Rebuiling the Gulf -One Shed at a Time

A week ago Monday, 19 DreamBuilders arrived in Gulfport Mississippi, unpacked suitcases, and got a good night's rest. Tuesday morning at 8 am we arrived at the worksite - 3 houses in varying stages of completion. We divided into 2 teams and began work. The team I was on (Augie's team) began working on a house nearly completed on the exterior. It needed a few pieces of siding, trim on the front porch, and side porch and steps, and a shed constructed in the back yard. The siding and trim went quickly and after those tasks were completed, the missioners went to begin working on the 3rd house. The step and shed builders stayed behind. By Wednesday the steps had been completed and Augie and Skip joined the crew working on raising the interior walls on the 3rd house. Barbara, Lisa, and I stayed behind, working on the shed - our mini house.

Have you ever seen the commercial where the mom goes off to the grocery and the father and daughter make a trip to Home Depot, pick up supplies, rent a truck, come home, and when mom gets home, the shed-sized playhouse is complete? Don't believe it for a second!!

We had been on DreamBuilders' trips and participated in construction - cutting wood, holding levels, hammering in nails, installing windows, but had never "built" a house ourselves. It was a long week! We constructed the walls, raised them, and covered them with OSB. The two young men who were the project managers began working on the roof. Because we were expecting the painters to arrive to paint the interior and exterior of the house and the shed was to match, we didn't put the roof on, only the two end trusses and the facia. We installed the door - not an easy task. Thursday came and went - more work on the shed. Barbara decided to learn how to use every piece of power equipment: saws, drill, hammers - you name it, she used it! A crew came and put up all the wallboard. The mudders came and completed their work. We still labored on the shed. But the door was in and we were, at last, ready to install siding! Friday morning we were sent down to house #3 and spent the morning hammering nails into the OSB. Friday afternoon we returned to the shed and began to put on the siding. Let me tell you - siding is the absolute easiest part of building!

Next year when we return to the Gulf, Barbara, Lisa, and I will look at our shed - our mini house - and we know it will have a roof and will be painted. Building is hard work and sometimes takes a long time but we know our shed is square and will, once the roof is on, keep everything stored in it nice and dry.