We arrive in Jonesville

It's about 11:30 PM as I write this. For most of us, today started about 8 this morning as we arrived at church to begin loading the trailer and the cars and trucks. If you have been at church this week you know how the halls and basement have been filling up with supplies, food, craft materials and gifts for the trip. Those who went last year say we had nearly twice what we had to take last year.

Tim Craft's trailer is a lot larger than the trailer than we used last year, and it was a good thing. We stuffed it from floor to ceiling and also stuffed two pickup trucks, a very large SUV, and some cars.

Besides the group from Troutville Baptist, we were blessed with two unexpected but very welcome people joining us. Joe, a friend of Tim's came and will be helping Tim on some of the construction work. And Shannon asked a friend of her's, Sarah, to come.

We made the drive fine, and got here about 6, unloaded in the hotel, and then went to the Powel Valley associational office. Pam Rhodes gave us an overview of what we would be doing.

In the mornings there will be Bible School at Darbyville Baptist, a small church on the outskirts of Jonesville. How small? Well this Sunday, when Pat and Pam visited they had 19 people. But they have a heart for children there, and have been out in the area giving out flyers advertising the VBS and told us to expect perhaps 40 kids.

In the afternoon there will be a backyard bible school for kids in a nearby trailer park, and special lessons for a local nursing home. And Tim and Joe will be doing work on the church, and on people's homes. We'll also be building book bags of school supplies for a lot of kids while we are here. We're going to be very, very busy.

We ate, and then went to the church about 8 to begin getting the rooms ready. Rooms were redecorated, as was the sanctuary. The moose had to be blown up. (that's Drewry blowing the moose up). All the crafts had to be laid out and made ready. All the things that were done for our own VBS we did there, and in just a few hours. But 11 we were done, and back to the hotel for the night. Most of us adult types were pretty bushed, but the teenagers, Shannon, Emily, Lacey, Drewry and Sarah were all dancing to Jessie McCartney as we closed up for the night.

So we are tired, but very excited. Keep us in your prayers - the real work begins tomorrow.

Tom
PS - for those of you new to blogs, you can click on the small pictures to get a larger version!