Team from LSU

We had a team from LSU in town, staying at the church this week.  But it wasn't one of those great athletic teams for which LSU is so well known.  This was a mission team from the campus Wesley Foundation.

They were a great group who gave up their Spring Break.  No trip to sunny Florida beaches for this group, just an 18 hour drive to a cold Cedar Rapids, IA to clean up homes damaged from the flood.

I caught up with a few of them cleaning a home in Time Check.

They had the onerous task of cleaning this house and prepare it for the next team to start rebuilding this back into a home.  This is the very dirty part of the process, but there were no complaints.  This crew knew how to have fun.

I had the pleasure of greeting this crew when they arrived very late last Saturday night.  Then they joined us the next morning for Sunday service before they headed out and got to work.  It was a real treat to host this fine group of young people.

Peace

FARGO IS SAFE AND OUR WORK CONTINUES

Well, it looks at least for now that Fargo has dodged a major catastrophe. We can thank God for that - but also the people of that area get a lot of credit. They worked hard to protect their city and it looks like their efforts were repaid. Congratulations.

I spent some time in the Time Check area of our city visiting with some of the work teams that have come in. My church is hosting a team from Christ UMC in Rockford, IL. At least a portion of that group has been helping John put his home back together again.



As the weather warms up now, we will be seeing much more of this activity. Our church will be hosting teams from all over the country all through the summer. We are by no means the only church hosting teams, groups representing all of the faith communities in Cedar Rapids have stepped up to lend a hand. And let me make it very clear - this is where the help for these people is coming from. So far the various government agencies have offered little more than red tape and indecision. Hopefully that will change but I'm not counting on it.

Tomorrow night I will be greeting a team from Louisiana State University when they arrive. I will help them get settled in and bedded down for the night then they will be spending the week working in our city. What a way to spend spring break. I have a sneaking suspicion these are going to be some pretty neat people.

Here are a couple more pictures from this week before I move on with my life.




PEACE