Yesterday was our first day of work. We started the day bright 
and early with 7:45am devotions with the Construction and Maintenance (CAM) team. There we met Vernon Miller our CAM coordinator for the week and we were shown around the CAM facility, including construction stuff, motor and aviation mechanical facilities! From there it was over to HR before heading over to the Olive Branch building to start the work we are here to do. Once there it really became obvious how big a project this really is. There is a huge meeting room to completely paint and then there 
is a second room that has been constructed from two rooms where all the insulation needed to be put in and sheet rock put up before we can even begin any painting. We soon got to work and boy did we work hard! Steve, Phil and Nick were set to work putting in insulation and sheet rock and Caleb, Mary, Eric and Sarah started on the prep work in the meeting room. Caleb and Eric spent most of their time on scaffolding spackling the ceiling while Mary and Sarah kept their feet mostly on the floor! Lunch time came round really quickly and we had the chance to go to the main cafeteria and meet 
with other workers from here at JAARS. They all have such amazing stories and it's just amazing how talking about Christ and His work is always at the front of every conversation. It's was a real challenge to think how often is Christ the center of our conversations...how ready are we to talk about Christ to anyone and everyone we meet?
The afternoon was pretty much the same as the morning....work! Work! Work! But there were plenty of laughs and conversations along the 
way. This really is a great team and we are working great together under the leadership of Bret and Vernon.
Once the work day was done we got cleaned up and then headed to the retirement village here at JAARS where we got to spend a meal together and then we had the privilege of meeting a lady named Lorrie Anderson. Lorrie is 88 years old and went onto the mission field with Wycliffe in the 1940's. In 1950 she was sent to work with an Indian tribe in Peru to work on learning their language and 
begin the translation of the Gospel. Now she lives here in JAARS where she still mentors and encourages Wycliffe missionaries and their kids! Her stories were amazing and she was such and encouragement and blessing to us. Her interest in us as individuals and our team was humbling and a true testament to how God's work in our lives is never done! No matter how old we may be or how many physical difficulties we may have we have all been commanded to be disciples of God and tell His gospel wherever we are called! After a fantastic evening we headed back to 
the apartments where the daily card game was completed before heading to bed.
Main thought for today is from John 13:12-17:
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
What we are doing here may not be glamorous work, it is hard and dirty and humble work but we are following the example of our Lord and in doing so we are blessed. How amazing is that and how great is our God!!
Yours in His service
North Carolina Team
