The mission trip group left St. B around 1:50 p.m. today in a loose caravan of cars chauffeured by intrepid drivers Harold Biggs, Carl Thomson, Ron Hiscock, Charlie Hood, and Jim McLean.  We rode without incident until the Houston traffic forced exclamations from those of us who have not had to drive there in many years.

Our dinner at Goode Company BBQ in the West U section of the city was filling and good---the jalapeno bread was a big plus.  Just as the Metroplex has expanded in stunning ways, so has the sprawl of Houston.  One more strip center is followed by one more immense mall which is followed by one more strip center...you get the idea.  Texas City is a bit farther south than Clear Lake City/Webster, with plenty of refineries lining its waterfront on Galveston Bay.  The day has been so beautiful throughout this drive that it's hard to believe that before long the smothering heat, huge thunderstorms, and 90% humidity will usher Houston and the Gulf Coast into its breathless summer. In addition to the church buildings, the PDA (that's Presbyterian Disaster "pods" house most of us.  There's one large pod for the women, one for the men, and a third that contains 2 toilets, 2 sinks, and 3 shower stalls for each gender.  Although the pods are air conditioned and the bed platforms reasonably comfortable, the close quarters were too much for four of our number.  We have defected to a large fellowship hall where there is plenty of room, but the little climate control and aluminum cots for sleeping.  Nevertheless, this will be home for all of us until Friday.

Orientation was this evening and we have discovered that we're here with people from Colorado, Nebraska, and California.  There's no sign yet of the Austinites whom we expected to find.  Jane Woods, the PDA Village Manager for Texas City calmly laid down the ground rules for our life together:  work teams to keep this group well fed and the site cleaned up...all this addition to our off-site work.  Dan Ketchum is the Work Assignment Manager, a title that he claims simply means that he is the gofer for all the groups.  His charge is to give us the materials to keep us busy.  Our project manager Sandy will be the one who really puts our shoulders to the wheel tomorrow.

Well, it's late and this has been a very long day.  The pictures are worth a thousand words...

Peace to all,
Tom