The first 2 days have been really great. When I first got here, I got to sit in on a really great bible study. It was about how Jesus got people to follow him. After that, I met some of the guys here but, they had to leave right away to go work.
I then began to unpack. I thought to my self, what the heck did I get my self into? I started to feel sad and I didn’t know if I had made the right choice in coming here. Then I decided to get my work clothes on and head over to the work site. All the guys were happy to see me and we started to work. We were splitting logs for firewood. Me and one of the bigger guys here had to grab the tree trunk pieces, split them and hand them off to be stacked. Then we had lunch and then finished the job.
Next we played ULTIMATE! The guys here are real good, the only downer is the field is small.
Day 2: I can see the monuments and the memorials right from the water. It’s the weekend so we are just hanging out.
Monday we started cutting all the grass at the Cedars, it takes us 3 ½ hrs to just cut the grass. Then we worked inside the Cedars Mansion. All of us are working on the 2 bathrooms on the third floor. The bathrooms had really ugly brown and yellow tile. So for the next week we worked on busting out the tile. It was a difficult job.
After we got all of the tile out we went to see what we will be putting in to replace the old tile. We are putting in 12 x 12 marble in on the floor and the walls. It is going to look amazing when it is done. I was happy to do the work because I knew I could come back in twenty years and say that I worked on these bathrooms.
I had my first house meeting, and it was good but I couldn’t talk much because I hadn’t been there the previous week so I didn’t know what was going on. I am looking forward to this next one for sure.
These are small, but important steps. Learning about each other. Growing as a unified team. Creating ourselves as a family. Living each day, serving others and growing as men. I think that I am more comfortable now than I was when I first got here. But, I also know I have a long road to travel in this journey where God has placed me.
My first month’s rent and food bill was due. God provided this month. It is going to be a month by month faith issue, depending on God to call my friends and family to provide for me and the work at Ivanwald. It is work that makes a difference in me and around the world. It is a good place to be.
Donations toward my expenses can be made four ways:
1.
Wes Tatum
c/o Ivanwald
2224 24th Street North
Arlington, VA 22207
The check can be made out directly to The International Foundation for a tax deduction. Be sure to add a note saying it is for Weston Tatum.
2.
Or if you want to send me money directly, you can make the check out to Weston Tatum and send it to:
Wes Tatum
c/o Ivanwald
2224 24th Street North
Arlington, VA 22207
These donations are NOT tax deductible but it will give me some flexibility.
3.
or you can send a check directly to my account via my parents at:
Wes Tatum
4103 Oak Tree Circle
Rochester, MI 48306
The check can be made out to Wes Tatum or Cash for Wes Tatum
These checks are NOT tax deductible but will go directly to my expenses or personal finances.
4.
You can send donations via PayPal by using your PayPal account, or charge card by clicking on the link below and send the amount you want. In the message section make sure to add it is a donation for Wes Tatum:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=tatumstudios%40yahoo%2ecom&item_name=Support%20Wes%20Tatum&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8
Thanks so much for your careful and heartfelt consideration in this life changing situation.
Remember the truth and forget the lies…
Wes
