just keep coming in----that is a good thing!

Toward the end of our time in Lakeland, the weather was terrific which included warm temps. It was good to be able to sit outside for pop on the porch and enjoy some of our final hours fellowshipping.

As we pulled out for the next project, we said our final goodbyes to 2 couples that will be joining other RVICS groups for the month of February. Someday, hopefully, we will see each other again down the road somewhere.

RVICS reunion & Commissioning Service

It seems impossible that the month of January and this project are both nearly done. This has been a great month of work and accomplishments. There are only 2 days of assignments left. As always, there is more work to be done than we have hours to do it.

The concrete steps are now finished. Don, also, sanded and painted some dry wall. All of the men moved heavy, furniture around that they are replacing in the cottages. Some of the men have built the new furniture that has arrived. Since, the shipment wasn't complete, there will be more of that to do. The women continue to sort in the pantry and donation center. One day, a couple of us planted flowers. That is a first for me in January! Thankfully, we were all spared damage etc. when the storms came through on Tuesday night. There was a river of water several inches deep that ran through where our "homes" are parked.

This past Friday will be a day for us to always remember. Annually, all of the RVICS serving in Florida and RVICS retirees, gather for a reunion. Just like every reunion, this is a wonderful time for everyone to gather and see each other again. It is amazing how many friends we have made over the last 4 years that we'd have never known without RVICS.

However, this day was extra special for Don and I. Last summer, we accepted the call to become RVICS leaders. The leaders are responsible for coordinating the work team and the missions organization we are responsible for helping. At the reunion, a commissioning service was held for us. To make the day extra special, our long-time friends from Hartford City, Larry and Gaylene, were able to join us and, also, participate. They first introduced us to RVICS. It was very humbling to hear the scripture read, to have others pray for us, and even, the humor given at the end. We pray that we will be up to the task.

In the mean time, on Wednesday we will head north to another location---Lake Swan near Melrose, Florida. It will be another good adventure-----

A Very Good Month

This has been a very good month here, both for the work we are accomplishing and the good January weather in Florida. There hasn't been much change in our work assignments but we are seeing progress everyday. The weather has been (for the most part) very nice and making the outside work much more pleasant. (We can't complain or all of our neighbors in the rest of the US wouldn't really care after the terrible snow and cold they've had.)

Don and a couple of other men started working on some steps (replacing) to a house. All went well until the forms for repairing some prior work gave way. All wasn't lost and after much work, it was all salvaged. Today, they are making and pouring the cement into the actual steps. I checked a little bit ago and all was going well this time. Other men continue to build and install shelves in the donation center.

Most of the women have been sorting clothing and other things in the donation center. That will probably be the assignment for some time to come. Another lady and myself continue to work some in the pantry. Since the painting is now done, it doesn't take as long there. Today was a first for me---I planted flowers in January!! The pansies are really pretty and it is good to see some color again.

Can there be just a little over a week left on this project?! It doesn't seem possible but that is true. When you are having fun, time flies!

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.

Yeah---We're back at it again!

January 2011 finds us once again on an RVICS project in Florda. A week ago we headed south from Indiana and drove down in perfect January weather. (That doesn't always happen!)

This month we are in Lakeland, Florida, at the Florida Baptist Childrens' Home. We haven't learned all the details of this place yet but are meeting with the director tonight to hear "their story". We do know that there are cottages here with house parents and about 8-10 children (all ages) per cottage. It is such fun to see them outside playing, laughing and biking. During the day, it is quiet as they go to public schools.

This month we are a RVICS group of 5 couples representing 4 states---Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and Montana. Another couple (hopefully) will be joining us in a few days from West Virginia. Once again, it is great to catch up with 2 of the couples that we have worked with before and getting to know the other 2 couples.

There seems to be lots of work to be done and the staff had it all ready to go yesterday morning. The above picture is of the men doing their first work on repairing soffit and siding on a garage.

In the next post, I hope to tell more of our jobs and more about this place we are working. In the meantime, I need to prepare for work today------------

Almost Done

There aren’t too many indications the September 2010 project here at Canaan Acres is about to end except to look at the calendar. The weather has stayed hot all month long but there are a few leaves beginning to sport their fall colors. Actually, the weather has been perfect to do about anything outside. Time has flown and some of the projects are either done or about done.

The kitchen and bathroom floors are now done in the house. The hexagon shapes were a challenge but the results are perfect. Many miscellaneous jobs were worked on by the men this past week. Some examples are weed eating the property, pulling weeds and cleaning up the entrance, patching some cement, building and installing information signs around the camp and painting also. The women continued to paint.

Every RVICS group has a unique personality. This group is pretty social. We have enjoyed our pop on the porch times as well as our official social times. In just 4 short days our times here will end and we will, once again, be saying our good byes. Four couples plus our single man (from this group) will continue on to Tennessee for their next work and two new couples will join them.

For the first time, we will not be doing any other fall projects but will head back to Indiana. We will miss it but are looking forward to starting up again in January 2011 in Florida.