So, a confession right off the bat – I had expected to publish this blog daily during work camp but we have been so busy and I have been so tired that I haven’t made good on that commitment. The program for work camp starts with breakfast at 7:00 AM and ends with team devotions finishing around 10:00 PM. In between there are large group teaching and worship times, work, and some early evening free time.

As the week has begun the emphasis has moved from the group you came with (St. Mark’s Cornerstone Youth) to your crew which consists of five our six people you work with and spend time with during worship and devotions. My crew is pictured with this blog and includes people from Connecticut and Maryland. I am the lone Midwesterner.

Our work has primarily involved painting at the home of a woman named Rosemary. Rosemary’s husband is in the hospital and she has some physical limitations. Besides the painting we are also installing a safety light by the front door and some rails on stairs to help make life safer for Rosemary and her husband. We have enjoyed getting to know her and she has been very appreciative of the work that we are doing.

During the week our crew becomes vital to the camp experience. It is interesting to see how divergent group shares a common belief in Jesus Christ while often having very different approaches to life and the work we are doing. This morning in our teaching and worship time we were challenged to memorize John 13:35. (“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”) The challenge is then to live out that verse as we spend our day together serving Jesus and our neighbor, especially the resident of the house we are working on.

While we are far from perfect, both in our home repairs and our loving actions toward one another, we know that we continue to strive to do our best and God blesses our efforts.