Day 14

The end of this week has been pretty intense! With God's provision and the help of a team of students from Trinity Western College in British Columbia, Canada, we were able to complete the work on the exterior of Fred & Willie's home. If I hadn't seen the work completed with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. Here are the before & after photos: (click photo to enlarge)
We had such an incredible time working on their home. We were able to witness to neighbors, other construction workers, and people just walking down the street! Smokey had a ministry of his own going on with some Wiconsin Brats and burgers and a small gas grill. The delicious smell floated down the street and as people came by, Nancy and Liz were eager to welcome them and share their stories with them. What great hearts!
This week Liz & Nancy came up with something new: they were able to go on a prayer walk, without having to take a walk! (huh?) The girls were raking a yard, having fun and laughing, and it was apparently such a long time since laughter was heard on the street that people came over to see what was up - The conversations always led straight to the truth of our service for the Lord, and an invitation to come visit our church for more fellowship!

Friday afternoon I had to let Smokey and Kathy go home: I didn't want to let them go, and I truly believe they didn't want to leave. Yesterday day later I had to allow Thelma & Louise to finally go home after 2 weeks of blessed service. They will be missed by me, the entire Compassion volunteer staff and many-many residents of Southern Louisiana. Amen! Yesterday I also had to take Cathy to the airport for her trip home. She was only able to get two weeks away from the hospital (but they continue to be so very gracious when we have opportunities to travel & share the gospel) I know that Christ is our Rock and our Strength, but I must humbly say that while I am on Earth, Cathy completes me, and these next three weeks will be lonely without her. And - the Compassion staff is already planning a way to get her back here!

Please continue to pray for the people of southern Louisiana, the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the volunteer workers and the EFCA Compassion staff.

As we continue the rebuilding phase of work here, I am reminded of this scripture passage:

1Peter 2:4-9 As you come to him, the living Stone-- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message-- which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. -Amen!