Eight Days of Hope

This past May, my girlfriend and neighbor Emlee and I (aka Loud and Louder...guess which one I am!)went on our first evah mission trip. (She lives through the wine trail, but that is for another post.)

 It took us to New Bern, NC. with the Eight Days of Hope, along with 1,750 other volunteers from 42 states. 

 There were families with children still living in tents from the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Who knew help was needed in our own back yard almost a year after that hurricane blew through?

 After setting up camp in 250 mile an hour winds gale winds, we got settled in for the night. We were excited to be going to tear up some stuff help with whatever we could the following morning.

We were not sure what to expect but one of the things we learned early was that flexibly was key...thus this guy! Gumby! Remember him? 

(who the hell talked me into this)

The days started early.....and on our first day Hurricane Burl blew in and all work was canceled. We holed up in Emlee's truck waiting for who knows what the storm to pass. After a few hours of that we headed for the hills for the nearest hotel to get wine out of the rain! The next morning we headed back to camp to dump the water out of the tent and regroup still hoping to tear up some stuff do some good. 

 And we wound up with the most amazing folks in the world to work with! It was like we had known each other all our lives! Blue Tee Shirts were all over the town! We were there to paint Miss Bertha's house.

Miss Bertha has not been able to live in her house since the hurricane and she was so overwhelmed with joy that we were there to tear up the place help! She was really looking forward to coming back home.

Emlee rocks the roller...her first time painting. She was awesome!

 Rob...what a great smile he has! And he's dashing!

 Rhonda....funny girl! Don't mess with Rhonda! 

 Tina...the sweetest of the sweet! She gets things done!

And lastly Pat, the best BOSS MAN anyone could evah have!

Our team even made the 5 and 6 o'clock news! Shocking I know! 

It was five long hot days...  but it was also five of the most life changing days of my life. I got far more out of this trip  than I gave and I was humbled. It is pretty amazing when 1,750 folks can come together, putting all their differences aside to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Next year I plan on going for all eight days!  I asked someone while I was there why it was called Eight Days of Hope and I was told that in the Bible seven means completion and eight means new beginnings. This was a new beginning for me!