Jennings, LA – Oct. 29 – Nov. 4

We welcomed a group of eight congenial men and women from the Goshen, Indiana area Sunday evening. The temperature dropped dramatically from a hot eighty degrees Sunday afternoon to a cool rainy day in the fifties on Monday. The rain did not dampen the spirits of this group, though. Although they retreated to the warmth of the MDS center for a short time, it was not long before they headed out once more to the job site. When they returned, all the muddy jeans landed in the washing machine!

At Arthur & Brenda Nixon’s house, they finished the trusses and installed blocking and strapping. They finished the hip roof and fascia and installed back skirts. They installed the porch floor beam and installed roof sheathing and nailed wall sheathing. It looks like a house!

Some of the group worked on the Stelly house. They worked on the piers, put up girders and floor joists and framed the floor. Work is progressing at Willa Scott’s house, as well. This week the subcontractor poured the footers, MDS volunteers built the piers and the house is now ready for framing.

Thursday evening Arthur and Brenda Nixon and two of their sons joined us for supper. Brenda expressed their family’s appreciation for the help they are receiving from MDS. We enjoyed this opportunity to interact with the family.

We welcomed Steve and Christa Barth from New York as the new project director and office manager to replace Rollie Ulrich and Josie Swartzentruber.

Comments from this week:

One of the volunteers mentioned how much he enjoys working with MDS. “It is a fun thing to do and I love doing it!”

A volunteer remarked how touching it was to hear about the pathetic condition of a homeowner’s house before MDS came to help. It gave him greater appreciation for what he has.

One of the year-long volunteers enjoyed playing board games with other volunteers, especially Code Name game which helped him improve his language skills.