Give the Gift of Hope

Hey gang! Last chance for a disaster relief trip in 2006! I'll be leading a team leaving "Boxing Day" Dec. 26 at 8:00 am and returning Monday afternoon, January 1st. Point of departure will be Westerville Christian Church, 471 College Avenue, Westerville, Ohio 43081. We will drive straight through on the way down and spend new years eve together in Birmingham on the way home.
Work will consist of demo (demucking) and reconstruction.

We have 12 people from Westerville Christian and New Life Canal Winchester signed up so far and will build a transportation plan around as many people as can go. We can also arrange other points of departure around other major Ohio cities if there is interest and join up in Cincy for the drive down together. Let me know as soon as possible if you are interested.

You can find a PDF flyer to print off and share with your work and church family at Servants Unite Christmas 2006.PDF.

Please be praying for our next trip leaving December 16. 55 Westerville South IB students and parents will be heading down to work for the week! This ministry continues to be an outreach to volunteers as well as storm victims.

More trips will continue after the first of the year, but will be focused on reconstruction and hosted by a different organization. Hilltop's present plans are to shut down their facility after year end. You can keep track of their ministry at www.hilltoprescue.org. Servants Unite will continue to partner with Hilltop on new projects as they arise.

__________________________________________________________
1 Peter 4:10, 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

KATRINA RELIEF by Norma Hoag

OCTOBER 22-28, 2006
by Norma Hoag

On Sunday, October 22, twenty men and women left Linworth United Methodist Church, Columbus, Ohio, to go to New Orleans, La. to help with the Katrina Relief. This is my journal of our trip....

October 22, 2006

Here we are on our road to New Orleans. I'm very excited and somewhat anxious about this trip. However, it has been in my heart and soul to come here to help ever since the hurricane Katrina hit August 29, 2005. What devastation these people went through!! Lives and hearts were changed forever and continue to change.

The van ride is a little tight. I'm restless with too much on my mind. Am I spoiled with comfort? I love my book I'm reading as I ride along and sometimes I talk a little. It is wonderful to bond with so many new friends with our hearts all in the same place. We have 20 men and women in two vans who have left their work, homes and families to lend a hand where we feel there is a need.

We drive for 11 hours and arrive at a beautiful church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is 11:30 p.m. and two wonderful ladies meet us and serve us dinner. Wow!! A good nights' rest and we are on the road early to New Orleans. We talk about this mission and how we all feel led to this journey not knowing what to expect.

We arrive at lunch time and some volunteer ladies serve us beans and rice from a tent. We are hungry and appreciative.

We are staying at a church/school that has been destroyed internally by the hurricane. The vans are arriving from Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas and other places to help in any way we can. Strangers - but united!! The facility has been set up with cots and a few bunk beds for volunteers. Our room has about 20 women. Down the hall is a bathroom with showers, sinks, and potties. So--here we go girls! No make-up, no hair blowers and no curling irons. The men's quarters are similar. There is a dining room and an assembly room for all to gather in. Everything at our compound functions on a generator.

I feel such freedom being here to help others. I'm so thankful my husband, Terry, and my family were so supportive of me coming on this trip. I'm concentrating totally on our work. WE ARE ALL READY!!

It is 12:30 p.m. and we're all in our "muck clothes" and work boots headed for our work site. We're speechless as we drive near Lake Pontchartrain through beautiful neighborhoods that used to be so alive with families and life. Total devastation with most homes having 13' or so of mucky debris and water. Now it is 14 months later.

It really looks like a "GHOST TOWN" here. The schools are empty, businesses closed, signs down, libraries destroyed. Our hearts are heavy as we look and feel for those who have gone through so much. We are here to help clean up and offer HOPE??!! It just seems so little when so much needs to be done. Where are the people? ---- How can lives be put back together? ----- It is so desolate here. FEMA trailers are everywhere. ---- Where to begin??

We arrive at our home. The couple who lived here came back once. Everything inside is destroyed. They have left and have started a new life in Texas, leaving all behind.

These lovely brick homes were valued at $150,000 to $160,000 before Katrina hit. Now they are being sold for $40,000 cleaned out and gutted to the studs.

We can hardly get the front door open for the debris. The water was clear up into the attic. The ceiling (drywall) has crumbled to the floor plus the insulation. The furniture is every direction in a tangle of wires. Oh Lord!! -- Where to begin. We touch a family’s things; pictures, clothes -- just like our own homes. Only...DESTROYED!! I don't feel anger, only sadness!!

We must have our legs and arms covered. We are issued surgical gloves to wear under our heavy work gloves. Preparations are wonderful here for volunteers. I thought we might receive a thin paper mask. But, no; we are given filtered gas masks that must be worn continually while in the home. The stench of mold, etc. is unbearable and dangerous to breathe. We have received tetanus and hepatitis A shots before our trip for protection. Now we understand why. The masks are confining and you cannot talk to each other. Maybe that is a blessing. -- What is there to say??!!

