Saturday, July 25, 2009

Saturday was an incredible day for everyone as we experienced a time of rest and fellowship. This morning, a few people headed out to take measurements for another ramp that we intend to help build, and another small group worked here at Grace House in preparation for building a staircase when we return to Lloyd's house within the next couple of days. Both jobs were finished by late morning, so all of us had the opportunity to shower and enjoy each other's company before eating lunch at Grace House. At around 12:30, we headed out on a road trip to New Orleans. Once there, our first stop was at Berean Presbyterian Church, where we met with the pastor Matthew George. He talked briefly with us about the types of outreach programs provided by the church and gave us a tour of Berean's newly renovated apartment complex. At the end of our visit, we delivered the letters of encouragement written by the Grace First congregation. He was very appreciative and thanked each of us in turn, and then we were on our way to New Orleans' French Quarter for a couple hours of exploring. On the return trip to Gulfport we made a brief sojourn to Irish Bayou to repair a tire, followed by a stop at Sonic for a late-night dinner. The plan for tomorrow is to go to a nearby beach for a morning worship service, and then we will once again head to D'Iberville and Long Beach to continue our work on Joseph Byrd's house and on building the new ramp. After having the chance to relax and recharge today, everybody is rested and ready to tackle whatever our last days in Mississippi bring.