On Our Way to Completion

Official business starts today. And our fearless leaders met to decide project assignment and teams. You can see that the list is quite long! Our Cherokee Retreat Center Director (Kelly) and Site Guy (Andy) say they "have thrown in a lot and are hoping for some."

Teams are divided almost right off the bat and quickly begin... except there are snags. And they hit us right between the thumbs.

Trevor Jordan, Debbie Peterson and Richard Hunter have the enormous task of learning how to install Pergo flooring across the ancient Retreat Center carpet. Learning - in Mission work - is frequently done by doing. And un-doing, re-doing and even sometimes un-doing AGAIN! (Remember last year's fence project?) It takes this terrific trio nearly half a day to discover, perfect and commence to flooring. Hammers swing high in the air, thigh muscles are worked over and over, knees begin to beg for relief and by the end of the day this group has only covered about 50 SF. In addition, our youth on this project are waning. It's hard to wait for inclusion as the adults try to ascertain the challenges. Jessica Gamble presses through the frustration, learns how to operate a Table Saw and earns the first Outstanding Worker (OW) Award.

Meanwhile, our Landscape Lads have taken on a mammoth yet critical project. In order to prevent further erosion of the pathways around the camp, we need to install about a hundred landscape timbers (rebar-red into the ground, levelled and filled with mulch. Nate Shelton and Chris Nix lead the youth on this team with pick ax thrown into solid red clay. Dave Griffith directs, shovels, digs, saws and drives the team who work quietly and well. We are thankful for the cool breezes under the big pine trees as the pollen count and progress soar!

Then the Paint Team decides all the Parker lodge trim has to go (which was not on the first task list). A committee of two is called from the Presbytery, color samples arrive at camp and a decision has to be made about whether to go with Vanillan or Napery. It seems ridiculous, I know, but trust me: it will make a difference!

Our Kitchen is full of two teams - both the ReModel team and the Food Team - covering 900 SF of space as meals are planned, snacks are served, strawberries are sliced, coffee is made, appliances are removed, pans are scattered, a dishwasher is dismantled and a stove is discovered to be less than efficient. Dinner is 45 minutes late.

Worn and weary bodies emerge from the cocoons of their projects and we gather in partially floored great room for reflection. Many are too exhausted to speak out but Dan Valentine reminds us why we're here: to shine God's light for all those who will pass through the Retreat Center entrance, to work together as teams out in this place by God.

There is an ire of frustration that more hasn't been accomplished on this first day and yet, when Debbie Peterson looks down at the floor that has stumped she and her team for the last ten hours, she realizes that the nicks and cracks and smudges of imperfection have disappeared across the area of the floor. "Do you think that's how God sees us?" she asks me. "I think that it's just us who see the mistakes. I think God sees the whole floor - and how beautiful it looks...even on it's way to completion."

Becky Jordan

Blogging for CRCSBFPCMT(Cherokee Retreat Center Spring Break First Presbyterian Church Mission Trip).