We start picking up debris and carrying things out. The kitchen is filled with old cans and food debris. The silverware and dishes are everywhere. I get emotional over a can of baking powder where someone made something for their family in this kitchen. No one notices my tears and we keep moving. We are driven now!!

Clothes are still hanging in the closets and in the dresser drawers. How sad!! This home is just sitting here rotting away. The only thing alive inside are some roaches. A pre-historic thing which I guess will always be around.

Dear Lord, if I feel this way, how do so many thousands feel who have lost so much? I am so glad I'm here to help-- if even in a small way, we are here to help and bring HOPE. Guide us Lord...please.. I'm not feeling it now. I'm numb and want to work hard physically. It helps!!

The sounds in the house are deafening. Cabinet doors being ripped from their hinges. Lights and fans coming down from the ceiling. Crow bars taking off drywall and wood work. Hammers ripping out nails and hammering some in. Tile being scraped off or beaten with hammers. Filthy carpet which is four or five inches thick with muddy oily muck. Our crew works so hard carrying out stoves, refrigerators, washers, dryers, heavy mattresses. We are instructed to separate appliances, items with electrical wiring, chemicals, and then just general household. The piles continue to grow larger and higher at the edge of the street in front of the home.

We are working side by side 20 church members from a church in Cincinnati, Ohio. We do not know these people nor do they know us. -- Side by side we work sharing tools and directed to clear and clean the house "best we can".

When we take a break, we reach in an icy cooler for a fresh bottle of water. The mask comes off and we breathe fresh air. I get emotional again thinking how we are so fortunate to have the fresh water. Some of us talk softly and others are silent just resting. Then it hits you to get back inside and help more. The pile in front of the property is so high with what's left of a one time active home. You feel and touch pictures, music boxes, little sandals, toys, and special glass wear, ---so many memories in a dirty heap.

In the back yard is a picnic table with a water pond beside it. The sun is shining down on several beautiful water lilies in the pond. Thank you God!!.....It makes us smile and feel a sign of life and hope. God is so big and powerful............we are so small so very small.

Then we begin to clear out a wonderful large workshop shed in the back. Great tools of all kinds are destroyed. It reminds many of us of our Dad's tool shop and we grieve again. So many emotions!!

Now we are down to the bare floor in the home. Only studs show and light and fresh air will come through and help dry out this home. Our work is complete here.

We have met the young couple with two little boys who will soon call this their home. As we talk with them and walk in the back yard they smile and are excited to live here sometime in the near future. We feel hope again.

Thank you Lord for today and the strength you gave us.....

Every evening we have devotions together with the staff leaders and all volunteers. It is awesome to reflect on our day. It renews our minds and bodies to say thank you Lord for what we have. It helps us to make a self-check personally on how we are living and what is important in our lives! HOW ARE WE LIVING??

The young leaders here are awesome; Adam and Matt and others. Giving their lives to help for so long in New Orleans is amazing. Their spirit was catching!!

We get up early to begin a new day. Coffee.....where are you? Our bodies are tired but we do not care. We persevere on,.
After a nice breakfast, we make a sandwich for lunch. I am amazed at how red and shiny the apples seem, and the bacon is so inviting and crisp. It isn't that I haven't noticed it before, but life’s' little details stand out brighter and everything looks different after being in the bleak destroyed area. Before we leave for another worksite we all gather together for prayer and devotions. Our work boots are on and we're ready for our 2nd home.


We meet Vinson........

At the second worksite as we are ready to enter; the home owner's son arrives. He is a big burly guy with facial hair, tattoos, (many tattoos), however he has one special one of Christ on the Cross on his arm. He shows us this and how proud he is of it. He is sad about his Mother's home, but most sad that she died three months after Katrina hit. He asks that we look for her Rosary Beads, which we did find.

We listen to him tell his story as tears run down his cheeks, and we all cry with him. One of our guys steps forward and gives Vinson and big hug. Vinson explains that it is what's inside that counts. Then he pulls out from under his shirt a very heavy chain with a cross on it and he cries again. As Pastor Terry embraces Vinson he begins to pray. What a wonderful moment for Vinson and each one of us before we begin. It is moments like these that you feel the Lord's presence like a warm blanket.

I want Vinson to leave so he won't see us carrying out his Mother's things. But he doesn't---- I can see him waiting by his truck as we start carrying and pushing wheel barrows filled going in out the doors with her precious things mushed down being dumped in to a pile outside. Another sad moment was to see that after all this time since August 29, 2005, a neighbor continues to put out a pan of dog food on the carport in hopes that Vinson's Mother's missing dog might return. We feel the dog is gone forever----but we say nothing as they continue to hope. What else do they have now but faith and hope!!

