tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7448219439089491992012-02-16T02:59:01.690-05:00A project of the Vermont Faith Community to build a home for a family in Mississippi.Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.comBlogger801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-27082884772818641192008-12-08T18:31:00.002-05:002008-12-08T18:34:36.799-05:00

The first of two teams, each expected to stay a week, has arrived.The first team is experienced in Katrina recovery work, having team in New Orlenans, but new to Mississippi. Greg Jackson from Williston, Vermont attends the Williston Federated Church. He is joined by Dave Kay from Virginia, Barb Nuetzmann from Illinois and Steve Matteson of Louisiana.Word is that the floors are down in the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-7612100039684688962008-12-01T15:44:00.001-05:002008-12-01T15:45:35.001-05:00

Camp Hope was closed last week so no work was done. We are looking for a small team of volunteers to return in the next two weeks to help complete the work. Contact Tony Lamb alamb@alamblaw.com if interested.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-52134462040451423702008-11-25T15:40:00.001-05:002008-11-25T15:42:27.073-05:00

Larry and Ann report as follows:Vermont house, mudded and finished by experts from International Relief out of San Diego. Also sprayed for orange peel. Ready for painting Friday afternoon. Site shut down for a week. Expect painters the following week. Ann and I built the back deck and finished the front deck. Waxton house, finished by the same group last week and painted Friday. Most of the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-31470259475479290062008-11-19T14:56:00.001-05:002008-11-19T14:57:47.067-05:00

Waxton house:Last week Ann and Larry Barber built the back deck.It has been taped plastered and expected to be painted Tuesday.The exterior doors had to be adjusted as they were not correctly installed.Some outlets and light fixture boxes were sheet rocked over but have been found.All interior doors were adjusted to fit standard sized doors Pittman House Ann and Larry Barber finished the front

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-56140123292096385672008-11-19T14:53:00.001-05:002008-11-19T14:55:42.543-05:00

UMCOR normally provides a limited color pallet. White and Beige. We chose to pay for the paint ourselves and give Mrs. Pittman a choice. We showed her the color chips from Lowes and she chose the color. She did not know the significance of the colors name until after she chose Montpelier Peach.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-996800209188138912008-11-19T14:51:00.003-05:002008-11-19T14:53:15.251-05:00

On Friday, we worked as long as we could with the sheet rock that we had and made great progress. Almost the entire inside sheet rock was complete. There are a couple of walls left to do. A group of the team from Shelburne was going to work on Saturday and do what they could to complete that work. There was also about two pieces of siding to be put up on the back and that would be done. Many

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-74654999457423667072008-11-19T14:51:00.001-05:002008-11-19T14:51:35.930-05:00

There is a trip planned to Gulfport, Mississippi the last week of February 2009. We will be doing renovations in the same area. The Gulfport site requires us to do some additional chores, including cooking, but the work is the same. For information contact Tony Lamb at alamb@alamblaw.com or 802-878-1251 (nights) or 802-876-1200 (days).

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-16688745156037269072008-11-19T14:50:00.000-05:002008-11-19T14:51:01.149-05:00

I apologize for the not posting recently. The reentry into the “real” world is always a struggle. In order to blog properly it seems that it needs to become a regular part of your routine. For me it was in Mississippi. After dinner, evening debrief, devotions, and a period of rich conversation, the fellowship hall would clear out about 9:30 and I could use my computer. Unfortunately, with

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-29530336195281359982008-11-06T23:06:00.002-05:002008-11-06T23:12:44.169-05:00

One of the joys of mission is meeting new people. John is a long term volunteer at Camp Hope. He is an experienced framer and carpenter. His knowledge has been a great asset to our team. He came as a volunteer in August and just stayed on.Smiley was a volunteer for more than a year at another camp. She actually ended up marrying another volunteer. She works as the greeter at the Shed and

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-22243384788134584312008-11-06T22:56:00.004-05:002008-11-19T15:06:35.429-05:00

Did we forget to mention that there are no secrets on a mission trip. The occasional trip to the Shed for medicinal purposes are a good example. Imagine my surprise when one of our volunteers pointed out grafitti left by one of last week's team.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-46276251803495374642008-11-06T22:54:00.001-05:002008-11-06T22:56:12.486-05:00

