Catching Up..

Last week a group from The Chapel and Olive Branch were here, and we all had a great time! The Chapel group was led by Zac Hill, youth pastor of the church, and was mainly 12 and 13 year olds. Although it was quiet the first day or two as everyone was getting acclimated to the changes, by Wednesday the camp was lively with games of succotash and basketball!
Jim, Ada-Marie, Bailey, and Evan Miller from Woodburn Missionary were also here, so it was great to catch up with old friends! Josh, Shaina, Bailey, and I went to the Gulf Islands water park Sunday after church, thanks to the Inland Hills Church group that was here, who bought the three of us (not bailey) season passes so that we can go and get a little relief from the hot Mississippi sun whenever we want!

This week, a high school group of around 30 people are here from Emmanuel Community Church, so the heart has been full, and the camp has again been lively and fun! Last night we had a fire on the beach; a great time of worship and sharing, but almost too hot outside to sit around a big fire. We also have several more friends from Woodburn Missionary here this week: Karen Hahn, Tricia Kever, Michelle Rowland, and Rachel Wallace, that got to join in on the fun last night, and New Orleans today.

Ok, I have to give a shout out tonight to my Dad. Today was his (shhh don't tell him I told!) 42nd (WOW) birthday! The cooks made a chocolate cake garnished with strawberries and all 30 of them piled into our little show home to sing! It was crowded, but so much fun! I took some pictures and videotaped the singing, so maybe I'll get them up on the Hope City webpage at facebook sometime soon.

Well, I am off to bed; tomorrow I have school to finish and packing to do, because Josh and I are heading back to Indiana for CDYC next week! We are so excited, and thankful to Todd Rupp and the Emmanuel group for letting us hitch a ride with them!

Love and sun from Mississippi!

Sunny California

This week we have a team of fifteen from Chino Hills, California here in camp. They are a lot farther away from home than our usual teams, that's for sure!

Dwight White, one of our homeowners, has made lunch for the group working on his house twice this week! Monday for Memorial Day, they had barbecue, then yesterday they had shrimp, potatoes, and corn. MMMM I wish I was working there!

Bob and Betty Polardy, January volunteers from Delaware, were in Waveland this week, so they came to visit yesterday. Even if only for a short time, it was great to see more familiar faces.

Tonight we went gigging with Ira Rowell's granddaughter Kacie went gigging with us, but we didn't catch anything but two crabs because the tide was in. It was still fun to walk around in the water though!

Well, another great group of people are going home this Saturday, definitely a sad time for all of us here at Hope City. Please pray that their plane ride is not delayed and that everything goes smoothly. A big group must be hard to get on a plane without any problems, but with God all things are possible; even a smooth plane trip!

Thanks again for everyone's support, whether through prayer, financial help, or volunteering. You are all such a vital part of this ministry; there's no way it could happen without you! We love you all!

This week Steve Binkley and the Fellowship crew is here again! Ashley Labie, one of the girls that came last summer, is back again so we went for a walk on the beach last night and shopping at the Surf Shop tonight.

Today I took my road test for the second time and passed! I am now a licensed driver in the state of Mississippi! I don't know how long it will be until I actually get to use it, because the parents don't want me to grow up, but I will have to eventually! I'm guessing pretty soon I'll be running errands for both Mom and Dad! haha

Richard and Linda Morse came for supper tonight, and although we aren't working on their home this week, it was great for them to be able to be here an fellowship with Fellowship!

Well, it's getting late so I better sign off for now...
Love from Mississippi!
Sam


Romans 15:5-6
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ohhhh Bethel!!!

Another great week has flown by, taking another great group home. I miss them already! We had so much fun walking the beach, watching the sunrise and gorgeous dolphins, our first gigging adventure of the year, going to Waveland on the bus for sightseeing, among other things.

Last night when we went gigging, several people speared crabs, but nobody found a flounder; which is nothing new, since we have never found one! The weather this week was great, although a little humid...

Yesterday, for our "last supper" we went out to eat, then went sightseeing. After we got back to Hope City, several of us went "gigging" or flounder fishing for those of you who haven't had that privilege yet! When we came back, we sat and talked for a while. None of us wanted the night to end, because we knew that morning would come, and with it, the time to leave for Indiana.