Two doors down we meet a wonderful neighbor who is living in her FEMA trailer in front of her home. She comes over to thank us for coming to help. She is smiling; she has a wonderful spirit and is extremely hospitable and gracious. She offers us the use of her bathroom in her trailer for the ladies. As she begins to tell her story, we listen to how much she has endured. Her home has been gutted and re-done. She was alone when Katrina hit as her husband had died several years ago. Her mother died since Katrina came and her 48 year old son died last month as he was painting her bedroom in her home. She still smiles and tells us of her faith. Her home is paid for, she has many family members in St. Bernard Parish, and she will not leave. I ask her if I can take her picture in front of her FEMA trailer. She laughs and said no one had asked to do that before. We are all touched by her strength.

Once again, we are extremely directed to finish this home by the end of our work day. We do complete the gutting as the pile grows in the front of her home. We see chairs, tables, sewing machines, picture albums, Halloween decorations, Christmas decorations all in a heap again destroyed. Her life; her memories. One little lonely mouse runs out. We can't even imagine what he was living on.

As on many streets we can see maybe three homes refurbished or a FEMA trailer in front which indicates the family will stay. That isn't very many on a whole block.

Vinson has left. I don't want him to see his Mother's home and the pile of memories and debris in front. But I feel sure through his sadness, he will be somewhat relieved it is finished and he didn't have to do it himself.

How many emotions the people here must feel? Sadness, anger, discouragement, depression, ----- I pray we have offered some hope! WE DO CARE.......

Down the block I can see the mailman coming in his little van. Loretta said they just started having mail delivered one month ago. Halloween is in one week. I try to make a joke about how I wouldn't want to "trick or treat" in these neighborhoods. Everyone in our van laughs; then I'm sorry I said that. It was a very sad joke.

Tonight we have been invited to Hilltop by Brandon, who is another leader for Katrina relief workers several miles from here. He has invited our group for a New Orleans dinner. How wonderful to meet, see, and hear about his mission work. He has been here to help since a few days after the hurricane hit. Our meal is so wonderful..... The lettuce salad is so fresh and crisp and the beautiful large bowl of fruit is yummy. He shares with us the work he has been doing, and gives us a tour of the school they call home now. Their housing quarters are similar to where we are. The first floor was destroyed so they are sleeping on the second floor. He ends our evening by showing us some footage of the hurricane and the damage from a year ago. What a wonderful person he is to dedicate his life now to the disaster relief. Two of our men have been down earlier this year and stayed here with Brandon at Hilltop.

Now we are ready this morning for our third home. We meet the mother of the man who will be moving into this home; she lives across the street in a very large two-story brick home. Her name is Nancy and her smile is huge as she greets us. She lives in a FEMA trailer also. She and her family cleaned out and gutted their own home. She is thrilled to see us and have help. She is absolutely delightful. We hear stories about her family and their experiences. She gives us hope as her yard is green and new grass has been planted at the home where we are gutting out. Life will go on..........

Our plans are to finish on this home early today. All of the volunteers at Crossroads will be taking some extra time to drive and look around New Orleans and visit the French Quarter. We are looking forward to the rest of our day but we become so directed in our clean out on this home that several of us do not want to quit. We feel with just a couple of hours we can do so much more. We do quit midday. I wonder how many workers have this feeling, "if I just could do a little bit more". Something in our minds tells us that we can do more and more, but we are only a handful of volunteers and we need to realize our capabilities. It is very important to us to know we have completed a project for someone so they can move on to the next step of rebuilding their lives.

We shower and dress appropriately for going out for the evening. It feels good... We have an enlightening trip driving to the heart of New Orleans. It is still unbelievable what we are seeing in one neighborhood after another. Many homes have been demolished and nothing more is left than the concrete sub-floor and a concrete front step. As we are walking to the French Quarter, we hear music coming from bars and watch some sidewalk entertainers. We peek into all kinds of gift and novelty shops. I had said to several that from now on I wouldn't buy any more unnecessary items. Just look what happened next....... We visited with many of the shop owners who told how they were able to open their business within two or three months after the storm. However, business is still not good and there are very few shoppers. I of course, had to help them out a little. I bartered with a gentleman in the French Quarter open market for a Cajun CD for my husband. Then I had to purchase two feather Mardis Gras masks and alligator beads for my grandchildren. It is a whole different world from what we have been in touch with the past few days. It felt good to see things put back together and hear fun music and laugh with each other. We had a wonderful dinner in a quaint New Orleans restaurant. We even enjoyed sharing some alligator sausage. It was a beautiful evening for our entire group. Thank you Lord, we needed that.

