Author: rvingwithapurpose

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Today was another beautiful day in Lumberton. We could get use to these wonderfully cool, bright sunshine days.

Bill did a great job with our devotion today using the Upper Room from 2013. He figured if we had read it back then, considering all our ages, we had probably forgotten it by now. He would be correct. The scripture was the passage from Ephesians 4 teaching us that Christ is the head and we all contribute our own special gifts to the body. That’s how NOMADS works. We all are gifted differently but when we come together as a team we are able to accomplish God’s will in this place.

We discussed what work needed to be done today and what supplies we all needed and then headed back to the same job sites as yesterday. Sharon, Anne and Max were back at Jackie’s with Gary joining us after visiting the other 2 sites. The girls both painted a good deal today, Sharon putting the semi-gloss on trim and Anne putting the Kilz primer on other trim. Anne also worked on some more drywall patching, and Sharon on filling nail holes. Max and Gary both worked on hanging more doors. We now have a bathroom with a door. Yea!! Doesn’t sound like a lot but it was a busy day. Bill, Ogie, Larry and Ginger continued to install more flooring and repair doors at Sheryl’s house. Gary and Larry went over to the Townsend house to repair a couple of foundation vents first thing this morning and then rejoined the rest of us.

We all gather at Sheryl’s backyard to share our lunch hour. It’s always a fun and funny time. Wish we could have been with this team all three weeks. They are a good group. Tomorrow will be the last work day for everyone but us as we have new team members arriving this weekend.

After work today we stopped and walked part of the River Walk trail. We didn’t walk all of it (three miles) but it was interesting to be able to see how high the water rose during this last flood from Hurricane Florence. There are also some very large hoses/pipes along the trail where they were pumping water out of certain areas. There is another trail, the Lumber River-River Trail which we will try another day.

This afternoon as we came back into the campground we were greeted by our neighboring chickens. One in particular seemed to claim the road. Really wasn’t interested in sharing. Please keep praying for all our safety as we complete our work this week and as everyone is traveling this weekend.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

It wasn’t as cold last night but still chilly this morning. It was another beautiful fall day. It is also definitely the season for layers. You have to wear a jacket in the morning and a long sleeve shirt but only need a T-shirt by lunch time.

Sharon did a great job with our devotion today helping us think about the differences in ministry and jobs. Sometimes we get so busy doing jobs that need to be done in our churches that we forget we really need to be in ministry.

After devotion, we reviewed the progress made at each of the sites yesterday and made plans for today. Max, Anne, and Sharon returned to Jackie’s home to continue our work there. Bill, Ogie and Ginger worked at Sheryl’s and Bill and Larry returned to install a new door on the storage room at the house where there are working.

 

At Jackie’s today, Sharon was putting the top coat of paint in one of the bedrooms while Max continued working on electrical. He has been reinstalling electrical outlets and switches and is close to finished. There is not a shortage of outlets in this house. It has been a challenge due to the difference in the way modular homes are built. Anne removed a popcorn ceiling, repaired some sheetrock, and sanded some walls. Gary came over and helped Max partially install another door. That will have to be completed tomorrow. Again due to the differences in modular homes, all the doors have to be shortened. Since some walls are not standard thickness, there are even more challenges in installing doors in those openings. All in a days work.

 

While we haven’t done our usual walking the past two days, we have walked more than 5 miles each day. Lots of steps up and down ladders and outside the get more tools from the truck and back inside to work and then back to the truck again. We still need to find a gym because there are no sidewalks here and the road in front of the camp ground is quite busy. There are a couple of trails, one along the river that we need to checkout but we have been too tired in the afternoons and it is too dark in the mornings for outside walks. Things are going well. Hope you are having a good week too.

Monday, October 22, 2018

This morning was a cold one. We had to use the gas furnace to warm up FRED since it was too cool for the heat pumps to do the job. It was still 36 degrees when we left for the church for morning meeting. The day warmed up and was a wonderful fall day and a wonderful day to work. Certainly more pleasant than the 105 heat index when we were working her last summer. North Carolina is much nicer in the fall.

Today of course started with our team meeting at 8:00. It was our official start of the Lumberton DR and meeting of our team members who have already worked here for two weeks. We will work as team members this week and take over lead when Gary and Sharon leave this weekend. Of course we have known Gary and Sharon for some time but our other team members, Ogie and Bill and Ginger and Larry are new to us. After just one day we already love them all. The team has been working at two houses, one (Sheryl’s) needing bathroom, bedroom ceiling and kitchen ceiling due to leaks and outside work and another that is getting work on a storage building attached to a house or something of that nature. We haven’t been to that site yet and aren’t quite sure. The team has been doing a great job on the Sheryl’s house. It is looking really good.

 

Today Sharon, Max and Anne started on house number three. We were excited to meet the owner, Jackie, just before lunch today. She is a very sweet lady and we know we will enjoy working on her home. Her Mom who is 92 lives next door. A lot of the work has already been done, but much is left to do. Today we started with cleaning some paint off floors and covering the new laminate to prevent any damage. We also worked on re-installing electrical outlets, installing doors and began some painting. As is usual for the first day, it seemed to go a little slow today but we are sure things will pick up tomorrow.

 

October 21, 2018

Our temperature stayed in the 60’s all night and then about 5:00 this morning another cold front blew through and it became cold. It was still about 48 with a stiff wind when we left for church today. Later the sun was out and the wind calmed and it was a beautiful afternoon. Our low tonight is predicted to be in the upper 30’s but at least we do not have a frost advisory like some of you.

The team went to church at our host church, Chestnut Street UMC, today. They have the same pastor as when we were here last year, Pastor Lowry, and we really like him. He preaches the Word, and you can’t say anything better about a pastor. The congregation is very friendly and welcoming to the NOMADS and supportive of our work in their community. It was a good time of worship.

After worship we met with Jeff, our construction superintendent, who also worships at Chestnut Street, and drove over to a house we are going to start in the morning to see where we needed to start. The house still needs lots of work but it is looking good. Most of the drywall work is done as well as the flooring. There is still some painting, electrical, plumbing and lots and lots of trim. We will be in this house for a while which is why our leaders Gary and Sharon are having us start there tomorrow. When we take over leadership next week, we will still have several weeks work left to complete. We will try to see the other two houses that NOMADS have started tomorrow. We are looking forward to our time here.

After meeting with Jeff we went to Pier 41 with Gary and Sharon for a late lunch. Pier 41 was one of our favorite restaurant to visit when we were here last year and it was again very good. It is a local place that does a huge business. Since we were late arriving, we could sit around and visit with Gary and Sharon after we ate since there was no longer a wait line.  We had a quiet afternoon and then it was cool enough for hot chocolate tonight. Fall has arrived! Hope everyone has had a restful and safe weekend. Be careful when you get out in the traffic tomorrow morning!