Well, it looks like things are slowing down. Obviously, the posts are not coming too fast because it has been well over a week since everyone headed home. It also looks as if the number of visitors to the site has slowed as well. So, I figured it was time to kind of wrap things up.
First of all, I would like to apologize to the few crews that didn't get as much coverage as the others. Unfortunately, the person I asked to do this, let me down. I'm sorry you guys. I will try to get the pictures that were taken and add them to our album. You all did a fantastic job and I do thank you for that!!!
I have added a few things to the blog. There are some permanent links, a poll, and a slide show of the pictures in the album. For anyone who is still checking out this blog, please use these tools. Also, if you have any suggestions regarding this blog or ideas for something to add to it, please let me know. I can be emailed at aaron@wcbonneterre.com.
Something else that might be of interest to anyone involved with our project is a Facebook group set up by our Project Coordinator, Lee Saunders. This page can be found by clicking here. This group is specifically for anyone who served in Bonne Terre.
We have already started planning for next years project. It will take place from July 4 - 11, 2009. Spread the word. We are looking forward to having another great project.
Again, I would like to thank each and every one of you that had a part in this project. Thank you for allowing God to use you and minister to the people of the Mineral Area. I will continue praying for you. Please continue to pray for us.
Keep in touch through the Facebook page, my email address listed above, comments on here, carrier pigeon, or any other way that you can get a message to me.
If anything else arises that I feel should be posted on here, I will post it. Other than that, I guess this will wrap it up. Check in every once in a while to see if there is anything new (or subscribe using the RSS feed). Things will pick back up again around the first part of July 2009.
Good bye, God bless, and thanks again!!!!!!!
--Aaron Radford, Youth Minister at FBC Bismarck, MO
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Bandwagon Believers
I know that this is being posted a few days after the project finished, but I wanted to say something about our final worship service.
First of all, thank you Luke for allowing God to use you to speak to us every evening. It was a great week of worship!
Friday night's worship was extreme for me. The message that was brought is so true in today's society. Coming out of John chapter 6, Luke spoke to us about being a Bandwagon Believer. These are "believers" who only follow Jesus when it is convenient for them. They follow Him for entertainment and selfish reasons. They only want Him when they decide it is best for themselves. These so called "believers" are not true believers!
A true believer is one who comes to know Jesus not only as Savior, but they also come to know Him as Lord. They let Him have total control of their life. Whatever it is that He says, they do it. He is the One in control.
Again, thank you Luke for bringing this message from God to us. Above was just a simple summary of what our speaker had to say. However, I think it is plenty to get people to thinking. Unfortunately, the "bandwagon believer" seems to be an epidemic in the world today. Whether you were actually at Friday night's worship or reading about it here, I pray that the message makes you examine your own life and make decisions that need to be made. Be honest with yourself and God regarding your relationship with Him. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Does He have total control? Or are you just playing some game with Him that really has no meaning at all?
First of all, thank you Luke for allowing God to use you to speak to us every evening. It was a great week of worship!
Friday night's worship was extreme for me. The message that was brought is so true in today's society. Coming out of John chapter 6, Luke spoke to us about being a Bandwagon Believer. These are "believers" who only follow Jesus when it is convenient for them. They follow Him for entertainment and selfish reasons. They only want Him when they decide it is best for themselves. These so called "believers" are not true believers!
A true believer is one who comes to know Jesus not only as Savior, but they also come to know Him as Lord. They let Him have total control of their life. Whatever it is that He says, they do it. He is the One in control.
Again, thank you Luke for bringing this message from God to us. Above was just a simple summary of what our speaker had to say. However, I think it is plenty to get people to thinking. Unfortunately, the "bandwagon believer" seems to be an epidemic in the world today. Whether you were actually at Friday night's worship or reading about it here, I pray that the message makes you examine your own life and make decisions that need to be made. Be honest with yourself and God regarding your relationship with Him. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Does He have total control? Or are you just playing some game with Him that really has no meaning at all?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Finishing Up On Friday
Well, this is Friday's entry. I can sum it up by saying, everyone is wrapping things up.
The Goofus Roofers were still painting with the "Dolphin Gray." The inside of the car port was almost finished. They were also ripping off the wooden siding on the outside of it and replacing the wood. Things seemed to be running smoothly and efficiently. Things had come a long way since Monday when we first visited this site. We didn't stick around too long because they had work to do and we didn't want to get in their way.
There was a lot of activity going on at the Drips & Runs site. Glueless came down to help them out since their job had been finished. They were finishing up their roof and also, to my surprise,
they had ripped off the car port! I thought that they were probably going to leave it at that. They were busy repairing the locations where the car port had once been, cleaning up the debris left behind, and other jobs that had to be finished. All this was going on before lunch. There was also quite a bit of visiting going on between the two newly joined crews. We figured that we had probably seen what we needed and decided to move on. But here is an unexpected update (remember that I am kind of slow getting to these posts sometimes). I went by on Saturday evening and saw that they had built a brand new car port onto the house! Yay Drips & Runs and Glueless!!!!! It looked very nice. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera, but I will try to get over there to get a picture of the completed project.
When we went to check into how the Dandy Sanders were doing, the first thing I saw was a single young man sitting up on top of the roof, all by himself. Now, I guess that I am easily
amused, but the picture that crossed my mind cracked me up. It looked as if his crew had packed up and forgot him on the roof and he was waiting quietly for them to come back for him. Of course this was not the case. As we rounded the corner, there everyone else was on the other side of the roof. This young man (I didn't get your name, but you know who you are) was actually nailing the ridge cap on so they could finish this roof. The others were going about doing those jobs that had to be done to make it complete.
The last crew we visited in Park Hills was the Dumpsters. While visiting with them, I got another unexpected surprise. They needed some help on a small piece of roof that they were working
on and they asked me to come up and help. Now if you know me at all, me and the roof don't agree. I don't usually go up on them, but I did and helped them get some roll roofing in place. I survived and also taught them a lesson in why the World Changers have the long pants rule in the dress code! I also got to see their finished product. It looked great! They painted the house and the front porch and steps. Nice job guys and gals!!!!
That pretty much rounded out our trip. After that, we headed back to Bismarck to take care of some business. We got to see what was going on there, but that was already taken care of in a previous post.
The Goofus Roofers were still painting with the "Dolphin Gray." The inside of the car port was almost finished. They were also ripping off the wooden siding on the outside of it and replacing the wood. Things seemed to be running smoothly and efficiently. Things had come a long way since Monday when we first visited this site. We didn't stick around too long because they had work to do and we didn't want to get in their way.
There was a lot of activity going on at the Drips & Runs site. Glueless came down to help them out since their job had been finished. They were finishing up their roof and also, to my surprise,
they had ripped off the car port! I thought that they were probably going to leave it at that. They were busy repairing the locations where the car port had once been, cleaning up the debris left behind, and other jobs that had to be finished. All this was going on before lunch. There was also quite a bit of visiting going on between the two newly joined crews. We figured that we had probably seen what we needed and decided to move on. But here is an unexpected update (remember that I am kind of slow getting to these posts sometimes). I went by on Saturday evening and saw that they had built a brand new car port onto the house! Yay Drips & Runs and Glueless!!!!! It looked very nice. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera, but I will try to get over there to get a picture of the completed project.
When we went to check into how the Dandy Sanders were doing, the first thing I saw was a single young man sitting up on top of the roof, all by himself. Now, I guess that I am easily
amused, but the picture that crossed my mind cracked me up. It looked as if his crew had packed up and forgot him on the roof and he was waiting quietly for them to come back for him. Of course this was not the case. As we rounded the corner, there everyone else was on the other side of the roof. This young man (I didn't get your name, but you know who you are) was actually nailing the ridge cap on so they could finish this roof. The others were going about doing those jobs that had to be done to make it complete.
The last crew we visited in Park Hills was the Dumpsters. While visiting with them, I got another unexpected surprise. They needed some help on a small piece of roof that they were working
on and they asked me to come up and help. Now if you know me at all, me and the roof don't agree. I don't usually go up on them, but I did and helped them get some roll roofing in place. I survived and also taught them a lesson in why the World Changers have the long pants rule in the dress code! I also got to see their finished product. It looked great! They painted the house and the front porch and steps. Nice job guys and gals!!!!That pretty much rounded out our trip. After that, we headed back to Bismarck to take care of some business. We got to see what was going on there, but that was already taken care of in a previous post.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Help me, Chief, I've got plans for you and me...
As I was driving toward Bismarck, I told myself: "This is it. This is the last day. They're all going home." It was sort of sad to bid farewell to them all, but extremely happy and uplifting to see the amazing work they all did for the Lord. They changed the lives of the people in Bismarck. They really changed their world. hehe...
I decided I would drive to Merle street first. I could see that their vans weren't there, so I took a picture of the newly painted house and moved on to Plainview, hoping that was where the missing crew was. I guessed right. I found bits and pieces of three of my crews at Plainview. The Joint Clamps were busy putting up siding, but looking closer I could see members of the Hand Saws there too. I even found bits and pieces of the crew from Walnut, The Hard Hats, working on the front porch.
There were people putting up siding,
there were some people painting, some were putting finishing touches 
on a hand rail, some were giving out hugs 
to tired Crew Chiefs, others were picking up
materials, some were washing paintbrushes, others 
were searching for tape measures, some were carrying ladders, some 
were lounging about, and others were eating ice cream.
