Hello! I wanted to write this blog tonight so I stole the job away from Rachel...
We have a celebrity amongst us! Kate Hall (or as Helena-West Helena know her as: Katie Hall) was surprised to find out that they named the newly renovated pool pavilion after her and the pool supervisor Ernest Womack. It is called the Ernest Womack and Katie Hall pool pavilion. That pool pavilion was actually the old pool house which they tore most of down. Mark wired the pool pavilion and it passed inspection the first time, so it was ready to be used tonight for the ending celebration.
Most of us had a great Thursday (except my group). Cindy shared that a kid that wouldn't let her touch him at the beginning of the week, let her hold him and he slept in her arms for almost an hour. She said it was the highlight of her week. Beth had a girl named Alexis in one of her swimming groups and since she was the only girl in that group they called her "Princess Alexis." Today she finally went off the diving board and Beth was so happy for her and she gave her cross to Alexis and she responded, "I'll never forget you and I'll never take my cross off," and hugged her.
Frances had a good experience with one of her students named Jermaine when he finally jumped off the diving board after much hesitation. Once he jumped in he told her that he had confronted his fear. She also had a helper named Kendall and he jumped off the diving board and lost his cross necklace he had been given earlier on. They looked for a while for it but never could find it so Frances got an extra cross from Kate and gave it to him. Kate ended up giving Frances another cross necklace after that and she didn't really need it but at the ending celebration she saw a helper named Robert and asked where his cross was because Courtney had given him her cross. He said he gave it to his niece and Frances decided to give him that extra cross that she thought she didn't need and once she did she could see him light up and he really loved getting that one.
A lot of youth helpers have been helping out this week and Kristen said that she could definitely see that they were starting to catch the vision that Ben and Leonora have been working to bring to Helena-West Helena. Relationships are being made and many things have been accomplished such as the garden that had visitors today from USDA interns. Many great things are being done here and it has been a great week overall for all of us. However, I know that I (and I'm sure the rest of us too) am ready to come back to Raleigh to my own bed...and air conditioning. For some reason Emily, Mary Alice, Rachel, and I have not had the best luck with working air conditioning in our rooms. We can't wait to see you back at church!
Virginia Murray