Presbyterian Hurricane Ike Recovery
Week 4, Texas City
From Bruce & Laurie Hawley
It was another fantastic week. The team from Three Bridges Reformed in New Jersey came bringing joy, hope and lovely quilts for Bruce and me and for Mahn’s family. Both were received with tears of joy and absolute amazement. I have used their own words to describe aspects of the week through their own eyes. Perfect! Thank you Jen and Dirk.
Thank you all for the wonderful fellowship and love expressed in so many ways.
“I slept and drempt that life was joy.
I awoke and found life was service.
I served and behold…service was joy!”
This December, as Ryan and I were doing our Christmas shopping, we made a trip to Connections Christian Bookstore. The above was on a refrigerator magnet, and I picked it up and put it in our pile immediately. I knew it would be the perfect little gift for someone we knew, I just wasn’t sure who. Christmas came and went, and the magnet never found its recipient. It stayed on the kitchen counter, but I never could decide who to give it to. I now know why.
Hot Spring rolls for lunch
Today was a “mission trip day.” We ate, we worshiped, we laughed, we shared, and oh boy did we ever work! We ate dinner still dirty as we were late getting back, since we were pushing to finish certain jobs before the rains arrive tomorrow. All the themes that you hear from mission trippers we experienced today. Not the least of which was the opportunity to meet the father of the house, Mahn, and his beautiful, tiny, smiling daughter Lynda. They came to see us and brought us a delicious lunch of freshly made spring rolls. When the first batch was gone (we are a big crew) Mahn sent his daughter to get “the rest.” “It’s OK, she has more” he encouraged us in his broken English. We shared a time with them, and as they were leaving it became obvious to us that the “rest” that Lynda had brought to share with us was probably their family’s dinner. It took some urging, but finally we sent the food that was left back with them. As they smiled and said goodbye, I was struck by the fact that this house is God’s house that we are working on.
Jennifer working on the 'new room'
We spoke last night at devotions about how unworthy we are of God’s grace, and how overwhelming it is that Jesus took our sins to the cross for us. Today I had the opportunity to wash the feet of Jesus, as I repaired the house of Mahn.
Behold, service is joy…
I will keep the magnet 
In Love,
Jennifer