A note to my team (sent Tuesday, December 22, 2009)

Hi all.

Happy Tuesday.

I MISS YOU! :-)

Welcome home. Back to routine, work, demands, family, friends, kids, dogs, commuting, snow, holidays, life, etc. The last 48 hours have been a little bizarre for me, have they been for you? I'm in post-trip fog, and I believe some of you are as well! I was looking online last night to attempt to define this "feeling" and came across what is referred to as a form of "re-entry" after an intense, short, "mission trip" type of thing. Thus, I wanted to share with you these words, as a reminder to remember what we have done together, the greater good, and to be patient with yourself through this.

We are all home. We were gone for just six days, yet so much seems to have happened while we were gone. We learned a lot about a whole different "world." We met people who we may not meet again. We saw how others live. We came together a unique group of nine with a desire to make a difference. We laughed with each other and learned from each other. We now have made new friends. And...we feel different. Now we are home and life goes one.

I want you remind you that God asks for you to be a blessing to your family, your friends, and those you influence. We often feel discouraged, disconnected, disappointed, aloof, out of it, and sometimes just plain weird after arriving home. It takes time to readjust and begin to feel normal again. Reentry stress rears its ugly head in many different and disconcerting ways. Be careful not to criticize values and decisions while you are still in the "fog." Give yourself the gift of time. Discipline yourself to use the tools God provides for you to readjust successfully and use what you experienced last week to become a more valuable member of your own culture.

I am constantly thinking and praying for each of you, and your families. Thank you for spending the week with me last week, and for making a difference for families in our own country, helping to eliminate poverty housing.

Enjoy the season. Remember the families who will have a safe, warm, affordable home of their own because of our help.

Miss you!

-gg

Gena L. Gilbertson
Sr. Administrative Assistant
Alliance Strategy Office
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity

625 Fourth Ave. S., MS 1560
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1665

Direct: 612-844-4186
Fax: 612-844-6498
Toll-free: (800) 847-4836, say “Directory," wait and when prompted, key ext. 34186
Email: gena.gilbertson@thrivent.com
Website: http://www.thriventbuilds.com/

The end.

I am having a hard time finding the right words to write in this last blog post. It's difficult for me to believe we're done! Monday seems so long ago, however; our week went by in a snap.

The week...was just plain fun! We laughed until we cried (or peed!), until our cheeks hurt and our stomach ached. We savored local Southern food which stands to compete heavily with our northern BBQ! We bonded, we shared, all with a common goal to be here to serve; to make a difference. I learned more than I thought I would, about myself and about my team.

I'm reflective tonight about how we all came from different places and met together here for the same purpose, all unique children of God brought together each filling our separate but specific role(s). This team wouldn't have been what it was without a single person. For that, I am grateful.

So much has happened for all of us in the last 6 short days. We all were joined here to spend this time together, to learn about this area, to meet the people, to believe in the passion of eliminate poverty housing, and to make a difference.

Thank you to the friends and family who supported Bonnie, Chris, Dan, Eric, Gretchen, Katherine, Lonnie, Maureen and myself pre-trip. Please continue to support them. They have stories to share, their gifts of service are here.

May God Bless my team. Safe travels to Eric and Dan, who left for Wisconsin tonight about 9:00pm. To Gretchen and Chris who fly out in the morning. To Lonnie, my mom (Bonnie) and I as we start out for Minnesota tomorrow, and to Katherine and Maureen who fly out tomorrow evening.

Signing off from Camp Victor.

Night, ya'll.

-gena gilbertson

The A Team

Conner's Garden

Lonnie, Maureen and Gretchen serving breakfast

Dan or Nixon? (from Wednesday)

Our Super Duper Work Partners

Here's a picture of our new friends from Iowa. They have been great to work with this week.