Warehouse work project

In 9 days we will have almost 4,000 volunteers work with us at the warehouse. This is a huge change from the 8 full and part-time staff that normally run the place. On the first day it felt a little like having every family member from every part of the world come to your house and you have to feed, house, and show them how your world works. Wow! Overwhelming.

It has been going well. Two and a half days to go. Then a couple of days of clean up. Next week, it will be very quiet going back to 8. Very, very quiet. But I am ready. A little tired.

I will post the stats here soon. For now, I just have a moment to jot a few notes.

The theme this year seems to be God usues "me." And "me" is really me--but also every person who walked in the door. And we all fit together like a puzzle. More so this year than any other. I think that is why the lesson is so clear to me.

My piece was coach and cheerleader for my team leaders. (And trying to keep the inventory system untangled.) So I better get back to both!

Back to School

I just spent an entire day watching videos from a company called FishBowl Inventory. We have bought a new inventory system from them. (You can see it at FishBowlInventory.com if you are just dying to see it.) My eyes are buggy from that many hours of it--and my heart is faint for all I have to learn. I know once it is set up, it CAN make warehouse receiving and shipping easier. But it is way beyond my training level. May the Good Lord help me learn fast! Next week, we will have three and a half days--and maybe a few nights--of meetings with the Finance and Humanitarian Aid departments (here in PA) to set it up, learn it and get it going. And I hope we get it really going well before the October Volunteer Work Project next month!

Writing Again...

It's been some time since I have done any regular writing. And I miss my days as a reporter. Thanks to the Stowmans, I may have found a place to play. Thank you Stowmans!

For every one of us, there is work, play, rest, and faith in all three. Lately, it has been more work than play or rest.

Our fiscal year ended August 31, 2007. In the past year, we shipped 33 tractor trailer loads of aid from here to countries around the world--and even a few sites in the US. That is 7 more than our first year! So we had a lot of work receiving, packing and shipping all that aid.

Now that we have finished off our fiscal year with an inventory and audit (a lot of work there!), we move into preparation mode for the October Volunteer Work Project. From October 8 - 17, more than 1,000 volunteers will join us to help sort and pack new aid that is arriving now. Come join us!

So for now, I will sign off. I may even get to leave at 5:00 p.m. tonight. A novel idea!