Disaster update from Lutheran Disaster Services

This seems like a sound assessment so I thought I'd share. I have to note, however, that our friends in Bayou La Batre and at The Gathering in Chalmette, Louisiana are always looking for financial and volunteer assistance. Their ministries are going to be particularly in demand and can be that much more effective in this oil response in their communities.

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

We continue to monitor the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and pray fervently for all those who have been affected. Indeed, while the long-term effects of this tragedy will be felt by all of us, for those whose lives and livelihoods have been directly impacted, the needs for help are acute and overwhelming.

Earlier this week, Jessica Vermilyea, disaster coordinator with Lutheran Social Services of the South, took part in an ecumenical listening tour into the bayou marsh areas of Plaquemines Parish in southeastern Louisiana. As part of this group, Jessica heard from fishermen, business owners, and other local leaders about how the oil spill is affecting them, even as many of them continue to struggle with recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

We have received numerous inquiries from Lutherans around the country about volunteering in some capacity along the Gulf Coast. At this moment, only people who are being specifically trained and equipped by BP are being permitted to work directly in the clean-up process. This has much to do with the health and safety risks of handling the crude oil. In the future, opportunities may emerge for other types of volunteer roles, and each state in the area is receiving names of volunteers who are interested in helping. To register, follow one of the following links:
• Louisiana: volunteerlouisiana.gov
• Mississippi: volunteermississippi.org
• Florida: volunteerfloridadisaster.org
• Alabama: servealabama.gov
Several questions have been raised about whether a national funding appeal should be launched in response to this tragedy. Our commitment has always been that we will find the most efficient ways possible to use financial contributions to meet unmet needs that arise from disaster. At this time, BP has pledged that it is their responsibility to pay for all costs related to clean-up as well as to reimburse those who have experienced a loss of income as a result of the spill, and anyone seeking to file a claim can do so directly through the BP Web site. Given the unique nature of this situation, we will not be seeking funding for this response.

Instead, we lift up the unfolding needs of those in the many states affected by flooding and tornadoes so far this spring, including as recently as this past weekend in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. I ask you to consider giving a gift to support the responses getting underway in places like Yazoo City, Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee. Click here to give today.

In the mean time, we will continue to listen for emerging unmet needs along the Gulf Coast and for meaningful ways that we might engage there. As we do, I ask for your continued prayers for the beautiful land and people of the Gulf Coast as they struggle to overcome this continuing tragedy.

In service,
Rev. Kevin A. Massey, Director


Lutheran Disaster Response
Bringing Help and Hope...
Phone: 773-380-2748
Fax: 773-380-2493
Visit us on the Web at LDR.org
Are you on Facebook? Join the cause.

North West Ohio Tornado Damage from Sunday Morning

The Toledo Blade has an article on the damage.

Welcome to Hurricane Season 2010

A weekend tropical cyclone got a head start on Central America where the death toll is rising and a sinkhole of dimensions difficult to believe has opened in Guatamala City after mudslides from the torrential rains. I have a note into our friend Tim Hines who works missions in Honduras to verify all is well with their work there.

The US National Weather Service predicts an active season in this article

“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared.”

NOAA also has a FAQ on how a Gulf of Mexico hurricane may effect, or be effected by the oil plume. For those of us who have already shoveled crude out of people's living rooms in Chalmette from the Katrina damaged refinery, this will probably be more of the same.

It's hard to believe it's been nearly 5 years since we began the post Katrina cleanup. Though the past year has been quiet we're already to respond if needed again this year. When the need appears to be there, I'll investigate whether Servants Unite can be of assistance and get the word out to you all scheduling trips. Till then, be praying for a lighter than predicted season and for opportunities to be Christ to people in their distress.

If you are wondering if volunteers are needed in Tennessee...

I don't believe so yet. Though it sounds pretty bad around Nashville in the press this morning, here's the update I got this morning from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. If I get more info, I'll post to servantsunite.blogspot.com

Storm System Sweeps Across the Central and Southern States

Storms over the weekend caused tornadoes and flooding in Tennessee, killing at least six. David Acres, Tennessee state disaster relief director, says, “The cities of Nashville and Lavergne, Tenn., have been declared disaster areas.” The American Red Cross (ARC) has opened shelters, but the shelter population has remained small. Acres says, “We have been in contact with ARC, and they have not needed a Tennessee disaster relief kitchen.” Tennessee Baptist Convention has also been in contact with emergency managers, and they stand ready to assist with debris removal or mudout of houses.

