FEMA Trailers Set!

We were told by FEMA, while we were in MS, that because our team had done such a wonderful job of clearing the work sites of debris, that they would be able to set the trailers for temporary housing much sooner than expected.

We received word today that FEMA began setting the trailers yesterday!! Families can now begin the process of moving back into Smithville! :)

Homeward Bound

Having put in four hard days of work, at 9 different work sites, in record high temps for Mississippi, our team boarded the bus for the long ride home to Arizona.

One of the neatest things to see on a mission trip is how relationships are formed and bonds made. We left just barely knowing each other, but came back as a family, with memories and bonds that will go on, long past this trip. The trip to Mississippi was reserved and mostly quiet, with everyone sitting mostly together as families. The ride home to Arizona was totally different! Everyone was spread out, people were playing games, watching movies, and laughing with each other. We left as individual families, but returned as one BIG family!

Everyone on this trip did such an amazing job of enduring long bus rides, miserable working conditions, heat exhaustion, and in just dealing with each other in general. What a great team!

Day Four

Today was our last day to work, before heading back to AZ. The guys finished up the work for Mr. Estes, and the women and children worked at Sav-A-Life, sorting clothes and donations. They also worked on getting the church vans that we've been using all week, cleaned out.

As you can see, our team has been working REALLY close together at times! :)

Here's a picture of the guys and Mr. Estes, after the job was finished at his home.

Dana and the Sav-A-Life team bought Bill's Hamburgers for the team for lunch. The team loved them! Bill's is a staple in Amory, MS, and I always have to stop by for one, when I come home to visit.

Later in the afternoon, we all met up for a bus ride into Tupelo, MS to shop a little at the mall and to enjoy a catfish buffet at Cravin' Catfish. This was eatin' like most of the team had never experienced. We all had a great time and left as full as ticks!

Tomorrow, we begin the trip back to AZ, so keep us in your prayers!

Day Three

Day three proved to be a tough day for a handful of our team members. Several were sick and throwing up in the morning, from heat exhaustion. Mississippi has seen record temps this week. Luckily by the end of the day, most were back to feeling well and enjoying their time here.

There were two work sites that our team would be working on. The first was a city block, in downtown Smithville, where the houses were gone, but debris still needed to be removed.

The second site was the home of Mr. Estes. He had lost his parents, and Aunt in the tornado. The siding on his home needed to be replaced. Someone had donated the soffit for the siding, and he just needed someone to put it up for him.

Pastor Joey divided our team up into two crews to go and work these sites.

Later in the day, the team that had been working on the city block, moved over to the warehouse to sort clothes, while the crew installing the soffit continued to work on Mr. Estes' home.

As always, with this bunch, a little fun was in order.

The FEMA rep who was in the area, told Pastor Joey that our team had done such a wonderful job cleaning up the fields on Monday, that they would be able to bring in the trailers for temporary housing much sooner than expected! Praise the Lord!