Why it happened...

An engineering study was released yesterday on the root of the Corp of Engineer's misconceptions that the levy system should withstand a Katrina like hurricane.

CNN has a good article here

Decades of mistakes -- some as basic as not knowing the elevation of New Orleans -- led the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to believe its levees and floodwalls would protect the city

Full documentation is on this site

A US Census report mentioned in the article speaks to the population return and the need for rehabbed housing, the work we are currently doing:

The latest Census Bureau estimates, to be released Thursday, say that 10 months after the hurricane, Orleans Parish in Louisiana had slightly less than half the people it did before the storm. Nearby St. Bernard Parish had less than a fourth of its pre-storm population.

Email Update with Correction

I inadvertently typed that many teams are scheduling for Spring Break when I meant to say Summer, one may be as large as 100. Thanks to my editor ;-)

Here's the rest of that update:

Team 21 pictures are below on the last update to the blog.

Team 22 is Melissa Gauder and Jessica Pugh, small but mighty and working in Enterprise Alabama roofing houses damaged by the massive tornado a couple weeks ago. Lack of Internet is preventing them from getting updates to us, but they are working hard and being productive.

Team 23 leaves Saturday! 33 people from Marysville Church of Christ youth group and Westerville Christian will spend the week back in Bayou La Batre to finish some of the work we started but needed parts for and pick up some more.

I’ll be taking Team 24 to Chalmette for reconstruction work, leaving April fools day. That’ll be 25 people from Westerville Christian and Grove City Christian School.

We have many teams scheduling for Summer. One made up of Westerville High School students may be as large as 100! The estimated volunteer load this summer may be 10 times last year. There will be plenty of opportunity to go if you missed spring break. Hilltop (www.hilltoprescue.org) is setting up to supplement the work in Bayou La Batre with a 6 week work camp from June 15-July 27.

All these trips are going to require funding. We’re hitting the bottom of the account after Spring Break and will be asking for donations. If you have fundraiser plans you’d like to implement for Servants Unite, please let me know.

As always, summer teams are on call for initial disaster relief should a new storm strike. In that case you’ll see the following happen:

• Our partners will set up base camps to host volunteers
• We will organize collection, packaging and shipping of food, water, and other supplies into the new disaster zone
• Our scheduled teams will redirect to that area for critical relief support
• We will collect our first responders and medical volunteers to send in right behind the storm

To do that, we need:

• Relationships and contingency plans with those partners – This I am continuing to build
• Churches to host dropoff locations – Need 4 in each large Ohio city and one or two in smaller locales
• Volunteers to collect and package food – 3 leads and 20 volunteers per location
• Packaging materials and logistic plans – I am developing these with partners
• Transportation for first response – similar to our current work + personal work vehicles and won’t need much adjustment
• First responders and medical types – If you have told me you would do this previously please re-up for this year and we need many more.

God continues to bless this organization and it continues to grow. I’m putting a full time effort into that task, but even with that, I can’t do it alone. Planning for and executing another first response effort that we are capable of takes a lot of people to help. These roles are the ones I need filled immediately. Please send me a note with your availability and ideas.

Thanks for your continued support!

Servants Unite!

Team 21 pictures

I have galleries loaded up for the pictures I collected from our team last week. You can right click the large image and save to your machine to get a print up to 4x6 made. If you want a larger print you will want to get a full resolution file form the photographer.

There may be some more added when I get some CDs back from the film camera's but for now here they are:

Rich

Chrissy

Paul

Jamie

John

Pui Yi

On This Week's Team...

This is an open letter to those who have raised the "kids" who participated in our trip to Bayou La Batre this week. I was convicted to write a little about them... at 1:00am... after a bit of sleep... waiting on my own high school freshman to return from a youth retreat. I hope and pray he and his brothers have parents, grandparents, extended family, youth leaders, and friends like these have. You have raised them well and should glory in the Lord that he has used you in this task.

Every high school youth group produces a few like these, but I had the honor of working shoulder to shoulder with an entire team of really amazing people. People who others crave to be with. People who are smart, talented, athletic, dedicated, and fun. They come from different countries, churches, and social backgrounds, many not knowing eachother before the trip, but they all gelled into fast friends and instant comrads at arms (Ephesians 6:10-18).

I heard about their problems and setbacks. I talked with them about their questions seeking faith. I witnessed their selfless giving, listening, praying, and serving. I was amazed at their, all of them, leadership ability AND ability to work together; traits that can cause conflict if not Spirit led. Their "adult" leaders, Lisa, Brian, and Marilyn are excellent new leaders in the body and all the participants on this trip, even some who are only now seeking faith in Christ, are going to be amazing leaders of the church. They are indescribable really, filled with the power of the Spirit, and inspiring.

Again, congratulations on a job well done and thank you! We all pray the Lord continues to bless and build up this generation and uses them in a mighty way. Amen

I look forward to working with them again and hearing of their walk.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!