Team 12 on the road to disaster ;-)

In a real way! Team 12 left the Spring Road Church building at 2:00 this afternoon 19 members strong. As of 6:00 they had cleared Louisville Kentucky on their way to Hendersonville Tennesse, a northern suburb of Nashville.

Last night Hendersonville and neighboring communities were stricken by some powerful storms and tornados. At this time there is not a need for the team to stay in the Nashville area to help there, but options are open. In the morning, they will make the decision to stay and help if areas of need are opn to them or head on to Louisiana where we know work waits for them.

Two people have expressed interest in spending a few days this week in the Nashville area and we have chainsaws lined up. If you can help out when severely damaged areas are opened up, call or email to the information on the right. We'll keep you informed of specific plans and needy areas.

Remember also that Western Tennessee hit last Sunday evening is still in need of volunteers and assistance. Tell your neighbors, friends, family, coworkers, and church family about the opportunities available with Servants Unite. Many are available and only need to know of an avenue to volunteer in these efforts. Servants Unite's focus is on getting them there.

Keep monitoring this blog for Team 12's activities and information on any teams we send into Tennessee.

Tornado damage tonight team 12 overnight stop for tomorrow...

Irony of ironies, we chose to continue with the plan of sending this Servants Unite team to Louisiana because some of the teen's parents were concerned about sending them into the new disaster zone in Dyer County Tennessee. Tonight there was major storm damage around Nashville including a tornado touchdown in Hendersonville, the suburb where the team is scheduled to stay tomorrow night, though towns east and west of Hendersonville sustained the most damage. [CNN Story]

I just spoke with Mark Bryson who is our contact at Hendersonville Church of Christ. He just came from the church where the Red Cross has set up a shelter in the Gym. Many homes have been destroyed all around Nashville and at least 11 are reported to have died in the storm.

Please be in prayer for this area and the families grieving tonight.

Mark says our team is still welcome to stay overnight that there is no problem getting into the church and there is plenty of room for them in the Gym. I've left voicemails or talked with the adult members of the team and asked them to get with the teens they are taking. For Northland and Spring Road kids, I left messages from Robin and Troy. For Northside kids I have talked to Beth. I've also informed the team lead, Gary Sargent.

As this is fresh news our plans to leave at 12:30 Saturday are not yet changed, but it is inevitable that some adjustments will be required. I will check back with Mark at Hendersonville in the morning and be able to get more information out then.

The Hendersonville church has hosted most of our teams on their way home from Katrina Relief trips and many other groups. They volunteer weekly and contribute heavily to the Nashville based Churches of Christ Disaster Relief who has sent so many truckloads of food, water, supplies, and now appliances and furniture.

I believe we need to rise to the opportunity God has given us here to help them in their area's time of need. I expect there will be an immediate need for volunteers to help in the area. There is also an immediate need for water in neighboring towns where all electric and utilities are out. Verification of the safety of working in the area will be of primary importance.

• We should expect to leave the scheduled team at Hendersonville as needed.
• We should supplement their effort with more volunteers who read this email as they can be assembled and equipped over the next few days.
• We need a few tools to send with them:
• Chainsaws with Gas, Oil, extra chains (4 adult use only)
• Wheelbarrows
• We need people to volunteer to man donation stations at local churches to collect water. I'll check with Master Provisions and Convoy of Hope for availability of shipping to move the water down economically.
• We need additional donations to cover expenses of this unplanned, though anticipated need. Servants Unite currently has $10,000 with $2,000 planned to cover this trip. Shipping and transportation costs of more volunteers will further deplete our limited funds.

Anyone who can serve this need, please contact me ASAP (info in signature at bottom).

Again please be in prayer about this new calamity and also for our team and leadership and for wise decision making while following the path God has laid out before us.

____________________________________________
Mark 12:30-31, Mathew 9:36-38, Romans 12:4-8

John McGuire
www.ServantsUnite.org
614-523-3996 home
614-404-8610 cel

Several Updates including Tornado Relief

Wanted to keep you up to date on what’s going on with Servants Unite. We have several trips scheduled out through the end of July. These are continued relief for the New Orleans area and on standby for a new area in need of urgent relief should one come up. If you have a group for a summer mission trip to the gulf coast check out that schedule or request a date.

We’re also looking for first responders. Doctors, nurses, and EMTs are certainly needed, but anyone who has quick availability, teachers and bus drivers in the summer, homemakers, or anyone who can leave on short notice are needed to make our first run into a new relief situation. Tasks will include transporting and distributing relief supplies and initial cleanup.

Along those lines I have made a contact in Dyer County Tennessee about the relief need there. This area was badly damaged in Sunday night's storms. News reports last night talked about over 1000 houses destroyed. They have had many such inquiries and are planning on hosting volunteers for the upcoming weeks in the West Dyersburg Church of Christ building. They will provide food as well. Most roads are open today and areas are being secured for electric and other hazards. Primary work is cleaning up brush.

Servants Unite can organize a team of volunteers to work in the area if there is interest. Tentative departure would be this Sunday April 9 at 12:30 returning Saturday evening, April 15. In addition to the recommendations on the volunteer link at www.servantsunite.org, the team will need chain saws, wheelbarrows, work vehicles (trucks), and trailers. If you can join that team or lend tools, please email john@servantsunite.org or call 614-404-8610.

We also have Team 12 for Katrina relief departing at 12:30 Saturday, April 8 from Spring Road Church of Christ. This is a large group of high school students on spring break with some adult volunteers and sponsors from 6 different churches. Over the course of today, this team grew from 16 to 27 volunteers! Come out to wish them well Saturday and lift them up in prayer this week!

Finally, watch for the new web site coming soon! Todd and I have been fiddling with this for a month or so now and I think you’ll find it an easy resource to use once complete. Thanks for our continued support and interest. Together we are growing Servants Unite!

John McGuire

Team 11 returns!

Welcome home to ma dear mum in law Nancy Michael, Susan Stingley, Kathy Kar, and Larry Hunter from the Xenia area. They had some vehicle problems on the way home yesterday, but made it home around 4:00 daylight savings time.

They mucked houses this week, one with 6 inches of mud. Nancy has pics and stories to put up which I hope to get to you in a few days.