“Ugh, No construction supervisor… say what???”

“Ugh, No construction supervisor… say what???”

Today was an interesting day in all aspects. I believe we grew stronger as a team even though it was not smooth sailing. It was difficult to get a head start on the work at the house today as we are amateurs trying our luck with construction. Without guidance we were like fish without water. We spent majority of the morning in trivial squabbles and undoing the work we finished previously or earlier today. Now that I think back, it was unnecessary for our team.

Quarreling can be frustrating. However, as one of the crew members mentioned, all is not lost. On this incredibly warm day, we pulled up our socks and got to work. This is largely because through discussion we learned that productivity is not all that counts. Often the thought, process and intent of our volunteering here is what is important. We expect results to often appear magically. This is not always feasible.

But, every cloud has a silver lining. The day ended on a good note despite the hurdles. We finished the touch up painting; fixed the wall we started and sorted out the roof. Speaking to the home owner and his family was insightful. Hearing their part of the story and receiving constructive feedback was great.

Later, visiting the beach was fun. We had driven by earlier but dipping my feet in the water was different. The water was incredibly calm. Seeing the houses on the beach side either reconstructed or still in shambles was eye opening. During reflection today I realized that much is to be learned. We should be optimistic and leave with the satisfaction of making a small difference.