Day 3

Today is my birthday! Of course it's everyone elses birthday too. In keeping with our holiday tradition (this week at ASP) its everybodys birthday day.

Our crew worked on many projects on our site simultaneously. We are a double crew consisting of: Team 1--our fearless (and I mean fearless!) leader Doug Flannelly, Chris Anderson, Laura Goodson, Linda Ferreira, Victoria Markunas, Lee Goodson, Kyle Bennet and Danielle Lewis. Team 2 is led by Paul Gindler and Luke Wolff. There members are Chelsea Sebastian, Melissa DeCapua, Erin Cascio, Mickey Hauer, Max Biederman and Zach Battista. We have decided to "mix and match the crews", which has worked out well. We have done some roofing, shingling, and rafter work -- Doug, Lee, Kyle, Danielle, Victoria, Laura, Luke and Linda. Chelsea and Erin have found there new calling hanging on ladders and scaffolding while putting on the new soffits and facia with Paul and Mickey. Meanwhile, big excitement is happening in the addition of the house -- Zach, Melissa, Max and Chris are insulating and sheeting. Of course some of the sheetrock landed on Chris's head but it's just a small bump in the road, or in this case, on his head.

Our homeowner, Linda, comes out and settles herself in a chair under a tree in her front yard. Then the orders begin. . . Linda likes to direct our project and has no qualms about giving her opinion. She is quite straight forward about voicing her ideas and she often helps to refocus the boys(of all ages) at times by threatening to "get a switch" if they don't get in line.

Linda is a great, albeit unique person who has had a difficult life. She doesn't complain and she is very grateful to ASP for both the work accomplished in her home and the companionship she has had this summer. She told me that she has liked every single volunteer who has worked on her house "except one". I'm quite certain that that person knew how she felt, too. She said that she well miss both the staff (which is awesome) and the people who have come to be a part of her life for a week.

Linda shared with me that she is a new Christian. She had a powerful conversion experience and it has changed her life forever. That is similar to the ASP experience -- whe you come to these beautiful mountains and meet these incredible people, you con't help but be moved by the experience and changed in some small way, forever.

Laura Goodson.