It was fun just to walk around and talk with whoe
ver was willing to talk. Wendy was kind enough to tell me her story of how she first became a crew cheif and of how she learned so much about siding. I met up with Kristy and Andrew again. I talked with Nick and other World Changers and chatted about my own World Changers experiences and the places I had been.
I gave out the blog URL several times and figured I had better head out for the day and let them all finish up their project. After taking several more pictures and chatting with a few more people, I bid them all one last farewell. I drove by the houses on Gifford and Walnut and tooks pictures of the finished projects.
..
..
It was amazing what these World Changers did for Bismarck. I know we all appreciate you and thank God for all of you and all that you did! ^_^
Random Thought of the Day: Jesus loves you!!
I decided I would drive to Merle street first. I could see that their vans weren't there, so I took a picture of the newly painted house and moved on to Plainview, hoping that was where the missing crew was. I guessed right. I found bits and pieces of three of my crews at Plainview. The Joint Clamps were busy putting up siding, but looking closer I could see members of the Hand Saws there too. I even found bits and pieces of the crew from Walnut, The Hard Hats, working on the front porch.
There were people putting up siding,
there were some people painting, some were putting finishing touches 
on a hand rail, some were giving out hugs 
to tired Crew Chiefs, others were picking up
materials, some were washing paintbrushes, others 
were searching for tape measures, some were carrying ladders, some 
were lounging about, and others were eating ice cream. 
It was fun just to walk around and talk with whoe
ver was willing to talk. Wendy was kind enough to tell me her story of how she first became a crew cheif and of how she learned so much about siding. I met up with Kristy and Andrew again. I talked with Nick and other World Changers and chatted about my own World Changers experiences and the places I had been.I gave out the blog URL several times and figured I had better head out for the day and let them all finish up their project. After taking several more pictures and chatting with a few more people, I bid them all one last farewell. I drove by the houses on Gifford and Walnut and tooks pictures of the finished projects.
..
..
It was amazing what these World Changers did for Bismarck. I know we all appreciate you and thank God for all of you and all that you did! ^_^
Random Thought of the Day: Jesus loves you!!
"Only the Beginning of the Adventure"
The last day...
It was kind of sad going to see the crews for the last time. Although I got to see the Knott Heads for the first time today. They were the crew out on Randolph Road that I couldn't find Monday and on Wednesday I just missed them. I brought them some brownies and talked to a couple of guys from Texas and Tennessee. They both said that they had a really great week, but they were ready to go home and see their family and friends. The crew looked kind of busy with the roof, but looked to be just about done with it.
The Level Heads were busy at work when I went to see them. They had finished the roof yesterday, but now they were told to do the siding on the front of the house. I felt sorry for them for having to rush to get done on the last day, but they weren't worried at all. The crew chief said they could get it done and everyone had a really great attitude about the task at hand. The home owner seemed really happy, I'm sure they changed his world. (*hehe*)
The Lumber Rumblers had finished their job at 10:30 a.m. They were playing with the home owners children when I got there. And one guy from their crew was next door talking to the neighbors. They all looked like they were having a great time. When I got out of my car they said "Hi Allie!" WOW! That made me feel really good because I didn't think they would remember me. I told them it made me feel pretty cool that they did. Their demanding crew chief from Jeff. City, MO told me to have some pizza, haha! He was funny. They were all a lot of fun to be around, they were very friendly!
The Mitre Joints were finishing clean up around the house. They were just about done and were hoping to get in the showers first. HA! When you're at World Changers getting in the showers first is a pretty killer thing!
I can't believe its over. They all head out tomorrow...well, actually a Texas crew had left at about 8 p.m. They all did such a wonderful job! This is really going to change this community! I hope that each World Changer crew had an awesome week. It was fun to get to talk to the different crews. If there are any World Changers reading this now, later, or whenever...I just want you all to know how much we appreciate all that you've done here. Even if you may not get to see the outcome of your work, God may have had you plant a seed and soften someone heart so that they will be more willing to listen the next time someone tells them about God. You all did a GREAT JOB!!!
THANK YOU WORLD CHANGERS, FOR CHANGING OUR LITTLE WORLD IN AND AROUND BONNE TERRE!
It was kind of sad going to see the crews for the last time. Although I got to see the Knott Heads for the first time today. They were the crew out on Randolph Road that I couldn't find Monday and on Wednesday I just missed them. I brought them some brownies and talked to a couple of guys from Texas and Tennessee. They both said that they had a really great week, but they were ready to go home and see their family and friends. The crew looked kind of busy with the roof, but looked to be just about done with it.
The Level Heads were busy at work when I went to see them. They had finished the roof yesterday, but now they were told to do the siding on the front of the house. I felt sorry for them for having to rush to get done on the last day, but they weren't worried at all. The crew chief said they could get it done and everyone had a really great attitude about the task at hand. The home owner seemed really happy, I'm sure they changed his world. (*hehe*)
The Lumber Rumblers had finished their job at 10:30 a.m. They were playing with the home owners children when I got there. And one guy from their crew was next door talking to the neighbors. They all looked like they were having a great time. When I got out of my car they said "Hi Allie!" WOW! That made me feel really good because I didn't think they would remember me. I told them it made me feel pretty cool that they did. Their demanding crew chief from Jeff. City, MO told me to have some pizza, haha! He was funny. They were all a lot of fun to be around, they were very friendly!
The Mitre Joints were finishing clean up around the house. They were just about done and were hoping to get in the showers first. HA! When you're at World Changers getting in the showers first is a pretty killer thing!
I can't believe its over. They all head out tomorrow...well, actually a Texas crew had left at about 8 p.m. They all did such a wonderful job! This is really going to change this community! I hope that each World Changer crew had an awesome week. It was fun to get to talk to the different crews. If there are any World Changers reading this now, later, or whenever...I just want you all to know how much we appreciate all that you've done here. Even if you may not get to see the outcome of your work, God may have had you plant a seed and soften someone heart so that they will be more willing to listen the next time someone tells them about God. You all did a GREAT JOB!!!
THANK YOU WORLD CHANGERS, FOR CHANGING OUR LITTLE WORLD IN AND AROUND BONNE TERRE!
More Bits of Knowledge From Aaron
1. Bruce knows a whole lotta something about nothing.
2. Linda likes to play her flute for her church group in the mornings.
3. Butch the dog likes pop-tarts.
4. Ryan (Shorty) from Granite City is amazing and holds ladders.
5. Using the term soda is "yankee".
6. Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 8 9.
7. If you're a crew chief, you should never challenge your crew to finish by Thursday if you like your hair.
8. Shannon from Illinois likes green walnuts (thanks Nathan).
9. Shaking left hands is not cool in some cultures.
10. Never play cards when someone is standing over your shoulder telling everyone else what cards you have in your hand.
2. Linda likes to play her flute for her church group in the mornings.
3. Butch the dog likes pop-tarts.
4. Ryan (Shorty) from Granite City is amazing and holds ladders.
5. Using the term soda is "yankee".
6. Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 8 9.
7. If you're a crew chief, you should never challenge your crew to finish by Thursday if you like your hair.
8. Shannon from Illinois likes green walnuts (thanks Nathan).
9. Shaking left hands is not cool in some cultures.
10. Never play cards when someone is standing over your shoulder telling everyone else what cards you have in your hand.
The End Is In Sight
Let's take a look at Thursday. We are getting close to the end of the week. Some jobs are starting to see the end, while others are beginning to make crew chiefs a little bit nervous. Everyone is evaluating their job to see where they stand.
The Miter Joints were working hard. They had once side of the roof where they had already started putting the shingles back on and the other side was completely scraped. It looked as if they had quite a bit still to do. However, this was our first stop, so they still had the rest of the day and all day on Friday to finish up. It looked like they should be able to finish it without too much trouble.
Next, we headed over to the Level Heads. They were putting the finishing touches on the roof
and working on various jobs around the house and yard. There were people cleaning the gutters and also doing various kinds of yard work. Allison told us that this was a "great crew" and that she was very proud of what they were doing and how well they were doing it. Something pretty cool that I noticed was that probably most of the work that they were doing wasn't on the list of required work. They were looking for different jobs to do. When they found something that needed some attention and they were capable of doing it, they would jump in and get it done. They finished their job on Thursday.
The Lumber Rumblers were also hard at work. When we arrived, Jacob (Garden Oaks) and Victor (Arkansas) were wringing out a towel. They were trying to help get the roof dried off so that they could work on it safely. They had a little ridge cap factory going in the back where Jed and another guy (so sorry that I missed this name) were cutting up a storm. It looked like this project wasn't too far from being finished either.
And finally we made it to the Knot Heads. One of the first statements that was given to me
was that their crew chief made them show up on the site 30 minutes early! How terrible! That mean old crew chief! Just kidding. They still had a lot of work to get done and he knew that they needed the extra time. And they were hitting it hard. I even heard the sounds of a grinder cutting through the stone on the back side fo the house. I got to have a pretty good visit with the crew. I am thinking that Derrick is the daredevil of the group since he was planning to "jump off the roof." Just kidding!!!!! If this is any of Derrick's friends or family reading this, he is actually a very safe and responsible young man who made sure to state that he was NOT a daredevil!!! "Shabookway Jones" (Tim), the firefighter, is a very respectable man. The things he does for the Lord in the conditions that happen are very impressive to me. Keep up the awesome job Tim! I also got to chat with others from the crew, including Eyan (I hope this is the right spelling!) (aka Jonas). Things were also moving right along here and it looked like they would probably be finished early on Friday.
As we were discussing their crew, one of the members mentioned how far out of town they were and the fact that no one ever came to visit them or bring them snacks, so, being the nice youth minister that I am, I picked up some frozen juice pops and took them out for an afternoon snack. I think that they were pretty happy with them. Most of them were gone in a few minutes.
From my very unprofessional eye, it looked like everything was on schedule and should be finished by Friday evening.
The Miter Joints were working hard. They had once side of the roof where they had already started putting the shingles back on and the other side was completely scraped. It looked as if they had quite a bit still to do. However, this was our first stop, so they still had the rest of the day and all day on Friday to finish up. It looked like they should be able to finish it without too much trouble.Next, we headed over to the Level Heads. They were putting the finishing touches on the roof
and working on various jobs around the house and yard. There were people cleaning the gutters and also doing various kinds of yard work. Allison told us that this was a "great crew" and that she was very proud of what they were doing and how well they were doing it. Something pretty cool that I noticed was that probably most of the work that they were doing wasn't on the list of required work. They were looking for different jobs to do. When they found something that needed some attention and they were capable of doing it, they would jump in and get it done. They finished their job on Thursday.
The Lumber Rumblers were also hard at work. When we arrived, Jacob (Garden Oaks) and Victor (Arkansas) were wringing out a towel. They were trying to help get the roof dried off so that they could work on it safely. They had a little ridge cap factory going in the back where Jed and another guy (so sorry that I missed this name) were cutting up a storm. It looked like this project wasn't too far from being finished either.And finally we made it to the Knot Heads. One of the first statements that was given to me
was that their crew chief made them show up on the site 30 minutes early! How terrible! That mean old crew chief! Just kidding. They still had a lot of work to get done and he knew that they needed the extra time. And they were hitting it hard. I even heard the sounds of a grinder cutting through the stone on the back side fo the house. I got to have a pretty good visit with the crew. I am thinking that Derrick is the daredevil of the group since he was planning to "jump off the roof." Just kidding!!!!! If this is any of Derrick's friends or family reading this, he is actually a very safe and responsible young man who made sure to state that he was NOT a daredevil!!! "Shabookway Jones" (Tim), the firefighter, is a very respectable man. The things he does for the Lord in the conditions that happen are very impressive to me. Keep up the awesome job Tim! I also got to chat with others from the crew, including Eyan (I hope this is the right spelling!) (aka Jonas). Things were also moving right along here and it looked like they would probably be finished early on Friday.As we were discussing their crew, one of the members mentioned how far out of town they were and the fact that no one ever came to visit them or bring them snacks, so, being the nice youth minister that I am, I picked up some frozen juice pops and took them out for an afternoon snack. I think that they were pretty happy with them. Most of them were gone in a few minutes.
From my very unprofessional eye, it looked like everything was on schedule and should be finished by Friday evening.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Set Your Sights to the Finish Line ...and phasers to stun.
I was excited to visit my crews. Yes, I said my; I'm growing quite attached to them all. I look forward to seeing their shining faces (albeit from sweat) each day. I missed a lot of them yesterday because of the Wednesday business, so I stayed at each site a little extra today.
I visited the Hammerheads first. As I could have predicted, they were almost finished! Nearly everyone was on the roof working hard. I got a chance to talk to Patti more, she was down picking up debris and things. Brother Kennon (aka FBC Bismarck Pastor, aka amazing guy) stopped by and so Patti called for a break. I think the break master caught wind of this, because the next thing I know everyone is yelling "BREAK!" at the top of their lungs. hehe. They offered me something to drink (so kind) but I kindly declined, I was on a mission! I had three other crews to visit. Before I left, though, I asked them what they did yesterday. Apparently, one church went to the zoo and visited the arch... I learned though that one van took a couple of wrong turns and got just a little lost... hehe. Those pesky Missouri Highways.
I drove down the road to the Hard Hats next. Wow, they had really moved along. One of the wheelchair ramps was finished, the concrete was poured, and the awnings were back on the house. Several people, including Wes and another guy whose name I forgot (sorry), were screwing extra screws into the hand rails for support and Becky was applying finishing touches to the awnings. The Hard Hats seemed very busy, so I didn't disturb them too much today, hehe. They did tell me though, that they still had some hand rails to finish up and a cellar door to finish.
I drove across town to visit my Friends on Merle Street next. The Hand Saws were finishing painting their house. May I add it looked fantastic! I'm saying this, because I had the privilege of seeing the first coat of paint they were using... Remember that buttery color I described earlier? Hehe, well, it is no more. Th
e house was now a lovely tan color. I stayed for a while and talked to them about what they had been doing and what their churches did the night before. Some churches went to the zoo, others visited one of my favorite places around here: Elephant Rocks. If you don't know, this is an area of large rocks that you can climb over and through. Under and around. You can stay on the paved trails, or venture off and explore things for yourself. At the top of one of the largest gathering of rocks is a lovely view and two giant rocks that are shaped sort of like elephants. (If you use your imagination and squint really hard...) I always enjoy the conversation this crew brings, but I had to visit the next crew...
e house was now a lovely tan color. I stayed for a while and talked to them about what they had been doing and what their churches did the night before. Some churches went to the zoo, others visited one of my favorite places around here: Elephant Rocks. If you don't know, this is an area of large rocks that you can climb over and through. Under and around. You can stay on the paved trails, or venture off and explore things for yourself. At the top of one of the largest gathering of rocks is a lovely view and two giant rocks that are shaped sort of like elephants. (If you use your imagination and squint really hard...) I always enjoy the conversation this crew brings, but I had to visit the next crew...
I got in my car and drove down the block to the crew on Plainview. The Joint Clamps. The first thing I saw was the wonderful job they had done with the chain linked fence. The second thing I noticed was Joe balancing himself on the roof. They had two people cleaning out gutters. Two people who were afraid of heights... hehe. I noticed Wendy and a lot of other
World Changers were gathered around the shed, so I went back that direction. She was explaining to a few of them how to properly put on the soffet and nail siding the the shed. I was just standing their a couple of minutes and I learned a lot from her! They were doing a wonderful job with the siding, I remember what the shed looked like before and this was a much nicer improvement! I took a couple of pictures and then left them to their siding. It was another wonderful day with, my crews. I can't wait to visit them tomorrow... Even if it will be sad that it's the last day...
World Changers were gathered around the shed, so I went back that direction. She was explaining to a few of them how to properly put on the soffet and nail siding the the shed. I was just standing their a couple of minutes and I learned a lot from her! They were doing a wonderful job with the siding, I remember what the shed looked like before and this was a much nicer improvement! I took a couple of pictures and then left them to their siding. It was another wonderful day with, my crews. I can't wait to visit them tomorrow... Even if it will be sad that it's the last day...Random Though of the Day: Regina Spektor is 5' 1 and 3/4" tall.
Days Three and Four!
Wednesday:
Wednesday was a fun day for the Wrold Changers. After working hard all week so far, the World Changers got off early. After they ate lunch, the World Changers got to go back to the school that they're staying at, get ready, and go out. Worship services were held off and the different youth groups got to different places to take a nice little break. Some groups went to Elephant Rocks [a local park that is home to many large rocks that a park-goer can climb and explore, on- or off-trail], Bonne Terre Mines [Bonne Terre is an old mining town, and you can go explore the mines on a tour.], and some groups went to Columbia Park. At the park, a concert was held by Parallax View. It was a pretty exciting time and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves a lot.
Thursday:
The Brush Bunch:
During the past two days, the Brush Bunch has been working pretty hard, re-roofing and re-painting the shudders on a house down on Cowling St. They seem to have really made a connection with their home owner, also, which is really cool. At the beginning of the week, I thought that it was funny that this group was named the "Brush Bunch," when they weren't even painting! That was, of course, before i found out that they were painting the shudders. hehe. But, I think the Brush Bunch is doing an awesome job! ^_^
The Cinder Block-Heads:
Today, when we stopped by the Cinder Block-Heads' work site over on Grant, we saw the crew members hard at work. If you saw this house on Monday, and returned today to see it, you wouldn't even think it's the same house! These talented workers have cleared the lawn, trimmed the hedges, painted the eves, and cleaned the gutters! They are yard-cleaning machines! They're doing an awesome job, too. The yard looks great, and everyone seems to be really having fun and making friends. They're doing a really good job! ^_^
Wednesday was a fun day for the Wrold Changers. After working hard all week so far, the World Changers got off early. After they ate lunch, the World Changers got to go back to the school that they're staying at, get ready, and go out. Worship services were held off and the different youth groups got to different places to take a nice little break. Some groups went to Elephant Rocks [a local park that is home to many large rocks that a park-goer can climb and explore, on- or off-trail], Bonne Terre Mines [Bonne Terre is an old mining town, and you can go explore the mines on a tour.], and some groups went to Columbia Park. At the park, a concert was held by Parallax View. It was a pretty exciting time and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves a lot.
