HS Mission Trip Day 2 - LOVE

Another great day at the work site today!  We were blessed to have no rain and that is very helpful when you are trying to put on a new roof.  As you will see from some of the pictures this roof is bad shape but hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow there will be a new roof on the entire house.  On Sunday night Curt and I had the opportunity to look through some projects that Cluster 13 has for the summer and since this is the first week they are in operation this summer none of the projects had been started.  As we were looking through them Ernie and Linda’s house was not on the top of our list for a couple of reasons but on Monday morning when Tom (the head construction guy for Cluster 13) showed up he told us that he thought that we should take a look at this house and so here we are.  There are a number of projects that need to be done on this house but one of the best things that has happened is that our students have had the opportunity to get to know Ernie and Linda and engage in some meaningful conversation with them and that is what this week is all about and I am so thankful that God had this all planned out for us before we even got to Camden and God didn’t let Curt and I mess up his plans as we were looking through the list of projects; GOD IS GOOD!

I know that we will come home with more stories about Ernie and Linda but the some of the students wanted to share some of their experiences with you so that you could get to know them as well.

We often presume that those who are less fortunate are not as content or jovial; nevertheless, this is simply not true. Ernie and Linda DelaRoche exemplify generosity, kindness, and love, and it is a pleasure to dedicate our work to their wellbeing.  It is even harder to imagine that they will have to choose between medical care, food, and heating- items that the more fortunate often take for granted.    To persevere through these hardships is truly valiant, and we are grateful to be serving such people in God’s name. 

Ernie and Linda are always happy to hold a conversation with anyone willing. Today, I talked with Linda and we ended up discussing our previous night’s sleep. We both had good nights of sleep; however, the more enjoyable part was seeing how happy she was to hold a discussion on a matter as simple as sleep. Later in the day, Ernie asked my permission to climb the ladder and watch the action taking place on the roof. He told me how he is probably too old and is afraid of heights, but he was itching to watch and help in any way possible.

Through working at Ernie and Linda’s house today I realized that people who don’t have a lot are often very generous. Linda is so grateful for us fixing her house and she wants to give something in return but the only she can offer up is coffee. Even though that was all, we saw how much she cared and it meant a lot that all the hard work we were doing for them was appreciated and recognized. A little act of kindness goes a long way. Ernie always wanted to help, for instance when we needed nails he immediately went and found just the right ones. Ernie and Linda both show their thanks and it makes the work much easier to do. 

Please leave comments because i will pass your messages on to the students!