When You're On a VIM Trip, You Know You're in Trouble When...

When you're on a VIM trip, you know you're in trouble when...
You are a half hour into a 31.9 miles drive to the work site and you are still 30 minutes away
from it.

This morning as we headed out of Camp Hope, with our team leader Penny driving the van and me navigating (using MAP Quest type directions and everyone knows how precise they are, haha), we made a right onto Rt. 57. A half hour later, I wondered aloud that I thought we had missed a turn four miles into the trip. We finally made it to the work site, with everyone still speaking to me, thanks to the wonderful assistance from VIM coordinator Dee who gave us an alternative route using the very road we were on!

We arrived at the work site much later than planned, eager to begin. Paul, acting as project leader, handed out our assignments and we began our tasks. I'd like to say that everything went smoothly from there out. Am I laughing?

When you're on a VIM trip, you know you're in trouble when...
You are working on siding on a home and the holes you've drilled don't match up to the studs,
even though you are following exactly the directions you've received. Two hours later....

How many United Methodists does it take to put up one sheet of siding around a window? Ask Paul and Neil.

After breaking for lunch, the outlook on the siding was much improved. The measurements were figured out correctly and Serena, the woman whose home we are helping to build, seemed relieved.

Just in case you believe that everything else ran smoothly this first day on the work site, think again.

When you're on a VIM trip, you know you're in trouble when...
the site coordinator forgets to tell the two people who are roofing, Edwin and Penny, step one
in the day's roofing process; so they begin with step two.

What's the problem with that, you ask?

Everything done on the roof during the morning had to be undone in the afternoon. If you have been on a roof in 80 degree weather, you will understand how much fun that was! All that said, the site coordinator helped undo step two, helped them do step one, and all was well!

Our first day on the work site was a challenging one but a really good experience. From the time we began in the morning, the team was in good humor, worked well together, learned to hurry up and wait, became better acquainted with each other, and by the end of the day had developed a wonderful rhythm in our work together. While all our skill levels are very different, we began to gel as a team.

A plus of the day was that we met Serena. She spent the day with us, sharing her story, and helping us to understand the impact that Katrina had on her and the area. It was the beginning of a relationship that we hope to continue to nurture this week and, perhaps, beyond.

When you're on a VIM trip, you know that your blessings outweigh your troubles when you come to the end of the day and are eager to return the next. We certainly are!

A few pics from today are on the Grace Church Facebook page. You can access it by going to the webpage (http://www.gracechurchum.org/) and clicking on FB. We'll post more as we go along this week.

In the meantime, sweet dreams from a very happy Pastor and team member. (I learned to caulk today. Yay!) Tomorrow is coming all too soon.