Our last day at Crossroads.....

We will finish the home we started on Thurs. with the help from volunteers from Cincinnati. It is raining but no one seems to mind. Everyone works so diligently in the rain. It is hard to breath through the gas mask with the high humidity. The rain makes it harder to empty the wheel barrows. We are finished and everyone is standing across the street under Nancy's front porch. When we were asked who would like to offer prayer, Nancy said she would. She thanked God and all of the volunteers for caring so much to come to help. Tears were coming down her cheeks. We hugged, said goodbye and our vans pulled away down the street. I hope and pray some day to return to find this neighborhood thriving. But, I know it will take many years, many volunteers, and lots of hard work to bring it back.

We shower, pack up, clean our quarters, and climb in our van. Our bodies are tired but mostly our minds are confused and our hearts heavy with mixed emotions about leaving with still so much to be done. What a marvelous outreach that has been set up here!! I'm anxious to tell my story to friends and family; praying that they will tell someone and more groups will want to come down and help like we have. It has been so rewarding to be here. We did help out. We gave them our love and helped where we could. Thank you Lord for my home and all the things I sometime take for granted. Help me to stay calm with the holidays approaching and so many trivial wasteful items available. I feel like, I know................... I have received much more than I gave. Maybe I will return....................... I brought my work boots home.................. and I see them looking at me each day on the shelf.........

Team 18 is on their way!!!

20 brave souls left Linworth UMC @ 1:00 on their way to continue the work in New Orleans. They will be staying with a new patner organization Crossroads Missions since Hilltop is closed this week. Accomidations and work will be about the same as we are all used to, but Crossroads is also building and remodeling homes.

Matt Brooker, the youth minister from Linworth led a prayer for safety for the trip and for good work from the crew for the week. We also prayed for the families of the team members.

Please join us all in praying for their success and work in the spirit to the glory of God this week. Keep monitoring the blog this week for their pictures and updates from the field.

If you aren't on the Hilltop list and missed it....

Hello all Hilltop volunteers!

We need your help in a way that will not involve any travel, expense, aching muscles or bad smells. For our Hilltop Family Reunion on September 1-3, we are compiling several Top 10 Lists and would love to have your contributions in the following categories:

Best Moment
Funniest Moment
Worst Smell
Most Touching Memory

Please email these thoughts, lists, or memories to whites@hilltoprescue.org. There are so many common experiences of the work here among vastly different volunteers. We look forward to putting together some lists that everyone can relate to and enjoy. Thank you for your help! If you are unable to attend the reunion, look for these lists to appear on the website in early September.

Sincerely,
June White

In the News!!!

ONN's blog and coverage of team 17 working

The ONN 30 minute special aired first Thursday night and will air Saturday (26th) at 5pm, and on Sunday (27th) at 10pm. Thanks to Amy, Stephanie, and the gang at ONN for covering the continued need.

And Thanks to the Columbus Dispatch! You'll also find some of Amy's work from Thursday and Friday at these links:

Dispatch covers ONN covering Servants Unite team 17

Amy Backus on their trip from Friday's paper

I also heard this story on NPR Weekend Edition this morning focusing on the effectiveness of non-profit disaster relief organizations and volunteers who have followed their faith to the gulf coast.

listen here

And watch out for Ernesto. It is predicted to become a hurricane and current projections have it aimed squarely at New Orleans.

Let's all pray it disipates.

If it doesn't... we've all got a lot of work to do. Keep watching the blog and these emails for updates. If you can help plan our response to Ernesto or the next hurricane, please contact me at the email or numbers below.

__________________________________________________________
1 Peter 4:10, 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

Progress in New Orleans

Don't have pics back from our team yet, but found this one on the Times Picayune home page this morning as part of the lead story.


Great illustration of the slow progress. The stories Stephanie Menecke has been filing on OhioNewsNow.com are as well.

After nearly a year of effort and thousands of families touched, this is just a reminder of how much work we still have to do.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Ohio Brings Hope on the Web

ONN has a lot of blog and video on their web site.

Team 17 on the ground

Editor's Note: Our 17th team is made up of 8 people and being covered by ONN (Ohio News Network) as part of their anniversary of Katrina coverage. Melissa Ruble of Gracepoint Community Church in Lewis Center is the lead for the week.

Yes we are here, but for those of you taping. The coverage will be on at 5pm and 9pm. Please change that on your settings. Also the coverage of today will air at noon on Monday. PLEASE could you make sure that you tape it so that we can see if any clips will be decent to view as a short announcement on Sunday the 13th.

Yes we are here and today was our day off to go around and view the area. We saw soooo much devistation. There was even a pick-up truck under a house in the lower 9th. We will keep you updated as we begin to gut out houses tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support on this trip. We were even able to pray with some ladies that were coming back as seeing a friend's house that was destroyed. God is moving in so many ways.

Thanks,
Melissa Ruble

TV Coverage and Next Trip

Be watching the blog, ONN, and your local CBS affiliate in Ohio for coverage of our team working in New Orleans this week. Eight team members pulled out at 8:30 Saturday and got in Chalmette VERY late after a long delay for a traffic accident (that they were not involved in). Thanks to Staphanie Mennecke, Amy Backus, Jamie Walters, and Micah Riffle of Ohio News Network for their support and coverage of our efforts in disaster relief in New Orleans this week.

Can you believe it's been nearly a year since Katrina struck? To honor all the volunteers who have worked with Hilltop, the organization is hosting a "reunion" of sorts at the school in Chalmette for Labor Day weekend. Volunteers will be treated to a day long cookout/party to celebrate the work we have all done together to help thousands of storm victims.

Servants Unite will be sending a team leaving Saturday September 2 to work for the week of Labor Day and join in the party. If you have been before, or even if you have not and would like the opportunity to turn your life over to the work of the Kingdom for a week, please respond to this email or call me at the numbers below.

Thanks for your continued efforts!

Servants Unite!

August 5 Team Meeting

The August 5 team will meet at GracePoint Church in Lewis Center (just north of Polaris off 23) at 3:00 Sunday for a final planning meeting.

Directions

Please contact Melissa Ruble with questions or if you get lost. Her phone number is 614-216-9839.

It's not too late to go along! If you are interested, please come to the meeting.

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Pleas from New York State

Brothers & Sisters in Christ, Our relief effort of providing the necessary items to help people clean their homes continues to be a blessing to us and is greatly appreciated by each and every person who comes in. What we need the most right now are people willing to come here and help us clean homes and get them ready to re-build. We are a small congregation with a big heart but we are limited to how many families we can help. If you have some free time, please come here and join us in reaching out to those in need.

Your brother in Christ

Dave Halligan
Endwell Church of Christ
_________________________________________

I appreciate you trying to round up some volunteers. We have several groups going up to work. They didn't give me a final count of houses that need worked on but they said they had a huge stack of them and had stopped accepting applications until they knew how many volunteers we could get up there. I will be getting updated numbers this week and posting them on the blog hopefully Monday.

Thanks for getting back with me!!

Have a Great Evening!!
Laura
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
_________________________________________

This is Meghan from University at Buffalo. I'm really excited that you guys are on to this flood relief. I live in Vestal NY (right near Binghamton). God totally protected my family and nothing was damaged. The area really needs your help. Thanks for your help! Keep me updated if you need anything.

Meghan
_________________________________________


I just got back from a medical mission to Haiti, and opened your a-mail. I knew about the flooding in Binghamton because all my family is there. My brother was only one that lost his home due to it being right on the river. I spoke to my family yesterday and they said the need was in the Conklin area there ( It's about 30 to 45 miles outside Binghamton and right on the river) My sister and her husband went to help and said there was a Presbyterian church giving food, clothing and helping folks move their big appliances out of their homes. Their are not any Church of Christ in that area, the Endwell Church I attended reached out to the community as my family reported.

Deb Bentley

Mission Update and Needs

Contents:
1. August 29 deadline approaches – After that time, “abandoned” houses may be taken over by the local government and sold.
2. Two July groups made a massive contribution – Groups of 18 and 35 joined other volunteers over the last two weeks in Chalmette to gut 15 houses combined plus rebuilding a local school.
3. August 5 trip – ONN (Ohio News Network) will have a crew covering our work for their “Ohio Brings Hope” series ahead of the anniversary of Katrina.
4. What would Natalie do? – Gahanna teen who made her 2nd trip last week is promoting trips to more churches in the area.
5. Binghamton New York flood relief – No response to the first request for volunteers. Any takers now?


1. Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes encompassing the city of New Orleans, Chalmette, and other suburbs gave residents a deadline 2 months ago to have their homes cleaned out and secured by August 29 or else. Homes not cleaned out by that time may be appropriated by the Parish and sold for redevelopment and demolished. This makes our help over the next month and a half all the more important. The backlog of job requests at Hilltop Rescue in Chalmette has risen from 600 at the time of that announcement to 1100 today even with the 30 to 100 houses being gutted by their crews each week.


