An update from Dave

Here goes:

3:45 am Sunday morning came awfully early.  Mark, Vincent, and I left our house promptly at 4:30 for our 6:00 am flight.  This was Vincent’s first flight, ever.  He was hard to read but I think deep down there may have been a tad bit of anxiety.. but maybe not.

We were crammed into the back row of our United flight from Sac to Houston.  It was a good flight, on time, and Vincent and I had some good quality time together.  We sat next to an Air Force pilot who was going to a school in Florida. Nice guy and we thanked him for his service.  

We had a 1 ½ hour layover.  Just enough time for me to get frustrated at not being able to watch the NFL games on Lisa’s laptop, as I had hoped.  But, wow, I survived it!! Imagine that.

We boarded our flight to New York on time.  As we were over Virginia, the pilot turned our plane around back south.  Huh?  He came on the PA to tell us that air traffic was backed up in New York and that he needed to delay us by twenty minutes.  

We approached La Guardia twisting and turning back and forth and for the life of me, I just can’t figure out the flight landing pattern for La Guardia.

We didn’t really take up any ministry opportunities on the trip out as we have before.  I don’t really know why or why not.

We picked up our car and headed into the New York night.  Traffic.  Hmmm, go figure, traffic in New York.  We arrived in Island Park around 7:15 in time to meet the program manager, make our beds, and go out and get something to eat.  We met Mark’s brother, Chris, after we came back.  He drove up from Philly to serve with us for a couple of days.  It so happens he knows Jodie from his days as a senate staffer.

We retired around 10 PM local time after a big travel day.

Monday:

We met the other team here from North Carolina.  It turns out they go to the same church that the Samaritans Purse volunteer coordinator, Scotti Stevens, goes to.

We met the staff here, went through orientation, and went to our jobsite which was about 25 minutes away.  Just so happens that Erinn Ford is here as the case worker who we have served with in New Orleans, Nashville, and Tuscaloosa.  Also, Tall Steve is here working for SP as logistics coordinator.  We worked with him as a volunteer in New Orleans and Nashville.  Its kind of neat to run into these friends we have served with before.  

We are working in Bellmore (sp) Long Island, at Rookie’s house.  She is an 88 year old Jewish widow.  She is about 4’11” and 85 lbs, sharp as a tack, filled with many great stories, and just a joy to speak to.  She is the shining example of someone from the “Greatest Generation”.  

The basement of her home flooded out during the storm.  She had to leave her home and go stay with friends for about a month.  We are finishing the remodel of her basement with flooring, paint, stairway repair, and door installation.

Vincent is doing very well. He is working hard and making new God loving friends.  I know he will look back on this experience and appreciate it. He is taking direction well and Im leaving him alone.  It is a joy, as his father, to see him grow.

As parents, I believe the best we can do is to try our best to give our kids the foundation, and let God do the rest.

Tuesday:

We spent most of the day on our knees, grouting. Yes Art Mann, grouting. I missed you today.  It has become more difficult to get up and down but hey, it’s the Lord’s work.  We cut out around 3 PM so that we could get back to base camp, shower, and I had to go back and get Rookie and bring her to our nightly dinner.  She was very appreciative.  Our friend Deborah helped me get her back and forth to her house and when we were saying good night to her, we gave her a hug and she got a bit emotional.  She is a dear sweet woman.  

Her husband of over 60 years passed in 2009.  She has a daughter who lives very close and another one not so close.  She speaks very fondly of her husband who was known as a prankster and quite the character.  She has told us stories about WWII, living in Brooklyn, her time as the payroll clerk at the local school district, which she mentions she was the most important person there and VERY well liked!!