Welsh, LA – RV – March 19-25, 2023

Well, it has been a times of lasts here in Louisiana!  Last week we cleaned at Jacob’s house and we continued to work at Chris’ house.  We installed paneling and ceiling fan in main bedroom.  We painted and trimmed the front bedroom, boxed in the living rooms and installed hardy board on all sides of the house.  We caulked windows and hardy board, hung cabinets in the main bathroom, and replaced the ceiling fan in the main bedroom.  We put crown molding up in the bedroom, replaced paneling in the bedroom and living room.  We replaced carpet in the bedroom, painted the Hardy board siding and replaced part of the paneling in the family room. Thursday afternoon, we had a house blessing at Jacob and Asher’s house.  This home has been much improved and will be a very safe and secure house for Jacob and Asher.

On Thursday night we had our last pot luck dinner and were blessed to be joined by Phil and Loretta Helmuth.  Phil shared with us the history of MDS in this area and told us of hopes for the future.  Friday morning, we had our last breakfast out and were majorly blessed in the evening with a dinner in our honor by the Welsh Presbyterian Church.  This church has been a great encouragement to us during our time here.  Saturday, as a group, we went to McGee’s Swamp Tours and got to see the alligators.  Our guide was very inter-active with the alligators and they put on quite the show for us.  Sunday we attended the early service at the Methodist Church in Lake Charles where our own, Phil Helmuth was speaking.  This is the church that has housed the Disaster Aid of Ohio group.  Afterwards we had lunch at the Church of Christ in Jennings.  This is where the traditional project has been housed for the last several years.  They too have been a great supporter of MDS and have fed us a lot of rice, gumbo and jumbalyia.

Monday and Tuesday we finished up at Chris’ house and held a house blessing there on Monday afternoon.  His sister commented that people are talking about “the new house” in the neighborhood!!!

We are all getting ready to leave later this week for home.  It is always a bittersweet time to know we are going home to our own families and churches, but it is always hard to say “see you next time” to our MDS family!!

So, until next time,

Duane and Jean, Bob and Cyndi, Dave and Karen, Roxanna and Joe, Lee and Kathy, Jim and Linda, Sieg and Elenore