Western North Carolina Mission Trip | Day 2: A Face Behind the Work
Well, we survived another day. And it was such a good day.
We woke up to the smell of biscuits and gravy (it really is nice having two chefs with us), and then we ventured back out to the work site.
It was Groundhog Day today. So the morning consisted of…
Sand
Rest
Mud
Rest
In the afternoon, other projects started to get on the way at the house. A group put in the insulation beneath the house, and others started to do some painting.
The biggest joy of the day was we got to meet the woman who’s house we are working on. Ms. Catalina was so kind and gracious to us. Her spirit was so warm. For the past two years she has been living in a trailer and could never imagine she would be getting a house like this. You could feel the gratitude coming from her. And for us, it was so great to but a face to the person we are serving, so that with every paint stroke, every stroke of the sander, and touch of the walls, we can see her face and remember why we are there and put our love into each movement.
The “fruits” that we are focused on today were Joy and Peace. Ms. Catalina embodied both of those fruits. The joy on her face was so wonderful, and the peace that she had, watching her future home come together, was amazing to witness.
I hope you all were able to see how the spirit was moving love in your life today. Maybe it was through the people you were with, or an action you did or received.
The challenge our group had today was to find a way to show intentional kindness to someone today. More than just a “hello” or “can I help with that,” but a kind of kindness that maybe makes you feel uncomfortable, makes you go out of your way to share the fruit of the Spirit. We were challenged to let the spirit use us to be a beacon of Joy and Peace today.
So that is your challenge tomorrow. I hope you accept the challenge.
Our group is taking as many photos as we can, and some are with the blog. More photos will be shared through a video in worship in the weeks ahead.
Tomorrow we are prepared to finish up the sanding and prepping the house so Thursday we can start to paint. We also have a half day tomorrow, so we will be able to spend the afternoon in Black Mountain.
We really do appreciate your prayers. We may be here, but we carry the Bayside family with us and we are with you.
OH! And an update from last night…the amazing smelling food was chicken and dumplings and it was AMAZING! Tonight….I smell tacos 😊
(And yes…if I’m writing the blog, you will get a rundown of the menu)
With Joy and Peace,
Emma
