NOLA 1 Day 4 Tuesday

Howard's team (Darold, Dave, and Lewis) got a lot done on the shed they are working on.  It's not completely square, so they have been struggling.  -  They have the decking and the paper on the roof of it.  Still to put on shingles and vinyl siding

Gary's team (Rod Sc., Darlene, Deb, Ali, and Matt)- got a lot of painting done.  Gary worked on installing a new tub.  He was frustrated with it.  I never heard him use curse words.  Matt stayed home sick today.  Something gastro.  The picture of him sleeping was in the TV room the night before.  He fell asleep watching an NBA game.  The picture of the couple shows the homeowners for Gary's house.  

Bob's team (Vern and Rod St.,) ended up getting a lot of projects added on to the house they were working on.  They worked on it all day, and are going to finish it (again?) tomorrow.  Apparently, they have earned a lot of trust by our work supervisors from UMCOR, because they gave Rod St. the key to their storage trailer.  

Erin's team-  (Barbara, Jeff, Kathy, and Ginger) installed some doors and some window sills.  There is still a lot of painting.  

We had a very good team meeting tonight.  Devotions were by Bob.  Gary has been playing his guitar at devotions.  That has added a nice touch.  

Troll is on his way.  He left Atlanta at 10:30 EST.  He said he was going to sleep part of the way and get here mid morning.  

This trip has been a lot different for a few reasons.  We are such a big group, and we are split up to 4 different sites.  Darlene and I talked a little bit about how it's been two and a half years, and while there is a lot to be done, still, The people that are here are moving on.  Most likely, the people in the Gulf will define their lives two ways-  before the storm and after the storm, but they are trying to move on.  They don't NEED to tell their stories anymore.  They have been telling it for the past 2.5 years.  Would you get tired of it?  

I am really proud of Erin.  I have treated her like a work crew leader, and she has stepped up into that nicely.  

The new people, Kathy, Vern, Ali, Gary, Jeff, and Dave have been fitting in well.  

Tomorrow, the UMCOR people suggested and encouraged us to New Orleans tomorrow.  We are going to do it.  So we are going to work a half day and see the 9th ward and other places around New Orleans.    

Things to pray for:

Matt's health

Corrine M. and her daughter, Laurie

Jim P., who was a part of our planning team, now recuping from cancer surgery. 

Our home owners   

Jeff's kids are having a hard time with him being gone.  

Dave's kids ditto.

Ok, that's all for now.  

Goodnight!

R

NOLA 1 Day 3 (Monday)

Today we got some work done.  We were divided up into 4 teams. 

Bob has one team with (That) Rod St., and Vern E.  They have installed cabinets and are already finishing up both of their two work orders.  

Howard has Dave W., Lewis W., and Darold S.  they are working on putting a roof and vinyl siding on a storage shed for a woman out in the woods.  More on her later.  

Gary has (this) Rod Sc., Darlene, Ali St., Matt S., and Deb S.  We put orange peel texture on walls and got things ready for painting tomorrow.  

Erin C. is leading a team.  Her team is doing door jambs, painting, and building window sills.  She is working with Jeff Sh., Kathy B., Barbara S., and Ginger St.

We heard a lot of interesting information and statistics about the progress in the New Orleans area.  Slidell is much farther along than New Orleans.  

Most of the pics today are from Erin's team.  I couldn't load Howard's pictures, and Ali has yet to bring hers tonight.  (I'm not holding my breath!)  

Troll might join us tomorrow.  Maybe Wednesday.

You can see more pictures at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/RodScofield/NOLA1

Ok-  that's it!

Thanks for your prayers!

