Band of brothers

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philipians 4:13) Exhaustion. Sore muscles. Exposure to the elements. The last few days have been challenging. The finish is in sight, yet there is so much more that can be done. We are pushing ourselves to our limits, and then some. Tuesday consisted of more work on the Barnhouse property, much of it on the mission/guest house that Noblesville Baptist Church helped make possible. It is days like this that I am thankful for so many things. I'm thankful that God made this opportunity possible; to come to Zambia and serve men and families that have made commitments to reach the lost. I'm thankful that we are here making an impact, working on things that will leave a lasting mark. Most of all, as we have our heads down trying to push as hard as we can to hit our marks, I'm thankful for the men that I am working alongside and serving with during this trip. Each man brings his own skill set, and getting to know each of them on a deeper level has been a tremendous blessing. During this trip, we have bonded, become a band of brothers of sorts. We have learned to work with one another, rely on each other, and appreciate one another. I look forward to seeing how these bonds will further strengthen each of us when we return home. God has blessed us to have such a strong group here in Zambia taking on these tasks. Today, Scott Shepherd, Josh Hanji, Pastor Hack, Lee Shaw and Doug Pennington resumed work on putting up sheet metal on the outside of the mission house. They were able to complete one side and begin work on the other. Our hope is that by the end of Wednesday it will be complete. Donovan Zachary and I spent time in the morning working on updates on Donna Bryant's house. The biggest issue was getting the septic tank installed and everything working properly. We are close to finishing that, and it should be done tomorrow. We also tried to fix the plumbing for the kitchen sink. After several unsuccessful attempts, we believe the faucet needs to be changed as well. Finally, we hooked up the washing machine and tested it with success. In the afternoon Donovan and I joined the rest of the group working on the mission house. It was strenuous work, moving up and down the scaffolding and putting heavy boards in place. Pastor Hack, Donovan and I switched our attention to the inside of the mission house, getting the walls ready for finishing work that may get underway tomorrow. Kyle Morrow was busy taking pictures, first at the orphanage and then later as we worked. He also joined Dave Barnhouse in the afternoon and evening as they attended a Bible study nearly an hour away. It's hard to believe that one week ago we started out for Zambia. So much has transpired, and with a full day of work left, we are sprinting to the finish. Pray that we can get all the work accomplished, and do so safely. God has been with us the entire way, not only blessing us, but protecting us each and every day. Also, continue to pray for Doug and the issues with his leg. His discomfort is making it hard to work to the extent that he would like. Pray that he is given strength and that the issues will subside soon.