Volunteer Help Came For A Visit

Another very busy week has passed. Last week some friends drove up from San Antonio to volunteer their time. They completed a lot of minor repairs that needed doing around here. They did not have the time to stay to complete any of the bigger projects. But least the toilet seat stays in place and the dryer works now, along with another dozen small maintenance repair jobs. There is a lot to do out here that I just do not have the skill knowledge to complete and I really value these friends who come out and give me a hand. But these friends all have responsibilities elsewhere and can never stay long. I really need someone living here full time to help complete the many tasks that still need to be done. A few of the more urgent tasks to be completed include replacing the back staircase (not up to code and is dangerous), installing a floor in the community room, and building raised garden beds.

So far most of the expenses out here I have been footing, but I am quickly running out of cash. Donations are a must, but as I tell people—sick people don’t donate. Which means donations have to come from those individuals who are able to give. Every little bit helps. It will be impossible to purchase or build cabins for people to live in unless there are donations to cover the cost. Right this moment I could take a major step towards fulfilling a goal of this ministry if AOCCCI had $30,000, but it doesn’t. I have been praying for the money to come in. Please join me in praying for this money and if you can make a donation, no matter how small, it will be greatly appreciated.

Last week the Texas AgriLife Exension Service, which is part of the Texas A&M System, offered well water testing for only $5. When the house was inspected before sale, the inspector had the water tested and bacteria were discovered. Everyone always believed the bacteria was due to no one living here for the past year. The water was treated and a $35 home test found no signs of bacteria. I knew though that the water needed to be professionally tested and when I read about this service in the Texas Mohair Weekly, I made sure to participate. Saturday I received the results and the water passed all the tests. There are no bacteria, nitrates, or anything else bad in the water. Though this land is over the Edwards Aquifer, the same source of water for San Antonio, the distance is so great that it might as well be two different aquifers. The water out here is a lot better then what I drank when I lived in San Antonio and any contamination that occurs in San Antonio will not affect my well.

The needs here extend farther than just maintenance. It has been apparent to me from the day this property was purchased that a new web site needed to be created. A web site is a very time consuming job to take on. I know as I have done a number of them. But paying someone else to do it will cost thousands, which AOCCCI just does not have right now. Unless someone volunteers to do this job, I will have to do it. But first I need to purchase web design software. What I have always used in the past is very out of date. Web design software is not cheap, but a must. After that I will have to take time out of my very busy days to work on the site. I have been praying for months that God would provide someone else to do this job, but no one has come forward and a new site really needs to be completed. One thing about web design, it does not matter where the web designer lives, the Internet is everywhere. So someone volunteering for this job would not need to even live in the US.

I have had several inquiries from people who have a desire to come out here or know someone with MCS who is homeless. The individuals who have expressed a desire to come here all had a valid reason why the trip is undoable. The homeless person has yet to contact me. If anyone does need a place to stay, they can camp on the land. Eventually (hopefully in a few months) the spare bedroom in this house will be available for someone to live in, but at the moment it is being used for storage.

Hopefully before the year is over with there will be others living on this land, but right now it is very quiet outside. There are spring flowers blooming. The vegetable seeds I planted in a few garden pots are sprouting. I threw melon seeds out in the grass and rocks which hopefully are also sprouting. It will be nice to have a little bit of home grown food in a few months and hopefully the raccoons and other critters will leave enough for me to share with others.