Thursday:
The Brush Bunch:
During the past two days, the Brush Bunch has been working pretty hard, re-roofing and re-painting the shudders on a house down on Cowling St. They seem to have really made a connection with their home owner, also, which is really cool. At the beginning of the week, I thought that it was funny that this group was named the "Brush Bunch," when they weren't even painting! That was, of course, before i found out that they were painting the shudders. hehe. But, I think the Brush Bunch is doing an awesome job! ^_^
The Cinder Block-Heads:
Today, when we stopped by the Cinder Block-Heads' work site over on Grant, we saw the crew members hard at work. If you saw this house on Monday, and returned today to see it, you wouldn't even think it's the same house! These talented workers have cleared the lawn, trimmed the hedges, painted the eves, and cleaned the gutters! They are yard-cleaning machines! They're doing an awesome job, too. The yard looks great, and everyone seems to be really having fun and making friends. They're doing a really good job! ^_^
It's Raining, It's Pouring......
Ahhhhh..... Wednesday. Everyone looks forward to Wednesday. The crews get half the day off and spend the afternoon and evening having fun and chilling. But the first half of the day is still work as usual!
Rain was in the forecast for Wednesday the 9th. And we got what was promised us. It wasn't anything torrential, but it still caused some delays. However, the crews did what they could.
It is kind of ironic I guess that the first crew we visited on the rainy day was the Drips & Runs. They were trying to get as much done on their roof as possible. Daniel was cutting drip edge with a utility knife (their snips were MIA). After Daniel finished the cut, David decided that his 1 1/2' measurement that he gave should have been more like 2'. We found Rhena picking up nails with a magnet. She took a break to share her testimony with us. Way to go Rhena!!! Keep that up and practice, practice, practice! Bruce had to pick up some gasoline to thin out some tar and Courtney discovered that she was the only one in the group that didn't know the term "Hot Dogging" means to show off. As we were getting ready to move on to the next crew, we had a nice surprise as the Dumpsters came around the corner for a little visit. Fun was had by all!
Next up, Goofus Roofers. Many of them were working or sitting under the carport. I was not sure why they were all there, but I found out that it smelled "good" in there. I doubt the fumes
had much effect, but you sometimes you can't tell because many teens are kind of silly anyway! Just kidding. These guys were working hard, despite the rain. Tyler (from Houston NW) and Danny (from Russleville) had proof of their hard work. I have a picture of this proof, but picture uploading is being blocked from my current location, so if you don't see the picture yet, come back soon to see if I got it through. Katie's knee was hurting her. As we were preparing to leave, the crew was going to be starting their devotion. Discussion took place as to where to hold this devotion. The port-a-potty was mentioned, but I guess since it doesn't hold that many people, they decided on having it in their van.
Glueless had been working with concrete. They were pouring a new pad for a carport. Katie
had been spreading around lots of gravel and a lot of the concrete was poured the day before. Happily, Haley from Houston NW reported that there were no cases of concrete poisoning for this job! Yay! There was a group that was also painting a porch swing. Suzanne, Nick, Chelsea, Josh, and Abby were all chatting with us. They also had a visitor with them, Landon, from Park Hills. Megan from Memphis also told us that she got to clean a "nasty" gutter.
We went by the Dumpsters site, but not a whole lot was happening because of the rain. Emily, Wesley, and Clayton were trying to get something done, but the weather just wasn't cooperating. The job was coming along well, however.
I must apologize to the Dandy Sanders because we never made it to their site. We did visit them on a later date and things were going great, but that will be saved for a future post.
So, now, I believe that I am not too far behind in the posting. I will get some pictures up as soon as I get a chance. Until next time...............
Rain was in the forecast for Wednesday the 9th. And we got what was promised us. It wasn't anything torrential, but it still caused some delays. However, the crews did what they could.
It is kind of ironic I guess that the first crew we visited on the rainy day was the Drips & Runs. They were trying to get as much done on their roof as possible. Daniel was cutting drip edge with a utility knife (their snips were MIA). After Daniel finished the cut, David decided that his 1 1/2' measurement that he gave should have been more like 2'. We found Rhena picking up nails with a magnet. She took a break to share her testimony with us. Way to go Rhena!!! Keep that up and practice, practice, practice! Bruce had to pick up some gasoline to thin out some tar and Courtney discovered that she was the only one in the group that didn't know the term "Hot Dogging" means to show off. As we were getting ready to move on to the next crew, we had a nice surprise as the Dumpsters came around the corner for a little visit. Fun was had by all!
Next up, Goofus Roofers. Many of them were working or sitting under the carport. I was not sure why they were all there, but I found out that it smelled "good" in there. I doubt the fumes
had much effect, but you sometimes you can't tell because many teens are kind of silly anyway! Just kidding. These guys were working hard, despite the rain. Tyler (from Houston NW) and Danny (from Russleville) had proof of their hard work. I have a picture of this proof, but picture uploading is being blocked from my current location, so if you don't see the picture yet, come back soon to see if I got it through. Katie's knee was hurting her. As we were preparing to leave, the crew was going to be starting their devotion. Discussion took place as to where to hold this devotion. The port-a-potty was mentioned, but I guess since it doesn't hold that many people, they decided on having it in their van.Glueless had been working with concrete. They were pouring a new pad for a carport. Katie
had been spreading around lots of gravel and a lot of the concrete was poured the day before. Happily, Haley from Houston NW reported that there were no cases of concrete poisoning for this job! Yay! There was a group that was also painting a porch swing. Suzanne, Nick, Chelsea, Josh, and Abby were all chatting with us. They also had a visitor with them, Landon, from Park Hills. Megan from Memphis also told us that she got to clean a "nasty" gutter.We went by the Dumpsters site, but not a whole lot was happening because of the rain. Emily, Wesley, and Clayton were trying to get something done, but the weather just wasn't cooperating. The job was coming along well, however.
I must apologize to the Dandy Sanders because we never made it to their site. We did visit them on a later date and things were going great, but that will be saved for a future post.
So, now, I believe that I am not too far behind in the posting. I will get some pictures up as soon as I get a chance. Until next time...............
Squirrel Chaser
Today I went with Ryan again to the Park Hills crews. Ryan had made some cookies and cream puffs so we were going to give those away.
Our first stop was to see the Glueless crew. They were done with the driveway, the shed, and the deck. They were cleaning things up when we got there at about 1:30, and some of the members of their crew were helping out the Drips and Runs (I'll get to them later). They had done a wonderful job and had finished fast. I guess they'll be helping another crew tomorrow.
The Gufus Roofers were doing well. They had painted a lot and it was really coming along. They were eating watermelon that the youth leader from Ester Baptist had brought them. Scott showed us a song and dance to his version of the World Changers song, "Squirrel Chaser." It was funny!
I was glad we actually got to chat with Regina from the Drips and Runs because Tuesday they were pretty busy so we really didn't get to talk to any of them. Regina was really nice and judging by her optimistic attitude, I'd say she was their Crew Encourager, although I'm not sure because I forgot to ask. lol! Sorry! Anyway...Regina was telling us about the crew, she said that they had got a lot of help from locals and from other crews like the Gufus Roofers. She also said that they would probably finish today. They were doing awesome because they looked like they had a pretty tough job, but they did it! There was some concern still about the car port, Regina said she wasn't sure if they were going to fix it or have someone else fix it later on.
The Dandy Sanders were busy roofing. They were happy to see me and Ryan because we had brought them brownies Tuesday. This time we came equiped with cream puffs which their crew chief was happy about. He said he was going to keep them and not tell anyone where they were. lol! They had informed their home owner that they were going to finish today and they'd come back tomorrow to finish cleaning up.
The Dumpsters were our last stop for the day. Some of them were painting the front pourch, while the others were finishing on the roof. I got the chance to talk to Wesley from Illinois. He told us about going to the Bonne Terre Mines with his youth group yesterday for their free night. He thought it was really neat. He told that this week had went by really fast and that it kind of made him sad that it was almost over.
I had a lot of fun today chatting it up with all the different World Changer crews. Tomorrow I'm back to the Farmington/Bonne Terre crews, hopefully I won't miss them this time.
Our first stop was to see the Glueless crew. They were done with the driveway, the shed, and the deck. They were cleaning things up when we got there at about 1:30, and some of the members of their crew were helping out the Drips and Runs (I'll get to them later). They had done a wonderful job and had finished fast. I guess they'll be helping another crew tomorrow.
The Gufus Roofers were doing well. They had painted a lot and it was really coming along. They were eating watermelon that the youth leader from Ester Baptist had brought them. Scott showed us a song and dance to his version of the World Changers song, "Squirrel Chaser." It was funny!
I was glad we actually got to chat with Regina from the Drips and Runs because Tuesday they were pretty busy so we really didn't get to talk to any of them. Regina was really nice and judging by her optimistic attitude, I'd say she was their Crew Encourager, although I'm not sure because I forgot to ask. lol! Sorry! Anyway...Regina was telling us about the crew, she said that they had got a lot of help from locals and from other crews like the Gufus Roofers. She also said that they would probably finish today. They were doing awesome because they looked like they had a pretty tough job, but they did it! There was some concern still about the car port, Regina said she wasn't sure if they were going to fix it or have someone else fix it later on.