Charlie reported today that the inspectors commented on how surprised they were that volunteers could build with such quality. Indeed, Charlie believes the spent a little more time than the inspection required appreciating the work.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-56481815099930544542008-11-06T22:15:00.002-05:002008-11-06T22:54:39.127-05:00

We were all at the Pitman Vermont House today. The team had completed all of the changes required by the inspection by the end of the day Wednesday. An additional inspection was completed today so we could progress full speed. The team was divided up into groups and each given a room to insulate and sheet rock. We are using batts of insulation in the ceiling. In the Waxman they are going to

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-3333338734601557612008-11-05T22:39:00.002-05:002008-11-05T22:48:17.532-05:00

After such a historic election, I am reminded of the Zen thing:Before enlightenment there is chopping wood and carrying water,After enlightenment there is chopping wood and carrying water.Or perhaps after three weeks with the ups and downs I find the words of John Wesley to do as much good as you can for as long as you can to have real meaning.Today the Vermont house was inspected. They found a

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-75285166748068975032008-11-04T23:30:00.003-05:002008-11-04T23:56:54.701-05:00

No pictures today. We spent most of the evening watching the election results.At the Vermont House they finished the roof with the help of a great crew from Illinois. We are now ready for the next building inspection on Wednesday.Approval was given for the siding to begin going up and it is going very well.Once approval is given,insulation of the inside will begin followed by sheet rock.The plan

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-75981347814083348012008-11-04T23:21:00.002-05:002008-11-04T23:30:45.151-05:00

This is my third week working here in Mississippi. We are active so much of the day there is little time to be home sick. I do admit however, that I miss my wife very much. How often do I see or do something during the day that I would love to share or do with her.To day was election day. The church hall where we eat and convene was a polling place. Accordingly we had breakfast in the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-71263444956679532912008-11-03T22:25:00.002-05:002008-11-03T22:35:57.388-05:00

Hanging sheet rock at the Waxman house.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-46584644178171422742008-11-03T22:08:00.003-05:002008-11-03T22:10:53.446-05:00

Today a small group returned to work on the Waxman house. Although it is the same as the Vermont House in terms of floor plan, it has not been built as well. We have been fixing things so we can hang sheet rock.We now have two rooms and the hall way almost compeltely sheet rocked.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-65499914728785207682008-11-03T22:02:00.002-05:002008-11-03T22:07:55.525-05:00

One of the hold ups on the roof is creating the hip for the porch roof. A fairly complex framining issue, it has required a great deal of time and labor. We have had a great team from Illinois helping with our roofing project. It really helped us to move along. It has been great to have them work with us. The fellowship is wonderful.We have started putting up the Montpelier Peach (that's the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-65663926117958535202008-11-03T21:59:00.003-05:002008-11-03T22:02:13.215-05:00

The Reverend Greg Smith suffered a signifacant boo boo today. Fortunately Lois was able to kiss it an make it all better.Reports that Bob Krebs drew a detailed map of southern Mississippi on his head last week with two by fours are greatly exagerated. It was more like a map of the county. For obvious reasons no harm was done.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-27747031431815588242008-11-03T00:03:00.001-05:002008-11-03T00:04:47.122-05:00

All thirty four of our team members for this week are now on site, safe and sound. We begin work on Monday on both the Vermont House and the Waxman house.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-79544291060588675972008-11-03T00:02:00.000-05:002008-11-03T00:03:28.097-05:00

Blogging requires a certain kind of discipline. Like keeping a diary it is best done every day. Making up days is very difficult and you find yourself falling further behind. Our schedule here is such that it is hard to find time until well after dinner. But by then the good conversations are started and it is hard to leave the fellowship of the group to go type.It was particularly hard last

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-19561017788859050442008-11-03T00:01:00.001-05:002008-11-03T00:02:23.946-05:00

While on this mission, there are coincidences that seem like god moments. For example we need to complete the roof shingles very quickly and have few people who have any experience. By coincidence (?) there is a “roofing crew” consisting of a professional roofer and 9 experienced helpers arriving at the camp who will help us on Monday.Mary Ann wondered what called her to come on this trip.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-20499788355544779322008-11-02T23:55:00.000-05:002008-11-03T00:01:10.263-05:00

