Archive for the 'Travel' Category

Two Coats (Plus!)

Published on December 6, 2009 in Just For Fun and Travel. 3 Comments

We stopped at the Forest Grove Goodwill on the way to the coast, and we all found some pretty sweet deals!

mycoat

deannescoat

This is my kind of shopping!

Teamwork

Published on April 16, 2009 in Travel. 1 Comment

So how do 80-some people put up four buildings in four days?

Teamwork!

Here are some team pictures that I took on our last day in Mexico:

team-1

team-2

team-3

kitchen-team

vbs

every-one

My GAGA 2009 Summary

Published on March 31, 2009 in Friends and Travel. 4 Comments

Stats:

  • 2 days of travel down to Mexico
  • 4 days of work
  • 2 days of travel back home
  • 7 vehicles (3 fifteen-passenger vans, a Suburban, a pickup, an Airporter, and a one-ton truck)
  • 4 trailers
  • 82 people (not including the people from San Luis that helped us!)

Results:

  • 3 houses
  • 1 large church kitchen
  • A VBS program
  • Lots of memories

History:

  • This is the 25th year of GAGA (Get Away Give Away). In these past 25 years, over 170 homes, and 30 churches have been built!

A few things to ponder…

  • Seeing this huge group of adults and youth travel, worship and work together with one purpose… was amazing
  • Crossing the US/Mexican border and seeing the extreme contrast of plenty and lack… was heart breaking
  • Realizing that we were the answer to other people’s prayers… was satisfying

People to be grateful for…

  • This trip was possible because many people gave money and other items, and many local businesses donated construction materials
  • Several individuals came on the trip specifically to serve the team (our food preparers and nurse) allowing the rest of us to accomplish so much more
  • We were led by an awesome set of youth pastors (Josh, Leslie, Brian, and Hunter) and builders (Van, Eric, Paul, and Clyde T.)
  • All of the Fisher family. They do so many things to make this happen
  • Clyde Parker — the man who started GAGA 25 years ago, and continues to serve in it

Side benefits:

  • Sun!
  • Palm trees
  • Mexican food
  • New friends
  • Speaking Spanish again!

It was all very good, and somehow I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.

Deanne and Austin and I were on the kitchen-building crew, so most of the pictures in this slide show are of that project. (There are a few showing the other 3 homes also.)