Short timer

It is time for the distribution center to open, yet here I sit at my computer. What an odd feeling. My replacement seemed to be learning quickly, so after spending a day and a half training her, I decided the best thing I could do was to hand over all the keys and notes and let her take over. This morning when the van full of volunteers left for the distribution center, I stayed behind. I'm trying to give them time to get there and get opened up. I will stop by later this morning, to see if I can answer any last lingering - or suddenly occurring - questions before we head for home later today.

I am asked by many pastors and volunteers what items are needed most by the distribution center. The simple answer to that question is FOOD (or money to buy food). We had to order groceries last week - nearly $10,000 worth! Six full pallets of food arrived yesterday but I suspect that they won't really last very long. Items that we continually run out of are soups, juices, spaghetti sauce, cookies and crackers, and packaged meals like macaroni & cheese.

We had a special project yesterday at the distribution center. We assembled 75 food kits for a new FEMA trailer park in a nearby community. Seems that a small church nearby has adopted this new neighborhood - they have obtained dishes, pots and pans, bed linens, and towels to furnish all of the trailers for the new residents. They asked us to provide a food kit for each trailer so the families moving in would have everything they need for the first few days. We assembled the food kits, stacked them on pallets, shrink-wrapped the pallets, and loaded them on a truck. I was really glad we had received all the new groceries so we could help!

We also filled 160 orders from the front line and 20 casework vouchers for furniture, linens, and other household items. It was very a busy day, with supplies and donations coming in and kits and furniture going out!

Today we begin our trip home. I'm looking forward to being home, but will miss this place as well. We have worked hard, but we have also made new friends from all over the US. For example, I worked with a pastor from Nebraska yesterday who assured me that he would be glad to help us if we want to intern or serve in his synod!