New Orleans is a fascinating city in many ways. When you walk the French Quarter, you can see the strong Spanish influence in the architecture. It is fun to walk even the backest of streets because you find so many interesting details and court yards.I often confuse Burbon Street and the drunken revel with the city. Yet when you walk around during the day you begin to sense the incredible

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-12274957483675823282008-11-02T23:40:00.003-05:002008-11-02T23:53:23.997-05:00

St. Mark’s is located on Rampart Street, on the edge of the French Quarter. It is an open and affirming church that is truly diverse. Young, old, rich, poor, black, white, every imaginable combination. They serve a meal that is free to all and it is apparent that it is a ministry which is well received, particularly by the homeless. The man I sat next to told me he is blest. He has a roof

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-87757227666403605192008-11-02T23:36:00.001-05:002008-11-02T23:40:24.959-05:00

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-77613691961565702922008-10-31T23:19:00.002-04:002008-10-31T23:34:17.173-04:00

Last thing Friday.We have really worked hard the last two days. Friday was very warm and really sucked the energy right out of us. We carry many bottles of water and drink regularly but some how it often seems to get ahead of us.We have been pushing to get the roof done. It is a hip roof which means that is slopes inward on the ends. The structural frame is complicated to build and for the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-69808779653156208512008-10-31T23:08:00.003-04:002008-10-31T23:19:53.166-04:00

John, Sam, and Chuck.We have been blessed this week to have been joined by three friends, two old and one new, on the job site this week.Chuck is from Iowa and worked with us last December and signed up as soon as he heard about our project. He will work next week with the Catholic Diocese here on the Gulf Coast and then either visits friends or find another place to work for a week. His

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-32918232682903880202008-10-31T23:03:00.003-04:002008-10-31T23:08:51.650-04:00

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-63879255817647687352008-10-29T23:16:00.001-04:002008-10-29T23:21:00.399-04:00

During a break today, gifts were given to Mrs. Pittman. They included note card pictures of Vermont, Vermont Cheese, University of Vermont shirts for the grandchildren, and a prayer shawl.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-86090953297594273292008-10-29T23:13:00.000-04:002008-10-29T23:16:13.067-04:00

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-41730882654358643492008-10-29T22:58:00.003-04:002008-10-29T23:13:13.692-04:00

The roof rafters come in pre-built in a kit. While not particularly heavy the are awkward. A group of seven or eight pick them up and carry them to the side of the building. One roof team member stands on a step ladder and those on the ground push one end up to where they are hanging over the side of the house. The person on the roof, pulls the end up further on the roof. The people on the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-32567932304531345542008-10-29T22:32:00.003-04:002008-10-29T22:58:33.648-04:00

Many of us have enjoyed making new friends. Nichols, who lives next door and works on this 1950's tractors has joined our work crew. He is always willing to take a break and show us the communal sugar cane patch. He cuts us a stalk, peals it, and then gives us a chunk to chew on. It tastes like sugar water, which of course it is. He is great to work with.Today we were trying to decide

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-86288263136996241482008-10-29T22:24:00.003-04:002008-10-29T22:32:29.306-04:00

"When green and white just isn't enough!"Nothing like a little color to cheer us up. On the way to work this morning we came accross a department of corrections work crew in their orange jump suits picking up trash along the side of the road. The guards were sitting in their cars. Will suggested that it would not be a good idea for Sally to get out and ask for directions.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-59981112151410928462008-10-29T22:09:00.001-04:002008-10-29T22:24:33.802-04:00

The weather to start this morning was frosty. We even had frost on the windows of our cars. Fortunately it warmed up to around seventy while were working.Work continued on the roof. It is a hip roof which means that the ends slop out towards the end of the house rather than having two flat sides. We have ready made trusses for everything except the very ends. Creating the framing to hold the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-66837998619024998632008-10-29T08:44:00.002-04:002008-10-29T08:45:57.806-04:00

Although we are 1,500 miles away, we pray for those at home who need our prayers but especially for Don, may he recover from his fall quickly and may he be comforted.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-60026898698557554462008-10-29T00:03:00.002-04:002008-10-29T22:09:31.580-04:00

I met Gladys, Mrs. Pittman’s granddaughter who lives with her, for the first time to day. What a sunny person she is. I promised to put this picture of her and her cousin,Jasmine, up on the blog today and so here she is with our Pastor Joan:

