Need a big adventure this summer?

Mennonite Disaster Services is building log houses in Eagle Alaska on the Yukon river. Details on that and their other projects are below:

This is the MDS Update for July 2, 2009
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ALASKA PROJECT
After heavy flooding this spring along the Yukon River, homes in Eagle, Alaska sustained extensive damage. MDS will begin a binational project in Eagle in July. We are seeking strong adult volunteers to help construct 13 log homes between July 13 and September 12, 2009. Volunteers must be in excellent physical health and able to assist with a variety of construction activities. Volunteers will be expected to work 10-12 hours a day, six days a week on a construction crew. Accommodations will consist of insulated tents with no running water. Meals will be supplied by local volunteers. Travel to the project will be provided and requires small aircraft travel from Fairbanks. Minimum time commitment is two weeks with preference given to volunteers who are able to serve four weeks or more. If interested, please contact our Akron office at (800)241-8111.


CURRENT NEEDS
Caretakers
Diamond, LA: July 25-Oct 3
Caretakers are volunteers who stay at the project to answer the phones, clean the MDS facilities, do small repairs, organize tools, and provide general maintenance so that the projects will be ready to start up again when the volunteer groups return.
Call if you are available to serve for any amount of time.
For information, call Sarah Yoder at (800)241-8111.


HOUSE BUILD IN COLUMBUS
Thanks to volunteers at the MC USA Convention in Columbus, Ohio, Kristy B., a single mother from Pass Christian, MS, will have a new home soon. During the second day of the MC USA convention, 15 volunteers took part in constructing the walls of Kristy's new house. More volunteers are expected in the days to come as youth groups continue to sign up. The house build is highlighting MDS' Partnership Home Program in which churches have the opportunity to partner with MDS to build a house for a family in need of a home. On Saturday, July 4, MDS will give volunteers the opportunity to participate in a house dedication before the house is dismantled and placed on a truck to be driven to Pass Christian where it will be completed.

DIAMOND, LOUISIANA
Disaster: 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes
At Mr. Ron’s house, we had anywhere from two to three crews working at the same time. Much was accomplished on his house this week! All of the siding, soffit and facia are now on the house, and crews were working on priming and painting the siding. We had a few crews working on finishing up some of the electrical wiring and plumbing so the house can get a rough-in inspection next week. Mr. Ron is really looking forward to living in his new house!

DULZURA, CALIFORNIA
Disaster: 2007 Wildfires
This week saw the windows arrive for the B house and the C house. The windows were installed in less than half a day with much credit due to good framing practices that had all the rough openings the correct size. With the house now wrapped and the windows installed we can get the next inspection on its way. The facia and soffits were also completed by week’s end with the house taking on a completely new look. The plumbing and electrical rough-ins have also been completed and now the sprinkler system can be installed. When the next inspection passes we can then get to work on the siding and drywall after the roof is done.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Disaster: 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes
The weather remained extremely hot and humid when the team from Harvest Community Church arrived. Many in the team had served with MDS before, and knowing the routine, were anxious to get to work. The week was entirely dedicated to finishing the interior of the home belonging to Ms. Marie. Trim work was completed and painted, closet doors hung, interior doors painted.


PASS CHRISTIAN, MISSISSIPPI
Disaster: 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes
This project will re-open July 5.

Contributions may be sent to:
USA: 1018 Main Street, Akron, PA 17501 or
Can.: 6A-1325 Markham Rd, Winnipeg, MB R3T 4J6
Online: Donate
Telephone: (717) 859-2210 or (800) 241-8111

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Local volunteer opportunity

As a volunteer driven organization, the hard work and dedication of volunteers like you makes our success possible. Interested in lending a hand?

Ruby needs a helping hand with the following repairs:
*Repair/replace drawer fronts on 2 kitchen cabinet drawers
*Get closet door in bedroom to run properly on tracks
*Remove old caulk around tub and re-caulk.
*Repair or replace kitchen faucet.
*Fix loose master bath pedestal sink
Ruby lives in the 43211 zip code.


If you are interested in making a difference in this homeowners' life please contact:

Aaron Murphy
Volunteer Coordinator
(614) 258-6392 or
aaron@rtcolumbus.org

Rebuilding Together Columbs looking for some light help

As a volunteer driven organization, the hard work and dedication of volunteers like you makes our success possible. Interested in lending a hand?

Brenda received services during our Christmas in April Event but there are still a few loose ends that need to be tied up before we can call her project complete. We are looking for a couple of volunteers to caulk around the new tub surround and window, finish the drywall and paint the bathroom. Brenda lives in the 43219 zip code.

If you are interested in making a difference in this homeowners' life please contact:

Aaron Murphy
Volunteer Coordinator
(614) 258-6392 or
aaron@rtcolumbus.org

Update on Various Spring Disasters from Southern Baptists

Forwarding this to all of you as a way to illustrate the present needs for Disaster Relief work. Most everything that has come up in the last few months is being taken care of locally. Keep an eye out, though, for needs associated with the potential flu pandemic as well as spring storms and flooding.


