At the End of Day 1

   So, at the end of day 1 there are mixed emotions.. While I have truly enjoyed being able to help out the families we have helped and the experience is unforgettable, I can't help but have a heavy heart for these individuals. All of the families we helped today seemed to fair rather well through the storm, all of them had trees down, and some had minor roof damages, but compared to some others they did alright. Just traveling from town to town today though showed how crazy these storms can be. There could be four houses completely leveled, and one right in the middle of them unharmed.

   My heart is heavy tonight for the many people who have lost everything in this storm, some even including their life. A house we drove past this afternoon had nothing but a concrete slab and an old dented automobile out front with a piece of wood leaned against the front with names written on it. The makeshift tombstone was a very sobering sight. Another home had also been completely destroyed and a few yards from the pile of debris there was a lonely dog still tied to a tree. Seeing some of the destroyed houses on our travels we found ourselves saying short audible prayers for their families.

   Everyone that we made contact with today was so gracious for our coming! We were able to help a lot of people today who wouldn't have been able to do, or be able to hire anyone to do, the work that we helped them with. We also were able to give out some of our cookies and even some watermelons to the locals who were all very excited to have them. The last house we worked at today, the gentleman told us before we left how good the cookies were and that he was very thankful!

   It was a great feeling today to know that we were being the Christians that God has called us to be... Don't confuse that with me saying we are perfect.. Everyone knows that's not the case... But that we are doing what we are called to do, Go. And Be. the Church!

   No offense to Church of God...
A man told us today that he was So impressed with the Baptist denomination, he and his wife have been going regularly to a Church of God church here locally and that they had done very minimal for their church body, while on the other hand Baptist churches had shown up from everywhere to help he and his wife. Not that I think there should be denominational competitions, but being a Baptist, it is always good to hear that we are doing God's work.

   Well, goodnight readers. Continue to pray, pray, pray.. I can't put into words some of the sights we have seen today.