The Crew at The Oaks

As I mentioned before we have a very small crew for this project. The project leader wondered how we could accomplish as much as was expected of us or as we would like to accomplish. We all wondered what it would be like to all working together all the time. As our leader said a few days ago, "most people get tired of being with me after 4 days". He said that in reference to touring together on Friday or just going our own way - which we did. It wasn't because we couldn't stand to be with him, it just wasn't as necessary to have that social time when we had worked together all week. So being small in number we still got the entire inside of the house painted, cleaned up and much improved in other ways. It was a fun project and part of it was that all 4 of us worked side by side and, also, we could see improvement with every new color and every possible fixture cleaned. No we don't plan to go out painting for a income but we do feel good about our project.

This is the double wide mobile home we have been spending our time in. I wish we could be here to improve the outside as well but that will have to wait for someone else. Many of the staff live right on campus. I am sure that housing is part of their salary. Many of the homes are similar to this one. Probably wouldn't quite cut it in Iowa or any other place in the Midwest but considering California climate these homes are adequate. Another retired man is putting down bamboo flooring in almost the whole house because the family coming to live in it have children with allergies. Makes sense to accommodate their needs up front.

The buildings at this camp all seem fairly new, they have a very active fund raising group. One building even is called the Como lodge because of the money Pat Boone gave to the camp.

Spring comes earlier here. The fruit and other blossoming trees are about at their peak. Many trees like this are on camp as well as all over the countryside. The desert flowers are also pretty this year because of the rain they had throughout the winter. The lupine can make an entire field look purplish blue. what a sight. they say the poppies are also pretty but we may have missed them. If I remember right they only bloom for a few days.

This camp as many trail and one night we ventured up one (with the pickup) and saw this beautiful sight. The road up was not as wide as I would have liked especially when we came to a locked gate and had to back up for quite a distance. Good thing dad is a good backer!

Speaking of Dad, he celebrated his birthday yesterday. About the only thing I did for it was bake a batch of brownies for the people working with us. I honestly did have a pretty good meal planned for supper but the camp was offering a supper of brisket and the trimmings so we saved the birthday supper for another day. They do barbecue brisket here frequently and it is so delicious.

Last Saturday we took advantage of the nearness we were to Gary so we drove to Yorba Linda for the evening and stayed for Sunday church and dinner. Hannah and Renee were spending the weekend there and Saturday afternoon Lucy was with us. We spent some time in the park and Lucy had it made as she had her grandpa and great grandpa following here all over the park. She loved the freedom to run and the attention her "men" gave her. What a blast of fun!

We are wrapping up this project and will head for Iowa making stops along the way. We have family not only across this country but in several foreign countries as well. Keeps us on our knees praying for the safety of you all and hoping that you are all well and doing what you feel called to do. Love you so much, Dad and Mom Marilyn/Wilmer

Paintin', paintin", paintin".

We have covered a lot of wall space with paint since the last blog. This mobile home is quite large and every room is a different color with trim being yet another color. It is really starting to shape up even tho we have a long way to go before we are finished. We are working with just the four of us and that is really working out well. It is different for men and women to work on the same project but since this house needs to be done at a certain time they put us all on it. A group from MAPPs were here before us and did the dry walling and spackling. MAPP is the volunteer group I was researching when I came across RVICS and we decided to go that way instead.
This camp is interesting in that it mainly targets groups of kids that are in trouble or may get into trouble. They gear their programs for inner city kids/young people. This camp is called The Oaks and is really under the umbrella of World Impact. It is an interesting difference from other camps which had mainly church groups. The wide open spaces here at The Oaks is at first rather intimidating for some of the campers that come here but the environment and the teaching and the structure is just what so many of them need and it certainly makes an impact on many of the campers who come here.

The pictures show what you all already know - some prefer rolling, some prefer trimming and others just like to paint with a brush. I float between them with whatever needs to be done first. I would prefer cleaning as it is much in need of it but painting is our priority so will do that. Surprising how many nooks and corners there are in such a home but we will slather paint on them all.

Every time there are campers here that need meals we are invited to eat with them and the staff. I think with the food so amply provided for us that this month could become The Oaks + 5. Will just have to walk that many more miles! I am doing the exercises that Mayo said were really the only way to try to help my joints' mobility improve and strenghen. Seems as if they are a little better already. Yeah, I can quit the exercises - NOT.

We did some sightseeing of the area this past weekend, mostly in the towns/cities. When Senior citizens need a new tooth brush they get all giddy thinking they have something to go to town for. Well, we needed haircuts and that was incentive enough. The one store in one of the malls that I had fun in was the World Market. Bought some interesting food items. My favorite was one from Holland called Chocolate Caramel Spread. It is soooo good and rich. Should make a special treat if I can just figure out what to spread it on.

