We first blogged about Loriann’s Puerto Rico work just prior to her leaving for the trip. In this post, she shares her experiences there with us, and tells us of her plans to return to continue the rebuild work.
March 11 was a day marked on clockbockers’ calendars in big red circles. Plans were made for live tweeting, drink recipes were exchanged and an amazing show was set to premier. Timeless was back after being canceled and we all shared in the excitement. While I too shared the excitement, March 11 held an entirely different meaning for me. That was the day I met 11 near strangers at a church at 2:AM and embarked on an adventure of a life time. That was the day we went on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. Our mission was to lay foundation for a church building heavily damaged by hurricane Maria.
We landed in San Juan that afternoon and were met by the church’s pastor. We sat and ate a meal with this man and were made to feel like family. That day was a sabbath day for us. We went and checked out the worksite, then went back to the church compound that would be our home for the next week. That night, although I had internet, I stayed away from my Timeless buddies and went to bed early.
Over the next few days, our team jelled together really well and we worked and played hard. I learned how to tie steel rebar with wire, how to trust a team of mostly men, how to take a cold shower in a closet without getting my clothes and towel wet, the different ways plantains can be cooked. How to pour concrete, And most importantly, how to trust God with all the details.
The hardest day for me was Wednesday, the day of the concrete pour. We were onsite at 4am preparing for the cement trucks to come in and fill the hole for the the foundations. All the rebar we tied, all the trenches we dug, all the money we raised, every move we made toward this trip came down to this one day and boy, did we feel the pressure. I remember asking all of my friends for prayer. I went on my clockblocker thread asking for prayer and receiving the kindest and most amazing support.
The day went well. Concrete does not stand a chance in hell against of team of twelve doing God’s work. We were done hours ahead of time. And I didn’t even fall in once. Yay me!
We also played hard. We took trips to the beach. We ate at restaurants every night. We hung out and just talked. We prayed together. We laughed together. We went kayaking together. We had fun! Before we knew it, it was time to go home.
So here I am nearly a week after coming home. If I’m being honest, I’m going to have to say I’m having a hard time. I miss my people. I miss the hard work. I’m homesick for my beautiful island.
There’s a voice inside my heart and my soul that keeps telling me that I’m not done. This voice is getting louder. My spirit is leaning into that voice. There’s a peace and certainty that I’m truly not done over there.
The church I went with is going back in July to rebuild another building at the same church. Thanks to a generous donation that I received the day of the concrete, this is possible. So, there’s only one thing I can do. I’m going back to Puerto Rico. We leave the 3rd week of July. Which is when I’m off of work because of our church’s vacation bible school.
Through this whole Timeless adventure, from my first post, wondering if I could do this, to my latest tearful re-entry post, I’ve been blessed with an amazing group of friends who’ve laughed with me, laughed AT me, prayed for me and encouraged me. All of this, in between bantering with cast and crew, memes about Lyatt and Garcy, tweets about Timeless drunk history, all stemming from the little show that could. A show that combines science fiction, history, and just enough romance to add some spice. A show whose cast and crew appreciate their fans like I’ve never seen from a show before. I love you guys. I thank God for you all everyday.
The past months have been an unbelievable whirlwind. I simply cannot imagine going through all this and simply doing life without my beloved clockblocker crew. And to the cast, crew and show runners, you guys created this. Timeless has created these amazing friendships that go beyond ratings and spoilers and ships (Ahem, garcy). I know I say this all the time, but you all really are in my prayers. I know, from past experience backgrounding on a set how very hard you all work, no matter the weather, how you feel, where your families are, what you all have going on, and it is so appreciated. And I am so happy to see this hard work pay off and I sincerely hope and pray this absolute sweetheart of a show lasts for many seasons to to come!
~*~Loriann~*~
If you would like to donate towards Loriann’s future trip to Puerto Rico, you can do so here. Please make sure to include Loriann’s name, and type your donation amount into the section labelled “Mission Trip – Puerto Rico”.
Timeless Online 