Should Have Packed a Canoe

(Note to the reader:  This is a group effort blog post, and the unique writing styles from several team members can be enjoyed...)

Our day began by attending the service at First Presbyterian Church of Meridian. A friendly thunderstorm joined us as we sprinted our way into the castle doors of the Medieval-looking church. The inspiring sermon was about how obedience to God is the best choice, even when it will bring us tribulations.  Pastor Payne used passages from Hebrews 11 and Exodus 2 to talk about Moses's decision to follow God.  After another sprint in the rain to our vehicles, (The Black Mamba and the Toolbox), we headed off on our journey to find a place to eat lunch, as the huge thunderstorm followed us. After many annoying phone alerts of flash flooding and severe thunderstorms, we managed to make it to a nearby Wendys. After our bellies were filled and our bodies were soaked from running through the rain, we made a b-line to Hattiesburg.

We arrived around 2, and used a good ‘ol assembly line to get the cars unloaded. After meeting with Pastor Knox, we got back in the vans (although a canoe might have been more efficient) to check out the worksites where we’ll be working.  Our two worksites include replacing a roof on a house and building a deck in front of a

Discussing work projects

house that the church will be doing extensive work on this coming fall.  We also took a detour to see the finished roof that we built two years ago. To our delight, the roof was looking even better than we left it (God is good!).  After we captured the vision, we got all settled in at First Pres and killed time until dinner. Nathan G. put on a dazzling performance in HORSE, beating the vastly inferior Ginger with only an HO to his name.

The completed roof!

The dinner that First Pres. put on for us was delicious. They had rolls that were seemingly baked by the dynamic duo of Betty Crocker and Jesus, and were the most coveted dish there (with homemade honey to use as a spread. Yum!)  After dinner, we headed over to the sanctuary to worship with the First Pres. Congregation and Ebenezer Baptist.

The evening worship service was informal and well attended. It was a joint worship service where members from both Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church were in attendance. Our team from Raleigh was warmly welcomed by members from both churches. We experienced music from both congregations before Pastor Carlos, from Ebenezer, light-heartedly challenged the white folk to jazz up our music a little bit and the black folks to learn to sing a full verse to a hymn, instead of repeating one phrase over and over.  Pastor Carlos’s sermon took a more serious note by looking at the life of Peter the apostle. He exhorted us that, when it comes to

Meeting members from First Pres

differences among people, we should not call something unclean that God has made clean. Jesus loves all of his people, regardless of their politics, color, wealth, education, etc.

Tomorrow morning we will be leaving for the worksites early in the morning and will then lead our life-skills tutoring lessons in the afternoon.  Please be praying for safety for team members and for God to be preparing the hearts of the children we will be working with this week!

(Don't forget to look for our Rubber Duck friend in the pictures, as we will be playing 'where's waldo' with General Quackington all week!  He has thoroughly enjoyed the wetter weather!)