The storm system also left a path of destruction in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi and was moving through Kentucky and Georgia late Sunday evening. One death was reported and a state of emergency declared in Arkansas. Three deaths were reported Sunday morning in Mississippi. Pray for Southern Baptist volunteers working to help their neighbors in these states. As daylight comes and the system continues to move east, many will be out assessing damage, running chainsaws, and cleaning up flooded homes.

Prayers for Entire Pacific Basin

This quake in Chili is a MAJOR disaster. At magnitude 8.8 it is 1000 times the power of the Haiti quake. Read more here. Nine foot tsunami waves have been measured near the epicenter and are traveling out through the entire ocean. They are due into Hawaii soon and anywhere with a Pacific coast is subject to waves higher or lower than this when it gets there. This is a disaster in progress. Prayers people get away in time and that loss of life is minimized across the world and near the epicenter, a very heavily populated portion of South America.

Project Opportunity to benefit Haiti

Southern Baptists Disaster Relief is a well oiled machine. They are collecting Buckets of Hope to ship to Haitians who are homeless, hungry, and generally miserable. More information about the things they have going on are here

Be keeping up on www.lifeline.org for their needs and trip plans. Commercial flights are resuming into Port Au Prince soon and there will be opportunities to go work if you are interested.

I have friends who have been and one who is there this week. This is typical disorganized disaster relief work, but to a whole new degree. If you plan to go you will want to be sure you are working with a well established organization who knows the lay of the land well and has connections with the community down there.

Trauma Docs Requested for Haiti Relief

Please forward this information to others who may be able to help...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is requesting physicians of specific specialities to deploy with the National Disaster Medical Assistance teams to Haiti. The need is for trauma surgeons, orthopedists, anesthesiologists, and others with experience in treating crush injuries. Volunteers must be able to serve for at least 2 weeks, and be willing to live and work in spartan conditions.

Preference will be given to physicians who are Creole or French speakers, and to those currently credentialed through the Medical Reserve Corps in their home state, or the ESAR-VHP program (Emergency Services Advanced Registration of Volunteer Health Personnel).

These volunteers will need to be credentialed as temporary federal employees and will need to be able to provide credentialing paperwork as soon as asked. Credentialing normally takes about a week. Volunteers with these clinical skills should contact Michala Koch at Michala.Koch@hhs.gov. Not everyone who wishes to help will necessarily be deployed, and those without the requisite skills may not receive a direct response.

For medical professionals wishing to help in this way in future relief efforts, please take a few minutes to learn about the Medical Reserve Corps, identify your local unit, and register to become part of the corps. To do so, visit www.medicalreservecorps.gov. This is the channel through which medical volunteers are deployed immediately following an event, and only those registered beforehand are likely to be deployed.

Thank you for your service!

Mike Nevergall
Assistant Director

Lutheran Disaster Response
Bringing Help and Hope...
Phone: 773-380-2748
Fax: 773-380-2493
Visit us on the Web at LDR.org
Are you on Facebook? Join the cause.

Haiti updates/Links

Really great new photos

Please pray unceasing for the people of Haiti and those ministering to them.

Lifeline, a Westerville, Ohio based (stateside) mission who has been active in Grand Goave Haiti for 30 years. I'll keep postings here of immediate needs and when trip opportunities become available. Servants Unite is not funded to cover the cost of international relief trips unfortunately, but people are asking about the opportunities to go.

Doug and Amy Reichley are "two buckeyes in Haiti" They are in Gressier with their new baby boy and working on adopting a Hatian boy. They may have to come home soon if they can get his paperwork in order to come to the US. Amy's parents are setting up this additional organization to fund the rebuilding of a destroyed orphanage in their christian village.

Our friends at the Whites Ferry Road Church of Christ disaster relief organization have been at international disaster relief for 30 years.

All of the above are working, even in this tragedy, to bring people to Christ. Doug and Amy report over 300 people there have accepted His grace and salvation since the quake a week ago!

Haiti

The more news comes out, the worse the effects sound. This is a place totally unprepared for such an event where people barely make it day to day as it is. Haiti has incredible poverty and risk to life and loss without a major earthquake. Look here for more information on how we can help as it becomes available. You can find a first hand account of one of the missionaries I know down there at this link.