R

NOLA day 3- Monday

Anyone want to write a card or a letter to a team member or to the team?  There are two ways to do it.  You can email and I'll read it to them at devotions or, preferred, better, great idea!, more effective, is writing a card they can keep.  Send it to:

Riverbend Mission Team

% First Presbyterian Church

1041 9th Street

Slidell, LA  70458

The people on the team are:  

Kathy Berhendt

Erin Clayton

Deb Solmonson

Barbara Schroeder

Ali Stemme

Ginger Stemme

Darlene Leiva

Rod Scofield

Rod Stemme

Darold Sanderson

Matt Sanderson

Dave Westlake

Howard Newton

Bob Newton

Lewis Whitehead

Jeff Shaw

Vern Emerson

Gary Baker

NOLA1- day 2

Day 2-  Sunday

 

We left Kirkwood (St. Louis) this morning around 8:00.  I should have looked back at my old notes, because apparently, we used to leave at 7:00am.  Howard and Lewis did leave a couple hours earlier so they could go and pick up Darlene from the airport in New Orleans.  We kept in contact throughout the day.  It was nice to have them running scout, because Howard would call back and say, "It's raining cats and dogs here in Memphis.  Maybe you want to eat lunch before you get here."  So we did. 

 

And the rain was amazing!  From half-way through Arkansas until about an hour south of Jackson, it rained hard.

 

One of the best quotes of the day, "I LOVE salt!  I'd even salt my sugar!" 

                                                                                                        

Erin talked about how neat it is having new people along because we get to see things from an brand new perspective all over again.  This is Erin's fourth trip.  Sometimes, you have to be very deliberate about not making things old hat. 

 

We are very sad to not have Corrine with us on this trip.  Corrine had a family emergency  and was unable to come.  It happened just before the trip.  We are praying for her and her family each time we do devotions.  I would ask everybody to pray for her and for her family, and for us, having to do this trip without her. 

 

Gas continues to be very expensive.  We estimate that we will be $2000 for gas for all three vehicles down and back. 

 

Gary B. has joined our team for this trip.  He is a pastor from northern Kentucky.  He  was one our youth leaders when I was in High School in Michigan.  Darlene L. has joined our team again.  How fantastic for me to be reunited with my aunt!  Not only is she my aunt, she really is one of my best friends and partner in ministry, and a mentor.  I am looking forward to spending time with her this week.

 

The last story for the day.  Right after we left Kirkwood, we got caught in a traffic jam on I240.  We couldn't see what was going on, so we sent Matt to the front of the line to see what was going on.  Just a downed power line. 

 

Just a little bit about the facility we are staying at.  Lots of people in small spaces.  The common spaces are big.  The sleeping rooms are pretty crammed.  Erin asked me to ask people to pray that the women jammed in the rooms together are flexible and understanding of each other's needs. 

 

Goodnight.  Amen.

 

 

NOLA1 Day 1 on the road- Saturday

If you don't want to get these emails, please let me know.  I'll take you off the list.  If I told you before I would take you off the list and I didn't, sorry about that-  I'll really do it this time!

NOLA1 -  Day 1 (Saturday)

We are on the road again!  It came out on me quick.  I had been so busy at work, and at church, that while I knew it was coming, all of a sudden, we were leaving the next weekend.  I am glad to be on the road, but even though it is the first night out, I am still not quite ready to leave for this trip.  I think I packed everything I need.  I got up early this morning to pack.  It got to be time to leave, and I still hadn't found the padlock for the trailer, nor enough two-way radios for all three vehicles we were taking.  Just before I left for the church, I thought, let me look one more time.  And sure enough, I saw a box I hadn't looked in before, and there they were, the padlocks and the radios.  Amazing. 

 

We met at the church, some arrived at 7:00am, some at 8:00am. Erin led devotions before we left.  She talked about a CEO's daughter acting with authority because she is the CEO's daughter, and when she asks someone to do something, it was understood it was from the father's authority.  When we go out, we have that authority as Christians, as children of God to do kingdom work.  Let's use it.  Amen.  Thank you, Bridget W. for the Cinnemelts from McDonalds!  And thank you, Chloe for the muffins!  What blessings we have! 

 

So It was snowy.  This is the first time we have left in the snow.  It seemed like a lot of false starts, because we didn't get moving south until about 8:40. In spite of that, we made good time.  As I mentioned earlier, we have three vehicles this trip.  We rented a van from Boyer Ford again, and we have Howard's truck, and we have (That) Rod St.'s van.  Each vehicle is chock full of treats.  -  The drive was very windy most of the way down.  We saw some flooding in Iowa.   Since it was so cold, we didn't eat our lunch outside.  Instead, we went to a McD's and got a few sandwiches to go.  It saved us a lot of time.  Gas is mighty expensive.  I filled the van twice, once for $94, and once for $80. 