I keep finding my world growing smaller and smaller with the people I meet down here that are friends of my friends. One amazing example is Beda from Bethel knows Pronoy Sarkar, and old family friend all the way from India! What are the chances of us knowing the same person that lives on the other side of the world? It was definitely a God moment!

I hope everyone has a great week; I am going to go to bed! Goodnight!
Love from Mississippi

Hmmmm....

Today was a beautiful spring day in Mississippi! Yesterday, the groups stayed at camp and fixed things up. The heart has a fresh coat of paint, the yard was mowed and the weeds, ummmm eated? A couple people insulated the pantry, so now it's a lot cooler, and we're hoping that it will help the ice machine keep up this summer.

Tonight we just hung out; several of us played catch a phrase and had a great time doing it! That is one of the best games....we also attempted to play volleyball, but it is a little difficult to do with no net, and a half-deflated ball! Usually, I don't get to know the volunteers until Wednesday, which is usually the night that everyone opens up (share time)because I lack the courage to just go up to someone and start talking; so I'm glad I got a head start!

Well, that's about it for now, Jed said that he saw some people out gigging the other night, so we want to start doing that again, and we thought this might be a good week to start, so maybe I'll have some gigging stories to share tomorrow or the night after....


Philippians 4:4-7
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So Much News!

Well, it looks like I didn't keep my promise of writing more often, but I thought of a way to keep y'all updated on the work we're doing here. If anyone would like to write a post, please email me, facebook me, or if you don't have either of those, leave a comment, and I'll add you as a temporary poster! It would help me as well as getting a few more different perspectives on the "experience" of Hope City.

Last week we had no volunteers,so Josh and I worked on getting our learners permits. It was really fun to be able to do it together, although I had the advantage because I have had one before, but now I am an official driver in Mississippi!

This week is two groups of men, so we girls are a little outnumbered again! They are working on pouring cement among other things. We have had a rough start trying to get back into a "normal" group week (like we ever have those!) but we're getting there...

Gary Richhart has been with us for several weeks again, and, as he reminded me tonight, (ugh) only "four more sleeps" until he goes back to Indiana! Oh, we're going to miss him soooo much! We have been trying to talk he and Linda into moving down here with us permanently, but I don't know...I think it will take a couple more trips to get them convinced!

Another Favorite verse:

Philippians 2:5-8

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!"

Love From Mississippi! Sam

I Made My Own Day!

SO today started out a little rough; as do most Mondays, with getting the teams accustomed to what a day in Hope City is like; but it all turned out fine, as it usually does!

OK, now to the title. This afternoon after school, I was kind of just wandering around, not doing much, and I reached into my back jeans pocket because I felt what I thought was an empty gift card or something like that, but when I pulled it out, there was a wad of folded up one dollar bills in my hand! I got so excited over the fact that I found money, I immediately told Josh, "Josh, I just made my day!" It turned out that it was only seven dollars, but for a girl who has no job at the moment, it's a lot! Then I got to thinking how, when God gives us something, no matter how small, how often do we stop and thank Him for it? What about the beautiful sunrise that we see in the morning? Or the pretty flowers alongside the road (AKA weeds!)? It's so awesome how we see God's handiwork, made for our enjoyment, in everything! I wish we would take time to get excited about "the little things" more often than we do. For example, I don't think I tell God how much I love this weather that He gives the "sunny south", or the fact that I get to live right across from the beach! I'm going to try to do that more often....

Oh The Chaotic Mondays of Hope City!

Today, as you might have guessed from the title, was anything but calm and uneventful! This week we have around 24 volunteers here from three different churches. Dad had to go through the job of getting jobs assigned to everybody, then we worked to get lunches done, tools organized and packed in the different vehicles, and making sure everyone had directions to the jobs. About fifteen minutes after all the teams left, one of the men called and reported that another man had been taken to the hospital. It turns out that he was working at Richard Waite's doing some demo, and somehow cut his thumb on debris that he was picking up. He was taken to the hospital but had to wait for three and a half hours before he was taken care of! He ended up getting seven stitches, so if you could keep him in your prayers, his name is Dana.
Just to top it all off, our internet routers were zapped by the thunderstorm we had Friday night, so we waited to get those fixed before Josh and I could do any school!

Ok, Now onto the bright side..............


