Red Lake, MN – May 21-27, 2023

And it came to pass…. On Wednesday the sounds of saws cutting through layers of brick, block and insulation were heard, creating the opening for the door. The door itself was installed later that evening and we had a second entrance/exit. It was another step that we had anxiously waiting for toward the completion of the volunteer center. On Friday four new refrigerators/freezers arrived, giving more space for food.

The long-term volunteers were joined by an energetic group of eight young women from Wisconsin. Most mornings they sang a few hymns in beautiful harmony and in the evening, they often sang with accordion accompaniment. One morning they joined in a hearty rendition of “606”—a new song for quite a few in the group here. But it still sounded pretty good! One evening our Red Lake neighbor “Uncle Tim” joined us in his traditional clothing. The young women enjoyed having their pictures taken with him.

Jobs took the crew out to Danielle’s house where vinyl siding was put on to the house. After that job was completed, they began work on Claudia’s house, ripping off the siding and installing trim and new siding. Some painting was done there as well. Mosquitoes and ticks are “thick” in northern Minnesota, but most were repelled with a variety of products.

It was a week of transition for long-term volunteers as the project director headed home and another arrived. A construction supervisor also joined us. The cooks headed home and new cooks arrived. If anyone goes hungry, it’s their own fault as all have made delicious, colorful meals.

Finally, on Friday night four brave souls took up residence in the volunteer center for night. There is still much work to be done on the building. Hopefully we can sleep without drips falling on us if and when it rains. We continue to wait for the roof to be replaced and the new HVAC system installed.

From Red Lake,

Larry, Edith, Jon, Doug, Marilyn, Alice, Cody and Tim, Gene, Betsy, Jean, Simon, Jonas, Becca