The Dandy Sanders were busy roofing. They were happy to see me and Ryan because we had brought them brownies Tuesday. This time we came equiped with cream puffs which their crew chief was happy about. He said he was going to keep them and not tell anyone where they were. lol! They had informed their home owner that they were going to finish today and they'd come back tomorrow to finish cleaning up.
The Dumpsters were our last stop for the day. Some of them were painting the front pourch, while the others were finishing on the roof. I got the chance to talk to Wesley from Illinois. He told us about going to the Bonne Terre Mines with his youth group yesterday for their free night. He thought it was really neat. He told that this week had went by really fast and that it kind of made him sad that it was almost over.
I had a lot of fun today chatting it up with all the different World Changer crews. Tomorrow I'm back to the Farmington/Bonne Terre crews, hopefully I won't miss them this time.
Tuesday (two days late this time)
OK. I have already admitted that I am sometimes slow to getting these things posted. This one is no exception, but I am trying to get better! So let's take our time machine and set it back to Tuesday, July 8, 2008 ...............................................................................
...................................We are now arriving at the Lumber Rumblers. These guys were working hard, but the rain was playing with them. It would rain a
little and then stop, then maybe a little more rain again. They weren't sure if they should cover things up or keep working. They had just finished tossing all their equipment into the back of the truck and the rain stopped. Work had started again by the time we got there. We got reports that the lunches at this site were really good and that God was blessing their crew and their work. Three members of the crew had just returned from going door to door and praying with local residents. I'm not real sure about this, but I was told that I did have an accent, but strangely, according to Sandy, it was a Canadian accent. I'm not sure where she got that from, eh.Next stop - Highway D and the Level Heads! Once again, the rain was playing with these folks. One of the first things we heard at this site was "WE NEED SHINGLES ON THE ROOF!!" This was an urgent plea so they could get the plastic weighted down. The
next thing I knew, I had a bundle of shingles on my shoulder, carrying them up the ladder. After many trips up and down the ladder, the roof was protected from the rain. Then it stopped raining again. I think that God has a sense of humor. What else was going on around these parts? There was a discussion on y'all and whether it was plural or singular and if coke or soda was the proper term (these of course were brought up because of the Canadian accent remark from the last crew). I also learned that soda is a "yankee" term. Jessica from Arkansas told us that they can't tell if Jeff is lying or telling the truth. Oh, and Jake (from Arkansas), I sure hope that they don't "accidentally" push you off the roof! And finally, there were two questions of the day for this group. 1. What is Seth's real name? and 2. "What's a gully washer?"Next on the agenda, Mitre Joints in Bonne Terre. Here, we learned many things. We learned
All About Potties. We also found out more about Bob from TN. Angela thought that the little white butterflies were exciting and Emily must enjoy the thrill of nearly falling off roofs. One last thing that was learned from this very knowledgeable group was how to neutralize a jelly fish sting. This crew had been hard at work on their roof and things looked like they were moving right along.This concludes our time travel trip for now. Please make sure that your tray tables are locked and that your chairs are in the full upright position. Thank your for traveling with Arrow Time Travels.
Rainy days and Wednesdays...it'll get you everytime
Day 3:
Yesterday
It was a rainy day. A little too rainy if you ask me. I had just finished work and was thinking about the bacon cheese burger at Hunts. I got my burger and thought I'd just go ahead and wait out the rain. So, I waited. Then after some time and a few Harry Connick Jr. songs I decided to head over to my crews.
I came upon Hickory Street. It was quiet, a little too quiet. I drove past my first stop. GONE! They were all gone. No vans, no roofers, all that was left was a Johnny-on-the-Spot. I was too late. The rain had taken them...(or so I then thought).
I was determined not to let their disapperance get to me. I was headed for my second stop, in hopes they were still there. As I drew closer to the house, I was filled with unsure thoughts. "Were they there? Had the rain taken them as well? Which house was it?" At last! I could see white vans! YES! I wasn't too late!
I talked to the Level Heads and gave them some chocolate/peanut butter cookies that my mom had made. They were all there, happy as ever...safe and sound. They were even sitting and chatting with their home owner who was very kind, might I add. They were practically diving at the cookies, which made me feel pretty good. They asked for my testimony so I talked about myself for a while. Then I asked them how they were doing, and how the roof was coming along. Their answer was a good one. They were on their way to finishing one side of the roof and things were really going good for them. (I think this God fella mighta had something to do with that.) I stayed and talked to them until I realized...IT WAS WEDNESDAY!!! OH NO!
It all made sense now...the rain hadn't taken the first crew, they had left becasue it was Wednesday, the day that World Changers leave the site early to have a fun night. I had let that bacon cheese burger cloud my vision (and the cheese balls sure didn't help anything either). I had to go! I had to get to the last two crews on my list before they left!
I was headed to the Randolph Rd. crew. It was a hard one to find before, but this time I was on the right track. I was driving, when all at once...there they went. A white van of World Changers drove past me as I could see the Randolph Rd. sign right ahead of me. Rain fell on my window as I sighed the sigh of failure.
NOOOO!!! I had let them slip away. They would never enjoy those cookies my mom had made for them. I had failed them. I called up the captain to explain my situation. He told me it was ok, but also that it would be crazy to try to find the Bonne Terre crew, there was no time. They would be gone as well.
I'm on a new assignment today. No bacon cheese burgers this time. I'll report back later.
Yesterday
It was a rainy day. A little too rainy if you ask me. I had just finished work and was thinking about the bacon cheese burger at Hunts. I got my burger and thought I'd just go ahead and wait out the rain. So, I waited. Then after some time and a few Harry Connick Jr. songs I decided to head over to my crews.
I came upon Hickory Street. It was quiet, a little too quiet. I drove past my first stop. GONE! They were all gone. No vans, no roofers, all that was left was a Johnny-on-the-Spot. I was too late. The rain had taken them...(or so I then thought).
I was determined not to let their disapperance get to me. I was headed for my second stop, in hopes they were still there. As I drew closer to the house, I was filled with unsure thoughts. "Were they there? Had the rain taken them as well? Which house was it?" At last! I could see white vans! YES! I wasn't too late!
I talked to the Level Heads and gave them some chocolate/peanut butter cookies that my mom had made. They were all there, happy as ever...safe and sound. They were even sitting and chatting with their home owner who was very kind, might I add. They were practically diving at the cookies, which made me feel pretty good. They asked for my testimony so I talked about myself for a while. Then I asked them how they were doing, and how the roof was coming along. Their answer was a good one. They were on their way to finishing one side of the roof and things were really going good for them. (I think this God fella mighta had something to do with that.) I stayed and talked to them until I realized...IT WAS WEDNESDAY!!! OH NO!
It all made sense now...the rain hadn't taken the first crew, they had left becasue it was Wednesday, the day that World Changers leave the site early to have a fun night. I had let that bacon cheese burger cloud my vision (and the cheese balls sure didn't help anything either). I had to go! I had to get to the last two crews on my list before they left!
I was headed to the Randolph Rd. crew. It was a hard one to find before, but this time I was on the right track. I was driving, when all at once...there they went. A white van of World Changers drove past me as I could see the Randolph Rd. sign right ahead of me. Rain fell on my window as I sighed the sigh of failure.
NOOOO!!! I had let them slip away. They would never enjoy those cookies my mom had made for them. I had failed them. I called up the captain to explain my situation. He told me it was ok, but also that it would be crazy to try to find the Bonne Terre crew, there was no time. They would be gone as well.
I'm on a new assignment today. No bacon cheese burgers this time. I'll report back later.
Wednesday.
After working in the rain all morning, the crews today were relieved from their duties early. Part of the World Changers project includes a half-day Wednesday where the crews are allowed to leave early and head back so that they may shower and clean up for some group outting. I heard rumor that some churches were heading to Elephant Rocks and places of that nature, but the vast majority, considering there isn't much to do around here, ended up spending their afternoon in Columbia Park. Parallax View put on a concert. The CMA spent their time talking with the World Changers and cooking their food. Even the weather calmed down and allowed for a nice evening. I heard sounds of laughter and merriment, so I assume everyone was having a good time. I'm sure the pool and free food were welcome gifts to those hard working World Changers.Random Thought of the Day: On average, every year you swallow eight spiders while you sleep.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Party in the Park
First off, I must apologize because I am behind on my blogging. I will get caught up as soon as possible. We are busy, busy, busy!
However, I did want to say just a bit about tonights activity. We had organized a get together for everyone at Columbia Park in Park Hills, MO. The way we figured it, there isn't a whole lot to do around here, so we wanted to provide something for everyone.
We were able to get together a swim party at the pool, burgers and hot dogs prepared by the local CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) chapter, and a concert by Parallax View. Actually, I should say that God got it together. Usually, something like this is a pretty stressful event for the organizers, but not this one. Everything fell together perfectly, even the weather! We had a wonderful evening. The pool was refreshing. The CMA took care of all the cooking. All the food was donated. The concert was awesome. It was a very relaxing evening for everyone involved.
I want to personally thank everyone who had a part in this event.
I imagine that I am probably missing someone because I am really tired and not thinking straight. So, now I am going to bed. Sorry again for the backlog of blogs, but I will get caught up in the next few days.
However, I did want to say just a bit about tonights activity. We had organized a get together for everyone at Columbia Park in Park Hills, MO. The way we figured it, there isn't a whole lot to do around here, so we wanted to provide something for everyone.