Personally I'm asking for prayers for lifeline.org missionaries Gretchen, who is in-country with a team, and her husband Bob who is still in Westerville. I can imagine how he has felt all night and this morning. Also, pray for our close friends Doug and Amy Reichley, a young couple with a new son and a new adopted Haitian son this past year who are missionaries in the epicenter as well. All of them are OK after the quake, but lack of resources, poor communications, social instability, and disease will be immense problems for everyone on the island of Hispaniola in the coming days and weeks.

See an old friend Sunday

THE Brendan Hendrix of "Git R Done" disaster relief fame at Tammany Oaks, Hilltop Rescue, and other efforts after katrina will be visiting at Westerville Christian Church Sunday with us! If you are in the area and would like to say hi, let me know ASAP and we'll hook up on details.

Aaron Johnson's October update from The Gathering church plant in Chalmette

Aaron Johnson with The Gathering Christian Church plant who we have worked with in Chalmette, Louisiana sends a monthly newsletter. For those who don't know, His family has moved down from Indiana to build the church there as have Matt Wooodward and several other ministry staff. Their church is growing and the previous bowling alley they are building into their community center and meeting place is finally coming along too.

Since this is an especially eventful newsletter (think growing family) I thought I'd post it for you. To view the PDF, click THIS LINK

Ida know...

Ida is expected to come into Pensacola Tuesday as a Cat2 hurricane. It could be stronger or weaker, but seems to be making a bee line for that section of the coast. Hurricane warnings are up from Biloxi Mississippi all they way around past Panama Beach Florida. That puts our friends in Bayou La Batre squarely in the effected zone.

A category 2 won't likely bring the kind of wind damage and storm surge that a major hurricane like Katrina and Ike did, but can still be dangerous.

Please offer up prayers for our friends and those involved in their mission there.

Lots of disasters in the last week...

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief sent an update out on all last night. This is a good, concise status on these areas.

Disaster Relief Update - Wednesday, September 30, 2009
“Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12 (HCSV)
The Lord has given Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers many opportunities to show His compassion and kindness towards others. From Georgia to American Samoa and on to the Philippines, hurting people need the touch of Christ.
Tsunami Devastates American Samoa

The North American Mission Board has been in contact with the Hawaii-Pacific Baptist Convention (HPBC). The tsunami that struck American Samoa Tuesday left in its wake wholesale destruction across the capitol city. The damage includes the Baptist Seafarer’s Center where nothing is left but the cement shell. Missionaries Joeli and Tupe Sovea, along with their children, lived at the Seafarer’s Center and saw all of their personal possessions washed away with the rest of the contents of the building. Thankfully the family is safe. The Happy Valley Baptist Church, located near the airport in Pago Pago was spared. Property destruction across the island chain is immense and lost of life is great. Pray for the faithful on the ground that they may truly be a light in the darkness.
Hawaii Baptists were spared and are now in the process of preparing to respond to American Samoa with their airlift kitchen and 15 volunteers. The logistics of getting to American Samoa with the ‘Fly Away’ Feeding unit, food and volunteers to staff the unit is the next hurdle. Pray for wisdom and patience as Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention Disaster Relief leaders and NAMB Staff work with the American Red Cross and FEMA. The Disaster Operations Center at NAMB is working closely with HPBC leaders in an effort to support them in this monumental task. There is the possibility units from other state conventions will be requested. If the request comes DOC staff will forward HPBC’s request knowing that SBDR volunteers will respond as they are able. We do serve an awesome God!
Read more at Baptist Press.
Floods in the Philippines
The heavy rains that flooded the Philippines have created an opportunity for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief ministry through our working relationship with Baptist Global Response, the aid arm of the International Mission Board. BGR has requested assistance in accordance with our agreement and at this time four states (KY, SBTC, OK and TBM) are gearing up to send teams to assist in the Baptist response there.
Earthquake Shakes Indonesia
A large earthquake shook the nation of Indonesia late Tuesday. At the time of this update there has been no request from our international partner, BGR, for assistance. We do join our brothers and sisters of Indonesia in prayer. May the unbounded love and power of our Lord Jesus Christ be manifested through those already on the ground!
Georgia Cleanup Continues
We are in the midst of our second week of response to the floods that have destroyed whole neighborhoods in the Atlanta area as well as Toccoa and Trion. At the time of this update there are 7 states on site helping GA Baptists in the relief efforts. There are many other states that stand ready to assist as needed.
Support Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Efforts
Your prayers are your most important contribution to all of these relief efforts. Pray for victims, volunteers and leadership.
You can also support Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts with your financial gifts online or by contacting your State Baptist Convention Disaster Relief office

