I had a briefing from my team from Petal-Harvey Baptist Church this morning.
I was glad that my partners Keith and Cornelia Harrell were at the meeting with me along with my faithful wingman Jesse!
Keith made sure that they got to their 4 locations in good shape. My initial reports from the team was everything went great!
Jesse and I spent our afternoon with my team from Salado, TX. They’d worked on various service projects including painting our missions at Azalea Place and Huntington Terraces, as well as picking up trash in one of the nastiest spots in the city. They collected over 90 industrial sized trashbags full of trash, most of it beer bottles. I was amazed that they got it all cleaned up!
I’ll send a small group to clean up along side the road and the larger part to start painting the medians and concrete borders around our complex at Azalea. LOT of work on that. I’m looking forward to seeing it! It’s going to make the place look fantastic!
We visited teams at Hamptons at Lenox,
Huntington Terraces
and Azalea Place today.
I had a good meeting with some of my kids at the mission at Azalea. We had to work through some issues that I think have been resolved.
Jesse and I also picked up more supplies for the painting project tomorrow.
I enjoyed working with my team from Salado, TX today!
I went by Huntington Terraces to check on what kind of painting supplies we have left. Not as much as I’d hoped. Also went by Azalea to check on the state of the apartment and decide what needed painting.
It’s really pretty good over there, but we hope to have Bayo Otiti moving in soon, so I’d like to start out the best possible position. Fresh paint job and good scrubbing goes a long way.
Had my briefing with the kids. Big group of over 50. I always enjoy giving presentations.
Then took the leadership of the team to the 10 locations where they’ll be serving, as well as the locations of the service projects.
They’ll be painting Azalea and Huntington Terraces apartments starting early tomorrow morning.
They’ll also be cleaning up an area between three sets of property in Chamblee that is quite a mess.
Went by Lowes to pick up the paint and equipment we need for tomorrow morning.
This morning Jesse and I went to the Post Office to get stamps. Also went to the bank. He’s interested in collecting pennies, so we got $25 worth! He sorts them according to copper content and age.
Made some calls to managers about team assignments. Should all be squared away now.
Made reservations for a few days on Tybee Island with my family. Should be fun! I have a week break with no teams in town, gotta take the time when you get it!
Ashley and Jesse and I met up with Marco Solano today! He’s like an older brother for me. We’ve worked together for nearly 14 years now!
We talked about a team from Florida coming up to work with us and also a team that might be transferring the team to the Falls Apartments.
Keith Harrell also joined us!
We also visited the complexes where my team will be working next week: Huntington Village, Huntington Ridge, Villa Nueva and Retreat at Arc Way. Also made a visit to the Beaver Ruin Baptist church to let them know about the work we’re doing in their area.
Then over to Chamblee where I had a meeting with a new partner, Rick Chaves.
He used to work in S. Africa. He has expertise in running orphanages and schools in Africa. I’m looking forward to getting him together with Bayo Otiti, my partner who wants to start an orphanage in Nigeria.
Had a good time visiting with my team from The Atlanta Chinese Church North! They had a water balloon fight with the kids. Everyone had fun!
We came on home after checking the office.
Jesse and I worked out on weights. Never had him do that before. Fun!
Today Jesse and I met with two new friends. John Graves is a partner in the Roswell area. Francois came from the Congo about 7 years ago. He needs a job and John thought I might be able to help. Francois is fun to be around because he speaks Swahili and French. It’s always amusing for me to work in other languages.
I gave them a few ideas on some things to try and made a phone call to a partner who might have a lead on something.
Then J and I went over to Azalea to check on the team from the Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North. They were doing great!
Went by Kroger to buy the supplies for an event this weekend at Hamptons @ Lenox.
Dropped off the supplies at the complex.
J wanted to get a Money Order from the Post Office for a machine he’s buying. Not too bad a line.
Came home. Ran 4 miles. Got rained on.
Working on homework now! Email, blog, phone calls . . . .email, blog, phone calls. . . .
I had Ashley and Jesse with me. That’s always good!
We met up with Ian and Ruthie North for lunch and enjoyed some time with them this afternoon.
Then over to Azalea to check on our team from the Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North. They were doing great! The kids sure are loving having them there.
Went by to check on things at the office.
Met up with Bennett at Willow Branch so Jesse could do his guitar class.
We had a sad morning today. We met my folks over at the Mission House to help them get their car loaded. Then we went over to the Waffle House for breakfast.
Soon afterward, they left for Chattanooga, TN to meet up with some other missionaries, then head West for Birmingham and beyond.
I took the kids back home then went to Kroger to do the shopping.
Then picked up Jesse and we went to Azalea Place so I could give the team from the Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North a briefing. We had a good time together and got to visit with a lot of the kids at the mission.
Picked up the mail at the office and then went to Best Buy to look for a monitor. We settled on a LG. Looks pretty good!
Came home and ran 4 miles. Seemed like it took forever.
Finished editing and burning DVDs from the four teams I had last week.
Our family went to First Baptist Church Mountain Park this morning. K and I walked my parents over from the mission house that the church has been so kind to let us use.
Music was inspiring and I thought Dr. Bill Blanchard gave one of his best sermons yet! How to get rid of guilt. Something most people deal with.
Then over to the Mission House where my Mom had prepared a speciality of hers, Guatemalan Rice. Excellent.
Topped off by my Dad’s secret recipe (not really!) Ice Cream Pie.
It was great to see our families together and having Ann Mitchell (Kathy’s sister) and Orene Duval (Kathy’s aunt) at the party made it even better.
It’s important to spend time with your family!
It’s been awesome to hang out with my folks over the last couple of weeks. I’ll really be sad when they leave Monday morning.
Had a great time with a large team from FBC Prattville, AL.
Their youth choir had games, music and drama for the kids at the mission at Oak Forest in Scottdale, GA.
We also fed folks hotdogs, had face painting and balloon animals.
The kids really loved the puppets and music the best!
At the end they shared the Gospel and gave them the Christian bead bracelet.
It was good to see my friend Ms. Vickie there today. She’s the “Mother Theresa” of that community. TWO of her nephews were killed in a gun fight this week. “You know, Pastor Tim, if you live by the sword, you die by the sword,” was her response. Sad. I was glad we had a team there to help cheer her up and pray for her.
After the event, I led my parents back home to make sure they got home safely.
Had a fun conversation about their trip back home. They’ll be going up to Chattanooga on Monday to meet some friends of theirs, Marshall and Julia Duncan. Then on west to Birmingham and back to good ol’ Georgetown, Texas.
I’ll spend some time tonight editing video for the four churches I’ve had on mission this week.
Pray for Ms. Vickie, she’s really hurting right now. She plans to see her son in prison in Barnesville this week. He’s supposed to get out in October. She’s concerned about that.