Disaster Relief Update - Wednesday April 29, 2009
"…in whom you also are being built together for God's dwelling in the Spirit."
(Ephesians 2:22)
2009 Disaster Relief Roundtable
A productive week has just concluded in Phoenix, Arizona. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Roundtable included leadership from across the United States. It included wonderful times of worship, discussion about how Southern Baptists can better serve our Lord through the ministry of Disaster Relief. Our partners; American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, FEMA and The Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships had representatives at the meeting.
An important decision about credentialing was made. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief now has a standard name badge that will be recognized by security officials when entering a disaster area.
The annual Disaster awards were also presented. This year’s recipients were:
Robert Dixon Award – Norman Wagoner
Joel Philips Award– Rick Taylor and Tom Cline
Distinguished Volunteer Award – Steve Chrisman, Al Martin, Golden Schell, Carol and Thurman Stewart and Tom Westerfield
Swine Flu Spreading
As the number of cases of Swine Flu climb in the US and around the world the World Health Organization and The Centers for Disease Control have issued a Phase 4 Alert. A wide array of resources and up to date information are available on the CDC website www.cdc.gov/swineflu.
North Myrtle Beach South Carolina Fire
To date 79 homes have been destroyed and 150-200 homes have been damaged and are unable to be occupied. SCDR is working with all emergency factors in the county. At this time a command post has been established at First Baptist Church North Myrtle Beach. A feeding unit, shower unit, and a multitude of crisis interveners and chaplains are on foot within the communities devastated by the fires. Assessment and chainsaw units will respond to cut down the burned, scorched, dying and dead trees around homes.
Texas Fires
SBTC volunteers are cleaning up after wildfire damage in Montague County. They are working out of FBC Bowie. They have completed 12 jobs and with 11 remaining. Jim Richardson, SBTC State DR Director, reports 81 volunteer days in this response.
Florida Floods
Florida SBDR teams continue their ministry to families who had homes damaged during recent flooding. Mudout teams and shower Units remain on site at First Baptist Church in Lee Florida.
Georgia Floods
Georgia Disaster Relief teams completed their work in response to flooding in the southern part of the state.
2009 SBDR Statistics as of April 29, 2009
SBDR volunteers have already logged over 15,000 volunteer days in 2009.
Volunteer Days 15,276
Meals Prepared 139,136
Mudout Jobs 34
Chainsaw Jobs 4,550
Repair Jobs 21
Roofing Jobs 19
Children 0
Showers 2,570
Laundry Loads 467
Water (Gallons) 0
Messages 0
Chaplaincy Contacts 635
Professions of Faith 49
Gospel Presentations 266
Other Decisions 32
Ministry Contacts 3,817


National Disaster Relief Leadership
• Bruce Poss, Disaster Relief Unit Coordinator
• Terry Henderson, Disaster Relief Operations Consultant
• Karl Ragan, Disaster Relief Planning Consultant
To contact the Disaster Operation Center, call 1 888 462-8657 or e-mail dr_offsite@namb.net

3 1/2 years later, help keeps pouring in

Posted by Stephanie Grace, Columnist, The Times-Picayune March 22, 2009 2:22AM

Dear spring breakers: Thank you for coming.
I'm guessing I'm not the first person to say that to you. You've probably heard it a lot during your time here in the New Orleans area, from the people whose homes and schools you've worked to put back together and whose favorite public spaces you've helped revive, or from those who've just crossed your paths somewhere along the way. You may have also heard some variation on the theme, based on the memorable line from Streetcar Named Desire about relying on the kindness of strangers. Perhaps it's grown old by now.
But be patient. Please indulge us for getting emotional at the sight of a busload of you, heading out for a long day of work or treating yourselves to ice cream after a job well done. It's just that we find it kind of overwhelming that you're back again, or here for the first time, after 3 1/2 years.
Think about that; at your age, 3 1/2 years is an awfully big chunk of time. It's probably hard for you to fully appreciate how it feels to be well into 2009, yet still living amid the wreckage of 2005.
You also might not grasp what it's like to feel as if the rest of the world moved on a long time ago. We keep hearing about Katrina fatigue -- honestly, don't you think we have it too?
Yet we work hard to remind people that the vast majority of the Katrina victims aren't scam artists. They're just regular people whose only sin was thinking that the federal government's levees wouldn't disintegrate, homeowners fighting to get back to where they were on Aug. 28, 2005, when they still had houses and communities.
So thank you for not needing to be reminded.
You are not unique or even unusual for being here, but that doesn't make you bit players. You are part of something enormous, something powerful. Every time you roll up your sleeves and pick up a hammer or screwdriver or shovel or paintbrush or garden hoe or ladle, you move a mountain.
Collectively, you've helped to save a way of life. My colleague Bruce Nolan, who writes about the flood of volunteers that hasn't let up since the storm, swears that some of you have actually saved lives, literally, by showing up at exactly the moment when someone was ready to give up hope, and asking what you could do to help.
And you didn't just help. You let people tell you their stories, allowed them to get some of the hurt out. You met people whose lives are very different from yours, and you showed them the respect and appreciation they deserve. You found joy in what's quirky and wonderful about this place, and you gave it back to those who need it most. You listened, and for that, we thank you.
And there's one other thing. You've shown enormous heart, even when your leaders have too often been heartless.
It was bad at all levels of government, but worst at the top, among the crowd that was in charge when the storm hit.
From the early days when they dithered while the city drowned, through years of bureaucratic fighting over rebuilding projects, they tried to distance themselves from the tragedy. They didn't want to deal with it. They thought the people they represent all over the country didn't have the will, or the interest, or the attention span, to rebuild an essential American city.
They talked down to you, in assuming you'd forgotten, or were too self-involved to care after the cable news moved on to the next big story.
You proved them wrong. And for that, we thank you most of all.
. . . . . . .
Stephanie Grace is a staff writer. She may be reached at 504.826.3383 or at sgrace@timespicayune.com.

