Missioners Check In

Catherine- Hi Mom, Emily, and everyone else reading,

Today was a great day since it was a rain day. My group sorted out all the supplies we brought and we found pink/purple hair spray and I got Dad’s hair sprayed! We didn’t tell him it was permanent though (JK it is washable). Everyone in our group got our hair painted and we were delivering bags when the other group drove by and we did the cancan for them J Oh by the way mom, I am too busy to help you out this summer. Hope everything is going well at home and keep Sally entertained for me.

Dave and Janet

Having a great time (watching McKenzie laugh).  It has been fun getting to know the kids and “encouraging them” on the job.  Cooking is going great lots of help and no meals ruined up to this point. 

Catherine & Shelby sort donated goods

Hey guys, Abby here. 

Everything is going very well! Today has been my favorite day, mostly because I didn’t encounter any bugs..yet. My group sorted through all the bags and put them all in the right place. It’s amazing how much stuff we brought. I can honestly say I spend a lot of my time laughing. Everyone just gets along so well. As of right now my hair is purple. I think I’m going to keep it this way after I graduate Mom and Dad. I really miss and love all of you.

Hello! IT’S MCKENZIE!!!! 

I am now an excellence kitchen cleaner!! Today I helped clean out fryers at the soup kitchen! Dad be proud…I am an excellence painter, hammerer, and drill user now!! Repairing outbuildings has made me a great carpenter! Dave is teaching me lots of life skills. Having a great time…I might come home with a six pack just from all the laughing I am doing, hope all is well at home! Say hi to everyone and tell Jacey I will be home soon so she can save her legs and won’t have to ride her bike.

Hey guys!! It’s Maggie!

J I am proud to say that I have learned the skills of the drill and hammer. I am ready to build something now! On our first day, we got to meet an amazing (and pretty funny) couple, the Cornelius’. We were able to help them lay down some padding for carpet and we basically got the entire shed covered in wood. I can’t wait to go back and finish the project! Today we got to go clean up the garden café, which is their soup kitchen. We had a great group and got a lot accomplished! And for everyone asking, yes I did freak out about the spider! I am really hoping I never run into one! And to the Web Design Class, I miss you guys too, since it is definitely my favorite class (hopefully I get some extra credit for saying this)J. And Nicholle, I tried the red velvet pancakes. They were delicious! And to my family back in Le Mars, I miss you guys! I hope the house is still in good condition and won’t be in too much of a wreck when dad and I get back. And good luck to Abbie tomorrow at AAU!! (Derek says good luck to Carlyn too!!) Rock their socks off! J Miss everyone and love you all!

Sorting crew goes wild with purple hairspray

Stu,

Missing Donna, Drew and Abbie. Wish you all could experience what we are in Mississippi. Feel very fortunate that we have Fr. Ries with us and we are able to receive graces from daily mass in the Sacred Heart chapel. Best of luck to Abbie and the 7^thgrade girls AAU volleyball squad and even better luck to Donna on the trip there! Drew, good luck this weekend at HyVee! Love you all!!!

Hey guys!!! It’s Joey. 

Having a lot of fun working with everyone here. It is a great experience. I am missing everyone at home: Mom, Dad, John, and you too Brian. Of course I am missing you too Danielle hope you are not dying without me haha. Love and miss you a bunch.

Linda here – 

Hello to my hubby, kids and grandkids, family and friends.   Am doing great and doing lots of different things. Weather has not been the best but they have given us a variety of different jobs.  Love to all.

Soup Kitchen cleaning crew powered through the grease

Hey everyone, Shelby here! 

Mississippi has been a ton of fun so far we are constantly laughing. The team is really starting to get close and there is a lot of bonding between people. Even though today was wet and chilly we found plenty of things to do. We found time to play pinochle, bingo, and an intense game of basketball. Hope everything is well back in Iowa!­­­  

Hi from Carolyn,

Mya, I hope you get lots of good stuff at the YMCA Easter egg hunt. I can hardly wait to get home and play with you, buddy! Paige, I hope you're keeping your mom and dad chasing after you. Grandma loves you! Hi to you too, Jay, Drew, Miranda, and Ali. We are staying plenty busy here in Mississippi. Would you believe we were under a winter storm warning last night? Lois and Kelly told us we brought Iowa weather with us. Obviously, the yucky weather created problems today. We had to work indoors. One group sorted through our donated goods, the other 'detailed' the soup kitchen. I worked with the latter group. Scrubbing fried on grease that has collected on a fryer basket is NOT easy. 

Seivert, thanks for keeping an eye on Pakka and Angel, along with Lyndsi. Appreciate all the help.

Parents - You should all be VERY proud of your children. They are representing their families, their school, and themselves wonderfully. They pitch right into work, do whatever we ask of them, participate wholeheartedly in our religious services. I knew I would love working with this group.

Oh yes, you'll be happy to know the following: ALL STUDENTS HAVE DECIDED THEY ARE GREATLY ENJOYING LIFE WITHOUT THEIR ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND THEY AGREED THAT THEY WOULD BE HAVING LESS FUN WITH THE DEVICES. THEY UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT IT' IS A GREAT RULE! Keep that in mind for future car trips!