Gary Richhart is back to the sunny south because he just can't get enough of Hope City! He is planning on staying for several weeks and we're all looking forward to it. Jed's older sister Jessica is here this week with Warsaw doing the cooking for us; it's really cool for Jed to be able to spend some time with her this week between the busy work schedule.
The Cox family is also here visiting and working alongside the volunteers this week while the kids are on spring break. It's nice to have them in camp with us again!

We can never thank everyone enough for all the prayers and support that we have received from all of you for Hope City and our family personally. I can't believe it's already been a year since we moved down here! So many things have happened in my life, as well as my whole family, that have made us grow closer to the Lord and each other. What a great experience in my life this has been and I'm sure will continue to be! Love you all!

Lots of Blessings...

Wow, Last week was full of wonderful blessings! Richard Waite is moved into his new house! It seems as if we just started it, and now it's finished! Thursday night, we all went over there to pray over it, and also so that the group could see what they are all working towards on the other homes!

Also, the angels were rejoicing Thursday afternoon when one of our volunteers accepted Jesus into his heart! What an awesome experience to witness!

I also tried my first crawfish, or as some people like to call them (not me), mudbugs. The name sounds revolting, but they taste great! Mini lobster tails anyone? Mom boiled up a spicy batch of them tonight for the volunteers to try, and they all freaked out. I guess they had never heard of it before, but a lot of them tried it, and I think some even liked it!

This week, we have Bernie, Lisa, Lucas, and Rachel Scharr visiting us from Woodburn, In. Bernie and Lisa have been close family friends for as long as I can remember, as well as neighbors! It has been really nice to see them again.

Well, I guess I better go, homework and then bed is calling my name. Have a great week!
Sam

(Mississippi tip of the week: Don't call "pop" "pop" down here unless you want to be laughed at, or looked at funny. It's SODA or COKE! I know from experience)

East To West

Hello Everyone!
Tonight was share time with the group, and it was great! We started off with some songs, (somebody played guitar!) we had a testimony shared, and then we had devotions. The devotions were on our sins, and how God forgives us no matter what! He takes our sins as far as the east is from the west; and as someone pointed pointed out, God used east to west for a reason. If He would have said "I cast your sins as far as the North is from the south" it wouldn't have been the same promise, because if you travel in a big circle from north to south, you always end up at a certain point where they come together. When you travel from east to west, there is no such point! You could just keep going and going and going, (like the energizer bunny!) and yet you would never come to the point where the two meet. Pretty amazing when you put it in relation to sin! Jesus cast them so far that we could go on forever and we would never get back to them. How awesome is that? Just thought I would share that with y'all, it really made me think.
Goodnight to all!

Aaaaahhhh

First of all, that's a sigh of relaxation, not yelling!
Yesterday we got back to Hope City after a wonderful week of relaxation and SLEEP on Hilton Head Island, SC. Although our vacation was great, it was also great to get back to the "showhome".
When we arrived, the camp was "waterless", which meant no showers! Not to mention hand washing, toilets, drinking water....... That was NOT cool, although Dad and Jed got it fixed today, so thankfully nobody got too smelly! We have three groups here this week, making the camp pretty active! I don't know much about them yet, as they just got here today because of Easter, but they seem like a fun group altogether.

Linda Vanderpol (one of our homeowners, for those of you who don't know)is moved into her home! We are so happy for her!

Well, I guess that's about all I have to say for tonight; I'll be writing more often from now on! Have a great night,
Sam

The Long Lost Blog....

Wow! I'm sorry I haven't written for so long! There has been a lot going on lately. I'll try to update y'all a little bit on what's been going on with the people of Mississippi.......


Jed has been in Indiana for the past two weeks trying to get his license replaced. Thankfully, he had no complications, and is flying down Friday.

Gary Richhart took Jed with him when we went home, so we have really been missing people these past weeks! Gary was great; we keep telling him that he and Linda just need to move another "showhome" right next to ours so they can stay here permanently! Although I don't think that is going to happen, Gary is coming back around the beginning of April because he just can't get enough of us! Actually, he is coming to perfect the database that he created in February, and do whatever else needs to be done around camp. He is always great to have around as well as Linda, although she can't come because of work. :(

We have a new client by the name of David Johnson. He is a Vietnam veteran, and a retired truck driver. He was driving truck somewhere up north one winter night, slipped down some stairs, and broke several vertebrae in his neck. He cannot straighten his neck anymore because it never healed properly, so he wasn't able to drive truck anymore. His house is the worst we have ever worked on!
Although he didn't get flooding, the storm knocked trees down onto his house, which has, since the storm, rotted and half fallen onto the ground. I was almost in tears to see a man living like he was. So many people think that Hurricane Katrina's damage is repaired, that's it's old news and it doesn't need attention anymore, but it's quite the opposite! Mr David has been living in a rotten house for two years,and although we don't have the funding to build him a new one, we have at least been able to get him a working bathroom until that funding comes through. Thanks to Bethel College who started the project!

