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September Building Team!

The September building team knocked our socks off!  It was the largest team ever to come work on Smile House—18 people! Being new to Ukraine ourselves, we weren’t exactly sure about our roles and responsibilities in dealing with incoming teams. However, we fit right in; our skills and strengths were put to good use! Janna fed them cookies and encouraged them, and Daniel taught newbies how to do a job and how to do it right! The team accomplished a massive amount of work in just five days,  including concrete, electric work, tiling, knitting (just the men), floating and sanding, sealing (concrete walls), texturing, priming, painting, singing, digging, more painting, and tons of cleaning! As team leaders on the ground, we were able to keep everyone busy; no small feat with 18 people! It reminded us of our days at the good ol’ Soup Kitchen!  The team also did a wonderful job at the orphanage, bringing those kids a little light in a dark world. If you are interested in coming to Ukraine on a short term trip, please let us know. Next summer there will be 3-4 to choose from; we  want  you to come and be a part of this ministry! All people are needed, from builders to forever huggers! Please email us!

Here are some pictures of the team and the work they accomplished!


The boys put on some cute boots and got to work pouring concrete for the driveway and walkway! Quick side note: Rudy and Shawn look particulary dashing in those boots.
Donnie earns treasure in heaven by floating and sanding. His son Brent earns "most teachable" award by floating, sanding, caulking, fixing doorways, cutting in paint, etc, etc, etc.
The team sealed, textured, primed, and painted the stairwell! It's beautiful! Thank you Jim, Philip, Calvin, and Gail!
Mack tiled some showers! Thanks for sacrificing your knees to the cause!
The ladies painted a mural! Yeah Janet, Vicki, and Ashley! LOVE it! :)
Jodie fell in a trench. Oh wait, she's working down there! Wow! Also in picture: unidentified head.
So much painting was done! Hooray! Jerry, the epitomy of fashion, is wearing a white shirt.
John re-enacts Samson. He did other stuff, too, but that was his main thing. 
Gail and Ben tackle some more painting! They also did so many odd jobs. You know, the kind that are tedious and take forever. Thank you!
 Need I tell you who that is? For those of you who don't know, its my brave and couragous husband Daniel defying the laws of gravity while texturing an extremely tall stairwell. Yeah, he rocks!
Janna smurfs some walls (in between bossing people around)!
The whole crew! I don't have a picture of Kevin, most likely because he was always hiding out in the attic doing electric work, or Larry, because he is too charming to capture in a picture. So sorry!
We love you guys and thank you so much for coming to Ukraine! You did a tremendous job and we hope to see you again (except for Philip; he smells funny).
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