You Say It's Your Birthday...it's Lisa's birthday, too, yeah
Ok, well, TOMORROW is Lisa's birthday! TODAY happens to be one Mr. Bryan Vosseler's birthday, and we are just wrapping up a grand celebration in his honor (complete with party hats!). Thanks to Doris-Ann we also had cards and gifts and all manner of fun for his special day.
Gabe took the wearing of party hats to a special level -- stay tuned, and we will try to get a picture up some time.
(This is Julie, by the way, as your special guest blogger correspondent for the evening!)
Things are moving right along here in Mission -- it seems hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day of work here. Today had several of our folks doing different types of non-construction work (sewing dolls and pillows and curtains for children in the sewing room, working in the Thrift Shop, and helping to serve food in the warm meal program), all of which was VERY much appreciated. Our construction projects continue to move forward, too -- Giles and his team were able to finish up the work at their site, and Bryan and Dave got a great deal of work done at their site, as well. Many of the groups ended up at the church in Norris, where one of our groups has been, along with a small cadre of Episcopals from Texas. The church is already looking worlds better -- and our new Episcopalian friends were very pleased to have a great deal of help and support with the project. They have remarked several times how dismayed they had been when they arrived at the site, realizing they could not get much done with so small a number facing so much work. They have told us more than once they had just been discussing that fact when suddenly a bastion of American Baptists arrived. They said we are angels.
We said, "Yeah, we know."
Ok. We didn't. But we did enjoy having the chance to meet a new group, to work alongside them, and to share work and supplies, as well as jokes and good stories.
And the church (which really serves as a primary community center for a community that could otherwise feel very isolated) is really looking much better already.
We had a few (small) injuries today, but thanks to Beth and her willingness to drive all over South Dakota at our beck and call, everyone was patched up with no trouble!
Emmett even held a paint brush (with some help from Cindy Shupp) and got some work done!
Tonight we enjoyed another delicious dinner courtesy of our amazing chefs Jed and John (pork tenderloin, potatoes, stuffing, mixed vegetables, salad, and gravy -- yum! Followed by cake and ice cream for the birthday celebration -- remember the birthday celebration? That was how this whole thing began! -- which everyone enjoyed). After dinner, there were not two but THREE cultural events from which to choose -- folks had the opportunity to hear from Lakota Chief Hollow Horn Bear about history and about tradition, or to learn traditional Lakota hand games, or to attend a drumming session with song and dance. Personally, I enjoyed the cultural event of giving Emmett a bath in a tiny bathroom sink, but word on the street is that the events were all excellent -- and now the FBC fellowships have a great new hand game to learn and master!
Spirits here are good.
There is laughter and good humor and the promise of delicious home fries, sausage, and waffles for the morning (thanks, Dave Antonuk!), so that is good, too.
But people are also weary -- me included -- so I am going to wrap up for now and say good-night.
We'll be back with our noses to the grindstone. And then -- off to Denver on Saturday.\
Keep us in your thoughts -- we're missing you all, too!
Good night!
Gabe took the wearing of party hats to a special level -- stay tuned, and we will try to get a picture up some time.
(This is Julie, by the way, as your special guest blogger correspondent for the evening!)
Things are moving right along here in Mission -- it seems hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day of work here. Today had several of our folks doing different types of non-construction work (sewing dolls and pillows and curtains for children in the sewing room, working in the Thrift Shop, and helping to serve food in the warm meal program), all of which was VERY much appreciated. Our construction projects continue to move forward, too -- Giles and his team were able to finish up the work at their site, and Bryan and Dave got a great deal of work done at their site, as well. Many of the groups ended up at the church in Norris, where one of our groups has been, along with a small cadre of Episcopals from Texas. The church is already looking worlds better -- and our new Episcopalian friends were very pleased to have a great deal of help and support with the project. They have remarked several times how dismayed they had been when they arrived at the site, realizing they could not get much done with so small a number facing so much work. They have told us more than once they had just been discussing that fact when suddenly a bastion of American Baptists arrived. They said we are angels.
We said, "Yeah, we know."
Ok. We didn't. But we did enjoy having the chance to meet a new group, to work alongside them, and to share work and supplies, as well as jokes and good stories.
And the church (which really serves as a primary community center for a community that could otherwise feel very isolated) is really looking much better already.
We had a few (small) injuries today, but thanks to Beth and her willingness to drive all over South Dakota at our beck and call, everyone was patched up with no trouble!
Emmett even held a paint brush (with some help from Cindy Shupp) and got some work done!
Tonight we enjoyed another delicious dinner courtesy of our amazing chefs Jed and John (pork tenderloin, potatoes, stuffing, mixed vegetables, salad, and gravy -- yum! Followed by cake and ice cream for the birthday celebration -- remember the birthday celebration? That was how this whole thing began! -- which everyone enjoyed). After dinner, there were not two but THREE cultural events from which to choose -- folks had the opportunity to hear from Lakota Chief Hollow Horn Bear about history and about tradition, or to learn traditional Lakota hand games, or to attend a drumming session with song and dance. Personally, I enjoyed the cultural event of giving Emmett a bath in a tiny bathroom sink, but word on the street is that the events were all excellent -- and now the FBC fellowships have a great new hand game to learn and master!
Spirits here are good.
There is laughter and good humor and the promise of delicious home fries, sausage, and waffles for the morning (thanks, Dave Antonuk!), so that is good, too.
But people are also weary -- me included -- so I am going to wrap up for now and say good-night.
We'll be back with our noses to the grindstone. And then -- off to Denver on Saturday.\
Keep us in your thoughts -- we're missing you all, too!
Good night!
posted by Cindy @ 7:53 PM
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