Hello, hello, hello!!!!

Greetings from Bay Saint Louis Mississippi! Things here are going great. We all want to thank you for reading our blog and thinking and praying for us while we are spending time down here. Today we had an excellent day at the site. The house is moving along so quickly its hard to believe...unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share but we'll try and get some more up tomorrow but you will be amazed at the progress we're making. The staff from Habitat for Humanity is really incredible to watch work. They are a well oiled machine and always seem to be one step ahead of the build, knowing exactly what they need next and we've been able to keep them moving right along. They contract out electrical and plumbing work (thankfully because Fran Daly isn't with us to do the plumbing work if it was required....shout out!) but today the electricians were in the house and wired just about everything. Additionally the duct work for the central AC was started. In two short days this location has changed from a simple slab of concrete with 2X4s spread out to a structure that has interior and exterior walls and a roof and is really starting to look like a home. There also was a shed that was built, roofed, painted and completed today. We polled the team about every ones day today and at least 80% of us learned something new today which is a testament to the team we are working with.

After our work day we found a coffee shop called Gimme Coffee and were introduced to Cold Drip iced coffee which was very well received by practically all of the adults on the trip. Ice coffee is becoming a theme down here. Dinner followed and we had an opportunity to meet with Kurt who is a pastor here at Lagniappe. He explained to us about the change in focus that the church here has taken on, moving from a relief effort to a support effort. It was very interesting to hear how they felt like they had been called for a change in direction in order to support the community that they have become a very important part of. They have a long road ahead of them but are encouraged by what they have seen so far and excited to see what is on the horizon. It also was interesting to hear that they have had 5 marriages (I believe he said 5) that have come from the people who have worked together and they have specifically asked for prayers for all of the staff and they're relationships that they are nurtured and continue to grow and that they not taken a back seat to the relief efforts that are ongoing. Additionally Kurt asked we keep his wife Kelly in our prayers as she's dealing with some ongoing and potentially new medical issues.

The team is in great spirits and we have been very blessed to be safe thus far on our trip and we all ask that you continue to pray for continued health and safety.

It's late and I have an early morning full of measuring once (hopefully), hammering quickly (my blistered hands tell that story better then I can) and lots of water (although we have really been blessed with excellent weather considering we've heard stories of 110 degree weather 3 weeks ago).

Tired but gratefully yours.....
Tom

Let the Building Begin!

Hi all! Today was our first official work day and the whole team was ready to get started on the building aspect of the trip. We woke up early, well, early for all of us students that are used to getting up at noon time. After a hearty breakfast served at 6:30 we packed ourselves some lunch, got our water coolers together, and hit the road. Alex arrived safely last night so we brought 17 team members to the work site. Unfortunately Bob was still feeling ill so he stayed home to rest today, but he is eager to join in tomorrow.

When we got to the work site there was only a concrete slab and a whole lot of people milling about ready to build a house. The habitat leaders told us that by the end of the week they expected to have the house close to completion. I couldn't see how that was possible but if you look at the pictures below to see the progress we made in just day one, you will begin to see it is absolutely possible. It is amazing what a group of people who gather together in the name of Christ can accomplish, and that applies not just to building houses but everything we do.

We met a lot of interesting people at the site who were also volunteering with habitat. The woman who the house is being built for was there helping out with her children. There was also a family who took the day off from work to come help as well. Habitat had built their home not too long ago and now they like to give back by volunteering whenever they can. Two teenagers that live in the Bay St. Louis area and lived through Hurricane Katrina also came to help out. All together we were a really diverse group of people, with widely varying skill levels, that came together to create something amazing.

After a hard day of working in the sun we all came back and immediately ran for the showers to try to get clean. Being dirty all day really makes you realize how great a gift a simple shower is, something the people who lived through Katrina had to go without for a long time. We settled in for a delicious dinner, followed by group devotions led by Kevin, and finally a trip to Walmart. What day wouldn't be complete without a Walmart run, right?

As we continue on our trip please pray for:

-Continued safety on the work site and the strength to accomplish as much as we can

-Good health for Bob who is feeling better but still not 100%

-Flexibility

-Our team growing closer together as we grow closer to God

-Communication between team members to coordinate this large group

-The ability to see God's bigger plan in our trip and not just see it as a simple building excursion but as an expedition to show God's amazing grace and compassion

Each day we are memorizimg a new verse of the Bible to reflect on the attitude we should have on our trip. Today's verse was Colossians 3:23 which says:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

In Christ,

Peter

Before
After (Day 1)

All our happy faces =)

Our Team: Haven, Peter, Jim, Mike, John, Barbara, Debbie, James, Tom, Bob, Tim, Dave, Dan, Dora, Greg, Alex, Jordain, Kevin