Prayer Requests:

Please pray that we are able to get a caseworker and funding for Mr. David. Both are very scarce lately, so it will be difficult, but with God all things are possible!

Pray for all the homeowners whose houses are at a standstill because of funding and casework. Pray that they will be encouraged, and that we can procure these two things quickly!

Pleas pray for the Indiana State and Kelley School of Business: that the rest of their week will be without accidents or injuries, and that they will have a safe trip home. Also pray that they will grow closer to God through this experience.

I will probably not write too much for the next week or so, because the camp is closed and we are going on vacation! I will try to write at least a couple times though.

Well, I better get to bed; it's another early morning for me tomorrow! Goodnight!

More Fun.....

This week with Bethel College has been great! Last night we had a bonfire on the beach, with a time of worship and sharing; then there were a few people who didn't want it to end, (including me!) so we stayed by the fire and talked,played games, and ended with more singing! It was a great night to get to know some of the people better. I usually don't get to talk to people until after Wednesday share time, because I don't have the courage to start a conversation with a stranger, but after share time, it just feels like everyone is family. I wish it could be that way on Mondays!
Today, we went to New Orleans to see some of the devastation there and in the surrounding areas. It is amazing to see all of the work that needs to be done! After riding around in the bus touring St. Bernard's Parish and the Ninth Ward, we went to the French Quarter to walk around and eat supper. Of course, we couldn't forget the Beignets at Cafe Du Monde! Yummm!

Well, tomorrow is Criday:( we're really going to miss everyone! Some of the girls got to know David, one of our homeowners. I know that he's going to miss them! Bethel has been a great group, and we hope that they all come back again soon.

I guess I better sign off now. Love to all!

Cold!!

Today was cold! Okay, so compared to those of you in Indiana, I guess 60 would be warm, but with the wind and not much sun, it was cold! it is funny how you can get accustomed to something like weather so fast. I'm sitting on my bed in my warmest sweats, with a blanket wrapped around me!

Ok, enough about the weather....

The Bethel College students have been working hard on some not so glamorous jobs! One of those is taking out a bathroom and remodeling it for one of our clients. The toilet was loose and falling through the floor; I believe the sewage lines were broken, so you know that's not a pleasant job! The other one is gutting a mold infested house; the people working on that job have to be careful not to stay in the house too long because of exposure to the mold, so they stay moving.

I went with Dad on an assessment to Larry York's house today, and was again struck by the tragedy that the people down here went through; and the positive attitudes that most of them have! Larry and his family stayed during the storm, and today he said with a laugh, "We ain't never doing that again!" I can't imagine seeing your house just come apart around you! To see the damage is depressing, but to witness the actual storm; these are some strong people. His house wasn't as bad as some I have seen; there was just some wall patching and cabinet and door replacing, so it shouldn't take too long to get that finished for him and his family.

Well, I think the prayer requests remain about the same for now. I would love to have some feedback, or just let me know what's going on in your lives!

Have a great week! Sam

Romans 8:8-11
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

It's Raining, It's Pouring...........

I'm sorry about the big gap in posts; I haven't been doing very well at keeping up lately!

Richard Waite was here again this morning, and this time he brought Bev with him! It's always nice to see them both. Richard came today because he wants to give back by volunteering his time and effort when he can to work alongside the volunteers. Thank you to all who have been praying for him; his health is much improved!

We had beautiful weather this weekend, but today that came to an end! Although it wasn't cold, it was very windy, tonight it started raining and there is even a tornado warning out!


Prayer requests:

Bethel college is here this week doing some demo. Please pray for safety, that they would draw closer to God and each other this week, and that they can be a light to everyone that sees them.

Jed is home in Indiana this week trying to get his license, among other things that he lost along with his wallet. Please pray that he doesn't run into any complications with that, and that his trip back here is safe and uneventful.


Thought I would share a couple of my favorite "Bible songs" verses, even thoughyou have probably seen them before:

This is the song of Moses and Miriam after the crossing of the Red Sea. I have always loved the way it's worded!

Exodus 15:1-2
1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD :
"I will sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea.

2 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him.


This is the song Mary sang after her visit from the Angel Gabriel:

Luke 1:46-47

46And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Another Not So Ordinary Day...

Today started at 2 this morning Gary Richhart left for Indiana, taking Jed with him. We are already missing Gary, especially Dad! (We miss you too Jed!) As many of you probably heard, Mom was on wbcl this morning talking about Hope City. We are trying to recruit more volunteers so that we can finish the homes that are on our list.

Richard Waite was here this morning for breakfast, and then again tonight; that was nice to be able to see him again.

The First Missionary team left tonight after supper. Please pray that they get home safely, and that they adjust back into "normal life" with a renewed fire for sharing God with people.

Tonight I babysat for kids at church because of a "50's mystery dinner theater". It was fun, but very tiring! I did get to know a couple of other girls that were there babysitting, and we had fun.

I guess that's about all I have for tonight. I need to get some sleep; I'm babysitting again tomorrow night! Have a great weekend everyone!! We love you all!

Untitled Post

Ok, first of all, about the title....Chris Rice has a song called "Untitled Hymn", so why can't I have a blog post called "Untitled Post"? This is one of my all-time favorite songs! Here are the words for those of you who don't know it:

Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus) Lyrics

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!



And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

Every time I hear this song, it makes me cry! It is pretty much the whole Christian life condensed into 3 minutes and 49 seconds. It starts at the beginning when we, as weak, sinful people, first come to Jesus. Then it goes through meaningful times in our lives, such as trials and joy; eventually ending with a new beginning!

I guess I wrote about this particular subject tonight because I have been thinking about all the people that come through Hope City. Every person is at one of these stages in life, some not knowing that my Jesus can be their Jesus too! I can only pray that I will be able to live the verses to this song in my life, and be an example to everyone that I come in contact with. Someday we can all dance with Him!!

Hebrews 9:14
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

1 Peter 1:3
[ Praise to God for a Living Hope ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Machines....and God's Will

This has been a great week so far, as I have gotten reacquainted with a friend from last year; Deborah Schwartz. We have had a couple adventures, and hope to have more as the week goes on!

I also got to learn how to drive a bobcat yesterday, and this is where my analogy of the day comes in! Are you ready? Ok..........

Dad and I came home from Geraldine Payne's house where we moved stumps from her yard to the road with Deborah and Janelle. (Actually Dad did most of the moving since the stumps were so HUGE!) Then he told me to get the bobcat off the trailer.
I looked at him kinda funny and said, "but Da-ad, I have never driven a bobcat before", and he just told me to get in and he would tell me what to do. Now I have to give you a little bit of my driving history....From the time that I was probably 8 years old, Dad made me learn how to drive the different machines that we had around, such as the tractor, mower, truck, etc. I always said the same thing: "but Da-ad". I don't think that I have ever just gotten on something without him making me! I still haven't learned........

Anyways, I reluctantly got into the bobcat and followed his instructions. As soon as I figured out how to make it move, I knew I was going to like it! It has always happened that way; after every machine that I was forced into driving, I loved it, including the bobcat! If only I would learn to just trust him without the "but Da-ad", I would have enjoyed it even more!

Same thing with our Heavenly Father. When He tells us to do something, our response is often similar to mine, not wanting to do what He has planned for us. We need to learn to trust Him the first time He says something, because He knows that we will eventually love what He "told" us to do, and that it will benefit us. When we know that we are doing something that pleases those we love, it makes that action; whatever it may be, enjoyable to us!

If anyone has any questions about a certain homeowner that I haven't ever mentioned, please comment and I will try to answer to the best of my ability!

Love from Sunny Mississippi,
Sam

Colossians 3:22-24
23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

A Great Day of Worship!

Today was a wonderful Sunday of worship and relaxation. After church, we went to the airport to pick up a First Missionary Church volunteer, went out to eat, then came home and took a nap! The rest of the team got here around 7, then we had orientation and are getting ready for bed!

This month's sermon series has been on parenting and the scripture today was from 3 John verse 4: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. It was on leaving a legacy for your children. We also had a wonderful worship service, although it was too short in my opinion!

