Monday - Cool, Damp Day!

Ken had a rather restless night (he said someone in our room was making some unusual sounds - who could that be?) and only got up at 6, the same time I made an appearance!  It is a whole different way of getting ready when you have to go to a bathroom and shower area outside of your room. I forgot how hard it is to dry your feet and put on clothes when the floor in the shower area is very wet!!!!

We were at breakfast by 7:30 (which meant we were on time - yeah!) and it was delicious with so many options.  Then it was off to another area for our formal orientation (they have rules that we have to follow - imagine that?).  From there we walked to the Depot to get another orientation of what is available for us to do here this week and how it needs to be done.  We were also able to sign-up to leave the property and go out into the area to help with needs like sorting clothes at thrift stores, cleaning homes of the elderly, playing bingo with the elderly, painting projects, etc.  

You aren't able to see how large this warehouse actually is!

Just a small section!

Here we are learning about the jobs that are available and
then we got to choose what we wanted to do!

Different churches or organizations send filled disaster relief buckets and school kits to this facility and our job is to go through them to make sure that have the property items in them.  Today Ken helped go through the disaster relief buckets to make sure the items were not moldy or leaking.  Unfortunately, some of the sponges put inside were not the proper kinds and they had gotten moldy and needed to be replaced.  I helped with the school kits and where we took all the items out of the material handmade bags making sure all the items needed were there and of the right size and quantity.  Each day we work from 9:00 to 11:30 and then from 1:00 to 3:30.  It is amazing how much gets accomplished in those time frames and all the new people you meet.

One area where they were working on the school kits!
Behind them they are doing the disaster cleaning buckets!

Burt, Pat, and I, plus numerous other folks worked on
school kits in a different area that was more climate controlled!

Ken worked with these folks on the buckets!

After our afternoon work session, we checked out the gift shop and then our small group met for devotions.  Then back to our rooms where I had time to do my devotions and work on this blog before dinner.  The food here is excellent but today's weather was very chilly and so damp.  Looking forward to warmer weather the rest of the week, but some rain is expected.

Our group from Edgewater elected me to represent them for the organizing of the Vesper Service on Thursday evening.  There is one person from each of the 6 teams who met to plan the service during dinner this evening.  I will be the worship leader that evening and will sing in the small choir we are hoping to organize.  It should be a good experience.

After the meeting, 6 of us met to play Hand and Foot, all from our team.  What a fun time.  Back to our room by 9 to finish this blog and go to bed.  It has been a busy, but great day!

Just a footnote - There are about 67 volunteers here this week from Texas, Florida, and Ohio, but people are really from all different states - example, we are here with the team from Florida, but we are PA residents!