Jennings, LA – Feb. 26 – Mar. 4, 2023

This week we had two groups of young men from Wisconsin and New York. Two of them brought their families, so we enjoyed some children as well. The weather cooperated very well. Since three of the jobs were all in the same two blocks in Welsh, the place was ringing with hammers, nailers, and saws. Workers were borrowing tools, electricity, and materials, teasing each other about what each took from the other, and vice versa. Through it all, the boys helped us get an estimated several weeks’ work done.

This is Terry Prudhomme’s house. He has been helping the crews frame the addition (kitchen), roof and side it, tear off old siding from the main house and replace it with new. There was plenty of rotting wood on the outside, so Bryant and crew replaced a bunch of that. Electrical work got done, as well as plumbing and window repairs.

Kitty corner across the lot, Bobby Vital’s house was getting new siding. Amish girls came from the camp in Lake Charles to paint it, then the boys from Wisconsin and New York nailed it in place. The house looks almost new!

At Veronica’s house on the next lot over, Dave led the crew in stripping down the master bedroom and reworking the walls. Trim went in and walls were prepared for painting. Ceiling tiles went up, and doors were hung. The washer and dryer had to be moved, so plumbing and electrical changes were made as well. This coming week the house should see some paint.

Away in Iowa (Louisiana), Doug and crew were busy putting the final touches to Pam Parker’s windows even as we all filed in to dedicate her house. Pam waited a long time for that moment, so it was moving to be there to see it to completion. The Mayor of Iowa was there, as well as the two Darren’s from MDS headquarters in Lititz, PA. We had been given a wall hanging straight from church members who had sent a representative down about three weeks ago, to work on Pam’s house.

The following day, we dedicated a second home in Iowa, belonging to Sheryl Benoit, a pharmacy assistant who had put all her FEMA money into fixing her roof but had nothing left with which to repair the inside of her home. She is so grateful to be back in a clean, dry shelter with her beautiful dogs.

On Friday evening we welcomed in our new cook for the week, Rita Friesen. Saturday we had to say good bye to Dave and Marian Mininger and Judy Schmidt, whom we have enjoyed being with for the last month. Ed Martin arrived to take Dave’s place as crew leader. So we are preparing for our last month at Jennings, at least for this season. We’ll see what happens in fall!

Submitted by Christa Barth on behalf of the Jennings team