Well, tomorrow is the start of a new week, the start of getting to know more family members, as well as getting closer to people that we met from past trips down here!

Prayer requests and praises:

Richard Waite is doing better and his house is almost done!! Pray that we get the funds to finish it.

Pray that the volunteers have a safe, energetic, and God-filled week as they work!

Richard and Linda Morse are having some setback with paperwork and funding, so please pray that everything gets smoothed out and that they can stay positive in the midst of everything.

Jed lost his wallet Friday night, which means that he also lost his license, among other things. Please pray that someone will turn it in, or else that he can get everything settled.

Goodnight to all!!!

Criday!

Today many tears were shed as Fellowship Missionary packed up and headed for home. They all had a great last day of work, then came back to camp, cleaned, and loaded everything. Then we all went to Richard Waite's to see his home because it's almost done and they wanted to pray over it! One thing that he said that really got to me was "the harder the experiences we go through, the stronger we become" I thought about all the trials that we have faced as a family since we moved down here, and then I thought about the ways that we have grown in our walk with the Lord and our relationships with each other. What he said was so true!


As Dad always says, "you think you came down here to bless, but you're the one who will be blessed". I know I'm kind of rambling, but I thought I should just share what's on my heart. I hope everyone has a great weekend! Stay warm!!

John 1:16
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.


1 Corinthians 9:23
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Another Great Day

We got our kitchen sink today!! Stan Carney and Ryan Overholt, both from Fellowship Missionary, worked non-stop all day to get everything done, including Ryan spending a lot of it under the house in the mud, and they did an amazing job! Thanks so much to everyone from Fellowship that finished our kitchen this week! Also, thanks to everyone who worked so hard to turn our house into a home. Now that the kitchen is finished, Mom has a lot of birthday cakes to catch up on!

Today was rainy, therefore very humid, but it still sounds like a good amount of work was done. Linda VanderPol's house is almost ready to move into, and Richard and Linda Morse's house is moving along at an amazing rate! They are so excited, as we all are!

We have also had several euchre tournaments this week; that has been fun! It's always good to see our "fellow euchre players" haha, only in Indiana and Ohio!

Share time was encouraging last night; we sang hymns and almost everybody shared experiences from the week. We had a lot of laughs and there were several tears also. Tomorrow more of our family is leaving; it's growing bigger every week, and although it's sad to see everyone leave, we know that it isn't forever! Someday we'll all be together again, whether it's in Indiana or Heaven!

As I close, I thought I would share one of my personal "God Moments". I had been looking in the Bible for the verse about clean hands and a pure heart because I remembered it from a song that we used to sing in youth group, but I couldn't find it. Then today we were having devotions at breakfast, and guess what one of the verses was? I'm sure you guessed right! God is so awesome! I'll share the verse with you; it's another one on my long list of favorites:


Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false. [a]

5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [b]
(New International Version)


Have a great week!!

Blessings....

Today was a day of many blessings! Steve Binkley and Stan Carney put our long awaited kitchen counters in, Jeanine Carney painted an awesome palm tree in our bathroom, and Char Binkley and Linda Richhart took Shaina and I for a girl's day out!

Also, tonight we had guests for supper; Richard and Linda Morse, and Lois Parker; two of our new builds! We got to hear a little of their "Hurricane stories", and it's always nice to have homeowners here to get to know over a nice dinner!

Thanks again for all the prayers!

A Homeowner's Story

Fellowship arrived around 6 Sunday night; Thanks to all who prayed for safety. It was great to see some familiar faces!

Tonight one of our new homeowners came to supper, her name is Orlanda Booker, and when Steve gave her the opportunity to share some of her story, she did. She lived in Pass Christian with her two daughters in a small "quaint" house. When the storm came, she and her family evacuated. When they came back to their house, it looked fine and so she was relieved; believing that she was one of the few blessed to still have her home. Her brother went in to investigate and found the opposite to be true. Her house had been flooded with 8-10 feet of water; and it wasn't just the Gulf water either, it was the muddy water of the Bayou! Miss Orlanda said that "it looked as if it was just a big huge filthy washing machine; everything was strewn all over. They had to force the door open, and when they got inside, it was a disaster!" She then went on to say that she found her mattress moved from her bedroom up a step into the kitchen, her fridge was turned, and there wasn't one thing in place.

