That’s a wrap!

Sick Chart Update

	Not Yet Sick (as of Friday, at drop-off)	Sick	Mostly/Better
Saturday	everyone else...	Alyssa Lori
Sunday	everyone else...	Alyssa Lori
Monday	everyone else...	Heather Rachel Tirzah Sara Christy Mike	Alyssa Lori
Tuesday	everyone else...??	Tirzah Jake Mike Jeremiah Walker	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy
Wednesday	Tom G Angela Gloria Antonio Colleen Jim Bob Messiah	Logan Ryan Paco Mike	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy Tirzah Jake Walker Jeremiah Mike
Thursday	Tom G Angela Gloria Antonio Colleen Jim Bob Messiah Tim Sue (note – still some names here!!)	(note – NO NAMES HERE!!!)	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy Tirzah Jake Walker Jeremiah Mike Logan Ryan Paco

Yes, indeed. Final count:14 of the 24 total folks from Wisconsin got sick – and better – during our time in St Louis. Aren’t you glad we didn’t post pictures of that?!!
We are so grateful – both that folks got better, AND that the bug seemed to run through pretty quickly. Everyone still got chances to do most of the various activities that comprise a work trip in St Louis.
Thursday wrapped up well – we said good-bye to the kids we’d tutored, we served in the afternoon for a last time with the folks from St Louis that we’d gotten to know throughout the week, and then we headed out for Indian food as a way to celebrate a great week. Yum! As a final wrap-up today, Andrew gathered us together to reflect on what we’d experienced and learned throughout the week – and to challenge us to bring it back with us.
On Friday we experienced a few hiccups getting packed up (my – Angela’s - car battery konked out and needed replacing before we left), but for the most part got out without too much trouble. Other than a complete downpour that was a tad nerve-wracking to drive through, things went smoothly and we were back in Appleton by around 7pm.
I have to say – the kids and leaders were just great to be with. In spite of the sickness and other things that could really have thrown a wrench into the week, folks maintained positive attitudes, volunteered to help out where they could, and generally contributed a lot to everything going well. I couldn’t ask for a better team to serve with – thanks, Mike, for all you did to help pull together an incredible time for all of us! And thanks to God that the 7th St Louis Trip joined the other six in being an incredible, rewarding, exhausting, and amazing time.

Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday

It seems pretty sad that an update for this week feels like it should start with a "who's sick now" update, but that is just the way this week has rolled. Maybe we should make a table:

	Not Yet Sick (as of Wed)	Sick	Mostly/Better
Saturday	everyone else...	Alyssa Lori
Sunday	everyone else...	Alyssa Lori
Monday	everyone else...	Heather Rachel Tirzah Sara Christy Mike	Alyssa Lori
Tuesday	everyone else...??	Tirzah Jake Mike Jeremiah Walker	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy
Wednesday	Tom Angela Gloria Antonio Colleen Jim Bob Messiah	Logan Ryan Paco Mike	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy Tirzah Jake Walker Jeremiah Mike
Thursday	???		Logan Ryan

So yeah, it’s been quite a run! That being said – the kids really have had great attitudes and overall have enjoyed their time here a lot. It’s been neat to get to know the other group from Iowa that’s here this week, and have a chance to connect with kids, each other, and with God.
Today we had to bid farewell to 4 of the “grown-ups” (ha!) that have been with us so far – Tom, Lori, Christy and Jeremiah. They had to get back to jobs and other grown up things. Fortunately, 2 brand-spankin’ new ones arrived later to continue carrying the torch – Sue and Tim (yippeee!).
Normally our days go (roughly) tutoring –> lunch –> work projects –> supper –> Kids Club. But today we started before breakfast with tie dyeing the t-shirts we get from this week, and instead of our afternoon work project we had a 2 hour retreat of silence. That was a change for high schoolers who are used to going at a crazy pace: talking, listening to music, or sleeping. Andrew challenged us not to talk, or sleep, during that time, but rather to take time for quiet prayer and reflection. Neat stuff!
It was hard to wrap up Kids Club for the week. The kids just seemed so sweet and willing to connect this year. A couple of 20-year-old guys that Ryan was talking with live in the same complex as these kids. They told him, “it’s just so neat to see the children smiling and having fun. You brought them joy”. Just cool stuff! Tonight in addition to our normal game playing and dispensing of sno cones and popcorn, we handed out dental supplies! Alyssa had asked around with dentists in the Valley and rounded up a big supply that we were able to package and get to the kids. They loved them and kept coming back in line to get more for their brothers and sisters.
We wrapped up the day at the laundromat –hopefully we now have enough clean clothes to end the week in style!

Wednesday pics VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL