Reflections

We have reached the half way mark in our stay here in Hattiesburg.

Things are going great. People are healthy, we are all getting along well, and we feel we are accomplishing a lot each day. Mattie, the owner of the home, drops by almost every day to check things out, and she is always thrilled at the progress. We are planning to visit her all black church this Sunday morning. Due to a family funeral this week, her whole family was in town, and so the entire family including a 7 week old granddaughter dropped in to check out the house. It was wonderful to meet them all.

Mattie and her family

We do quite a few things with the entire MDS group on our time off, and one of the enjoyable things is going to different restaurants and trying out different cuisine of the south. Hushpuppies, crawfish chowder, grits, catfish, fried oysters, stuffed crab, fried chicken  and lots of catfish. So far the only thing I would not bother with again is the grits. Oh and I have not tried the collard greens yet.

We have also explored the southern culture by attending a 4 hour bluegrass concert which was part of a weekend bluegrass festival. I loved it!!!

Thursday we went to the local library to watch a movie together. Friday we drove to Biloxi (1 1/2 hrs away) and met another MDS group and had lunch together. Then we spent the afternoon sightseeing.

We also get together for a potluck once a week, go out for lunch after church every Sunday, have a games night once a week, and Caroline our other fearless leader insists that we have a talent night next Thursday. Getting bored is not a possibility.

Chatting it up while waiting to leave for church

Soaking up the sun while having lunch at the work site

A typical work day starts with the alarm going off at 6:30. Then we climb into our work clothes, eat a quick breakfast, make and pack our lunches, and meet the group in the MDS trailer. We have devotions - we take turns leading this, sing our MDS theme song/hymn, then Norm our fearless leader gives us our work assignments for the day.

We all climb into the MDS van or work truck and drive the 25 min. to our work site.

Around 3-3:30  we start cleaning up the site, and then head back for home. Just as we pull into the long drive of the campground we slow down and all look out the south facing window of the van, hunting for Menno in the small slough.

Menno our mascot

This is the 4 ft. alligator who lives there, and occasionally suns himself on a little "island" in the slough. Bert dubbed him Menno, and we have adopted him as our mascot for the duration of our stay.

Our weather has ranged from 25 and sunny - definitely shorts weather -  to 0 and rainy and cold, and everything in between. We are definitely far from Manitoba!!! Quite a challenge when living in a trailer not much bigger than the average home bathroom. This whole experience is an adventure. And I am so happy to be here, working to give hope to a wonderful lady called Mattie.

                                                                                                                       - Elenore