Making a Difference - West Virginia

Another day began with an alarm screeching in my ear.  After six hours of sleep, waking up was not something I was excited to do.  Still I was able to gain the strength and the agility to hop from my two story bunk onto the floor.  I then walked into the living room knowing my room mate, Michael would be making me sausage patties and after peeking in the kitchen I sat immediately on our vibrating couch.  To make sure that I didn’t fall asleep on the couch I took a speedy shower no shampoo included. 

Today some people in our group decided to go to a new site instead of the school that we have been helping renovate.  I have been enjoying working there but sometimes putting down tiles can be a little straining on the back and somehow everything on the floor sticks to my knees.  Even with our decision to help paint a house they weren’t ready to have us start working so we headed over to the school to start work.  We continued to put tiles on the floor, thankfully it didn’t take long before we could leave and head over to the house.  We soon arrived at the house to see cats sleeping on the drive way, not a bad greeting.  We were then showed what was the house, it was very small and to find out that the family had six kids living there was even more surprising.  I was first sent to sand the wall a small task but I found a way to get dust all over me, somehow it seems as though every job I do comes with getting dirty.  After finishing this task I was sent to the living room where we were told to paint the ceiling.  I have painted walls before but never the ceiling, it was a task I had never experienced.  We had many laughs such as having paint fall on our heads and the occasional outburst of jokes from our fellow workers. After working another hard day, I had the cooking of pizza and wings to look forward to with one of my team members, Kathy.  I enjoyed cooking with her and as we worked we constantly gave each other positive reinforcement, one of team guidelines I might add to finish the job before Billy Pay began singing that evening.

To sum up this day and this week I have realized we have all made differences in this community in various ways even if we wonder how painting houses or making curtains and even putting down tiles will have any serous affect on the people here.  I know these things may be small but we must be aware it may not be what we are doing but how we are doing it that will help each individual.  Though no matter what the rest of the week will bring it has affected me in more ways then I can write on this sheet of paper. In conclusion I hope to continue to work hard with this group and finish what we came here to do, finish tiling that room.      

Chris