Cynical

Have you ever found yourself fighting against becoming cynical? Recently, I am finding it harder to win the battle. Let me give you the list that I have or am dealing with.

1. A couple who had everything in their house stolen including the electrical wire. They drive to work every day where the wife works on the day shift. The husband works the afternoon shift. Same place, different shifts. They cannot afford multiple trips so while the wife works, the husband sits in the car for 8 hours. When she gets off, she sits in the car while he works. This just breaks my heart.
2. With the economy in a recession, giving at the mission is significantly down. We have and continue to cut every possible expense just to survive.
3. Keeping up with the wood supply has been challenging. We did not store enough wood last spring that we had hoped. That means we have to fetch wood in the cold and snow and it is not seasoned. We burn wood to heat our main buildings.
4. Our construction jobs have come to a halt. We do construction jobs to help offset the down turn in giving.
5. Finally, the amount of sin and lack of community safe guards is overwhelming. It's hard to see the Kingdom growing. Honestly, in my 10 years here I sense the battle has swayed away from us. I don't think all is lost, I'm saying I am concerned. At a time when we need more boots on the ground, more funds coming in and more hope in our hearts, we have less.

If there was ever a time to pray for us, it is now. Five things to pray for:

1. Couple is able to rebuild and get on same shift.
2. Funding to increase immediately.
3. We can get caught up with seasoned wood and normal temperatures
4. We get more contracts for construction
5. That God will reign

Thanks,

Jay

Life lesson

When the temperature drops to zero outside and you have an outdoor wood boiler, you can not go to bed early and get up late and still have a fire. I normally fill the firebox at 11:00pm and refill at 6:30am. Last night I filled it at 10:00pm and went to refill at 7:30am. Poor planning on my part. The water in my boiler needs to be above 180 degrees and it was at 82 degrees. So as the poem goes:

Late to bed

Early to rise

gives a man

heat where he lies.

Jay Wilson

Watermark's Camp visits The Community Crossing.

Travis and Angie Critzer

This past weekend Travis and Angie Critzer brought 13 people to work and minister in McDowell County. 4 members spent a day and half cutting and splitting wood. 4 other members cleaned and  set-up The Crossing for a special youth night on Friday. On Saturday they took can goods and some furniture to a family of 7 children. The 3rd group fixed a roof and installed some ceilings in a home so that another agency can go in and weatherize the house. It was a great weekend for all of us.