Georgia Flooding Update from Southern Baptists

Georgia Flood

The Georgia flood has been described as an “epic flood.” Seventeen counties have now been declared disaster areas by the Georgia Governor’s Office with 14 of those counties having been approved and designated as disasters by the President’s Office. Damage estimates from the State Insurance Office could exceed $500 million.

The response has taken time to get underway. Stuart Lang, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief Director, reported, “Some roads are still impassable.” GEMA reported that 4,636 FEMA Individual Assistance registrations have been received as of 7:00 p.m., Saturday, September 26th.

Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief has activated 21 DR teams including feeding, recovery, chaplain, assessment, mud-out, and command/communication units. Mud-out teams in the Trion/Summerville area have neared completion of the work in that area. Stuart says, “Local churches have been involved in ministering to their communities.” Georgia Baptist has facilitated this ministry.

The North American Mission Board is supporting Georgia Baptist with the deployment and placement of state convention partners. Alabama has three units deployed. Additional volunteers from Alabama, Kentucky, Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Texas Baptist Men, and Baptist General Association of Virginia have been activated and are traveling this week. Additional state partners are standing ready to respond as assessment continues and needs are clarified.

The NAMB command post, generator unit, and shower trailer have been deployed and are operational.
A staffed phone center with a toll-free number (1 800 460-6881) has been activated and is taking calls from homeowners who have been affected by the flood and need assistance. The phone center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily at this time.

Please continue to pray for all involved.

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

Georgia Flooding

I received emails from 4 faith based relief groups yesterday. This is in Southern Baptist Disaster Relief's back yard. They expect outside help will be needed mucking and helping the large number of un-insured rebuild, but the work isn't ready for volunteers yet. An update today says that they are working to set up operations in Toccoa, Trion, Austell, Powder Springs and Douglasville, Georgia.

Luthern Disaster Services is the VOAD in Georgia and they say pretty much the same thing, but they usually spend 2 or 3 weeks getting dig in and spun up.

Churches of Christ DRT is setting up in the Churches of Christ in the Austell, Powder Springs, and Douglasville areas of Georgia.

You can see from this google map that these areas are all to the West of Atlanta, not far outside the loop.

View Larger Map
As I am leaving for a mission trip to Zimbabwe next Friday, October 2 for two weeks, I am unable to coordinate any trips down at this time. Please do not let this dissuade you from getting involved! If someone can take the lead on organizing a team or two during this time, please call me this week and I can help you get it started. There are a couple people I'll be calling on to lead this effort. As information becomes available it'll be posted here and sent via email.

Servants Unite Status Update

"No tropical cyclones at this time." Not quite, but nearly the story of the summer. While there have been a couple storms in the Atlantic and Pacific and some localized flooding events this summer, the major events we usually respond to have just not occurred. We've just passed the anniversary of Katrina/Rita (has it really been 4 years?) and Hurricanes Gustov and Ike from a year ago our last official response. Remember when our power was still out and front yards were still full of tree limbs this time last year?

Cleanup is still underway for all of these events, but it seems most people who have been involved with Servants Unite have focused more on financial crises and other events that hit closer to home. Personally, I've been consulting (I'm an IT consultant when not doing disaster relief) and been blessed with a lot of time to get in better shape with my wife and spend some serious quality time with my kids. I hope God has blessed all of you with the same. A time of peace and reassurance.

Now I believe this current lull is only that. We live in a fallen world that is subject to all kinds of disaster. In the last 9 years we've seen just about everything. It terrifies me to think what God may be preparing us for with this respite and more healthful lifestyle he's helped me and some other ministry friends into this summer. When the next big thing comes along, I will be contacting you. Servants Unite will be spinning back up. And with all that we've learned in the last 4 years we'll be ever more able to shine the light of Christ on disaster victims and engage our friends, family, and neighbors in mission work.