Bob Lentz Worthington Christian trip to Houston

Four volunteers from Worthington Christian Church went to Houston area to work with C.O.R.E.-Alliance in rebuilding home damaged from the hurricane.

We worked on a house whose owner was 85 years old, leagally blind, with two grown children with her who are disabled. What a chore this woman as in her golden years of life.

We followed a group of college studens who had put on the first two coats of spackling on the drywall that was replaced. Our job was to sand the drywall, put on another coat of spackling, prime and paint the walls. We not only sanded and aded another coat but had to add a skim coat where required. We put on three coats of paint to get the texture that was on the walls prior to the sections of drywall that was replaced. In doing so, we were able to match the texture so the replaced drywall was not noticable.

We installed 13 interior doors, primed the trim, painted most of the trim and installed 3/4 of the trim prior. We had a great time working for the Lord and being a helping hand in a very small way.

In Him,

Bob Lentz

If you are wondering if you are still needed in Texas...

I got this note yesterday from Ed Perry who took over the Hilltop camp in Houston from me a week ago.

There are occurrences in all of our lives that defy logic. There are moments that define our day as well as moments that define our purpose. I would like to share with you one such moment.
Wednesday in Shoreacres was a "normal" day as relief work goes. After almost 2 weeks of trying to synchronize our schedules we finally got to assist Terri with cleaning out her house and yard. A very stoic and self-sufficient woman, Terri's heart was softened considerably by the Southeast coC (Aurora, CO) youth group's enthusiasm. The work went quickly and it was evident that we would finish by lunchtime. My full intention was to use this time to pre-run ahead of the team's job schedule to insure that the upcoming jobs were as reported.
As I ran (yes, ran) to the truck my cell phone rang. I paused to answer so that the oh-so-very annoying warning alarm of the truck wouldn't disturb the caller (or me) only to notice that during this pause that one of the kids had an item that Terri wanted to save. After correcting this I started once more for the truck. Sitting on the seat was the Release form for the homeowner to sign (sorry, June!) I ran back to the house again to get the signature. Sprinting to the truck like a man half my age (cough, cough) I reached for the keys when I remembered that Terri had some new shovels that we were using and they would surely be mixed up with our tools. Terri said as I entered the house "Ain't you gone yet?" No, but I asked her to watch for her shovels and hugged her once more. On my way at last -except that I turned left out of the driveway instead of right and was going the wrong way. Sigh.
About 4 doors down I spotted a semi-clear driveway to turn around in but there stood a short woman pushing a very full wheelbarrow of moldy drywall. I hit the brakes, rolled down the CRANK windows on the truck (none of them fancy push-button things for us) and asked if she was the homeowner. Yes, she said, with sweat rolling off her face.
Would she like some help with her house, I asked?
"No, I couldn't afford that."
"But this help is free, there is a gaggle of teenagers a few doors down."
As the look on her face turned to disbelief, I backed up the street to ask the kids and sponsors if they would help, and help they did. As I finished my errands they moved furniture, took out drywall and cleaned up the mess. Only later did I learn that her young daughter was very seriously ill and in the hospital. It is my understanding that she and her husband and family take turns staying with her and cleaning up the house from the flood, in which they lost most everything. The kids were touched deeply and one later offered a book she had brought as a gift to take to the daughter, since all hers were ruined. Grateful tears came to this woman and the volunteers alike.
My point is this: Had my grand plan of getting these IMPORTANT things done for the Lord gone even remotely like I envisioned, I never would have met Edith Sanchez. Five seconds in any direction would have caused our paths to miss.
At least now I know who is really making out my itinerary!
Praise to the One whose ways are higher than our ways!

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