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The neighborhood we were working on the last day in Moore was featured in a local news report focusing on the rebuild.

Some familiar faces were seen from Crossings Community Church

The enthusiasm shown by those interviewed is reminiscent of Jim and Nannie’s comment on making God look good.

Habitat For Humanity Rebuilds Home Lost In Tornado

Every morning, and most evenings, our team would do a “Devo,” short for devotional, a short teaching or reflection, followed with prayer. It’s a way to learn from each other and from the Bible.


Most all team members were assigned a slot, but sometimes, because of circumstances, we had to skip it.


Steve was the team’s “medic,” watching over us in injury or ailment. It was also his 8th trip with the team.

Tommy and Steve

THE DEVO I DIDN’T DO

Because of a timing miscommunication, our team was late to the job site on Saturday, the last day of work, and the morning I was scheduled to deliver the devotional message. I wasn’t sure if I would be addressing fifty or so more folks from Crossings Community, the local mega-church in OKC also scheduled to work the build, so some of the inside humor and sarcasm I would have omitted. But here it is in writing…

A good rule of thumb when speaking to adults is that a message should best contain three (3) points. When addressing children, you should focus on just one (1) point. For this group, I figure a good compromise would be two (2) points. You know, somewhere in between.

Point 1 – Just because those close to you are doing something wrong is never a reason for you to also do wrong. My job at both houses the first couple of days this week was to remove the thresholds from all the door openings. A threshold is the portion of the two by four lying on the floor that must be cut out before installing the drywall that will eventually become the door opening. But before I removed the threshold, I needed to make sure that the studs on both sides of the opening were plumb. A problem arose when I noticed one particular stud was not straight, but nailed in at an angle. I was not sure if I should cut the threshold straight across, or follow the angle of the mis-nailed stud.

One of my rules on this trip when I don’t know something is to ask either Gary or Tommy. Gary, AKA “Mr Interweb” is helpful in discovering general information and to settle disagreements as to fact. Tommy is good for construction knowledge as well as spiritual insight. Tommy’s answer was that just because the stud was position incorrectly is no reason to cut the threshold incorrectly as well. I said, “Hey, that is a good metaphor for life.” And also Point 1.

Steve working on the thresholds

Point 2 – You can find joy in almost all things. As you know, on Tuesday, Uncle Roy smashed in his middle finger not once, not twice, but three times. The first hit was around noon, but by dinner, it still had not stopped bleeding. I found this can of blood clotting spray and I told Roy that if this doesn’t work, we’re going to Emergency. Two hours later, we pulled into the St Anthony’s ER. When the nurse called Roy’s name, Millie and I went with him into the examination room. I can’t share everything that happened in there because it is kind of graphic to some folks, but suffice it to say that Roy is a funny guy…even while getting his finger injected multiple times with anesthetic, even while getting his fingernail cut out with scissors, even while getting his nail bed cauterized with silver nitrate and even while getting a stitch to close the wound.

All the other guys in the van that came with us to show support for Roy were able to watch the OKC basketball game go into overtime on the lobby flatscreen. I’d say that was a pretty good win/win situation. And also Point 2.

This was supposed to be the end of the devotion and I would close with prayer. However, later that day I received Point 3.

Point 3 – Sometimes you need to stop and re-assess the situation. A good portion of Saturday was spent hand nailing OSB sheeting around the house that we had framed earlier in the day. I recall a few team members were clustered on one side of the house pounding away, Roy, Paul, Millie, Craig, Chris and Tommy. I must have been tired, as I totally missed multiple times, one particular nail I was trying to hammer. Tommy noticed and told me to stop, pause and re-aim the hammer. I did, and three strokes later, the nail was in. He also said that this should be Point 3 of my devotion.

And so it is.

We’re Back!

One direct flight back to LAX and we’re back!

Morning

Flight home

Goodbye Paul 

Paul talking with his fiance, and our friend, Denise

Praying for Paul in OKC

Peter, Paul and Gary (and Millie)

Flight back was full of people nodding off too sleep from a hard week’s work, but also for chatting with people on the plane. Wearing our Habitat shirts, it was often the point of conversation. Jeff hit it off with a traveler who spends part of his time in Southern California, and the rest in Oklahoma. Tom might even join us should we come back to build in OKC. 
Pam was seated next to an Oklahoman woman whose home was wiped out by last year’s tornado and had it rebuilt by Habitat. Was a nice way to end the trip.


Returning home, we deplaned and paused for a moment to thank God for a good trip and a good team, then off to be greeted by our supporters. Their support was very energizing even thousands of miles away, but to experience it firsthand is all the more heartfelt.

There’s more to come as we catch our breath and reflect upon this week of serving God and His people. Just trying to get settled down into the life we left behind and get caught up. But wanted to let you all know we arrived safely!

The afternoon we flew back to LAX, a wildfire near OKC broke out

UA 6535 arrive lax near 6p

Today was our last day on a work site.

Tomorrow it’s church, then to the airport.

Moore OK

Google Maps Streetview in previous years
Started the day a bit behind schedule. We had the right address, but just the start time we had was 830a, but there was a group already on site by 8am.


We were told that we’d be working on a tornado work site with another organization with a team of 30. We had no idea what to expect, but some of us were not looking forward to it.


Two things we quickly found out
a) our job site was only a few blocks away from Towers elementary
b) we’d be working side by side Crossings Community Church


To be honest, there was some feeling that it’d probably be a crowded site, but we were greeted with warm smiles, a free lunch and some incredibly great fellowship. They even gave us some of their tshirts

We met a number of people. including Steve, who was filming video for the church, and will be hoping to produce a video detailing all the work they’re doing for rebuilding OKC.


Many of our team spoke with their church members and were impressed with their kindness, heart and focus. They seemed like good people with good focus. And they were fun too!

Dawn

Another person we met was Dawn, the homeowner. It was humbling to see Dawn standing against a backdrop of the missing houses and big sky area behind them. She told us her story, that she had been at work, and the kids were in the elementary school right before it went down.


We toured the area and saw the rebuilt school. It’s gone from not having any tornado shelter to now the entire school is rated as tornado shelter.

Dinner and debrief

Later in the evening , it was time for a debrief. But first a dinner brought by pam’s uncle who lives in the area. He and his wife home cooked and brought us a multicourse meal at Hilltop Baptist. The home style food was much appreciate and a blast of asian cuisine! 

Today we  are working 3 blocks away from plaza towers elementary school where many of the elementary kids lost their lives during the tornado