Samaritan's Purse OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Good Morning Dear Journal Friends from a very cold Alberta. It is supposed to go to -25 Celsius this weekend. brrrrrrrrrr
Well here I sit hurting in muscles I never knew I had....but probably it is because since retiring we have not done any real physical work.
We left for Calgary and stayed at the Sandman Inn which was just beside the Samaritan's Purse head offices in Calgary.
We joined our team from our church that had come down early the am. We were given a demonstration of how our stations would be set up and some items that must not be allowed in the boxes. ie military articles.
At a station you had 3 people going through boxes taking out items we were not allowed to send and then there were two that would tape and mark the boxes precisely as shown.
Chuck and I volunteered two stations to pack the boxes in the cartons of 24.
Hubby and I only know one speed in work and that is full tilt so we managed to keep the two other people who would haul the boxes to the conveyor belt very busy.
I only stayed for one shift of 9-12:30 but hubby stayed until 4 and in our shift of all the volunteers we managed to pack and get sent away over 6,200 boxes of items that will be sent to Chile this year. I know hubby overdid it and HE is the one that should have gone back to the motel.
I went back to the motel and slept a bit and then the youngest daughter and family came and the boys and I headed to the pool. I especially enjoyed the very hot hot tub...and it was the deepest I have ever seen. It came to my neck at the middle of the tub.
I so admire these people who had come from other Provinces and I met two ladies from Saskatchewan that had come with a team for the whole week. What a sacrifice but somehow you just did not feel like that as I was reminded by my daughter's scrapbook she had made from her actual trip to delivery boxes back in 2000 to Mexico. The looks on the faces of the children made any possible sacrifice nil.
I know that hubby and I will probably do this every year now that we are retired and maybe go more than one day but we would have to pace ourselves.
I mentioned that the Calgary EMS picks up all the boxes from the locations and has a parade down one main avenue in Calgary that is closed, with the sirens going etc.
I found it on utube and I think the address is www.truveo.com/EMS-and-OCC/id/972621181
For any of you country fans the person singing is PAUL BRANDT and our girl worked with his Dad at the EMS. He is a dispatcher for the EMS Paul is such a gracious person and he and wife serve the Lord in many ways.
Well I think we are heading into town for Chuckie to do his cardiac rehabilitation at their pool and gym.
I may decide to stay put at home and rest....besides it looks way to cold to go outside.

Blessings

Alberta LORI

PS well I did stay at home..might go down for tea with a friend for my birthday we missed celebrating together.