A good nights sleep after a long day of work might be one of the most satisfying combinations mankind has ever known. This time the sunrise did beat most of the team to the punch seeing as everyone’s pillow had more to offer than the sun’s warm 90 some degree embrace. It seems that no matter what time the boys arrive to the Willoughby residence, the girls are resting peacefully right up until that alarm 15 minutes prior to breakfast. In preparation for this trip it was said, “Jet lag is real!” Little do people know how important sleep is to the teenage girl.
Each morning will most likely look the same each day. Coffee is always brewing and the smell of a yummy breakfast is wafting through the halls and out the open windows. We have been properly taken care of by Debbie, the Halladay girls, Jobeth, Dawn, Lydia, and I am sure many more hands. Everyone has certainly worked themselves an appetite and not once have come close to leaving a meal dissatisfied. Jack leads those of us who aren’t dazed from lack of sleep to do our morning stretches. Some of the teens giggle at the exercises, but the atrophying muscles of the older folks are surely thankful. With all our morning routines taken care of and finally our own clothing dawned, let the work begin.
Some of the tasks we hoped to accomplish are:
- Finish pressure washing
- Finish painting entryway
- Stay hydrated
- Lay pavers for the driveway
- Ask hard hitting questions
- Finish shed destruction area
- Create raised garden bed
- Begin new shed area
- Trim the hedges
- Get rid of junk
- Obtain ice cream
A tall order to fulfill (especially that last one), but once again the team was hard-working and diligent. I’d be lying if I said we didn’t slow down a smidge, but what do you expect when it seems like the last two years Dennis picked our missions trip based on the Farmers’ Almanac hottest week of the year. The heat did seem to melt Dennis’ heart enough to let us to take a jaunt to the local ice cream shop after lunch. In all seriousness, I am going to be a broken record when talking about this team so for today I will give you three words to describe the team: hard-working, humble, and goofy. Jobs are getting crossed off the list nearly as fast as the jokes roll off the tongue and no egos are within a 10-mile radius. This isn’t news to many of us. We hope these are the common characteristics and descriptions of those of us who are in Christ Jesus. To the world, this is all foreign.
One of the neighbors said to Dan something to the effect of, “Why would they go through all the hassle of coming all the way over here to do this? Why didn’t they just send money to have professionals do the work?” Another neighbor couldn’t believe that a group of teens would be here in this historically hot heat to do work projects. As we wrapped up dinner, another neighbor stopped by the hedgerow to chat with Dan, Deb, and a number of the girls on the team. It feels like the whole neighborhood is watching what is taking place. Praise the Lord! It’s all because of Jesus! There is no coincidence that they are all out and about as much as they are. One detail I remember from being here last time is the fact that I think I saw approximately one neighbor total. This time, each hour I see a new pair of eyes peer over the freshly trimmed hedges. Pray that it would open a floodgate of conversations. Pray that those conversations would be filled with boldness to speak of Jesus. Pray that minds and hearts would be stirred because of the work taking place. Pray that we would never make this trip about all the work we’ve done, but how God would use this time to draw people to him. Lord, soften the hearts of the hardened hearts like ice cream in Berlin’s summer heat.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16
Brüder und Schwestern, danke für eure Gebete! (Yes, I am forcing you all to look this up)
Watch our vlog from the day here: