Jackson Ohio Flooding Mudouts Needed

Red Cross in Jackson is doing intake on needs after the flash flooding in Southeast Ohio this week. County EMA estimates 30-40 major or destroyed (destroyed usually means basement walls are caving in or foundation is unstable) and another 150 minor. That's a lot more than the media seems to be reporting.

If you wanted to help in Tuscaloosa or Memphis, but you just can't get off work, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY. The kewl thing is, we can work all day, drive an hour and a half home, get a shower and sleep in our own beds. If you are interested in working this weekend, let me know. Call, email, fb, whatever.

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Servants Unite!

John McGuire

Opportunity to send donations to Tuscaloosa

Since our Servants Unite trip keeps getting postponed, I'm going to add our donations to this effort leaving this weekend.


OK, it's official: the Maple Grove UMC Adult Mission Team is going to take supplies to the Hargrove UM church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on our way to New Orleans to work with Habitat. We will load a Penske truck (unless someone still comes through with a free truck) in the Maple Grove parking lot on Saturday, May 14 from 4 - 6 p.m. We are in need of a couple of people to load the truck - (maybe some of you who want to help with the mission trip but aren't able to go). Please let Bill Croy (bcroy22@gmail.com) know if you are willing to help in this way. We have arranged to leave the truck in Tuscaloosa and thus will not be in need of any extra drivers.

The supplies we will be taking to the tornado damaged area include the following: Household cleaning supplies, laundry detergent (liquid or dry), Clorox wipes, spray cleaners, paper towels, toilet paper, non-perishable foods (peanut butter, canned goods), scrub brushes, handi-wipes or reusable wipes, sponges, scouring pads, clothespins, clotheslines, heavy duty trash bags, dust masks, waterproof gloves, work gloves, It's important that items be either medium or small sizes (not the huge warehouse club sizes) because the items are distributed daily and are intended to handle 1 - 2 days of work. The distribution center at Hargrove UMC is open 7 days a week and they serve lunch and dinner every day.

Now, what would really be helpful is all donations being packed in a sealed cardboard box and it clearly marked on the outside what is in the box! This will help us with the packing - and not cause us to take time boxing items on Saturday!

OK: feel free to repost and send to others! Let's see what the internet, Facebook, phone calls can produce in less than 48 hours! Thanks for your help and we know the people of Tuscaloosa will be appreciative as well. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bill at the above email address. Oh, and financial donations are welcome as well - checks made out to Maple Grove UMC will be used to purchase items and checks made out to Hargrove UMC for their daily lunch and dinner ministry to those helping cleanup Tuscaloosa and those who have lost everything! It would be helpful if we had the checks by 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Sincerely,

Bill Croy

I hate it when He tells me no...

...Or more properly not yet... It seems like a logical plan. It seems like honorable service... but He's still saying not yet. I'll appreciate all your prayers asking for why and when and what's this all about. If you get an answer for me, please forward it along.

For the 2nd time in two weeks I'm putting off a Servants Unite trip to Tuscaloosa. For various reasons most of those who have wanted to go can't yet. All the maybes were no when I tried to solidify the list today. and there are only three of us that were going to go. That plus I've been somewhat ill, have work commitments, and something kinda feels wrong about going even though it seems quite reasonable to me. I've pushed these things enough times to know that if it looks hopeless and He wants it to happen, He takes the barriers away, and if it seems reasonable, but He's against it, it doesn't really matter what I do to push it along, it's not happening, or there's a darn good reason He is telling me to wait. Patience is not one of my virtues... So unless something changes drastically in the next 24 hours indicating alternate instructions, no trip to Tuscaloosa for a few weeks still. I'll keep you posted.

Alabama (and other) Relief Will Continue

We have 4 people (ish) going Thursday targeting Tuscaloosa. There are also a dozen or so more people interested in going on later trips. Given the pace of recovery in Alabama and other tornado stricken areas and the 500 year flood taking place along the Mississippi River, there will be plenty of opportunities for more to go. If you are thinking about it, get me your contact info and preferred dates and I'll help get you hooked up with others to form a team.

If you'd still like to join this first team let me know ASAP. If you have supplies to send along, please get them to Westerville Christian Church ASAP. Here's the present list of attendees:

John McGuire
David McGuire
Rachel Creager
Kenny Nichols

Your prayers and contributions are very appreciated.