Day Two- We meet the soon to be homeowner

This morning Bernadette was in charge of our morning reflection.  She has a system.  Every year just before the trip she calls her 93 year old aunt who is also a nun, Sister Aunt Mae.  They talk about the reflection.  This year Aunt Mae was saying what a perfect time of year this was for a Habitat trip, Spring..all is new. Bernadette said, "But this year nothing is new everyone who is coming on the trip has already been here before." Aunt Mae told her that there was always something new we just had to look for it.  So we set out for the day in search of something new. 

I didn't have to wait long. Just as I walked on site a woman hopped out of her car, she was so excited.  This was going to be her house!  Sarah had been watching the progress and noticed that the front yard was full of dirt and left over wood. But this morning when she drove by it had all been cleared, the wood removed and the ground leveled. We talked briefly, she works two jobs and was on her way to work.  Her daughter just graduated from high school.  It will be a time of new beginnings for her and her family. Sister Aunt Mae was right, there is always something new!

Casey

Sarah and Mike

Reflection by Jan

The theme of today's pre-work devotinal was renewal with a citation from Revelations stating that all would be made "new". Bernadette's Aunt offered the idea noting that "Easter doesn't end when the candy goes on sale." The thought resonated with me and I could not keep from thinking about it throughout the day as I mudded dry wall, trimmed out closets, and otherwise struggled with studs that aren't plumb and corners that are not square.  I enjoy working with tools, the excitement of envisaging a project and the gratification of having made something functional, and, hopefully, beautiful. But working with your hands gives you time to think, time during more mundane tasks like sanding or moving lumber, when your fingers aren't so much at risk.

This is my eighth year here in Tutwiler, and indeed everyone in this year's crew has been here before. We all know the history of the Habitat work here, the history of Dr. Brooks and the Tutwiler Clinic, and the import of the Community Center in this community. We all know about the work and we're afforded a good deal of independence in getting our assignments done. Our communal living arrangements are familiar, and most of the stories we tell are reruns we're willing to hear yet again. So the challenge that there might be something new to be gotten from being here, I thought, was right on target for our group. In part, my motivation for coming back every year is to relive and continue a very significant experience, and I like to think that my being here makes a difference - to the people here in Tutwiler, for my Sheil coworkers, and maybe even my friends and neighbors who I tell about my Tutwiler adventures. All this seems to be reason enough to continue doing this, but I have to admit, the notion of finding something "new" in the experience has given me pause. I suspect I'll be thinking about this off and on all week, but that's the beauty of coming on this trip. I don't have much doubt that I'll find an answer eventually, maybe not for a few months, but I do think I'll have to work at it, mulling things over as I work, and maybe making myself more open to see something I have not seen before - in my friends here in Tutwiler, in my co - workers, or even in myself.

JN

Casey, who has worked dutifully on this blog, concluded that it should contain a few pictures of her too.  Here is one.

Marie and Harriet staining wood trim.  It will be on the walls pretty soon.

The siding crew is making progress!

Nicole finally has her grades in and can join the fun!

This is just to prove to my young friends at St. Paul that I really am working, and not just shooting pictures.

Bill and Kristin are preparing for lunch.  Did I mention that the food is great?

The siding crew is nearing the end!  The front is almost done.  This did not seem possible yesterday.

Here are all the cabinets which will find their ways to the walls.  

Nicole is quickly making up for lost time.

Dino hanging in there.  

Almost finished!

And on to the other side!

Here is the front of the house, now that the siding crew has completed thier work.

Meanwhile, Jan is hard at work next door mudding the laundry room.

The job isn't done until clean up is finished.  Casey and Niciole are hard at work.

Charlotte installing a light fixture.  Charlotte is not afraid of heights.

This is LaShonda and her kids and nephew and niece, standing on the porch of the house we worked on last year.  I told her I knew where some of the mistakes are.  The Habitat residents love thier new homes.

Captions by John