 

The weather in St. Louis were much nicer.  It was odd to see flowers and trees with leaves and grass and etc.  We had pizza at our favorite pizza place again.  Devotions were by Barbara.  It is getting late and I'm going to get to bed.  

Fwd: Updates and last minute requests

Wendy and Bruce and Jake-

Wendy and Jake-  were you planning on coming to the commissioning service?  

Wendy-  can we do a couple songs?  Do you know if Ron is coming?  

Bruce-  any requests?  - -  do you have any power point needs?  

Jake-  Maybe I'll try to throw you some pics of the past trips to have circulating on the screen.  -  

Everyone else-  

Updates

Bendu will not be able to come with us.  She has some other commitments that she will be attending to.

Corrine will not be able to come with us.  We need to pray for her and for Laurie.  Laurie has not been doing well, and in fact, was hospitalized.  She was released from the hospital, but needs her mom right now.  Corrine sounded pretty sad that she can't come and we will surely miss her.  

Elbert will not be coming.

Current plan is that Troll will be meeting us down there on the 30th and staying with us until we leave.  

Jim P. is back in the hospital.  You may know that last week he had surgery to deal with some colon cancer.  He was released, but readmitted the next day because things just weren't working properly.  He said he is going to stay there until he knows for sure he's far enough on the road to recovery.  He said that the pre-surgery checks showed no evidence of cancer in the lymph nodes, but there is a small, mysterious spot on his lung that the doctors pointed out, but don't seem too concerned about at this time.  We talked awhile on the phone, and he sounded like the same Jim that we all know.  

I need a couple things done before the big migration-

Jeff-  Howard will need a check for $175 made out to A to Z Rental.  He is going to pick up the trailer on Friday.

Jeff-  Can you pick up the T-shirts either Thurs or Friday?  They are in St. Paul at Merri Lynn Printing on Como.  I don't know how much they will cost for sure, yet.  I'll call them Thurs. to see if they're done, and let you know.  If you can't do it, let me know and I'll see if I can get Ali or LInda B. or Dave or Susan to go get them, but then they would need to get a check from you. 

I will need someone to help me pick up my car after the commissioning service, or to ride with me to pick up the van.  Problem is that I won't know what time I can get out of work until I get out of work....  - After commissioning, my car will be in Minneapolis, up by Broadway and Stinson.  Kind of.  

Erin or Ali or Matthew-  can somebody pick up window paint for the vans?  You guys hash it out.  

Darold-  On that sheet I gave you, there was a list of who is doing devotions.  Can you do devotions on Thursday evening?  

Deb-  Can you do change your from Thursday evening to Saturday morning?  

  

Rod and Ginger-  Thank you for letting us use your van.  Let me know if you need anything done to get it ready.  

Gary, Darlene, Bob, and Troll-  Can you each see if you can bring a flag from your state.  I have a Minnesota flag from the party rental we can use.  They like to fly flags above their headquarters of the states represented by volunteers.  They like that 3x5 size.  If you can't, let me know and if I have time, I might see what it would take to track one down.  Depends on time.  (Troll-- please do not bring a Confederate Flag....)

Darlene-  Sandi H. may possibly be making brownies to send with you for me.  Maybe you want to call her and see if they're ready yet....  

That's all I can think of for now.  -  

Rod

Fwd: SLDR Jobs

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ashlie Junot <ajunot@ladrmse.org>
Date: Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Subject: SLDR Jobs
To: Rod Scofield <rodscofield@gmail.com>

UM Southeast Louisiana Disaster Recovery
7100 Read Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana 70127
Office: 504-248-7558
Fax: 504-248-7584
SoutheastCenter@LADRMSE.org

Rod,

I talked with the construction supervisors and they have several jobs that they want your group to help close out, finish, and clean up. Your group will be doing primarily finishing work at several locations. We will also be rededicating a home while you are here.

 

Thanks,

Ashlie