*click on the picture for a larger version*

Hi To All Back Home,
We have had a good day. We went to church this morning and met up with friends from last year. We saw Donna whose house Frannie, Janice and Tom had worked on last year. She was so happy to see all of us. She showed us pictures of her house. It looks beautiful. I talked with her for awhile and she shared with me that Katrina changed her life in a good way. She said that God has taught her that it is through him that she is able to get things done. She used to have a hard time asking for help and because of Katrina she has had to rely on others to help her. She used to think she had to do everything on her own and that all she accomplished was of her own doing...... she now knows it is all because of God. She comes to church at Lagniappe and has a wonderful community here. She was a joy to listen to and I could see how God and the Lagniappe church have changed her life..
After church we went and enjoyed New Orleans. Some of us got a wonderful tour of New Orleans by our very own tour guide. Tom's girlfriend is from New Orleans and her parents live here. Her father (Mike Gibbs) took us on a tour of the city. He grew up here and he had so many stories to share. He took us through an old cemetary and showed us different graves and told us about the people buried there. In New Orleans people who are buried are buried above the ground and laid in these tall crypts. The water table in New Orleans is high so that is why the bodies have to be buried above the ground. As Mr Gibbs stated..."If you buried the bodies they would float!" Mr Gibbs treated us to a wonderful lunch and we had some great southern food. We had Poboys and catfish and rice and beans and of course sweet tea!!!!! Kevin and Jim and Tim and Mike visited the aquarium and then went to pick up Dora at the airport.
We are having a good time and the weather has actually been bearable. We ask that you pray that the Lord will give us patience on this trip. As Kevin mentioned yesterday we are staying at the same place but it is now being managed by another group and things are different. So far everyone has been flexible and helping out. We have made several trips to the Walmart already. We met with Habitat for Humanity today and we begin work tomorrow at 8:30. We will be working on framing a house.
Please continue to pray that we stay healthy. Bob Reed was not feeling well today so keep him in your prayers. Please pray that Alex gets her safely tonight. He is landing at 11:00 and Kevin and some other folks are off to get him. God Bless and have a good night!!
Debbie

We Made It!!!!

Hey folks. We made it to Bay St. Louis this morning without delays or problems. Smooth sailing until, that is, we arrived at what used to be Lagniappe. The facilities are run by the Lutheran Episopal Services of Mississippi and are shared by Habitat. Apparently the two don't communicate well with one another and no one was expecting us. We finally got settled and got to the task of readying ourselves for the week ahead.

The blunder of our arrival reminded us all that even though the place looks the same, things are indeed different. The transition from Lagniappe to what it is now is just about four or five weeks old and no doubt there are bugs to be worked out. And so we are resolvng to be patient in these new but not so new looking surroundings.

In many ways this is a good way to start. I kept thinking as we were headed down here that this was going to be a lot like last year. But our beginnings here are helping me to see quite clearly that this trip stands alone and apart from last year. Our team, our hosts, our expectations are all different. The gifts we bring are unique and God's agenda for us is.... well..... yet to be determined. Who knows what He wants from us? And so we wait expectantly and openly for the new and different week that lies ahead of us.

Barbara was quoting a passage from a devotional she read today from Isaiah about God doing something new. A good reminder that today and every day that follows this week is to be embraced with a spirit of expectation and an understanding that His mercies are new every morning.

Continue to pray for this team which has adjusted and flexed wonderfully thus far. Pray for the melding together of many individuals into a team. Since no one is here but us, the AC is set pretty high. To avoid the heat we are off to an AC'd movie theatre to cool off.

Pray for Alex Lucken and Dorothy Nakawunde as they travel to meet us tomorrow.

Incredibly grateful for all your prayers and support,
Kevin and the team

Team 2009!

The NPC Mississippi Team is preparing to leave this Saturday JULY 18th!

Things to pray for
- Safety with travels and work
- Opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ
- Team unity
- For Jesus to work in each of our own lives


Team members: Kevin and Debbie Campbell, Dan Kelley, John MacLeod, Jordain Cedrone, Mike Lafko, Barbara & Bob Reed, Haven & David Jones, Greg Pulsifer, Peter Hynes, Tim & Jim Perkins, Dorothy Nakawunde, James Hilton, Alex Lucken, Tom MacInnes

Mississippi Gathering!

Hey friends!!! Sunday Sept 14th at 1130...we the Mississippi Team are hosting a luncheon and report on our trip... and perhaps the current happenings post Gustov. Please join us at NPC following the service! We would love to share with you stories and pictures of our experience!