Wednesday, August 11, Day Three
(this message was sent by Kim Thursday a.m.)

Dear Friends,

As things always happen, we had a slight change of plans WEDNESDAY morning. The rain of the early morning cleared up, but the HOMES leaders decided they needed more help at the concrete pouring site. So we took our entire group out to the concrete site, intending to get the concrete poured early, and take our half-day off to go to a state park along the interstate border.

Unfortunately, the concrete truck driver was given incorrect directions, and arrived nearly two hours late! In the meantime we cleared out some rocks (the landscaping crew was so excited to do this), and finished preparing the wall "forms". And mostly we hung out and visited, chatted with the homeowners, told jokes, and waited.

When the driver arrived, we had a lot of work to do very quickly. Be sure to check the church website, www.hilliardpres.org, and link to the mission trip pictures. First we had to shovel or push the concrete along it's way as the truck filled the wall forms. But the truck could not reach the back wall, so we had to use a bucket brigade. It was hot, heavy work, and every one of our team was in there filling, passing, pouring, or running empty buckets back to the front.

THURSDAY, the entire group will go back to remove the forms, clean out the drainage, put down drains and gravel (another bucket brigade!), and so forth. Even with 23 of us, it will be a full day. FRIDAY we'll all go take care of cleaning up a demolition site, and that afternoon we'll be able to take our half day at the state park.

It is a wonderful thing to see the relationships that are developing among our group members, and to know that we are doing good work. The HOMES staff has been very complimentary of our group and their willingness to work hard. Our food has been wonderful, thanks to Jim & Kathe, who have also had to be very flexible as our plans change and adjust to the needs of the program.

Continue to pray that we have two more days of good weather and safe work!

In Christ's Love,

Kim and the 2004 Neon KY Mission Team

Day Three!