Sorry no pictures

Hi Everyone. Sorry there has not been a blog for a few days but we have been busy. Both teams left Saturday and we miss them already. They did a wonderful job on the houses they worked in.
We are having a Fall Fun Fest here at St. Luke and at N.O. East tonight to give an alternative to halloween. I believe it is important for children to have an alternative to halloween. Joel, Suzanne, Kayla, Papa Dufor and others are coordinating one at the East. Me, Allen, James, Patrice and others are coordinating the one here at the church. We will be having hot dogs, nachos, cookies, candy and games. We will also have bobbing for apples. I love this game! I remember when I was a kid playing this game and I was always good at it. I don't know if I liked getting all wet or if it was the prize I got for doing it. Either way it was a lot of fun. We have a lot of work to do today to get everything accomplished so this blog will be short. I will have pictures of the event tomorrow to put on the blog. Keep us in your prayers and we will keep you in ours.

Lots of Love...Allen and Dovie

Iowa is going strong!

Hi everyone, this is the Iowa team at work in Janice's house. It still needs trimming, painting and doors. We are trying to get this house completed but it is a slow process. This Iowa team went to work in this house and did not stop. They were putting in doors, molding and so much more. They got a lot accomplished. This group is a more mature group in age with a lot of experience. They got up at 6 am had devotions at 7:30 am and out to work at 8 am. I could not believe there energy and drive. The one picture you see is of a wonderful woman who is 82 years old and is still swinging a hammer. I talked with her several times and she just amazes me. She, at 82 is still volunteering to help rebuild homes. I pray that at that age I have as much energy that she does. They are such a wonderful group and a delight to work with. They will be leaving tomorrow as will the California team and we will miss them all.

I would like to ask everyone to keep the CA team in your prayers because they have family and friends in the CA areas that are burning out of control. Yet they are here working with people to get them back in their homes. Truly that is a heart of God.

We have met so many people through this volunteer effort that it just amazes me and makes me humble before the Lord because he allowed me to be a part of this. I truly have gained so much respect and love for everyone that comes here to volunteer. Thank you to all who have been here and will be coming back.

Until next time...we love you all and will continue to pray for you. Love Allen and Dovie.

Hi. Well last night was a night of fun for the teen group from CA. You can see in the pictures that there are 3 different teams. Each team had a pillow case and went around the living quarters and filled it with what ever they wanted. The game had 4 judges (the leaders of the group) who named off things they had to show. For example if they said a bar of soap and a team did not have a bar of soap they had to come up with something else and try to convince the judges that it was better than a real bar of soap. It was hilarious! These teens came up with some crazy and creative things for the judges and we laughed so hard. I am glad I was not a judge because it was so hard to decide which team should get the point. I think the judges had a hard time deciding who to give the points to. All I have to say is they were very creative.




They have worked in a house all this week putting up drywall and they have done a great job. They have worked very hard and has worked as a team as you can see from the pictures. They are even coming back this December right after Christmas. They are a very dedicated group. You can tell they love and respect their leaders and themselves. We had devotion tonight at the church with both teams and it was good. The Iowa team and the CA team spoke of what God had showed them on this trip. They have enjoyed each others company. I know the home owners that they have been working for is very grateful too.

Pastor Teresa found a dog in the highway yesterday and has taken to the dog. Suzanne has really grown to love the dog in just 2 days. It is such a cute dog, you can tell it is a mixture of a beagle and hound or something. They tried to find it's owner but couldn't. They walked the dog around the neighborhood but did not get any response. They are going to take it to the vet tomorrow to make sure it is ok. If they don't find the owner Suzanne would like to keep it instead of taking it to the humane shelter or something where they would just put it to sleep. We are praying for the right thing to do.

Well I will put pictures of the Iowa team on the blog tomorrow. Until then we love you and will continue to pray for you all. Allen and Dovie

Iowa is here!

Meet Iowa! This is a team from Iowa that came in on Sunday. They are here for a week. They are wonderfully sweet people. Boy do they know their skills. They move through a house with expertise. They are working on Janice's house to try to get things done. I will have pictures tomorrow. They have been having dinner with the youth group from California and they all are having a good time.

Last night it rained so hard we got at least 5 inches of rain. Allen says it was more but all I know is it was a lot. Anyway there was a young man in the California team that took my umbrella and walked each and team member from Iowa to the van so they wouldn't get wet. He took all the women first than what ever men wanted to be covered. Now he got soaked while dong it and his shoe's were all muddy but he did not care. No one asked him to do it, he just took it upon himself and did it. It was so wonderful to see a teenager take the initiative to help others. I sat there and watched how the women just loved him for doing it and he just smiled until he was done. We have talked often and I can tell he loves the Lord with all his heart.

