After Hour Activities

The hotel had a hospitality suite that the volunteers could congregate in after a hard day.  These are a few of the friends that we made.  The couple in the 3rd picture from the top, actually brought their 2 children with them.  They would alternate at the site and entertaining the kids.  It was great to see and know that this kind of giving and caring was starting at a young age.

Pictures from Day 9

So what happened to Pictures from Day 8.  I'm not sure.  We were pretty busy and I must have forgotten to take any.  So the end came on Day 9.  The rented scaffolding came down, and each house, in order from top down, #3, #1, #2, were in various stages of completedness.  At lunch break we had extra prayers, a special meal (fried chicken, cole slaw and potato salad) and then an individual presentation to each of the home owners in their new home.  The rocking chair was sign by those who worked on each house and the owners could use them on their front porches.  As with other dedications we have been on, this is a very emotional time for all.  One of the volunteers had written on one of the wall studs, "Rock slowly, pray slowly, enjoy the view and remember we did this because we care"

Time to go home.

Pictures from Day 7

Ah, the sun.  Do you think maybe the mud will dry out?  Don't count on it.  Great progress is made today.  Roofing and house wrap and siding and windows and doors and more details were accomplished.  Because of the rain delays, we were told that the adjusted goal was to get each house dried in.  In other words, to the point where plumbing and electrical rough-in, insulation and dry wall could be done.

Then it was off to the Botanical Garden for dinner.  On the menu, BBQ ribs of course.

Pictures from Day 6

Maybe this was the day that it was suppose to rain starting at 10am and continue for the rest of the day.  It rained so much.  But everyone was smiling and laughing and having fun doing more of God's work.  We did get a lot done.  The pictures, order from top to bottom, our house #3, house #1, and house #2.

Pictures from Day 5

It was suppose to rain all day (I think).  But we managed to work in between the rain drops.  Then it cleared off an this was the sun set.  What wonders and beauty.  By the way, because Fort Wayne is on the very Western side of the Eastern Time Zone, the sun doesn't set until late in the day.  There weren't too many of us that actually ever saw the whole thing because we were usually asleep.  I just happen to catch this while saying good night to Lois.

Yeah! Our Day Off

We had a day off on Sunday.  Most of the 60 plus volunteers didn't waste any time going out and doing something.  There was the Auto Museum.  There was the Cathedral.  There was the Botanical Garden were our Wednesday dinner would be held.  There were walking paths along the 3 three rivers that make there confluence in Fort Wayne (a very strategic location during the civil war).  And the Fort.  And the BBQ Rib Fest.  And so many other things to do and see.

We decided to take in the BBQ Rib Fest and a walk on the paths along one of the rivers.  While walking to the Fest we found that the Fort was open with free admission.  The following are some of the sights along the way.

Picture(s) from Day 3

It doesn't look like much has happened today.  Look closely.  The main house and roof are sheathed, the porch roof is up and sheathed and there is ice shield on the edge of the roof.  What slowed us was the discovery that the gable end wall of the garage (very right hand side) was not plumb.  It took a lot of thinking, planning, grunting, sweating and endurance to get it pulled (with a Come-Along) into its proper position before we could sheath that part of the garage.  What you can't see is that almost all of the interior walls have also been built.  Oops, the shower/tub that was delivered was for a right hand installation (drain on the right side), but the plumbing was set up for a left hand unit.

Notice in the background that the second floor walls of the 2 story house is taking shape.