Last Day

Today was our fun day. It started off later than normal. We went to Lake Bastrop where we swam, played volleyball, Frisbee, and ate lunch.


The highlight of the day was getting to kayak down the Colorado River for six miles.





The day was wrapped up with dinner at a local restaurant in Smithville, La Cabana. At Devo tonight we did our affirmation blocks. This was a great mission trip and we are all looking forward to our next year. We should be home between noon and 1pm.

Wednesday - More Working!!!

Today we continued to work on three homes and completed painting at the Recovery Center.  It was the third day to work on the deck, and it was another hot one.  Painting and trim installation is basically finished at one of the homes and we worked to install flooring there.  We continued to installe shelfing and bathroom fixtures at one of the homes.

Here that team poses with the home owners.

Then that team worked to prepare the Smithvill Middle School to accomodate additional work teams for next week.  We covered the gym floor to protect it.

After another fabulous supper (potatoe bar with salad and banana pudding - yummy!), our youth met together with the local church youth for youth group time.  They said we were a very interactive group - so we weren't too exhausted to sing and have some good group discussions.  Then it was movie time.  And then off to bed for our fourth and last day of mission work. 

Tuesday - Working!

Driving to our work sites in the morning, the area that was burned has dead trees with greening undergrowth.

Today we had four teams working at four homes and at the soon-to-be-open Long Term Bastrop County Recovery Center.  One team worked to build a deck on a home.

A second team worked to install and paint trim and doors at another home (continuing from yesterday - see pictures from Monday).  A third team worked to install a ramp at a home and then paint walls at the Recovery Center.  Our fourth team worked to install shelving and bathroom fixtures.  In the evening, after a truly great supper (enchilada casserole and sopapilla cobbler!!!) the team was invited to watch the movie "Hope Floats" with Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr. which was filmed right here in Smithville.

Getting started - Monday

Today was our first day of Mission Trip and we had lots of fun, even though we got off to a slow start! We woke up groggy-eyed, but excited for our first day of work. After a nutritious and fulfilling breakfast, (kind of like the love of Jesus) we went to our diffrent work sites for an enjoyable day of work. We all were overjoyed to assist these people whose lifes had been ravaged by the fire.

Some of us painted, some of us trimmed, and some went straight into hammer and nails.

We also even painted the ceilings. (Happy Face Emoticon). We ate our packed lunches, and after a "short" break we went back to work! Later we went back to base-camp and took our showers.

We had yet another delicious meal. After some well-deserved down-time, we got to writing this message which you are listening to right now. Don't worry parents no injuries today!
-Joe Godwin

Sunday, June 17 - We arrive in Smithville and set up camp

We arrived in Smithville around two o'clock. We started to get our beds and our sleeping arrangements set up, unpacked groceries and made lemonade. After we explored our surroundings, we sat down and ate dinner.  Then we met the managers of Faith Village, and after a brief layout of what we will be doing this week we break into our groups for clean up, devo, and blog. It was a pretty laid back day, but the real work will begin tomorrow! Keep us in your prayers!

                                                                        Love, Catherine and Jordan