Day 3 – Monday
Today was a great day! We spent most of the day tearing off a roof and gutting the inside of a house that has been vacant since Hurricane Maria in 2017. It was a mess, to put it mildly. termites had eaten most of the wooden interior walls. The team worked so hard, I (Pastor Dan) can honestly say that I have never led a church team where everyone dove in and worked like this one. The teens on the trip were superstars today, removing roof panels, hauling them away, tearing down interior walls and hauling a house worth of junk outside to be disposed of. They were great!
Laurie Kleven is going to share a bit more about the day and their experience so far.
Laurie – What a fabulous day today of team work and seeing hope restored! The team arrived at the house and as Dan said, everyone jumped in and worked with so much enthusiasm. I was so impressed with the chaos of the demolition and clean up, all of us cramped in a tiny house, but worked in perfect harmony. God was truly in our midst!
Lucy was the woman who would be moving back into the home when complete. She came to the house briefly and we got to hear her story. She was born and raised in that house. Then she married and raised her 4 children in that house as well. Hurricane Maria devastated the home and they were forced to leave. During covid she lost her husband and has been living since then in government assisted housing. It was so beautiful to see this woman. She lost her home, her husband and kids now grown, completely alone have hope restored. You could see it written all over her face.
Bridget, on our team, had an opportunity to interview a neighbor and childhood friend of Lucy.
She was moved with tears explaining what it meant to the community. She said she could feel the Spirit moving, touching her arm grinning ear to ear.
People move me and what a day of seeing what God is doing.