FINISHING UP AND BEGINING ANOTHER

 Severe storm warnings were issued for the weekend but luckily we only had some rain and all our team arrived safely. After church on Sunday we gathered at Russo's for lunch. Our team for this week is  Larry and Dottie, Danny and Annette, Bob and Paige, Charlotte, John and Lu, Ruth and David.

 Monday most of the women went back to Daniel's home and continue to mud and sand. Paige mudding a ceiling.

 Annette sanded the master bedroom and bathroom.

 Charlotte sanded another bedroom.

 Daniel, the home owner, stopped by a few times. He had lots of stories to tell and share with us. His goal is to be in this home by the end of May, but hiring contractors that are available is difficult. He did get his electricity hooked up on Tuesday afternoon and he came by to put in one outlet so we had power. We needed light to see in the one bathroom.

Charlotte held the light so Paige could see where to mud and sand in this bathroom. I think it was the worse room in the house.

 Everyday at lunch time we took a five mile ride to Anderson's.

 They very kindly let us use their one bathroom.

 We cleaned up and declared the house ready to be painted on Wednesday afternoon. We are hoping he has it textured, but Daniel wasn't sure he could afford to and was waiting for a painter to come and give him an estimate.

 The rest of the team had been working at this newly built home on Otto Road.

 What a beautiful view from the front porch.

 David and Bob started putting the dry wall on the ceiling.

 John and Lu worked at the Carter's home on Monday and got all the leaks fixed and the house is now finished. They then came to this house and installed all the insulation.

 The ceiling was up and now the walls. David cuts out the window.

 On to the hallway.

 Larry fixed some of the wiring in the kitchen before the drywall was put on.

 By  the end of the day Thursday the drywall was on in the kitchen

 and the living/dining room. Even some mudding had begun.

 Some volunteers from the Methodist church in Pinebluff, NC came on Thursday afternoon to help with hanging dry wall on the ceilings. We spread the word about NOMADS to them.

 Paige and Bob had to leave Thursday morning so we went to the Market place on Wednesday night. John and Lu, and Charlotte will also be leaving on Friday.

 A Chocolate Mess was the celebration dessert of the night for most of us.

 On Friday the team members that were left went out for breakfast and then into Little Rock.  We had a very informative tour of the William J Clinton Presidential Library.

There were lots of interesting displays about his presidency. It was nice seeing school children interacting with the exhibits.

 This is a full size replica of the Oval office exactly as it was when  he was President.

 Close to the library is the Heifer Village.

The exhibits here told how Heifer International helps countries improve living conditions for many poor around the world. It was very interesting.

LEADERS ALREADY

 We left PA on April 16th and headed west to Conway, Arkansas. the weather was good for traveling and we arrived on Saturday at noon. This area that was hit hard by tornadoes April 27, 2014. The Methodist Church and parsonage in Vilonia ( a town 14 miles from here) was destroyed, along with much of the town.. The Wesley Methodist  church installed full hook -ups for NOMADS and other Christian relief helpers to park at while we are working here.

Our rigs parked behind the church. The brown 5th wheel is Jean and Steve's new home along with a new truck.

 Sunday afternoon we went to a performance by the Conway Women's Chorus. Sorry I forgot my camera for two of the women from this church were part of the group. They sang songs and recounted stories of Southern women during the Civil War. It was very well done.

 Monday we all were back at the Carter house with hopes of getting it finished. NOMADS have been working on it the whole time, at least since Gary and Gwen have been leading. Gwen and Fran continued to paint the kitchen cabinets.

 Larry and Gary worked on installing the counter tops.

Break time for the team, Fran and Ron from Texas, Steve and Jean from Minnesota, Fran from  Florida and Gary and Gwen from Georgia

 Fran finished painting the trim and worked on the house the rest of the week, including making a  list of all that will still need to be completed next week!

 Ron worked on plumbing.

 Kitchen cabinets doors on, counter top installed and ron working on getting the sink hooked up without leaking.

 The water heater was very different and challenging for Steve. We are praying for a plumber on our team next week to help get the sinks and water heater to stop leaking.

Tuesday evening we went to the Market Place for a farewell dinner. Gwen and Gary are leaving on Wednesday morning for his mother fell and broke her hip and he was needed back home. We were glad to take over the leadership a little early for them.  Our meal began with a flaming cheese dip appetizer followed by some very good meals.

We have devotions every morning in the fellowship hall. Gary and Gwen joined us on Wednesday before pulling out. Charlotte came early and joined the team on Tuesday.

 Wednesday all but Fran and Ron came over to work at this house. The tornado took 32 homes in this area, and they were just recovering from a tornado three years earlier.

 As you drive down the road you see slab after slab where homes use to be. This slab had a safe room standing on it, I would sure want a storm shelter of some kind if I lived here.

 A group had come in and helped this gentleman mud his house, but unfortunately a lot of repair is needed to the mudding for it has cracked.  Fran taking off the mud so she can put on tape and remud the ceiling in this room.

 Jean, Steve and Charlotte sanded another one of the bedrooms.

 I worked on filling in the holes around the electrical boxes. I think there will be lots of challenges when the electric is hooked up! Thankfully we were only giving the home owner a hand with the mudding. Keep him in your prayers.

 Jean sanding the hallway.

 Fran moved into the bathroom to fix the ceiling in here. We will miss her next week.

 She inspected the bedroom  she worked on and it looks much better and should be fine with just a light sanding.

 On Thursday our team was joined by a very friendly cat.

The team  working at this house on Thursday consisted of these hard working women plus me. I was on scaffolding sanding and mudding the ceilings in the kitchen/living room most of the day. This "simple" one or two day task may take us all of next week.

THE DOORS

 Friday the church doors arrived so Butch and Cheri came over from Hawthorne and we drove up from Orlando on Saturday and installed them.

 First we reinstalled the drywall that we had to take down for the inspection and permits. They were very impressed with the quality of work the NOMADS had done and the permits were easily obtained.

Only took a few hours for the doors to be hung and all the wall boards replaced that we had to remove for the inspection. We were glad we were able to come back to complete the project.