Next month, October 2-13, I'll be on a mission trip with Westerville Christian Church to Zimbabwe. We'll be spreading the gospel to people who have never heard it. Apparently a bunch of white Americans can really draw a crowd there. We're also taking seeds, clothes, basketballs and soccer balls. We'll be building a home for the preacher of the church we've been supporting there as he is getting married during our visit. We're also setting up some basketball goals we shipped in a container last year. Should be a busy 8 days in country and a long haul out and back traveling.

Will you please pray for this trip and for me personally to be all God intends?

If you'd like a taste, you can take a tour of an African village with "Step Into Africa", a World Vision exhibit at Westerville Christian September 25-29. For more information on that, go to www.westerville-christian.org.

If you're rested and aching for some mission work. We do need to organize a fall and winter trip to Chalmette to build out the community center for The Gathering Christian Church plant. They have their building permit and are ready to build a house for God's people to work in a previously flooded out bowling alley. If you can help with this by taking a week off this fall for missions, especially if you have some handyman type skills, please let me know when you are available and we'll start planning a trip. You can email or call using the contact information at the top of the blog.

Servants Unite!

You can follow Servants Unite on Twitter. You can also friend john@servantsunite.org on Facebook and join the Servants Unite group there.

Visit Warm and Cheerful Chalmette This Fall!

The Gathering Christian Church plant that we've worked with in Chalmette the last two years has the go ahead to build out the bowling alley for their community center. They need us back to help get that done. Plans are not yet made. If you have availability for a week or two, please email me with special skills you have and times you could go. I'll publish that back out to the list to see if we can nail down a trip or two to help them out.

If you haven't been back since soon after the storm, you'll appreciate the difference. People live there again. Baseball happens. School happens. Going out for dinner or ice-cream happens. It'll do your heart good to see some of the fruits of your previous labors and help the continued recovery at the same time.

Here's the information I have from them right now:

"The Gathering Place"

We are moving forward with our building and from now on will refer to it as The Gathering Place- our future community center and meeting place for the church! We got our final building permit at the end of July and hope to close on the purchase of it in September. To the right is the floor plan of the first phase, with two more areas for future phases. This area will hold counseling offices, a multi-purpose room, meeting spaces, and restrooms.

We are extremely excited to watch as God builds this place of ministry. We are prayerfully planning as we move forward with what He has already provided. This August we will be working on tying re-bar, installing under-slab plumbing, and pouring concrete. Please lift us up in these endeavors!

2009 Hurricane Season So Far

Just so people don't think I'm watching.... There is a major hurricane, "Bill" out in the Atlantic, but it is not expected to make landfall. There's a chance for storm development in the Gulf of Mexico, but this storm season has been unexpectedly light. Even in the midwest where we generally have a few flooding and severe storm events a year, there has been little of the mahem we've come to expect the last few years.

Due to a general lack of interest over the past 12 months, we're kind of in a holding pattern as an organization. When the next big thing happens though details on how you can help will be here as will I and other's who have been team leaders in Servants Unite over the last 4 years since Katrina came onshore.

I pray that you've had the opportunity to spend more time with your families and other ministries recently. We will be called on again and your help will continue to be needed.

Local work opportunity

President Obama recently announced a Summer of Service initiative called United We Serve. This 81 day initiative will culminate with a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11, 2009.

Rebuilding Together Central Ohio is ready to answer President Obama's call! In the spirit of United We Serve and the new National Day of Service, RTCO is looking to mobilize 100 volunteers in the greater Columbus region. In volunteering, Americans will be reaching out to impact our neighborhoods in the areas of energy efficiency, sustainability, and beautification.

Volunteer activities will include:
Energy Efficiency Outreach Project
o Assembling and distributing 500 Energy
Efficiency Outreach bags to local residents
Community Garden Maintenance
o Clean up local community gardens, turning soil and
preparing them for the Fall and Winter months
Street Clean Up
o Canvassing local streets for trash, separating
recyclables from non-recyclables

The dates of service are August 28th and 29th. Volunteers will meet at Rebuilding Together Central Ohio's Office and go out into the community from there. The first 100 volunteers will receive a United We Serve - Rebuilding Together T-Shirt and water bottle.

Interested?
Contact:
Aaron Murphy at aaron@rtcolumbus.org or

Jonathan Duffy at jonathan@rtcolumbus.org

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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