They left in early July with a promise to return. Today a handful of youth from Jefferson City, MO, made good on their vow. Last month the Spirit directed some of the hardest working people I've ever met in my life to Cedar Rapids to help us with flood recovery. For that story click here: http://floodrecovery.blogspot.com/2009/07/missouri-kids-leave-their-mark-on-our.html The youth connected with 15 year-old Kia Gruhn as they fixed up her room. They were so touched by what they experienced that at the time they talked about returning for the house blessing and possibly another work trip. Honestly, at the time I wondered if was all talk, and then the "Show Me" state lived up to its name.When the young adults returned home, their youth director, Ellen, told me it was if the Holy Spirit caught fire in their church because not only did the youth want to come back, but so did their parents and grandparents! So Ellen organized a return effort. I put them up at the church, Kathy Runnels helped assemble some sack lunches for them, and they went to town on the Boardman home today. Alongside many of our faithful volunteers from First Lutheran, they painted both coats of colors today in the kitchen, laundry room, living room, bathroom, the downstairs bedroom, and the porch. We also ripped up the old carpet upstairs, painted a second coat of paint in the stairway, hung a drop ceiling in the laundry room and part of the kitchen, and painted a second coat of white on all the upstairs trim. Wow! What a day's work. Sunday the MO crew will join the Gruhn's for a special worship service at 9:30 and attend their house blessing at 1 PM before heading back south. They have left their mark on our homes and hearts and will most certainly be missed.
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