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-18086843284180131762008-10-28T23:58:00.001-04:002008-10-29T00:02:47.287-04:00

Today was the day to finish the interior walls and work on the trusses.First the walls all had to be straightened and braced. The trusses will hold them in position, but they had to be correct before we added the trusses. Work continued on the few remaining interior walls. Bath tubs were delivered and put in place. (This is easier than trying to move them in after all of the walls are up.)In

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-11287302690234316292008-10-28T23:48:00.001-04:002008-10-28T23:57:23.361-04:00

It seems appropriate to speak of the “utes” since it was in the South that My Cousin Vinny took place.Our nine “utes” are now gone and we miss them. Their work ethic and good humor made them a joy to have on the work site and back at the dorm. I feel that they learned a lot about painting and hammering and have some real skills. They accomplished a great deal. One group painted the entire

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-10567693352373127332008-10-28T23:20:00.005-04:002008-10-28T23:57:54.148-04:00

The first day of framing was greatly anticipated. Thanks to the efforts of the team last week all of the door frames and window frames had been built and braced to keep them square.Today the team was divided into two primary teams. Each worked on a long wall. (the house is 28 by 50 feet). They layed the top plates and bottom plates down. Then they placed the standard studs in between. The

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-33802647976126471122008-10-27T22:32:00.001-04:002008-10-27T22:33:37.441-04:00

Here are some random photos from the first day of week 2.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-1969378544285362842008-10-27T21:53:00.004-04:002008-10-27T22:06:03.724-04:00

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-16763883240499731852008-10-27T19:48:00.003-04:002008-10-27T19:53:43.034-04:00

Today the reporter from WLOX visited our work site and took video.type in the following site.http://www.wlox.com/It should be good for a day or two.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-40435854952084096842008-10-24T23:52:00.002-04:002008-10-24T23:53:41.407-04:00

It is almost midnight-too much story telling, not enough time to post pictures. Hope to post some tommorrow, but Preservation Hall in New Orleans calls. Stay tuned.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-34417629591245595882008-10-24T23:49:00.000-04:002008-10-24T23:52:19.453-04:00

The last day of the week in Vancleave always seems to come fast and go fast. We always talk about safety on Friday, especially if things have gone well. We have been blessed that except for some sore muscles or minor cuts and bruises the week went well and all will go home in one piece.Our complete team went to The Vermont House site today. Our task was to work with the contractor to complete

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-33398444507708497832008-10-24T23:40:00.002-04:002008-10-24T23:49:17.842-04:00

Most of the time this project has seemed very normal and almost ordinary in its scale. A series of small problems to be solved, like how many cars are needed and when do people arrive at the airport. Who do we need in which team and what needs do we have today. This has been true from the time that we announced it ten month ago.There are times when I find myself in awe of it. I know the first

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-2133269540439724642008-10-23T23:12:00.000-04:002008-10-23T23:16:32.502-04:00

Our fearless leader. His fearless leader.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-61192760788484678702008-10-23T23:03:00.002-04:002008-10-27T21:50:51.753-04:00

Click on the link below to see photos:thursday

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-52546078169870456302008-10-23T22:05:00.000-04:002008-10-23T22:06:41.083-04:00

Today the majority of the group went to The Vermont House but a few of us went to the Waxman House. The members that went to the Waxman house were Tony, Lois, Holly, Kim, Sandy, John, and me, Andrew. It was a frustrating day for us at the Waxman House where progress was impeded by numerous setbacks and learning how to do what our job was. The main job was to put sheetrock on the ceiling. The

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-65497310186576652502008-10-23T21:13:00.006-04:002008-10-23T22:05:36.318-04:00

Yesterday, the concrete was poured around the posts. Today the posts were cut level with a chain saw. The team them leveled the dirt under the house using rakes and shovels.One of the contractors cuts the posts to accept the long beams. I suggested that they carve religious art in the posts, but no, not even a bear. In this picture the posts have been cut off level using a laser level and a

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-84468136996920839632008-10-23T10:12:00.001-04:002008-10-23T10:14:08.886-04:00

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,I am doing a "cut and paste" of the Friday evening prayer services that will be held here in Williston starting tomorrow night. Please know you are being held in prayer daily.Peace, JoanService of PrayerWilliston Federated ChurchWilliston, VermontOctober 24, October 31, November 7, 2008A Time of Prayer in Partnership with our Volunteers in Missionin Vancleave,

Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01276426834133580110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-48015312634512021232008-10-22T22:55:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:56:07.837-04:00

The BlogSome have asked about updates to the blog.Our day begins at 6:30 am. Breakfast at 7. We eat at large tables of 6 to 8. The fellowship and conversation keeps us there to 7:30 when we have devotions and announcements. The announcements are when the final schedule for the day is announced. Then there are the chores, cleaning the dining hall, the dorm rooms and bath rooms.Those not

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-20413143455144198372008-10-22T22:54:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:55:13.120-04:00

Wednesday.Today began with a group visit to The Vermont House site in Three Rivers. It was expected that the inspector would finally come and concrete would be poured around the peers which make up the foundation.We left a crew there and the rest of our team returned to the Waxman house where work continued on the interior. We are insulating the walls and completing details of the framing

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-15750698209636216752008-10-22T22:50:00.003-04:002008-10-22T22:54:04.527-04:00

We have a banner announcing our project. We called it the Vermont House before we knew the name of the family. We renamed the project "Mrs. Pittman's Vemont House" to remind us for whom we are doing this.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-34284871911523961702008-10-22T22:41:00.003-04:002008-10-22T22:50:16.857-04:00

The tent the woman lived in for two years after the hurricane can still be seen at the right of the top picture. This inspired the Vermont House project. We are blessed to be able to work on the house that is being built for the woman we met. We put the finish coat on the exterior and are now working on preparing the interior for sheet rocking.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-70837847091158755212008-10-22T22:36:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:40:56.614-04:00

Clearing debris from other job sites.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-62414950539988681392008-10-22T22:28:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:36:38.515-04:00

Prebuilding the door and window frames.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-43295569492985635992008-10-22T22:23:00.001-04:002008-10-22T22:26:55.891-04:00

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-5268764402284116582008-10-22T22:20:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:23:16.200-04:00

Installing insulation.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-92039683033525644762008-10-22T22:18:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:20:50.827-04:00

Part of the mission is learning new skills.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-34230903923227014262008-10-22T22:15:00.001-04:002008-10-22T22:18:23.471-04:00

Installing the blockers into which cabinets are screwed for support.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-60667194944548402792008-10-22T22:13:00.000-04:002008-10-22T22:15:10.808-04:00

The team at The Vermont House work site.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-88937830629147169632008-10-22T22:10:00.002-04:002008-10-22T22:12:56.322-04:00

A tired worker.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-63596167228422821232008-10-22T22:04:00.001-04:002008-10-22T22:10:22.181-04:00

Charlie explains how the deck will attach to the foundation peers.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-39376135307599683752008-10-21T23:26:00.001-04:002008-10-21T23:28:47.682-04:00

Tuesday.The second day is always a big jump from the first. The team knows the routine. Breakfast at seven. Devotions, today by Charlie, at seven thirty, briefing for day and then we start. While some do chores, others gather tools and equipment for the day, while others make lunches and fill coolers with ice and water. Our work is twenty minutes away. And the goal is to be working well

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-1227669010935646612008-10-21T23:25:00.000-04:002008-10-21T23:26:12.825-04:00

Monday.This morning we visited the site of the Vermont House for the first time. The foundation is 12 X 12 pressure treated pilings place in large holes drilled in the ground and then filled with concrete. Unfortunately, although the pilings had been placed in the holes, the necessary inspection has not taken place. Accordingly, no work was to begin on site today.Instead we divided up into

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-83283448068275817122008-10-21T22:42:00.001-04:002008-10-21T22:45:49.998-04:00

To view photos of our work click on the link below:http://picasaweb.google.com/thevermonthouse/VermontHouseI#

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-80147986383321094292008-10-19T23:44:00.002-04:002008-10-19T23:50:20.868-04:00

The first group of volunteers has finally arrived safely in Vancleave. After spending the afternoon in New Orleans, we met those who had driven down at the Shed and had dinner before competing the drive to Vancleave.They are still working on the foundation and so our first day will be spent on four job sites. On two we will be cleaning up construction debris. On one we will be painting the

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-69802334313602825202008-10-08T14:39:00.003-04:002008-10-08T14:48:04.765-04:00

