Paradise, CA – April 2-8, 2023

This first week of April is quite different. We have no weekly volunteers. However, Lois (Project Director), Paul Miller (Construction Supervisor), and I (Office Manager) were joined by Jonas Schmidt, an MDS year-long volunteer from Paderborn, Germany. So, the four of us are doing our best to keep things going. We have managed fairly well. Plus, we have no cook.

The 70-80-degree F. weather which was promised did not materialize; some days were nice and sunny, others were rainy. We actually had one evening when it sleeted, then rained with icy pellets, then hailed, and snowed, and finally cleared up. Strange, but spring is trying to arrive in its own way. Like Easter and the Resurrection, it is coming!

This week we focused our work on two houses:

• At the Reyes House, cabinets were moved into the kitchen area in preparation for installation. Hopefully this will happen next week. Some plumbing work was done, and the electric service was hooked up. Yeah!
• This week the Kellogg House drywall was finished off. It has been primed and is now ready for painting and the next steps. Next week we anticipate the painting will be finished and flooring laid.
• The subcontractors finished the plumbing work at the Loomis House.

Since this is a relatively short report, I will tell you a story. Lois and I were in the grocery store buying supplies for our meals. A woman saw my MDS sweatshirt, came up to me and said, “I know about you. Thank you for coming in our time of need and helping us get back on our feet. You may not know how much you are appreciated, but I am here to tell you that MDS and your volunteers are highly esteemed in this town”. I thanked her, and before I could engage further with her, she turned and left. It brought tears to my eyes, knowing that our service to God in this place was being recognized. She may have been an angel, sent to encourage us, for all I know.

Submitted by Wayne Hochstetler on behalf of the team