Builders For Christ - Thursday

Today started out with cool temperatures which increased during the day to the hottest yet - 95d outside. I can't imagine what the temperature was inside the building, but it was stifling in the rafters. We went through several gallons of gatorade and flats of water and bags of ice today, and workers came out of the building with their clothes soaked through. Lunch under the tent beside the church was hot, and I cut the song time short. That made it all the nicer when we started to put out dinner and found the air to be cooler. It's raining now at about 9 pm, and it's a welcome sight.
Some tasks were completed today. The vinyl siding on one side of the building is done. The other side and the front will be brick. Bill Gardner, Jack Nix and Todd Roberson finished installing metal furring strips so the drywall can be installed throughout the building. The insulation was delivered and moved inside. Work continues on ductwork and electrical with the goal of having the A/C operational next week. Lulls, or scissor lifts, are used to take people up into the rafters to secure the ductwork in place, and I learned it's really a good idea to know where they are in relation to where you are at all times! I don't know if walking under one of those is as unlucky as walking under a ladder, but I looked up a lot when I was in the building today!
Some of the Thomasville Road BC crew will stay another week to continue work on the system. I continue to be amazed at the things a group of strangers who get together for a week to work toward a common goal can accomplish. That includes the kitchen crew, who work together for one week preparing 3 meals a day for - in our case - up to 70 people, serving the meals with cooperation and willing spirits. Linda set aside a devotional and prayer time each day which made our experience more than just working together. The fellowship is what we will carry away when we leave. Those who come back for other builds may meet again, and that is one of the "perks" of the BFC experience.
We'll work tomorrow morning and head out after lunch. Since I have been using Bill Smith's laptop (thanks, Bill), I probably won't write another entry tomorrow. I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into a BFC project, maybe even enough to go on a BFC team yourself one day. I've enjoyed writing it, although it's really a challenge to try to put the experience into words. Check our church website in a couple a weeks for more pictures: www.fbctlh.org>Online Resources>Photo Galleries
I pray everyone has a safe journey - see you soon!