2. 35 youth and sponsors from Alum Creek Church of Christ and Linworth United Methodist joined 300 other volunteers last week to gut 100 houses! The previous week a group of 18, mainly from New Life in Canal Winchester, had a very successful week as well. See Mark McGiffin’s pictures


3. Our next scheduled trip will leave GracePoint Community Church in Lewis Center North of Columbus on Saturday August 5. Ohio News Network’s Stephanie Mennecke, Amy Bacus, and camera crews will be covering our team’s work and recovery progress for their “Ohio Brings Hope” special ahead of the anniversary of Katrina as well as live feeds during the trip. As of today there are only 3 or 4 people on that team. So here’s the appeal. If you were on a list with 1100 other people to have your house cleaned out or lose it, how important would it be to you that someone come help clean out your house? Additional trips will be built as volunteers are interested in going.


4. To help build up those trips, Natalie Rickard, a 17 year old veteran of team 2 after Katrina and team 16 last week, is calling and visiting area church leaders in an effort to drum up support for more help. She felt so compelled by the work she saw last week that still needed done and the urgency of the deadline looming she had to do yet more than she has already. I personally find her passion very inspirational. You too can have a large impact just by forwarding this request for volunteers to your church email list and your friends. Maybe you can spend some time during the day promoting the effort personally to church leaders in your neighborhood. We’ve all been called to this work and know the powerful feeling of the Spirit working through us. Your help along with Natalie’s is essential to our effort helping storm victims and the growth of this organization to facilitate that help.

5. We also need to support a new effort cleaning up flood damaged homes along the New York, Pennsylvania border where the Delaware River flooded homes and businesses. I received an email from Megan of the University of Buffalo group (team 11) who lives in the area and has validated the need for help in her area.

The hosting church is near Binghamton New York and seeking volunteers to do the same work we’ve been doing in New Orleans. These trips can be much shorter term, however, and may be easier for more people to attend. No volunteers responded to the first request I sent last week and we sent no help this past weekend. An open invitation is out for weekend trips as long as the hosting organization needs volunteers. Recommended agenda is to leave Friday for the 8 hour trip, work Saturday and Sunday, and drive home Sunday night, or Monday. Please email me if you are interested.

Final word – This can be discouraging work when we ask for volunteers for a new effort and none are available or we get TV coverage and there isn’t a large response to fill out the team. Every time I question whether we are doing the right thing, though, bursts of affirmation like an unsolicited, encouraging email or Natalie’s enthusiasm for promoting the work relieves the doubt. I’m impatient. I see what we can do and would prefer to have it all set up at once. But… He has His own timing for this and if there’s ever a consistent lesson he has for me, its patience. I really look forward to seeing what He has in store for us and working with all of you in our efforts. Thanks for your servant’s hearts and support.

1 Peter 4:10, 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

South IB trip featured inThisWeek Papers, Westerville Edition

The Westerville South IB team that went down in June was highlighted in the Westerville Life section of the Westerville Edition of ThisWeek Papers.

Team 15 Update

Sorry about not giving much in the way of updates. We have been very busy and doing lots of hard work. The first day we spent in a private school Lynn Oaks, grades Pre-K through 8, the only Christian school in the area. They have been wanting to get schools opened up. Without the schools it makes it hard for people to come back with their children.

Day 2 - was spent finishing a house that another group had started. There was one bedroom and bathroom that had not been de-mucked. It was 3-5 inches of dried muck, hard to break up. We had a young man with us that has been here since May, Rod. He was like a plow going through the house. He didn't wear a mask or goggles, not even gloves. We worked very hard and we managed to finish the house. We didn't get to meet the homeowners but we signed a Bible and left it for them. Afterward, Rod took us on a "little tour" through the southern part of the 9th ward, where the Levy broke. The devastation is unbelievable, including the numbers on some of the homes that were left, indicating the amount of bodies found.

Day 3 - we got a house in New Orleans. The home owner worked in the evidence dept with the N.O. Police Dept. Her father built the home and she had lived there all her life. Her father had passed away some time ago and her mother back in 1990. She rode out the storms (Katrina and Rita) at Police HQ. She had family members that ended up living in the attic of house during Katrina. This is a very close knit community. Her father had built many of the homes, and she had family members, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, living on nearly every street. She described how the trees were bending during Katrina, like blades of grass in the wind. She was unable to return to her house for over a month due to the situations and all the water. "Who knew it would ever have been that bad." We stripped her entire house, walls, flooring tile, sinks, cupboards, doors. She said the water had risen to over 6 ft in the house. Mold growing everywhere. One of our crew found a shoe box full of pictures in the attic. She was ecstatic. They were the only pictures found with any of her family members in them. We even found some documents of recognition from the city of N.O. presented to her father for some work he had done for the community. She was very appreciative of all the work we were doing.

Someone had mentioned to the group that I made good sausage gravy. Thanks Becky!! :-) So I got up at 5:00 AM this morning to make gravy (for 100 people, I've never made such a large pot of gravy before in my life!), and we actually had REAL fried eggs this morning too. Two other guys in our group volunteered to flip eggs. A great breakfast, everything was homemade (except for the biscuits). Then someone mentioned that their husband made great chili (also from our group). All homemade meals today. Another group here made peach cobbler for desert to go with the chili tonight. I think someone may have gotten a picture or 2 of 3 guys making breakfast before we even had coffee! I bet that was some sight!

