After so much work...

...it's just about time for the Deutsch LA group of 2008 to leave sunny Los Angeles and fly to Louisiana for their week of building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Having gone last year, I have a decent idea of what to expect when we get there. We will wake up very early, spend 8 hours each day hammering a million nails and sweating profusely in the southern heat and humidity, and try to enjoy the local culture at night before we pass out from exhaustion in our hotel rooms. That goes without saying. We'll work hard and play hard, just as Deutschers always do.

What we don't know is how the people we meet and the experiences we have down there will truly impact our lives. It's not until you are there first-hand do you realize what it is you are really doing. Sure, we spent many hours raising money, planning the trip, and traveling to get there, but it's not until the local sherrif walks up to you with a tear in their eye and thanks you for helping out do you truly grasp how you are affecting other people's lives. For the folks that weren't down in Biloxi last year, they will soon get it. For those that were there last year, we will soon be reminded. Either way, we will definitely tell you about it throughout the week in this blog, and after the trip as the experiences really sink in.

So, as the trip approaches, I'd like to personally thank my family, friends, and Deutsch LA for making this all possible. It's a great thing that the 14 of us are doing next week, but it's an equally great thing you all did to get us there.

Talk to you soon,
Craig