You're a little late

We were at Houston Hobby Airport on Saturday, checking in for our flight home.  The group was split into two, with a few people in between us.  All of our team was wearing either their team t-shirt or sweatshirts, it was apparent we were together.  As we stood in line, one of the people in the group between us asked "So where are you going?"  It was explained to the gentleman that we had been working in Galveston all week doing Hurricane Ike rebuilding and that we were heading home to California.  To which the gentleman replied "Well, you're a little late.  You should have been here two years ago."  The group leader went on to explain that the group had been helping out the previous two years.  I don't remember much  of the conversation after that.

That bit of conversation has stuck in my head for the last couple of days.  It's made my brain itch a little.  It symbolizes an attitude that pretty much pisses me off.  That attitude that says if you haven't gotten things together within a year after a disaster, then you aren't working hard enough, doing enough, trying and should just be written off.  There's a self-centeredness there too...if it's not affecting me directly, then the crisis must be over.  I can't stand that attitude and yet I resemble that to a certain extent.  I tend to forget about things that aren't in my face all the time.  It's not to be mean or hard-hearted, it just happens.  I tend to focus on what I can see, touch, feel, smell and hear and forget about the other stuff. 

If that gentleman had been with us, he would have found out that the work was far from done.  In the office of the organization we worked for, there were whiteboards on every wall with names of people and the needs for their homes.  One of the homeowners, Miss Rita, shared that her 82 year old mother was still waiting for her house to be rebuilt.  We passed plenty of homes that have yet to be touched...the need is still there.  It's just not as "in your face" as it once was. 

No, sir, the work is not done.  There is plenty left to do...the question is are there still people willing to do it?  Or have we all moved on?

One day to go

It's been an enlightening week in many ways...and tough...and good.  Today our group will be heading to a homeless shelter and serving up a hot dog feast.  A group has worked there a lot this week and it seemed like the way to end the week by all of us serving together.  Jonathan and a group are finishing up work at Raymond and Rita's and then, that's it.  Home tomorrow.

I am looking forward to my bed.  Pics and info still at www.hsccoasis.blogspot.com.

Texas!!!

Yo Momma sent a text message to me the evening after our first day of work...that would be yesterday...and said "the last group did bad work, u don't have the tools you need.  Sound familiar?".  Oh did that sound familiar.

My group started on Monday at Raymond and Rita's house.  They have a basement in their home that was flooded out after Hurricane Ike.  They are renovating it to do three different things.  One room will become a guest room to house who ever needs a safe place to stay.  One room will be a bible study room.  Another will be a meeting from for an AA group.  Of course, we didn't learn all of that the minute we walked in.  What we saw were newly sheet rocked walls, with mud that needed sanding down and a room that needed sheet rock put in.  That was the first glance.  The second glance revealed that the group that put the sheet rock up, well, didn't secure it very well in places.  Or they just didn't bother to secure it AT.ALL.  Mr. Ben in Mississippi would have put his foot through the wall a couple of times.  AAGH!

The stories we are hearing aren't that different from the stories I've heard in Mississippi.  There is no money, the helpers are all disappearing, the work is mounting and what volunteers do come through aren't always, well, given the help that they need.  The big difference this time is that supplies and tools are in abundance.  Partly cuz of money we brought with us, partly because there are two fully stocked, completely organized trailers full of tools.  YES!

The group has been working hard, eager to learn new things and having fun.  It's a good thing.  Pictures can be found on the Oasis Blog www.hsccoasis.blogspot.com

Tomorrow we will have a group at a Homeless Shelter, two groups doing sheet rock, another group painting and cleaning.  We will be busy!  Keep praying!

And we're off!

This post will go "live" about the time our plane is set to take off from SFO heading towards Houston.***  I've got a lot of things that I'm hoping for this week.  I hope to be able to update as the week goes along, but in case I can't you can go to www.hsccoasis.blogspot.com.  There will be a link there to the Facebook site where pictures and updates will be put.

In specific order, things that I am praying about/anticipating/hoping for this week:

1.  A-ha moments for the youth.  For the vast majority this will be their first Mission trip.
2. There are a mountain of things resting on my shoulders right now that have the potential of tearing my attention away from what God wants to have happen on this trip.  I'm praying that my focus will be right where it needs to be at all times and not so focused on the future that I miss the present.
3.  Rest at the right moments.  My introverted self is very challenged on these trips.  Being with people 24/7 wears me out.  I'm praying for moments of solitude to recharge and find my center again.
4.  To reconnect with God.
5.  To be open to the experience, to new people, to the team, to learning, to just whatever is supposed to happen.

Most of all, I just want to do what God wants while being true to who God has made me to be.  Let the journey begin!

***Well, the scheduled time anyway.  It's 8:30am on Saturday and the plane is already a half hour delayed according to the airline website.  We aren't even supposed to leave til 3:40pm...how does that happen?