The Sunday Post

In the begining of the trip I started off with gutting houses. Starting off this way left a bleak impression on how I felt the trip was going to be. Every house seemed to be vacated and the city had such an absence of life. I had a negative view of the work we were all doing. Everyone's heard that every little bit counts, but it just seemed so overwhelming. There didn't seem to be enough 'little bits.' I imagined checking in for our jobs with hundreds of volunteers waiting to do the same. Unrealistic as it sounds, I was pretty disappointed. After two years, there is still so much that needs to be done. After two days of gutting, I had two days of painting/rebuilding. Definitely a more hopeful perspective. Even though it's extremely hard getting through the beginning, the homeowners of those houses prove that it really is possible to start a new life. Although it is possible, the constant reminder of the vacant houses show there is still so much more to do.
Finally, on Saturday we had our free day. This break was the real proof that everything will be okay. As we were walking down a festive street, Sharyn told me that when they went on the trip the previous year it was as if GodSquad were the only people on the streets. I wish I could compare this trip to another visit, but it's great that things are only getting better. Not only are structures being rebuilt, but the people are even stronger. This truly amazes me. I didn't think I'd feel any different during or after this trip, but this experience [so far] has already affected me. Even if I started off with a semi-pessimistic view, I know now that the work we do really does make a difference, and everyone can only be accountable for their own 'little bit.'


--Stephanie Keeshen
[[a.k.a. step on me quiche]]