Last night, at Breakaway, my good friend Krystal Rodgers came and spoke about her love and involvement with Invisible Children. She also told us about her long awaited trip to Uganda with IC this September.

If you are interested in partnering with Krystal in this life changing AND world changing event, then visit this link and donate to the cause! With every donation of $20 or more, you’ll receive one of the super rad shirts pictured above!

We are super proud (and a little bit jealous) of you Krystal!

*also, if you aren’t aware of the mission of Invisible Children, do yourself a favor and peruse their website.

Wednesdays can go one of two ways:

…either your team is firing on all cylinders, or it’s about to implode.

Today is the day that fatigue sets in. The excitement of being somewhere new has worn off (as well as your patience). The enormity of your job is finally realized. And, did I mention you’re tired?

Today is the day that we ask God for the strength to persevere, to press on and to begin to understand what it means to sacrifice ourselves for others.

One of the last work teams we visited this afternoon reminded us of the hope that springs from the relationships built during the week. Team 7 was putting the finishing touches on their clients house when they all circled up to pray. As Todd Dawson prayed over the group, the sobs of the client came immediately. She just kept saying “thank you Lord, thank you Lord!” Pretty soon, you could hear more and more sniffles from the rest of the group.

There was more than physical labor done that day. There was more than a few gallons of paint, nails and boards. There was love. A love that has no reason other than it was first given to us.

Today ended well.

Day 2 of work is in the books and HALLELUJAH, the sun finally showed up to Muskogee!

Today, members of the leadership team and I had the opportunity to go out and visit some of the work teams. There is a variety of jobs being done: roofing, decking, ramps, steps, painting and yard work. These students never cease to amaze me. Their dedication and talent surpass any expectations that we have of them. They are capable of so much, and it seems that they are just waiting for the opportunity to show us.

One of the sites we visited today was the house of an 80 year old woman who rarely leaves her house because the porch is so rotted that she might fall through it. By the end of this week, she’ll be able to come and go as she pleases without the danger of injury. I can only imagine the freedom that will bring!

Also, thanks to the sun, we were able to cut loose at a local pool today. It was wonderful stress relief for the students and adults. Hopefully this weather holds up!

This picture describes it best. It’s wet.

But amazingly, our spirits are on fire. There is definitely a presence felt in this city. God is here. He is ready to do big things in Muskogee and in our hearts.

I’ve enjoyed here stories from the first day on the worksite — funny stuff and touching stuff. I hope to share some of these stories as the week progresses.

This week is the highlight of my year. I’m so proud of my students. They inspire me and fill me with the hope that love will prevail.