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!