I think about her and I know that she's just one of many who still have to face this tragedy every day! Even two and a half years after the storm, for some, it is as if it has just happened. Every day, as they live in the cramped quarters of their FEMA trailers, MEMA cottages, or even their cars, these people have to face the devastation with virtually no escape!

I know that the people of the Gulf are extremely grateful for all the help that they have received from volunteers, but they still need it! People think that after two and a half years, everything should be done, but it's far from it.

Please pray for Orlanda and the rest of the people still without homes; for encouragement and hope as they face the days ahead.

Also, please continue to keep Richard Waite in your prayers, as his health is still not good.

A praise! Linda Vanderpol's house is almost done! A couple volunteers went over today to do some finish work; hanging towel bars, etc.

Thanks again for all the prayers and support! It can never be said enough!

A verse that was used in devotions this morning:


1 Peter 3:15
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

(New International Version)

Another Great Unexpectation.....

Today Linda was running errands for camp, so she took one of the camp vehicles. (This particular vehicle has a little trick to starting.) She did fine getting it started on her first three stops, but when she got ready to leave Home Depot, she couldn't get it started! She tried several times, and then called Gary, who was back at the camp. Mom and Shaina went to pick her up, but by the time they got there, she had been waiting 45 minutes and was "freaking out" as Linda so eloquently put it. Between the three of them, they got it started and came back to camp. Just another one of the great "oops" moments!

Some of the group from the Chapel are leaving tomorrow morning at 3, so I said my goodbyes tonight! I think one man left tonight, and the remaining are leaving tomorrow around 8 or 9. Then the camp will be empty for the weekend, besides us........

Well, I guess that's about it for tonight. Have a great weekend!


Colossians 3:22-24
23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Wow, no matter how small our job may seem to us, God wants us to do our best. To Him, there are no small jobs!

Valentines Day

Today was another pretty uneventful day in Hope City. The crew this week has been great, and again, tomorrow is going to be a "Criday" as Mom so aptly named Fridays, the day that the groups leave us! Our "family" just keeps growing! Just one of the many things that God has blessed us with since coming down here! In case I haven't mentioned it, this week was a group from The Chapel in Fort Wayne. Next week is Fellowship Missionary in Fort Wayne, led by Steve Binkley! It sounds like he's bringing a big group! We all look forward to seeing Steve again, as he has become a very close friend.

Also, Gary and Linda Richhart are still here, and will be staying a week longer than originally planned! YAY! Gary is still working on the computers, and Linda is doing some office work and still cleaning. She and Mom have also made some of the meals this week, so that was a nice change of pace for them both.

Prayer Requests:

Please continue to keep Richard Waite in your prayers, as he's still not sure what is wrong.

Pray also for everyone at camp to be protected from the cold that's going around. We are all fighting it!

Pray for The Chapel's safety as they will be heading out sometime tomorrow or Saturday; and also for Fellowship's safety as they will be on their way down.

I would like to share a couple of my favorite Bible verses before I end:

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."


Psalm 24:3-4
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.

(all verses are NIV)

I could go on and on with a list of my favorites, but I'll save some for another time! Have a great week!

President Lincoln Was Awesome!

Ok, Today was just a normal day in the life of "Hope Cityians" but it was also special day because it was President Abraham Lincoln's birthday! I have always admired President Lincoln for his boldness to stand up for his beliefs, even when people didn't like them. He made a huge positive impact on the American culture forever by freeing the slaves. What would have happened if he just caved in to peer pressure and said "you're right, forget that I mentioned it" and just gave up. Can you imagine what our country would be like today? NOT GOOD!

Next time you are in a situation where peers are trying to convince you to do something that is against what you think is right, remember President Lincoln and the positive affect that his decision had on our country.

Beauty and the Beach

Today I went for a walk on the beach with Linda and Shaina, and was again amazed by God's creation! It never gets old; the colors change every day! Even after all the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, there are still beautiful things; you just have to take the time to look. We get so caught up in our everyday lives that we forget to "stop and smell the flowers", which I think means to take time for the small enjoyments of life. "Down here" in Mississippi, it's easier to remember that because, even though frustrating at times, everyone around here is really slowwwwww!

Try to remember to take time this week to do something you really enjoy, even if it's something as small as getting up a little earlier to watch the sunrise, or taking the time to call or write a letter to a relative you haven't talked to for a while. You will be surprised at how much better your day goes.

