Art's Thoughts

It has been a day back at normal life, already I miss last week. We were all tired, and all sore. We also did great things. Looking back it was an amazing week. To give it some numbers. We removed and recycled well over 3200 lbs of metal, most of it copper and iron (we got about 750$ towards the new plumbing from this). We filled two 30 cu. yard dumpsters, these are 8ft wide, 22ft long, and 6ft deep. We tore down two porches. We parged (rough stuccoing) walls using between 8-10 mixer loads of mortar. Each load was 94lbs of cement, 25lbs of lime, 15-20 gallons of water, and 27 shovels of sand. We replaced gutters and framed walls on a families house. All in all pretty amazing for 12 people. The shelter/training center when complete will support 5-6 families for about 60 days for each family making a real difference in peoples lives.

We also learned a lot about each other, morning people, night owls, shower hogs, musicians, gamers, geeks, book nuts, among other qualities. But by the end of the week we became a pretty tight community. We look at each other differently when we meet at church on sunday knowing that together with God's help we made a difference.

We also owe so many people our thanks for this trip it is hard to list them all, if I miss anyone I truly apologize, it is not intended.

At Fuller Center New Jersey Pines:

Neil - Our construction lead, teacher, and guardian angel. We owe you big time!

Merle - Our spiritual leader.

Pastor Gary - For vision, hope, and help.

Lord of Life Church - For a great place to stay, eat, and get cleaned up

Redeemer Lutheran - For a place with AC to eat, got us through a couple of really hot days.

Theresa - Thanks for the drive when we were in a tight spot.

At Bethel Lutheran

Everyone - For your prayers for our efforts, keeping us safe.

Cooks - All the food folks made was incredible

Food Donations - It is a huge help to not have to shop when you are hot and tired, your donations are very appreciated.

Peggy - For helping us keep track of things.

Book Donations - Your books and donations helped us do this trip and the books we didn't sell went to McKays and the credits will be used to get kids books for the preschool

Parents - Thank you for your faith and trust in us.

Pastor Jeff - For you spiritual leadership, hard work, and massive help in resolving the CDL issue.

Sharon (my wife) - For all the work you did in arranging all of this. Great job.

Jim Anderson - For all your skill, and your deep perspective on builds of this type.

The Youth

Aly, Danny, Peter, Jack, Olivia, EmmaLeigh, Nick, Ian (our EMT). You all worked so hard during the build, pushing through being tired and sore most of the time. You watched out for each other, kept each other safe. You worked as hard as any adult but you kept us going with your sense of fun (maybe some day radiator throwing will be an olympic sport). The spirit of Christian caring that you show is something I will keep with me always, you are all welcome on any build I am on, I would be honored.

Saturday

As the week finally draws itself to a close, we had to say goodbye to the house that had brought us a week of hard work and reward. Though we were not awaken in the usual manner (instead we were shouted at, politely, by Ian) we soon got out the door and moving. We ended up having the longest 15 minute car ride I think I have ever been on. We arrived at a very normal home and the only thing that gave it away as our 'new' job sight was the trailer parked out front. We were greeted by a very polite woman, thanking us as we began our work to help her build a handicapped bathroom for her son. We tore down (and putting back up) gutters, putting in floor boards, and building a wall. Seeing as we destroyed most of the week, it was odd to build...

As we sit here in the church I am reminded of the hospitality of the people we have just barely met (and probably never meet again) and there joy in helping as we gave. I have all ways known that the holy spirit can work wonders all around us, but I never thought I would be a part of it.

God bless,

Jack Hill

It is only fitting that on this, the glorious day of Friday the 13th, that I, Nick Flowers, received my first "injury" this entire trip. While I was prying a board from the newly demolished porch roof (rock on), it snapped upwards and struck me in the jaw, jarring my brain and loosening a few of my teeth. However, I have been assured by my cousin, full-time EMT, partner in house demolition, and co-author of this particular blog, Ian Freas, that I will be perfectly fine.

Especially since I, Ian Freas, advised him he had no brain to damage.

Shut up, Ian.

We on Demo Squad have devised a simple and elegant motto: "We are Demo Squad. We destroy everything. Even the tools."

Nick you have taken our motto just a little to far. You aren't supposed to destroy yourself!!! Forgive him folks; he has been hit on the head way to much.

I think that blow to the face actually knocked the part of my brain loose that lets me make grammatical sense. Murglefluff Banana Ping!

Now Nick has lost what little was left of his mind. We better go before I have to get the men in white coats.

