You would think that I was here in Berlin a mere 2 years ago I would remember what the experience was like. Obviously I remember the big details such as the schnitzel for dinner, the long trek in Donatello the van to Ukraine, and the many laughs and smiles with the Willoughby’s. One thing I didn’t remember was how early the sun rises. The sun was glaring down through the windows at a ripe 4:30ish AM. Most of the boys had beaten the sun to the punch and were milling about ready to begin the day, but the sun was not down for the count by any means as many of our necks can attest. Though the sun was determined to leave it’s mark, we began our work around the Willoughby’s house.
Some of the tasks we hoped to accomplish are:
- Pressure washing the roof and sides of the house
- Tearing down the shed + building a new one
- Landscaping/Gardening
- Painting the entryway
The general goal is to refresh the whole property. Some began the day in full destruction mode with drills, sledge hammers, and brute force. Before you know it, the shed was no more. Weeds began to be pulled, trees started getting trimmed, and soil turned over to prepare for flowers. The back and forth of sandpaper on drywall could be heard in the entryway below the towering scaffolding and the pressure washer’s steady hum resounded high and low. You could see the outer layers of grime and decay begin to shed. It’s pretty incredible to see what the actual property looks like after years and years of wear and growth. After the small and slow build up over time that you don’t even realize. On the roof the moss built up, and the moss began to collect the pine needles from the tree above. It doesn’t take much, simply some water and force to watch exterior build up to wash away. Sometimes it takes some fierce teens, possibly with pent up anger, and a sledge hammer to tear down structures that are falling apart. Sometimes it takes gentle pruning, and sometimes it takes ripping and digging to pull out invasive weeds and dead plants. It is hard for me not to stand back and the end of a day like today and not think metaphorically. What grime has build up in our lives? What weeds are suffocating the good fruit from appearing in our lives? Have we been washed clean and do we continue to bath in God’s grace? What needs torn down or ripped out from our way of living?
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:1-4
Whether we are talking about a physical house or we are talking about our hearts, both require hard and diligent work, which this team seems exceptionally gifted in. There are so many tasks to accomplish and many moving parts. The team powered through the intense heat dressed in our Lufthansa sponsored attire to get so much accomplished. Many of you reading this may have even forgot that we began our first day luggage-less and some… shower-less. But alas, as the afternoon rolled around so too did our bags roll around to us. With that boost to our morals, we worked from breakfast to dinner and then some. The team continues to live up to the E429 motto as once again it would be really easy to be frustrated and impatient with one another given the head and exhaustion. Our devotion for the day was in 1 Corinthians 12 and everybody lived out this passage. Each one stepping into what the Lord has for them and using their skills as valuable members of one body. Continue to pray for the team as there doesn’t look to be any break from the heat for a few days. Pray that we would remain anchored to the true vine. Pray for strength and energy as we continue to fulfill the projects we set out to complete. Pray for wisdom as many people organize these tasks and moving parts. Pray for the neighbors of the Willoughby’s also. As we worked throughout the day, almost every neighbor had a glance over the fences or hedges at the ongoing work. One neighbor even offered gardening advice to Jackie as she and the team were planting in the garden beds. Pray that this week would lead to spiritual conversations and pray for more opportunities to showcase God’s goodness to the neighbors.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for following along and for praying!
To watch the vlog for the day, head to the link below.