We have pictures of all the work we've been doing, but no card reader yet to get them uploaded. Will try and get them out to you as soon as I can.

--mark

Team 15 Out the Door

Running out of ways to announce departure's ;-)

Team 15, mainly made up of adults and teens from New Life in Canal Winchester plus Mark and Becky McGiffin of Spring Road left at 8:30 this morning!! They are 18 strong and were all really excited about the work that awaits them.
Fifteen teams and the 16th is ready to leave next Saturday morning. WOW! I'm so pleased the support continues to be there and we've been able to continue this operation past the original 4 trips and be planning for our next response. This is GOOD WORK and I'm thrilled and humbled to be working with you all on this.

To that end Melinda and I spent the first part of the week in Louisville at the North American Christian Convention. We didn't have as much interest in the booth as I expected, but managed to find attendees walking by with Ohio on their name badge and sent information with them for their missions/ministry staff. We also met some others who had been to work in Louisiana and found the same "life changing" experience is shared by others who have worked in other locations.

We also got to hang out with Janet, Gary, and Megan from Hilltop, meet Don Yelton from Whites Ferry Road for the "elevator" presentation on what we are building. We met Keith Wood and Rick Jett, Executive directory of IDES, a Christian Church international disaster relief organization that is starting up relief operations in the US in response to Katrina. We are investigating their DART project to see where we may fit in and so is Hilltop Rescue.

We will have a booth at the Westerville Christian grand opening (our building is now double it's size a year ago). Like we've done at Grace Point, we can set up a table at your church any Sunday or when you have a focus on missions and can speak to the congregation about our organization.

I wanted to pass along what I'm sure is a shared personal experience. Janet Hines and I were discussing being "under attack" Tuesday. There are times when you feel like all is pointless. All the mission work all the church work, effort put into kids and work, all the "good" we do seems to meet opposition. Sometimes even from the Christian brothers and sisters we expect to be our brothers in arms.

We know we have an enemy who attacks the work we do in God's name and we know how to defend against it (Ephesians 6:10-18). As much good as Janet has done since last September, she has faced more attack than most of us. She talked about being pushed to the point of frustration and going to a friend very angry about it. But by keeping the perspective that "we are not fighting flesh and blood, but spirits in the heavenly realms", using the whole armor, and praying for "all the saints", we can know that when others appear to attack us, they may not know they are being used and think they are doing good. We can defend against Satan's fiery arrows, and we can support and plead to God for one another's success working in his fields.

Take a moment now, before you forget, to pray for Servants Unite's leaders and volunteers; Janet, Tim, Brendan, Corkey, Megan, Gary, Bogden, and Savita at Hilltop; the people managing the ongoing effort at Tammany Oaks; Fred Frankey and the others at Carrollton Avenue, the thousands of volunteers, and the hundreds of thousands of storm victims who are struggling so hard to get their lives back together. Pray for strength, wisdom, energy, peace, and satisfaction in doing the Lord's work.

Thanks!

John McGuire
Servants Unite!

Potentially False Alarm and Other News

It appears that media coverage may have exaggerated the damage. Various contacts in Norwalk and Port Clinton indicate the generally expected amount of damage that occurs with any summer storm. Two people responded to the request for volunteers. We will not be sending a contingent up this weekend.

I do still encourage you to get out in your area for a few hours this weekend to help neighbors cut and stack storm debris for disposal. If you know of anyone who needs extra assistance or lacks tools (chainsaw) send a note back and I'll send the job opportunities out to this list tomorrow.

In other news, I met with Adam and Matt, the two youth ministers in Team 16 leaving Columbus on July 8. Much excitement there! They'll be happy with Nancy Michael (my dear mum-in-law) cooking. If you can help her that week, she can use it. Expectation is 350 volunteers at the school in Chalmette for that week. Contact me immediately if you are interested, but of course nobody is likely to be turned down at the last minute. An experienced team lead is still needed for this trip if you can take the time.

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to speak to Grace Point Church in Lewis Center about our organization. Several more members of that congregation are interested in the August 5 trip. That will be a good last opportunity before school starts if you'd like to join that team.

This week, Melinda and I will be in Louisville to exhibit at the North American Christian Convention We'll be drumming up more support from churches around Ohio, helping out our friends from Hilltop do the same, and encouraging others to start organizations like ours in their area.

Then, next weekend, July 1, Team 15 leaves early Saturday morning from New Life in Canal Winchester. Becky and Mark McGiffin from Spring Road will be escorting the New Life volunteers down. Gary and Sharon Kitchen have put together a total of 20 members of that team.

