We were lucky to receive the information and pictures from the Arizona team, but the technology connection was a true struggle. Here is more news from Carol Sherman:
Now that I have better internet connection (but still only my phone keyboard for writing), I'll report more about the close of our week of service. The brothers for whom Team Hogan (pronounced Hoe-gone) did ceiling repair were grateful they no longer had to worry about leaks and/or pieces of sheetrock falling on them while they ate their meals. We hope next week's Experience Mission teams will prime the ceiling and maybe even paint it.
As I think I mentioned, Team Al's House didn't get to complete the block-laying due to other priorities that came up for JR and Kyler, but we helped Emily (EM's staff) with food prep and cleaning --we thought about introducing the concept of Swallow Teams to her! Pastor JR arrived early on Friday to see off the Florida crew who had early breakfast on Friday and headed out at 7 and then our team.
We have shared service and good fellowship with these new friends this week and are grateful to have ties now with these brothers and sisters in Christ.
We ate, finished packing, put the sanctuary back in order and cleaned up after ourselves. Al and 5 year old Promise wheeled 18 month old Talon over in the stroller at 8 to say good-bye and to thank us for the hard work we had done to move his project forward. Al is a full-time dad now, ever since Talon had liver failure almost a year ago and underwent a transplant down in Phoenix. Talon has been on immuno-suppressants ever since and looks strong now, but needs close care and isn't out of danger yet. Al is well-educated, quiet and soft-spoken and he told us he had come home to the Reservation to be able to focus on what is important: his sons. We invited him and Emily to join us for our closing worship out under our shade tree and they did. The theme of the observations and scripture for the day was miracles, Jesus's healings, and the importance of faith. Given all that Al and Talon had been through in the previous year with illness and evidence of healing, it was clearly providential that Al (who is caught somewhere in the middle between Native religion and Christianity) be with us for this particular morning worship. He was very teary as he listened and joined in the readings. We pray our ministry of service and relationship has helped his faith to grow.
The week has been a blessing in so many ways!!
We had two different hiking groups and both enjoyed their excursions. Drove back to Phoenix by way of Sedona and saw the beautiful red rock formations for which they are famous. A long traffic delay there and another hour long back-up on I-17 made for a late arrival at our motel. But we hope to get to the airport without traffic problems on a Sunday morning and then....home, sweet home. It's been a very good trip, but we're ready to come back to Maine!
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