Some prayer requests:

Richard Waite needs continued prayers as he is still having problems with his colon.

Safety for the volunteers this week as they work on numerous projects.

Dad is under the weather this week, so please pray that he gets well soon, as I know that he doesn't like being in bed instead of working. (I think y'all know that "Dad" is Monte Brenneman, but just in case I'm telling you again!)

Thanks again for all your prayers and support!
Love From Mississippi!

Practical Living Tip of The Day!

Don't forget to take your magnets off your vehicle BEFORE you go through the car wash!

Today, on our way home from church, that's what we didn't do! haha We lost our HCRN car magnet in the car wash. A couple of the workers looked for it, and after coming back out wet and empty handed, the manager said he would go down into the pit after closing and call us when he found it. AAaaahhh I think I should make a new blog called, "Great Unexpections" in the lives of the Brenneman's!

Well, I just thought everyone might enjoy one of our "oops" moments! Have a relaxing Sunday!

Who Likes Cleaning Their Room?

Haha, Can you guess what I did today? I cleaned my room! And not just a simple pick up the clothes and books kind of cleaning,I'm talking about the "grab the trash bags, get an energy drink and GO" kind of cleaning! My room was in serious need of a makeover! Other than that and school, not much happened today in the lives of "hope city people" I really don't have too much to write about so maybe I'll just think of some random things about some random things that have been happening around here.......

The "A Team" from Illinois finished the roof on Linda Morse's roof today! It's amazing to see how fast her house is taking shape! She and Richard were here at the camp for supper last night, and as always, it was great to see her. Just a few weeks ago, Bethel College poured the foundation, and now there's a house! She and Richard are so excited. I will work on getting some step by step pictures up on the facebook group so that everyone can see the progress.

I feel bad for y'all who are stuck in the cold weather of Indiana! It was almost 70 degrees today, sunny and beautiful! I missed the snow at first, but now I'm enjoying all this sun.

An experience from youth group........ One Wednesday a girl from the youth group came up to me and asked me how old I was, where I went to school, where I was from, etc. When I told her I was from Indiana, she started asking me a bunch of weird questions about "you people" like we "Northerners" are a different species! One of the questions was *in a southern drawl* "So do y'all like, say 'you guys' up there instead of y'all? Cause I like, met this guy that moved down heah from Chicago, and he said 'you guys', it was the cutest thang! So what do you say, y'all or you guys?" I had to laugh, and she looked at me kind of funny then! Yeah, I have had several odd encounters with people in the youth group, but I'll save those for another time.....

The beach is a mess right now, because they are doing what looks like pulling up more sand from the water. There is a huge dirt water break on the beach right in front of the camp and the pump is going most the day as far as I can tell. It is kind of cool to watch sometimes.

Bikes..................And Walks With God

Today I went on a bike ride with Linda, Josh, and Shaina. Wow, I thought I was in shape, but now I'm thinking differently! haha

My experience today reminded me of a Christian's walk with Christ. We think that we're "in shape" as Christians, but then when we're tested, we sometimes have to rethink that! We need to remember to "exercise" our relationship with Jesus and maybe next time we are tested, we will be more "in shape" as Christians.

Hope City is a kind of spiritual "boot camp" for believers, as well as any missions trip that you go on. We get back in shape and ready to exercise our faith at home. It's really hard to keep up the exercise once we get back home to our normal routines. We need to keep going strong and help each other remain committed to making an exercise routine and sticking to it!


Ephesians 6:10-12
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Isaiah 40:30-31
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

(New International Version)

First Post!!

This week a team of men from Illinois is here, along with the Bradford brothers from Warsaw, working up a storm! Gary and Linda Richhart from Woodburn Missionary are also here for an extended time to help out around the camp. Gary, who is a "computer geek" is working on establishing a more organized database so that Hope City office work goes a little easier. Linda is deep cleaning and organizing the camp supplies as well as playing with Sophie. We're having a great time with them, and hope these next couple of weeks pass slowly, so we can spend as much time as possible with them!

Please keep Richard Waite in your prayers, as his health is failing. He says he thinks that he has cancer again. I believe the last news I heard on his house is that they were working on trimming it. Pray not only for his health to improve, but also for encouragement; I can't imagine having the excitement of a new house and not being able to enjoy it fully!

Thanks again for all the prayers!