We'll keep you posted on any and all developments and be here when you feel the need to muck out a house or love on a new storm victim.

1 Peter 4:10, 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

Westerville South IB Thoughts

Hi Brad and John,

As the time draws near for us to depart and I've had the better part of Sunday afternoon to reflect, I felt the need to give you a few of my thoughts. First and foremost thank you to Servants Unite for sponsoring our trip. It is an awesome thing that you are doing for the folks of New Orleans. I think that you have given our IB students something more than accumulating hours, you have given them a sense of what it is like to help those in need, and that is a debt that is only repaid through service to humanity.

I'm no stranger to hard work, but I have to say that this has been some of the hardest work that I have ever done, but what a sense of great satisfaction and the feeling that one person (or several together) can make a difference.

I was somewhat concerned that our students would not be up to the task, but in all honesty, they have been awesome. Have they complained some? YES! They have been tested and found worthy. We are very proud of all of them.

I have been so touched by the stories of the people that we have helped. It has reaffirmed that our God is an awesome God. All of these people seem to have such a strong hold on their belief even with all that they have been through. This has been such an uplifting trip for me that I just wish that I could commit more time, but home and family call me back.

Once again thank you for all you have done- "For whatever you have done for the least of them you have done for me."

God Bless,

Bill Kulju
International Baccalaureate CAS Coordinator
Westerville South High School

Thanks from Ms Ella

Just had to drop you a line and let you know how nice the ceilings look. They did a wonderful job. I didn't get to meet them in person, just on the phone. I had a awful cold which wound me in the hospital with pneumonia. Brian got to meet them and said they were very nice. Got home today and so glad to see how great things are looking. And gee just think it only took nine months. I'm making a joke but in actuality some people still haven't even started. I feel so sorry for so many people that are still having to live in trailers and even worse cars. Let's pray this never happens again. We have been helped by so many very nice people such as yourself. I know you realize we do appreciate everything y'all have done, but I don't think you understand just how much it means to know a total stranger has taken the time to give us their friendship. There's not a doubt in my mind God has sent you to us.

God Bless each and every one of you.
With warmest regards and sincere appreciation,
Ella Smith and Brian Barringer

Editor's Note: 3 weeks after Katrina, Ella returned home from Dallas to find her house in Slidell had been flooded 3 feet deep. She walked right back out and a Marine put his hand on her shoulder and asked what he could do to help. She and Brian had an hour or so to get what they wanted to keep from the house and the crew of Marines gutted it for her.

We met her at the Home Depot with a Penske truck, helped get all the things she needed and started putting her house back together in January. A few other volunteers through Hilltop have worked on it since then, but this week the Shiffbauer family from Westerville finished the last step, painting the ceiling on the day the air conditioning was first up and running. Ella and Brian are now home.

There are a lot of pictures of her house before and during our work linked from this blog entry and you can find more stories from team 7 at the archive of the blog from the week we were there in January.

Team 14 Friday Update

Not a lot new to tell. Hot and humid around 95 today. Sun bright and draining. The team split into two groups today and each completed a house. They were all very tired and exhausted when they returned.

Westerville can be very proud of their students. The Ohioans continue to make a name for themselves as good and hard workers down here. These kids are very mature and their leaders have stayed on focus and they are all getting a lot done. It will be interesting when there is more time to get their feedback. Not much talking going on tonight, the kids are tired and some of the groups went into NO for dinner.

Going to get a shower and get in bed for another big day tomorrow.

Brad

Team 14 First Day Report

Wow what a day. I literally got up at 3:15 and am just now sitting down for the first time at 9:15 other than eating dinner and the devo. And yet I am fine and ready for the morrow.

The team went out bright eyed and bushy tailed today with hopes of tackling great things. The team of 25 stayed together for their first day and will split up tomorrow. They returned around 3:30 dirty and tired with stories of all the gross things they saw and did.

Cleaning up mud and throwing peoples personal possessions in a trash pile. It seems that no matter who we are or where we come from that is the single thing that always stands out, the throwing out of things that were once near and dear to us.




Imagine if you will if God had said “go give away all you have and I will bring you peace....... Would we not debate argue or negotiate with God? Yet this disaster strikes and makes them all as filthy rags and here we are helping people to the curb with all their worldly possessions.

Tomorrow holds much promise. The kids from WSHS did such a great job today that the neighbor to the house they did came in and asked Hilltop for them to come do hers. I doubt that will happen but she was so impressed with how hard they worked, the quality of the work, and their attitudes that she followed them back here. Great job to the kids who are hear working so hard.

Well I need some sleep up at 3 again to cook. Good night and may God bless each of you.

Brad Hayes
Servants Unite