SUCCESSFUL VIM TRIP TO EL PASO

I forgot to mention in our last Blog that we ended the day with a tasty dinner at the El Paso Peter Piper Perfect Pizza Parlor, and then went to the Parsonage for Vespers, relaxation, and conversation. Oh, BTW, our team was staying at the Parsonage of St Lukes UMC, Pastor Skip Hodges' home.

Tuesday, Day Two, was a very productive one. We were able to finish the drywall ceiling patch in the back bedroom, install three new doors, reinforce a front window frame, seal several exterior and interior stucco and concrete cracks, paint most walls and ceilings, install crown molding in the kitchen, and purchase and deliver kitchen cabinets, countertop and appliances.

After work, we had a delicious dinner at a wonderful Mexican Restaurant, and then returned to the Parsonage for Vespers. Later, we watched a local TV News clip of a former El Paso Dance Instructor, Moya (?), who was a finalist on Dancing With The Stars. Pastor Skip, was at the Dance Studio where Moya taught, and was in the TV clip for half a second.

Wednesday, Day Three, Bob and Irene, left the Team and returned to BWI. The Team was left to install kitchen plumbing and appliances, paint concrete floors, finish painting, and finish installing a bathroom door. The Final Four Team of Mary, Suzanne, Gordon, and Pete completed the job, and came back to Maryland on Thursday, leaving the home ready for Jose Luis and Family to move in next week. We hope they love their new Home.

Chalk up another successful St Matthews UMC Volunteers in Mission (VIM) Trip.

DAY ONE

We had a very productive day today. Greg Crow, who is assisting Operation Hogar, led us to the home in West El Paso this morning, and got us started. All of us surveyed the exterior and interior to see what needed to be done, and Pete and Bob took measurements and notes to determine what needed to be purchased.

Irene and Pete went to Home Depot to scout out kitchen appliances, and Greg took Bob to Ace Hardware for drywall and doors, but they didn't have any.
Meanwhile, Gordon, Mary, and Suzanne started working on fixing windows, scraping stucco walls, and painting. Later we all got into a painting frenzy, and painted walls and ceilings in bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom.
Tomorrow, we'll patch a drywall ceiling, pick up and install kitchen appliances, finish painting the rooms, paint concrete floor slabs, and install new doors.

VIM Trip to El Paso - April 2009

A VIM Team of six hard workers are going to be in El Paso from April 19 to 23, to help renovate a home for our Juarez, Mexico host, Jose Luis, who will be moving with his family on May 1st.

Irene Schneider is the Team Leader, working with Mary Brock, Suzanne Sweet,
Pete Saderholm, Gordon Harvey, and Bob Fuller.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and we will remember what
St. Augustine said, " Pray as though everything depended on God.
Work as though everything depended on you."
(President Obama, addressing the National Prayer Breakfast)