Conroe, TX – May 25-31, 2025

On Tuesday Marcus Carlson, from TX, serving as Construction Supervisor, welcomed Don & Rachel Horst from KS who are serving as Project Director and Office Manager.  On Wed. our cooks, Rose Kilmer & Sarah Zimmerman arrived from MO as well as Year Long Volunteer, Maik Hinz, from Germany.  Sat. the other five Year Long Volunteers arrived: Katie & Jonathon Snyder from IN and from NY, Adam Blough, Mary Joyce Wise and Lucinda Shirk.  Sun. evening, our weeklong volunteer team of 8 women and two couples arrived from PA, bringing the total amount of volunteers to 22.

Work included cleaning up debris with a track hoe and skid steer for Lopez whose home was destroyed by a fire.  Holes in the floor at the Garcia house were repaired, sheeting and flooring installed as well as siding repaired.  Mudding, sanding and painting was done at the Thurman house; popcorn ceiling removed in the back bedroom and bath.  Kitchen cabinets were installed at the Hinojosa house and cabinets laid out for an island.  Popcorn ceiling and carpet were removed in the master bedroom at the Garney house, as well as mudding and sanding of the ceiling.  Flooring repair was done at the Mills house.

This week’s highlights included the privilege of celebrating Year Long Volunteer Katie and Jonathon Snyder’s third wedding anniversary and observing the interactions of our driver couples two small children with the other volunteers.  Thursday evening Mike from “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” shared about their project of distributing beds and bedding to children in the county that do not have a bed of their own to sleep in.  Statistics show that children’s grades greatly improve when they have their own bed.  Everyone enjoyed some lively card games in the evenings and the yummy meals prepared by our first time MDS cooks, Rose & Sarah!

Next week, we plan to continue working on the bedroom at the Garney house as well as begin demo work in the bathroom, finish painting and trim work on the Thurman house.  At the Mills house, complete the floor repairs.  Weather permitting, we’ll finish loading the debris at the Lopez lot.

Reporting for the Conroe team, Rachel Horst