Went to Grace Baptist Church yesterday and really enjoyed it. It is kinda like a mega church. The choir had 80 people in it, they had an excellent orchestra and soloist was great. Very friendly and organized. They have many young couples and, therefore, many little kids. The nurseries were not only separated according to months of age but also specified if one was for trained kids or not. There must have been 6 nurseries for sure. Many opportunities for adult classes and a page full of weekday classes or support groups. While shopping on Friday we met a woman and started talking. She invited us to her church and that is the one we went to. Glad we had that conversation.

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the little bit more modest temps in the Midwest. We have had frost here most every night and have had to run the furnace but seems today is suppose to be the start of warmer weather. Love and best wishes to all. We keep you in our prayers. Any special concerns we bring up at our daily group devotional time and pray for them specifically.

Love, Dad/Mom Wilmer/Marilyn

Feb. 2010

Sorry for the delay in writing but between the lack of internet and some unforeseen activities I have not had the opportunity to get this done quicker. I know my attitude about the camp was not so positive when we came. Being greeted by a flooded road did not thrill either of us. However, the camp did have a lot of positives as well. When campers come to a camp they must be busy all the time especially if they are kids or teens. Activities must be provided and at the camps we have worked on those activities are many and are outside. This is an interesting picture of their slide. One of the goals of going down this slide is going fast enough to stay atop the water and land on the bank on the other side without going under the water. Not sure how many actually did that but is was a challenge anyway. Of course, a land lubber like me would not have even tried to go down the slide no matter how fast or slow but I can imagine some of you doing it fast. There were a ton of other activities as well. The next picture is of the small lake looking down from where the slide is. Actually the camp has some beautiful scenery but one has to appreciate desert to appreciate the scenery. We talked to some staff people who totally love the desert and then there are those who are looking to move on to a different environment. To each his own. I would have a hard time getting use to the sand and dryness of the desert. It was almost impossible to keep the carpet in the RV even reasonably clear of sand. And I had thought the temperature would be a little more moderate since it was California but I hadn't factored in that these camps are usually in a higher altitude making the cold and, yes, even snow a greater possibility.

You can see we had a pretty good camping site. We only had 4 couples and there are six RV's, one of the couples worked at this camp since January and won't leave until April 1. They come every year and just pitch in where needed. She spends most of her time painting words on signs to use around the park. They expect pretty professional work from her and they get it. They get the same perks as RVICS people do with free site and utilities but they don't accept a wage either. One couple from Iowa has been coming here for 18 years. She is a seamstress and it is interesting how the camp finds projects for her to do for such a long time. Her husband works in maintenance so he is always kept busy. There daughter is on staff so it is a good way for them to spend time with her and help the camp at the same time.

The unusual part of our month was that I spent 4 days in a hospital in Victorville and 3 days in Mayo clinic having tests. I started out with what I thought would be an office call and because of a rather disturbing reaction to some mixture of liquid a doctor gave me as part of the examination I ended up in the hospital. Absolutely no conclusions were gained in those 4 days. I had the Mayo appointment scheduled earlier so we decided to come home for a week and try to find out exactly what I was dealing with. We did get answers and the result is that I feel satisfied with what they diagnosed and the treatment prescribed.

The week home was so timely as we got to see Donna and Brian a few times as they had just gotten home as well, we made the trip to Sioux Falls and saw Cindy and her girls, we got to make the acquaintance of our new great grandson Tekoah and we got together with my siblings. It was so good to make those connections again. But no trip to Iowa this winter would be complete without a picture of snow. That grill may never be the same. Can't even imagine how that snow just hung on without tipping off. We were reminded that temperatures in California weren't that bad after all. Then we went back to Ironwood for the final days of the project.

The main reason we wanted to work in California this winter was so we could be closer to Gary and Kim and their families. We have taken the opportunity to spend time with each of them and thoroughly enjoyed that. Such gracious hosts they all are!

We are now at The Oaks near Lake Hughes. Again, the feeling of the camp is unique as all are. Our project for the next weeks will be to clean and paint the interior of a double wide mobile home for a new staff member that is coming in. We only have 2 couples on this project so we may spend all of our time in that mobile home and I think that will be good. The work isn't hard and we have gotten use to doing detail cleaning and with 2 guys and 2 gals I think we can get a lot done. It is always interesting to work on something that shows a drastic change (improvement) and this will be such a project. Should prove to be helpful to the camp. After this project we will head to Iowa and be home for a few months? We will see. We do not have projects until the fall.

Hope this finds you all well and able to cope with the snow and now the ice that is taking over.

We love you all and will see you in a few weeks.

Mom/Dad Marilyn/Wilmer