We were able to get together a swim party at the pool, burgers and hot dogs prepared by the local CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) chapter, and a concert by Parallax View. Actually, I should say that God got it together. Usually, something like this is a pretty stressful event for the organizers, but not this one. Everything fell together perfectly, even the weather! We had a wonderful evening. The pool was refreshing. The CMA took care of all the cooking. All the food was donated. The concert was awesome. It was a very relaxing evening for everyone involved.
I want to personally thank everyone who had a part in this event.
- Parallax View donated their time for the concert. Check out their myspace page at: www.myspace.com/parallaxviewband. Drop them a note.
- Thanks for the help from the CMA. Check out their site here.
- Thank you to the City of Park Hills, MO for the use of their pool and park.
- Thank you to Johnson Distributing for the sodas and water.
- Thank you to Burger King for the hamburgers.
- Thank you to everyone else that helped make this night a success.
I imagine that I am probably missing someone because I am really tired and not thinking straight. So, now I am going to bed. Sorry again for the backlog of blogs, but I will get caught up in the next few days.
Picture Time
Whew! This is like a whirlwind! Running around, visiting crews, taking pictures, and then trying to get the blog done is quite a job. It is getting done though, but sometimes it takes a day or so. Thank you for your patience.
While you are waiting on the newest batch of posts, I thought that you might enjoy seeing some pictures that have been taken so far. These are only the ones that I have taken. We should have many more from the other bloggers. They will be added as soon as we can.
Here is the address: http://picasaweb.google.com/wcbonneterre/WCBonneTerreProject
Enjoy!!!!!
While you are waiting on the newest batch of posts, I thought that you might enjoy seeing some pictures that have been taken so far. These are only the ones that I have taken. We should have many more from the other bloggers. They will be added as soon as we can.
Here is the address: http://picasaweb.google.com/wcbonneterre/WCBonneTerreProject
Enjoy!!!!!
Majesty
Tonight (Tuesday) was the concert of prayer for worship. This service is hard to explain except that it is amazing. If you have ever attended one of these services, you understand what I am talking about. If you have not been fortunate enough to take part in something like this, ask someone who has. Many people took care of some important business with God. He moved in lives and changed them. I look forward to the Concert of Prayer every single year.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Our Lost Crew
I get a call on Monday from our blogger Skandar. She is covering the Farmington crews. She tells me that she just cannot find the crew out on Randolph Rd. She looked and looked, but nowhere to be found. So, being the directional genius that I am, I told her that I would head that way and continue the search.Toward the end of the first day of work, I found them. Their site was pretty far out of town. But they couldn't hide from me. So, with the mystery solved, we began getting to know them a little.
Crew Name: Knot Heads (some of which were shown in a picture in an earlier post)
Job: Roofing
Crew Chief: Tim
Most Exciting Time (according to crew members): Lunch
By the time that we actually got to this site on Monday, they were already working hard and getting a lot done. One side of the roof had already been stripped and they had started putting it back on. Since they were already hard at work and trying to finish up for the afternoon, we didn't get to visit to much. I visited with the homeowners and looked around at their beautiful property. I did watch out though when I would hear someone from on top of the roof holler, "Fire in the hole!" Then a hammer or other tool would hit the ground. Maybe that is where they got their name, Knot Heads..... Someone wasn't paying attention when a hammer was dropped.
Since we didn't get to spend much time with these guys (and I was the only one who could track them down), we decided to make them our first stop on Tuesday. This time they were easier to find. And their favorite time was just wrapping up. The Fredericktown group was just putting up the lunch food and getting ready to leave.
I was told from the crew that things were going pretty well, except
it seemed like every time they started doing something, they would keep finding other things that need replaced. As I went around to the back of the house, I found a small group working hard to pick up the shingles that had just recently been stripped off that side of the house. I got to talk a little with a few of them, including Jonas and Amber, both from Celeste, Roberta from Buffalo, and Allison from Edwardsville (who for some reason seemed to think I was the Pilsbury Dough Boy).Something I did learn while I was there was to watch out for doggy land mines. Before we left, we had to do a shoe check because we found one with a foot print in it (and it was not an animal print). Well, Allie is going to try to find the site again tomorrow. I think she can do it this time! Until we meet again.........
Apologies for all....
apologies
I'm sorry for not posting anything yesterday. No excuses. And we're off....!!!!
Monkey Wrenches:
Now here is a hard working bunch. They're painting and putting a new porch railing on a house. Hunter is a pretty hard worker from this crew. I found him today taking a break from working hard. Poor boy almost fainted. What a tough lad. Good old Luke was there to give him water and help him out. What a guy! But the highlight of this site was the cheeriness of Kim. What a crew!
Bone Saws:
Here is a crew to admire. When we drove to their site yesterday, they already had all the shingles torn off before lunch! WOW! They were putting the new shingles on today. And fixing a driveway. I caught up with Bonnie and Michelle and drove them to Walmart yesterday to get Popsicles for the crew. Too kind! This crew has made lots of progress! Keep up the good work!
Crowbars&Cool Caulkers (Cool Crockbars):
I was surprised to find two crews at this work site. But they have wisely joined forces to become the Cool Crockbars!!! This crew is doing a lot, and they have made a lot of progress. They are building a deck, and putting up siding. We talked to a lot of people on this crew, and they are all working very hard. GOOD JOB!
I got a lot of pics and video of these crews and I will upload them tomorrow. Stay Tuned!
"I'm getting hungry. You won't like me when I'm...hungry? No, thats not right..."
I'm sorry for not posting anything yesterday. No excuses. And we're off....!!!!
Monkey Wrenches:
Now here is a hard working bunch. They're painting and putting a new porch railing on a house. Hunter is a pretty hard worker from this crew. I found him today taking a break from working hard. Poor boy almost fainted. What a tough lad. Good old Luke was there to give him water and help him out. What a guy! But the highlight of this site was the cheeriness of Kim. What a crew!
Bone Saws:
Here is a crew to admire. When we drove to their site yesterday, they already had all the shingles torn off before lunch! WOW! They were putting the new shingles on today. And fixing a driveway. I caught up with Bonnie and Michelle and drove them to Walmart yesterday to get Popsicles for the crew. Too kind! This crew has made lots of progress! Keep up the good work!
Crowbars&Cool Caulkers (Cool Crockbars):
I was surprised to find two crews at this work site. But they have wisely joined forces to become the Cool Crockbars!!! This crew is doing a lot, and they have made a lot of progress. They are building a deck, and putting up siding. We talked to a lot of people on this crew, and they are all working very hard. GOOD JOB!
I got a lot of pics and video of these crews and I will upload them tomorrow. Stay Tuned!
"I'm getting hungry. You won't like me when I'm...hungry? No, thats not right..."
Day Two: The Brush Bunch
Today, we got a chance to talk to the members of the Brush Bunch. They were working really hard on the roof that they were re-roofing. They are nearly half way done. They have made a lot of progress from yesterday. We learned some of their names today, also. We met Shannon, Kaitlyn, Megan, Michael, and Darrell. They were all up on the roof, working hard and putting those nail guns to use. Good job, guys! ^_^
Take two and call me in the morning
Ok, I know I'm a day late, but hey...I'm sure that's cool with this here blogging community...right?
Well, in any event, yesterday I went to visit one Bonne Terre crew and two Farmington crews. Well, it was suppose to be 3 Farmington crews...and NO, I didn't get lost! I knew where I was, I just didn't know where Randolph Rd. was. Anyways, yesterday I got to visit the Lumber Rumblers and the Level Heads in Farmington, and the Miter Joints in Bonne Terre.
Day 1:
The Lumber Rumblers were just getting off the roof to eat lunch when I got there. They looked pretty happy because they had pizza and a lot of it. I talked to them for awhile and then was asked to give my testimony. They said they were all about testimonies. HA! That's awesome! They were making really good time from the looks of it. They were just about to get to lay some shingles and it was just 12:00 on the first day.
The Level Heads were busy roofing so I didn't get to chat with them for very long. They looked like they had a tough roof to do, but they were doing a great job. They were pretty far along when I showed up. They wanted to make sure I'd come back later in the week to see what progress they would make. It was really hot out yesterday, but they were really keeping a level head about the hot temperature. OH MAN! hehe! But seriously, they weren't letting the hot weather get to them.
My last stop was Bonne Terre, were I met up with the Miter Joints. They were also on a roofing crew. They already had a good amount of shingles laid when I got there. I said, "Oh, so did you guys not have to scrap any old shingles off because you've got a lot up." Then one of the World Changers said, "No, we're just done with that, so now we're laying shingles." WOW! They were doing great! They too were busy so I didn't get to talk much, but I did get to talk to one guy from Memphis I think it was. He was talking to me about Cobalts and wanted to know if there was anything to do around here...ha...no, not really and I said "Ha! No. Not really."
Day 2:
Ok, now for today...
Me and Ryan (Melanie Marie and Mr. Green's younger brother) went to visit 5 Park Hills crews.
Glueless, Gufus Roofers, Drips and Runs, Dandy Sanders, and the Dumpsters. They were all doing great jobs!
The Glueless bunch were working on pouring a driveway, painting a shed, and staining a deck. they had almost all of the driveway done, and they had already scrapped a whole shed and were putting a second coat of paint on it when I got there. I guess when I'm on a World Changers project I don't really notice how fast things get going, but being just a Joe-Schmo watching them...man, I can really tell that their work is totally a God thing. They also had a neighbor from a couple doors down helping them out. That's so awesome that not only will the World Changers and the home owner get something out of this, but that young man will have the satisfaction of knowing that he helped with a neighbor's house. He seemed really happy to help too.
The Gufus Roofers were painting an entire house. They were happy that me and Ryan stopped by because they said it gave them a reason to sit down. lol! They were nice they offered us popsicles. Their crew chief, Scott informed us that he was a full time college student, a full time worker, and a full time dad. hehe! You know, when you think about it, its so awesome that all these hard working people are able and willing to take off work for World Changers. I mean its not the way most people would want to spend a vacation, especially since its not cheap to come work on someone else's house. Its amazing how God work things out!
The Drips and Runs were roofing and might have to fix a car port later in the week. They had a really big job...a lot a shingles to lay. Jamie and Craig Pope (they are the one's who got World Changers in this area, they are kinda running the show, you know making sure everything is in order and squared away) were helping out this crew. Craig had quite a few boys from his church on the roof with himself and the rest of the crew. They were working really hard and doing a great job, especially since they had kids in the back yard swimming and having a good time.
The Dandy Sanders were roofing. They were the lucky crew that Ryan picked to get my mom's home made brownies. Ashley from Memphis (I think it was Memphis...my apologies if that's not right) was going crazy. I think she said "Whoa!" about 50 times...that made me and Ryan smile and feel pretty good about our choice. They were doing really good. They had one side of the roof about an inch away from being done when we got there at 2:30 today. All of the crews are doing amazing! These home owners are gonna be in awe of what "immature, self-centered" teenagers can do when given a hammer. Man, World Changers is gonna change the way adults think about local kids. Adults aren't gonna know what to do. I love it!
The last crew we went to see were the Dumpsters. They were a younger crew on a painting job. They painted all of the house and had a little bit of the roof to do. They were pretty sure they'd finish today, or at least by early tomorrow morning, so then they will be able to help another crew out. They were a little let down that we were from the same church as Aaron and didn't bring ice cream of some form, but I think they got over it. lol! The home owners seemed really nice. They were doing an killer job!
All of the crews were doing so good! God is really with each and everyone of the World Changers this week. He's helping steady the hammer, He's opening the eyes of that busy business man passing a work site on his way to work, He's making people ask questions, and strangely enough get actual answers. Real answers. He's breaking down the hard hearts of Park Hills, Farmington, Bonne Terre, and all over this area. God is without a doubt changing someone's world this week...
maybe even yours...
Well, in any event, yesterday I went to visit one Bonne Terre crew and two Farmington crews. Well, it was suppose to be 3 Farmington crews...and NO, I didn't get lost! I knew where I was, I just didn't know where Randolph Rd. was. Anyways, yesterday I got to visit the Lumber Rumblers and the Level Heads in Farmington, and the Miter Joints in Bonne Terre.
Day 1:
The Lumber Rumblers were just getting off the roof to eat lunch when I got there. They looked pretty happy because they had pizza and a lot of it. I talked to them for awhile and then was asked to give my testimony. They said they were all about testimonies. HA! That's awesome! They were making really good time from the looks of it. They were just about to get to lay some shingles and it was just 12:00 on the first day.
The Level Heads were busy roofing so I didn't get to chat with them for very long. They looked like they had a tough roof to do, but they were doing a great job. They were pretty far along when I showed up. They wanted to make sure I'd come back later in the week to see what progress they would make. It was really hot out yesterday, but they were really keeping a level head about the hot temperature. OH MAN! hehe! But seriously, they weren't letting the hot weather get to them.
My last stop was Bonne Terre, were I met up with the Miter Joints. They were also on a roofing crew. They already had a good amount of shingles laid when I got there. I said, "Oh, so did you guys not have to scrap any old shingles off because you've got a lot up." Then one of the World Changers said, "No, we're just done with that, so now we're laying shingles." WOW! They were doing great! They too were busy so I didn't get to talk much, but I did get to talk to one guy from Memphis I think it was. He was talking to me about Cobalts and wanted to know if there was anything to do around here...ha...no, not really and I said "Ha! No. Not really."
Day 2:
Ok, now for today...
Me and Ryan (Melanie Marie and Mr. Green's younger brother) went to visit 5 Park Hills crews.
Glueless, Gufus Roofers, Drips and Runs, Dandy Sanders, and the Dumpsters. They were all doing great jobs!
The Glueless bunch were working on pouring a driveway, painting a shed, and staining a deck. they had almost all of the driveway done, and they had already scrapped a whole shed and were putting a second coat of paint on it when I got there. I guess when I'm on a World Changers project I don't really notice how fast things get going, but being just a Joe-Schmo watching them...man, I can really tell that their work is totally a God thing. They also had a neighbor from a couple doors down helping them out. That's so awesome that not only will the World Changers and the home owner get something out of this, but that young man will have the satisfaction of knowing that he helped with a neighbor's house. He seemed really happy to help too.
The Gufus Roofers were painting an entire house. They were happy that me and Ryan stopped by because they said it gave them a reason to sit down. lol! They were nice they offered us popsicles. Their crew chief, Scott informed us that he was a full time college student, a full time worker, and a full time dad. hehe! You know, when you think about it, its so awesome that all these hard working people are able and willing to take off work for World Changers. I mean its not the way most people would want to spend a vacation, especially since its not cheap to come work on someone else's house. Its amazing how God work things out!
The Drips and Runs were roofing and might have to fix a car port later in the week. They had a really big job...a lot a shingles to lay. Jamie and Craig Pope (they are the one's who got World Changers in this area, they are kinda running the show, you know making sure everything is in order and squared away) were helping out this crew. Craig had quite a few boys from his church on the roof with himself and the rest of the crew. They were working really hard and doing a great job, especially since they had kids in the back yard swimming and having a good time.
The Dandy Sanders were roofing. They were the lucky crew that Ryan picked to get my mom's home made brownies. Ashley from Memphis (I think it was Memphis...my apologies if that's not right) was going crazy. I think she said "Whoa!" about 50 times...that made me and Ryan smile and feel pretty good about our choice. They were doing really good. They had one side of the roof about an inch away from being done when we got there at 2:30 today. All of the crews are doing amazing! These home owners are gonna be in awe of what "immature, self-centered" teenagers can do when given a hammer. Man, World Changers is gonna change the way adults think about local kids. Adults aren't gonna know what to do. I love it!
The last crew we went to see were the Dumpsters. They were a younger crew on a painting job. They painted all of the house and had a little bit of the roof to do. They were pretty sure they'd finish today, or at least by early tomorrow morning, so then they will be able to help another crew out. They were a little let down that we were from the same church as Aaron and didn't bring ice cream of some form, but I think they got over it. lol! The home owners seemed really nice. They were doing an killer job!
All of the crews were doing so good! God is really with each and everyone of the World Changers this week. He's helping steady the hammer, He's opening the eyes of that busy business man passing a work site on his way to work, He's making people ask questions, and strangely enough get actual answers. Real answers. He's breaking down the hard hearts of Park Hills, Farmington, Bonne Terre, and all over this area. God is without a doubt changing someone's world this week...
maybe even yours...
Day Two: The Cool Caulkers and The Crowbars
These two groups have combined to call themselves The Cool Crock-bars. hehe. These crews are working to re-side a house and they're building a front porch, along with replacing the front and back doors. They had to tear off all of the existing, crumbling siding and put up all new materials. When we visited the site today, they were nearly finished with the porch, they finished putting up all of the Green Guard Styrofoam, and they were getting pretty busy putting up the siding. This crew is hard at work, and they're doing an awesome job. Way to go, guys! ^_^ Keep it up!
Day Two: The Cinder Blockheads
When we were looking for this site yesterday, we passed it right up. We hardly saw it with all of the vegetation growing around. This crew is doing lots of yard work and such... but it's a huge job! We have some pictures, but I'm sure you just won't be able to get the full effect of how much work was completed between yesterday and today. There is a small walkway-like sidewalk in the yard, going from the back yard to the front yard. It was completely overgrown and unrecognizable the first day, but it's completely cleared off today! I talked to this girl named Lacey. She contributed a lot. We also met a guy named Ben and a girl named Kayla. We observed them trimming the overgrown hedges around the house. This crew's doing great! ^_^ Keep it up, you guys!
Day One in Park Hills (a day late)
Monday morning and it's now after the Great Send Off. Everyone is now at their sites working hard. Jake B. and I got to cover the Park Hills area.
Our first stop was the Goofus Roofers on Crane Street. When we pulled up, the crew was just starting to receive instructions on what they had to do. Their crew chief, Scott, was briefing them on how to properly scrape the paint off and apply a fresh new coat of "dolphin gray." During this conversation, we heard a few questions, including something about painting around the windows with Q-Tips and the mention of a "spiffy" paint stirrer that uses a cordless drill. We chatted with Sharon from Houston NW and Danny from Russelville about the area and where they were from. Then we had to move on to the next crew. However, on our way out, we heard a plea for ice cream. This request must not have fell on deaf ears because when we returned later that afternoon with some ice pops, we were the third people to bring some by.