I will have some picture of both the teams tomorrow so until then we love you all. Allen and Dovie

California Team!

This is California!
Hard at work!
Hanging Sheetrock.

Hey Everyone. This is the California team of teenagers. They got in late Thursday night and got up Friday morning ready to do what ever was needed. They started working Friday morning without taking a break to relax from their flights. They are a wonderful group of teenagers with a big heart. They started working on a home across from the church who needed sheet rock hung. They got a lot accomplished. They will be working on the same house Monday. It amazes me to know that some of these teens have been here more than once. There are some who have been her 3, 4, and 5 times. I have not met any teenagers who have been here that many times. They say they will keep coming back as many times is needed to help get people back into their homes. I will have more pictures throughout the week of what they are doing.

The blog tonight will be short because I am not feeling well. I have what is called in the medical field as (IBS). If you want to know what it is you will have to look it up on the internet because it is not something I want to explain here. Anyway I have not had an attack like I had today since I have been here. I can usually catch it before it gets severe. I had been in sever pain and doubled over but still tried to go to church. Pastor Larry saw me and prayed for me. He is gifted in healing. When he prayed all the pain in my stomach left and I felt better. I am now dealing with the other half of it and have been in bed the rest of the day. Please keep me in your prayers for total healing. We love you all... Allen and Dovie

Long Time No Blog....

Hi, sorry no picture this time. I know it has been awhile since I have had anything on the blog and I am sorry. Please bear with me as there are some changes going on with us and our family. The pastors want the church to be a full functioning church again. God has truly started it happening and now it is time to take it to the next level. With the vision of the pastors and the anointing of the Lord their will be ministries within the church for all to be a part of. Children, women, and men's ministries to gather together in fellowship to grow, learn and love. It is very exciting and a privilege to be apart of this. This time last year I was working at a job that I did not want to do and every day getting up and going to the same place doing the same think. The job wasn't a bad job, and the people I worked with were wonderful people and I miss them. It was just that I knew there should be more. I wanted to do more with my life and help people more. I prayed for the Lord to use me where ever he wanted me. And one day he did and I am here. I never dreamed that not only would I help rebuild homes but at the same time help people know that their is hope. To tell them about Jesus and how he loves them and see them receive Christ into their hearts, it is what I always wanted to do. And now I am apart of rebuilding the church. Sometimes I am not sure if I can do it but, God always seems to be right there showing me how. It is an awesome time in my life, a time for growing. Sometimes it hurts but I love it!

I am a little sad right now because my church back home in Delaware is having their women's conference this weekend. I am missing it and know it is going to be an awesome time in the Lord. Even though I cannot be there I am praying for an out pouring of the Holy Spirit on all the ladies that are there. The leaders are wonderful and such Spirit filled women of God that I know they will have the out pouring. Please keep them in your prayers.

We have a new team her from California who just got in last night and I will have some pictures of them on the blog tomorrow. They are mainly teenagers and they are wonderful. Teenagers always seem to have so much energy. It is great to see them here and work as hard as they do with so much compassion for what they are doing. I just love teenagers!

I would like to give a shout out to my teenagers back at WOLCC, Rock Solid Youth Group. I love you all very much and miss you. Well until tomorrow just know that Allen and I love you all. Until next time... Allen and Dovie..

Virginia is Gone...but will be back!

Hello everyone. The VA team is gone but what they have done will never be forgotten. Marguerite has been telling everyone about the work that has been done in their house. She is getting window treatments and she is moving in. Her and James stayed in the house for hours just looking and loving the feel of it being a home again. The team worked so hard and loved what they were doing. Thank you VA team for all you did. We will be waiting for you to come back.

It has been quiet here this week because we don't have any teams in but we are getting some work accomplished in some other areas. Just because there is no teams doesn't mean we stop working. We are the ones that do the work when no one is here. We love being able to go to someones home and helping them. It is an awesome feeling that you get when you see the happiness on their faces. Everyone that has done this understands what I mean. Those that look at this blog and don't understand I say, "Come on down" and we will put you to work.

I won't be doing the blog every day this week as you have noticed, but thank you for continually coming back to the blog for updates. Please keep us in your prayers and we will keep you in ours. Lots of Love from... Allen and Dovie..