My Birthday at Camp Restore

It was a great birthday. Camp Restore is filling up. I met some folks from Norfolk, NE. I told them I was born in Norfolk 45 years ago today. They didn't really seem impressed. I thought it was newsworthy. I switched today to Pastor Sturzenbecher's group. We did dry wall at the house of a woman who works for the New Orleans fire department. She's very nice. Her house is cool duplex. She fed us a lunch today with Hot Wings and Fried rice. Her house was flooded four feet deep. She wasn't here when the water rose she evacuated early. She said she had just remodled her home. Now I guess she'll have to do it all over again.
We almost had an accident today. Randy and I were getting a vent fan out of the attic. We thought it was really light but it was caught on a nail. When the nail let loose we found out just how heavy it was... too heavy. I recieved a glancing blow on my forehead and shoulder a little sore but not bad. Randy got a scrape on his nose.
Still more to do tomorrow.
The camp is full to capacity. 2 to 3 groups came in last night from Nebraska (Pious X HS); California; and Mt. Pleasant MI. Miciah painted with a the other SD folks. They found a stop sign in the owners yard. The homeowner said they could keep it. They're taking it home to hang in the Divine Shepherd youth room.
Dinner and bed. I'll sleep well.
Pastor Watt

Update from Camp Restore - New Orleans

Miciah and I arrived safely after a long bus ride. We got on the busat 9pm Christmas Day and arrived then next day in New Orleans at8:30pm the next night. Thanks to 2 bus great bus drivers the trip wasuneventful. One slept the other drove, back and fourth all the way.A few trip hightlights: It was funny to drive through St. Louis andnot stop after having lived there during the our time at the sem.Driving through Memphsis I thought about a Bob Dillon son "...Mephasis blues again..." as we were driving by a billboard for"Heartbreak hotel" next to Graceland. No we didn't stop there either.The first morning at the camp started at 7am for breakfast. We haveto be seated by seven or we're singled out for "special duty." I'mnot planning on finding out what that is.I was assigned to one of the Laborers for Chrsit named Paul. Wecaulked some leaks on one woman's house and patched the roof at HolyCross Lutheran Church.Holy Cross was under ten feet of water. The inside of the church iscompletly gutted. Bare studs and floortiles. Sometimes as I lookedat the damage I was overwhelmed with how much work there is to do justto get even this church back up to usable. Many of the houses herehaven't been touched since Katrina. Most all of them bear themarkings show when the house was searched for bodies. It's a big Xwith the date and some codes that I can't decipher. One of the mostcommon numbers is 0 at the bottom. I think that's the body count. Ihaven't seen any with anything else. but I'm only guessing.Miciah stayed at camp today and did "housekeeping" as it turns out forher it was cleaning toilets. She took it like a trooper. She'shaving a pretty good time. Tonight two big Orphan Grain Train truckspulled in. There's a farm truck and a van, for use down here. Weended the evening with Devos for the South Dakota Group and then abunch of folks went to Wal-Mart on a needed shopping trip. They weregone quite a while, they said that everwhere seems to be understaffed.I don't know what tomorrow will bring. It's my birthday, I've beenthinking of volunteering to clean toilets... that'll be a change fromthe roof to the can.I've taken some very interesting pictures... but there's not a good wefor me to get them on the blog yet so we'll save them for later.God's BlessingsPastor Watt.

Dec 29 at Camp Restore

7am Breakfast... breakfast here is very hardy lots of carbs for energy. Randy was asked to work on a van they got in today. He didn't go to the sight till later so I was team leader by default. I had a hard time keeping everyone busy. I tried to get the kids going on mudding. They needed to be taught and had lots else to do. Got them busy on an outside project moving rocks. They found a broken angel that belonged to the homeowner. Lunch was homemade Jumbilia (spelled) Best lunch so far in New Orleans. Randy came at 2pm. We did get quite a bit done.
I stapled my hand today. Bethany and I were going to staple up some insulation that had fallen down. She asked "How do you know if these things have staples in them?" I said you just put the thing on our hand and squeeze the trigger. Later I was trying to staple up the insulation. It was one of those new staplers that look like they are backwards. I couldn't figure out why no staples were coming out, so I pointed it down at the ground and placed my hand under the back end to hold it steady, and pushed the trigger. I found out I was holding it upside down when the 1/2 inch staple came out in the palm of my hand. It wasn't easy to get out either! As I've told every one... it was poetic justice. It didn't hurt really at all... but my pride hurt instantly. Really I think it's quite funny! My fingers are sore tonight and it's a bit of a trick to type.
Jim Likens had devos on at camp tonight. He's the one who wrote "God knows your name."

Special Note: I found out that Waunita had emergency surgery today. She's doing fine. I feel pretty helpless... can't begin back till Sunday. We'll leave after church and have the 22 hour trip home.
Pray for her speedy recovery and my trip home.
Pastor Watt.