The Drips & Runs (or Paint Licks as some wanted to call themselves) were the next stop. Apparently, we had just missed the dancing lessons given by Mark, their crew chief. As they got up on the roof, they found that it already had been inhabited by a nice family of yellow jackets (who obviously didn't want company). Mark went to dancing and freaked many of the crew out because they thought the roof was collapsing. They "calmly" evacuated the roof (which was later bragged on by Mark on how good of a job they did). This is when we arrived. They were waiting for the yellow jacket removal spray. As they waited, one member decided that it was time for a port-a-potty check and she later returned a pretty stinky report. The potty seemed to be a place for fun and games since there was used fireworks in it and reading material floating in the nice blue waters. After Bruce from Nashville harassed the flies with the yellow jacket spray and then yelled at the crew returning to the roof to not forget the "roof getter offer", we felt it was time to move on.
When we first arrived to visit the Dandy Sanders, they were already hard at work. Most of the crew was on the roof shoveling shingles. Then there were the lucky few on the ground cleaning up the shingles that were being tossed down at them. After the ground crew looked under a few boards to check for snakes, most of the roof crew decided to come down and help. This is when I met "Happy Girl" (sorry, I missed your name) and Colby, both from Memphis. She was telling me that she was trying to make everyone be happy and then turned to Colby and told him to "Shut up and be quiet!" I guess this must be Memphis' version of happy. 8^D
Because of the Dumpsters crew, I learned that going to the store to buy tin snips just wasn't that easy. Who would have thought that there would be so many choices. Obviously, I am not very handy when it comes to this stuff. Now I know that there are tin snips for any occasion. If you want one to cut right, they got it. Left cut? Yep one of those too. But I don't want left or right, can I just cut straight? You sure can if you buy the right kind. So, I bought the right cutting tin snips for Rick, the crew chief and went back to their site. They had young people crawling all over the house, scraping paint and prying off rotting wood.
The final crew in Park Hills was Glueless. I had a nice little discussion with Haley, a classic book reader, from Houston NW. I quickly found out that I know nothing about classic literature. Thank goodness that we were interrupted by the break master to discuss when to take a break and do a devotion. Confusion quickly broke out. I think a decision was finally made and all was well again.
We visited other crews, but that must be included in other posts. Until then, we must bid you a fond farewell. Y'all come back now, you hear?
Our first stop was the Goofus Roofers on Crane Street. When we pulled up, the crew was just starting to receive instructions on what they had to do. Their crew chief, Scott, was briefing them on how to properly scrape the paint off and apply a fresh new coat of "dolphin gray." During this conversation, we heard a few questions, including something about painting around the windows with Q-Tips and the mention of a "spiffy" paint stirrer that uses a cordless drill. We chatted with Sharon from Houston NW and Danny from Russelville about the area and where they were from. Then we had to move on to the next crew. However, on our way out, we heard a plea for ice cream. This request must not have fell on deaf ears because when we returned later that afternoon with some ice pops, we were the third people to bring some by.The Drips & Runs (or Paint Licks as some wanted to call themselves) were the next stop. Apparently, we had just missed the dancing lessons given by Mark, their crew chief. As they got up on the roof, they found that it already had been inhabited by a nice family of yellow jackets (who obviously didn't want company). Mark went to dancing and freaked many of the crew out because they thought the roof was collapsing. They "calmly" evacuated the roof (which was later bragged on by Mark on how good of a job they did). This is when we arrived. They were waiting for the yellow jacket removal spray. As they waited, one member decided that it was time for a port-a-potty check and she later returned a pretty stinky report. The potty seemed to be a place for fun and games since there was used fireworks in it and reading material floating in the nice blue waters. After Bruce from Nashville harassed the flies with the yellow jacket spray and then yelled at the crew returning to the roof to not forget the "roof getter offer", we felt it was time to move on.
When we first arrived to visit the Dandy Sanders, they were already hard at work. Most of the crew was on the roof shoveling shingles. Then there were the lucky few on the ground cleaning up the shingles that were being tossed down at them. After the ground crew looked under a few boards to check for snakes, most of the roof crew decided to come down and help. This is when I met "Happy Girl" (sorry, I missed your name) and Colby, both from Memphis. She was telling me that she was trying to make everyone be happy and then turned to Colby and told him to "Shut up and be quiet!" I guess this must be Memphis' version of happy. 8^D
Because of the Dumpsters crew, I learned that going to the store to buy tin snips just wasn't that easy. Who would have thought that there would be so many choices. Obviously, I am not very handy when it comes to this stuff. Now I know that there are tin snips for any occasion. If you want one to cut right, they got it. Left cut? Yep one of those too. But I don't want left or right, can I just cut straight? You sure can if you buy the right kind. So, I bought the right cutting tin snips for Rick, the crew chief and went back to their site. They had young people crawling all over the house, scraping paint and prying off rotting wood.
The final crew in Park Hills was Glueless. I had a nice little discussion with Haley, a classic book reader, from Houston NW. I quickly found out that I know nothing about classic literature. Thank goodness that we were interrupted by the break master to discuss when to take a break and do a devotion. Confusion quickly broke out. I think a decision was finally made and all was well again.
We visited other crews, but that must be included in other posts. Until then, we must bid you a fond farewell. Y'all come back now, you hear?
Another Day. Another Devotion. Another... Giant Bag of Popcorn?
I decided I would drive over to visit my friends on Merle first. They were painting their house a delicious, popcorn yellow color (which matched near perfectly with the giant bags of popcorn each crew was delivered today for a snack) and having a fun time while doing it. This crew is always full of smiles and friendly faces. Even when some of the ladies were gifted with the task of knocking wasp nests from near the roof, they didn't once complain. I managed to get a picture of Cool Nick at work, with his lack of acrophobia he was a perfect candidate for climbing to the top of the ladder and paint the front of the porch.I drove around the block to chat with the crew on Plainview next. I just missed their devotion, but walked up before they headed back to work, so I had a chance to meet everyone and talk to them a bit more than yesterday. The Joint Clamps are also a very friendly crew. Their chain-linked fence project was moving along quite nicely and they said the siding project was going well also. This crew is full of mix-matched people. From Joe the Post Hole Digger to a girl that only dates pirates, but it is full of mix-matched people that love God. I'm getting to know these World Changers more each day and their love for God and their willingness to do His Will is very apparent. I'm looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow and seeing their work progress. The Joint Clamps also receive my unofficial award for being the first crew that gathered together for one big picture! ^_^
The Joint Clamps!
I then got in my car and drove over to the other side of town to make contact with the crews on Gifford and Walnut. I went to Gifford first and as soon as I pulled up I was amazed. I knew how quickly and hard they were working the first day, so I should have expected how far they were moving. This is a crew full of dedicated workers. The new part of the roof looks amazing and I'm sure the other will also. Clouds began to slowly move overhead bringing tell-tale signs of rain before I left, and I think they were waiting to rip off some of the older shingles on the roof because of this, but if they work as quickly and as efficiently as they have worked I'm sure it won't set them back any at all. This crew is also touching up the paint on their house also. Right before I left, I asked some of the ladies on the groun where they were from and I heard several from Illinois, one from Missouri, and one from Texas. The thing that struck me as most odd, though (besides Megan being from Texas. :p just kidding, just kidding... hehe) was that Megan said she used to live in Massachussetts. I asked her if she had a relative working here in Bismarck, because one of my Friends On Merle also lived in Texas and moved from Massachussetts. I thought it would have been a huge coincidence if they didn't even know each other... They were good friends, though. You meet people from all over the United States at these events. Wonderful people that love God and are willing to serve Him however they can! ^_^
My last stop was on Walnut. After driving around the block, I found it with... almost no difficulty. I waved hello to everyone and walked over to take some pictures. This crew was working very hard on their wheelchair ramp and were moving along quite nicely with the painting projects. I talked to Becky again and some of the girls painting the awnings, trying to learn of any exciting events that may have occurr
ed since I last saw them. Today was just Normal. No snakes. No critters. No gang fights. (hehe) Just a wonderful day to work on their house. Becky did tell me that they were able to talk with some of the neighborhood kids a little bit and invite them over for lunch. Witnessing to the community is one of my favorite things to do on World Changers and I pray that the hearts of those in Bismarck will open to the Truth that these World Changers bring with them. Thunder started to rumble and tiny rain drops began to fall as I began to leave this site once more. I heard shouts of, "Do you have a clear tarp? I don't want my paint ruined!!" before I started my car and drove off. I'm excited to visit these crews again tomorrow and learn what new things may have happened!
ed since I last saw them. Today was just Normal. No snakes. No critters. No gang fights. (hehe) Just a wonderful day to work on their house. Becky did tell me that they were able to talk with some of the neighborhood kids a little bit and invite them over for lunch. Witnessing to the community is one of my favorite things to do on World Changers and I pray that the hearts of those in Bismarck will open to the Truth that these World Changers bring with them. Thunder started to rumble and tiny rain drops began to fall as I began to leave this site once more. I heard shouts of, "Do you have a clear tarp? I don't want my paint ruined!!" before I started my car and drove off. I'm excited to visit these crews again tomorrow and learn what new things may have happened!Random Thought of the Day: The Elephant is the only mammal with four knees, yet the only mammal that can't jump.
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