Puddles do not ask for why! Has anyone really been far even as decided to even go want to do look more like?!?! PORKCHOP SANDWICHES!!!

Well now I have to call the nice big men in white coats and catch my delusional cousin, who, interestingly enough, is on the roof in a kilt, screaming, "Porkchop sandwiches" at the top of his lungs. Goodnight and God bless folks.

- Nick Flowers and Ian Freas, signing off.

Thursday

It finally happened today. The side porch has successfully been ripped of the side of the house and demolished. That was basically Demo Team's goal for this trip. It felt like chasing Moby Dick, only instead of getting dragged underwater, we tore him off the side of a house. The rain cooled the air today, but it didn't slow any progress at all, because we're just that good. Half the group, however, was in the basement where the lights made the area extremely hot, cutting pipes and wires, but mainly focusing on parging. The fresh air (along with the rain) was very rewarding when coming up from underground. It was a fantastic day. Lots of hard work got done, and the thrill of the hunt was experienced by all.

- Nick and Alyssa

Wednesday

It was very nice being able to wake up later than the crack of dawn this morning... 8:00

Upon arrival at Six Flags, we were greeted by a NJ DMV officer who explained that our van was not being legally driven because crossing state lines requires a CDL. After a couple of hours, Art had sorted the issue out and we were good to go.

A driver had to be hired for the rest of the driving that needed to be done.

Art here: While the DMV thing was a hassle there was a good part to it. Along the way we were amazed by the kindness of the folks around us. Neil our construction supervisor is our guardian angel. He managed to find someone with the "right" license to drive the van, drove the person up, and drove us over to the pizza place. He then hooked us up with the folks at Upper Crust Pizza , first off their pizza is way good, second they gave us a break on the pizza, way nice folks.

The ironic part of all this is that the DOT.gov site indicates that we didn't really need a CDL. We are going to have to work that with friends in government to resolve this.

All this though was secondary, all the youth had a great time, they stayed together and had a lot of fun riding the rides, it was a nice break from the work, and as Pastor reminded us there is a time for everything, tomorrow the team will be back at it on the house, they will be tearing down a large porch and doing a lot of parging. They really are working hard, everyone of them.

p.s. Ask the youth about the burping contest

Tuesday

The day began with a slow awakening, everyone groggy and tired. As soon as we got to the house, everyone began working hard. One group cutting pipes with 150 old water, another clearing out a entire room, and the last destroying a porch. The group cutting the pipes got extremely dirty from the water while the second group had a few laughs watching the last group rip the porch off with a truck. After a fairly productive morning, a new job had to be done, clearing hourse plaster off the wall. This plaster is full of horse hair and, when falls in your hair becomes messy. After the DE-plastering was finished the next job was to haul buckets of cement up to(that is, haul DOWN cement) and begin to reinforce the walls with mortar, a messy task to say the least. At the same time pipes were being cut, plaster coming down, and rooms being destroyed. Then came the fun part: destroy a bathroom. People got to smash a sink, a toliet, and the walls around it with a sludge hammer. The floor was covered with broken porcelain and, well, sawdust.

- Jack and Emmaleigh

Monday

It's only the start of our week and we've already had what I believe to be some of the most cleansing experiences of our lives. Today consisted entirely of demolition, kicking down walls and smashing old radiators to pieces with crowbars and 5-pound sledgehammers. I swear, never has there existed a more stress-relieving activity. We even invented a game today! Whoever can throw the pieces of the demolished radiators the farthest out the window towards the dumpster wins! It's the most fun you've never had! Fun though it was, it was still an exhausting day, and collectively, we must've gone through about 9,000 bottles of water and gatorade. It was perhaps a more thrilling experience than it should of been to go home and feast on sloppy joes, and I think we're all fixed to pass out before 11:00 tonight. I'm pretty sure that means we're off to an awesome start. Whoohoo. :P

- Nick and Olivia

We're Here!

We had a good drive to New Jersey with some napping and goofing around on the bus and a stop at Wendy's for dinner.

Everyone here gave us a very gracious welcome. We met the pastor of Lord of Life where we are staying, the pastor of Redeemer (the church that owns the house we will be working on), our construction supervisor Neil and his wife Merle, and other members of the team here who are very involved with disaster recovery and building mission trips. Their group has done over 100 trips like this!

We had a nice devotion led by Pastor Jeff and everyone is crashing for the night now. Wake up is at 6 am tomorrow and Sharon has promised to torture anyone who doesn't get up by singing them awake - eek!