Planning and Endurance

Originally the plan was for sheet rocking.  Well that hasn't happened yet because of all of the rain.  The plan continues to evolve and change with each day.  The priority for the day was to get the shingles on the roof.  That sounded possible for our house, House #3.  House #2 isn't too far behide as it is very similar in design (both 1 story).  House #1 is a 2 story design.  The trusses weren't up yet.  However, by the end of the day, with lots of modified plans and lots of endurance by a lot of volunteers, there are singles on most of House #2, House #3 is about half done and House #1 is gaining with some sharing of volunteers from House #2 and House #3.  Are you confused yet?  And what has become the usual, it rained again.  We waited out the showers.  Then went back to playing in the mud.

I spent time today with Tom Deur and other working on the roof while Amy worked closely with his wife, Sally, cutting shingles, passing us tools, supplies and listening to us yell lots of numbers, as we were shingling.  Tom and Sally are wonderful people who raised some really wonderful sons.  In their construction business, they have done and seen almost everything.  One son now run the business which has expanded and has grown to be a well respected construction company.  But they all continue to come every year to the Blitz Build site.  As Tom put it, "I meet really great people, and can teach others stuff they might never learn."  They have been coming for over 10 years to these builds.

Did we tell you about Omer from No. Chelmsford.  Yup, just up the road No. Chelmsford.  Maybe that will be for another blog.

At lunch break, we were all asked how many years people had been coming.  It was amazing.  For some of the volunteers, this was there first time, but there were many with 10, 15 and 20 or more years.  That is true dedication and endurance.  Not just the physical endurance for the 10 days that these blitz builds usually are for, or the mental endurance to stay focused, safe and watching out for others on the site, but the endurance to continue to care about others.  To want to be part of helping make a better life for someone else.  I'm sure that your continuing prayers for all them is welcomed and appreciated.  Thank you and good night from Ft. Wayne.