The dump trucks, bulldozers and back haulers pulled onto the property at about 10:00 a.m. on Monday October 6th. I was standing in the front room with Ms. Pittman, holding her hand and letting her take in all of the memories that her home has held for her over the past 40 years. She began to sob, praying silently that the Lord would be with her and most importantly her children, to keep

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-87407527161927769472008-10-08T14:34:00.003-04:002008-10-08T14:39:06.952-04:00

On Monday October 6th the demolition of Mrs. Pittman's home of 40 years took place.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-46352837958053588142008-10-08T13:53:00.004-04:002008-10-08T13:59:32.670-04:00

We are building this home for Mrs. Pittman and her two grandchildren, Gladys and Robert. We are all looking forward to meeting them.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-4000078591013346192008-10-04T13:33:00.009-04:002008-10-04T13:56:41.409-04:00

Jan, a member of the Shelburne Methodist Church, organized a Saturday morning "tailgate" tag sale in the parking lot of her church. She was joined by members of her church and the Williston Federated Church. The parking lot is located accross the street from where there is a "Farmer's Market" each Saturday morning, increasing the traffic. Early reports are that they had a great time. The money

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-28396939813138655042008-10-04T12:08:00.001-04:002008-10-04T12:16:44.690-04:00

We have been informed that the old house has been torn down. We expect to post pictures of the demolition soon.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-10020968662814635882008-09-24T08:49:00.002-04:002008-09-24T08:54:40.171-04:00

One of the benefits of a mission trip is to see places you might not otherwise visit. Because airfares tend to be less expensive through New Orleans we have tried to provide every one with the opportunity to spend some time in the city. Here are pictures taken on previous trips:

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-47461490146990121142008-09-24T08:22:00.003-04:002008-09-24T08:39:58.810-04:00

Normally we have each individual make their own travel arrangements. Prices for even the same flights can vary wildly, even day by day. Group fares have the advantage of being able to substitute volunteers up to the last few days although they can cost a little more. Volunteers have taken advantage of booking their own flights to add an extra night or two or even a week to expand their trip.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-25962429573062879682008-09-23T07:34:00.004-04:002008-09-23T08:45:18.253-04:00

In addition to building a house we will do rehabilitation work on other houses. In the past we have

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-29501951569750540772008-09-22T18:46:00.012-04:002008-09-24T08:57:01.333-04:00

We stay in the United Methodist Church in Vancleave, MS. They have been housing up to sixty volunteers a week since the hurricane. This includes two hot meals, fixings for lunch, and a dorm for sleeping. These are pictures of the church:

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-57384510956932075162008-09-18T12:27:00.001-04:002008-09-23T06:58:02.477-04:00

Three Rivers, where the home we will build will be located, is near the Mississippi-Alabama border, north of Moss Point. It is 10 miles east of Vancleave which is where we stay. By road it is 20 miles.It is about 110 miles east of New Orleans.

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-29276974373486601102008-09-18T09:27:00.001-04:002008-09-19T10:32:20.356-04:00

The following are the home churches of the volunteers:1st United Methodist Church, BurlingtonChurch of the Apostles, Marietta. GAElmore United Methodist ChurchEnosburg United Methodist ChurchFederated Church of East ArlingtonFirst Congregational Church, BurlingtonMt. Mansfield U.U. FellowshipNew Hope United Methodist Church, Waitsfield RiverNorth Ferrisburg United Methodist ChurchSacred Heart

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-68166191813773445892008-09-17T12:30:00.000-04:002008-09-17T13:08:10.829-04:00

We have been given the name of the family whose house we will be building. It is a grandmother and two high school age youth. They are located in Three Rivers, Mississippi which is just north of Moss Point, sister city to Burlington, Vermont. The old house was damaged by a falling tree during Katrina and has fallen into such disrepair as to be uninhabitable.These are pictures of the exterior:

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-744821943908949199.post-91924192395530687782008-09-17T12:16:00.000-04:002008-09-18T13:45:46.804-04:00

In December of 2007, while clearing a job site in Moss Point, Mississippi, Tony, Ken and Sharon met the woman who owned the house. She was living in a trailer at the time. Needing a saw to cut some of the debris they asked if she had one. She rummaged through an abandoned car and came up with a skill saw. They asked if she had an extension cord. She looked through another car and her trailer, but

Lay Leaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15948967361505877633noreply@blogger.com0