WINTERFEST IN GATLINBURG -- What an awesome weekend!!
Parents you can be very proud of your teens!!
Mark and I were thrilled to see so many of you that we have met and worked with over the past few years!! Thanks for stopping by our booth to say hello and give us a hug!! :)
You know....there are so many things about the disaster relief ministry that just keeps drawing me closer and closer to GOD. As I meet you and see the example you are, as I see your love for our Lord and Saviour it draws me closer to GOD. I may have 15 years experience in disaster relief and this may be your first relief effort.....but what I've learned from you about about HIS Word....or about Compassion....or ...and the list can go on and on.....That's the way it is, isn't it? We teach by example.....and we learn by listening.....We give a cup of water in HIS name.....
If you haven't received an email with a Central Florida update, check back here. If you would like to receive email updates, please go to our website to sign up for the updates at: http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
FLORIDA REBUILDING
We are on our way to Gatlinburg to set our display up at Winterfest in hopes of "getting the word out" about the Disaster Response Team" ministry. We've had so many volunteers who've called many places just trying to find an effort to work with. Many still don't know about us yet. If you're going to be at Winterfest, have a safe trip getting there and please stop by our booth and say hi, we'd love to see you!
FLORIDA UPDATE:
There has been a tremendous response from volunteers to the central Florida storms!! Praise GOD!! Most of the "clean up" phase has been accomplished with the exception of some of the "heavy equipment" type work the city is doing. The next phase is rebuilding. We are in DESPERATE need of funding to help those without insurance rebuild. The tornadoes came in and destroyed these structures so we have nothing to work with. If we are going to help them it will have to be from the ground up.
If you find it on your heart to help in this way, you may make an online donation through our website at: http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org or you may send your donation by mail to:
Melbourne Church of Christ
C/O Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, FL. 32904
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!
This morning I was talking with one of our volunteers. He was telling me about another relief organization he had worked with in the past. They had gone to check out an area to work in, he overheard them talking among themselves about who would get "credit" for doing the work. They decided not to work in that area.
If you are a volunteer.... if you pray for those of us who are volunteers, and please do......PLEASE pray that we NEVER even consider taking credit for ANY work that is done.
GOD is to receive ALL glory!! Let us NEVER forget that.
We have had an excellent turn out of volunteers!! MUCH work is being accomplished. Clean up is being completed here in Lady Lake and The Villages. We have a team assessing the areas of Paisley and Lake Mack today.
Ashley and I will be leaving Thursday to set up a booth at Winterfest in Gatlinburg.
If you're going to be there, stop by our booth and say hello. We'd love to see you!!
If you are a volunteer.... if you pray for those of us who are volunteers, and please do......PLEASE pray that we NEVER even consider taking credit for ANY work that is done.
GOD is to receive ALL glory!! Let us NEVER forget that.
We have had an excellent turn out of volunteers!! MUCH work is being accomplished. Clean up is being completed here in Lady Lake and The Villages. We have a team assessing the areas of Paisley and Lake Mack today.
Ashley and I will be leaving Thursday to set up a booth at Winterfest in Gatlinburg.
If you're going to be there, stop by our booth and say hello. We'd love to see you!!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
THOSE THAT GOD PUTS IN OUR PATHWAY
Friday --
It is a bittersweet feeling.....helping the survivors of a tornado. You know that you are helping by hauling the debris to the road. Some of the "debris" is trees and brush much of it is bits and pieces of the lives of these tornado survivors including some of those broken trees.
Today I met Paul. Paul is one of those who slips between the cracks. He just purchased his mobile home 2 weeks before the storm. He paid cash with his life savings. The other residents hadn't moved out yet so he was living with someone else until he could move into his newly purchased home. So he wasn't the current "occupant". Since he wasn't the occupant he doesn't qualify for FEMA or Red Cross assistance even though he just lost his home and life savings. Today we helped Paul cut trees and haul them and the other debris to the street. His mobile home will surely be condemned and tore down. It was destroyed by the tornado.
We had a great turnout of volunteers today!! And....Dave Palk, a friend of ours we hadn't seen in quite some time met up with us and worked with us today. We appreciate all your hard work Dave!
We appreciate all of your prayers, volunteering and donations, please keep them coming. To GOD be the Glory!!
It is a bittersweet feeling.....helping the survivors of a tornado. You know that you are helping by hauling the debris to the road. Some of the "debris" is trees and brush much of it is bits and pieces of the lives of these tornado survivors including some of those broken trees.
Today I met Paul. Paul is one of those who slips between the cracks. He just purchased his mobile home 2 weeks before the storm. He paid cash with his life savings. The other residents hadn't moved out yet so he was living with someone else until he could move into his newly purchased home. So he wasn't the current "occupant". Since he wasn't the occupant he doesn't qualify for FEMA or Red Cross assistance even though he just lost his home and life savings. Today we helped Paul cut trees and haul them and the other debris to the street. His mobile home will surely be condemned and tore down. It was destroyed by the tornado.
We had a great turnout of volunteers today!! And....Dave Palk, a friend of ours we hadn't seen in quite some time met up with us and worked with us today. We appreciate all your hard work Dave!
We appreciate all of your prayers, volunteering and donations, please keep them coming. To GOD be the Glory!!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
PLEASE PRAY FOR TESS
Her name is Tess.......She is in her 90's and lives alone in Lady Lake, Florida........She has one living relative , a niece in California.
Tess' home was hit by Friday's tornado, now all Tess has is her car which is what she has been living in since the storm.
Yesterday Tess was told her house is condemned. She is not allowed back into her house to get any of her belongings out. It isn't safe nor is anything really salvagable.
Stories like these are what we hear everyday when we meet with those who have just gone through disasters. Mark and the DRT crew worked at Tess' house yesterday and checked on her again today. She is now staying in a motel. We will continue to help her and do all we can for her. Please pray for Tess.
Much is being accomplished and many people are being helped, Praise GOD!! More trees cut, brush pulled to the road, hugs given, volunteers listening while the survivors tell their stories, food and supplies given in God's name.
We have volunteers coming in everyday working and helping the communities affected by the storms. We are so thankful to all of you who are praying, volunteering and donating funds......YOU are the team!!! To GOD be the Glory!!!
Tess' home was hit by Friday's tornado, now all Tess has is her car which is what she has been living in since the storm.
Yesterday Tess was told her house is condemned. She is not allowed back into her house to get any of her belongings out. It isn't safe nor is anything really salvagable.
Stories like these are what we hear everyday when we meet with those who have just gone through disasters. Mark and the DRT crew worked at Tess' house yesterday and checked on her again today. She is now staying in a motel. We will continue to help her and do all we can for her. Please pray for Tess.
Much is being accomplished and many people are being helped, Praise GOD!! More trees cut, brush pulled to the road, hugs given, volunteers listening while the survivors tell their stories, food and supplies given in God's name.
We have volunteers coming in everyday working and helping the communities affected by the storms. We are so thankful to all of you who are praying, volunteering and donating funds......YOU are the team!!! To GOD be the Glory!!!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
LADY LAKE, FLORIDA UPDATE
We had several volunteers out working in the Lady Lake community today. Cutting trees, pulling brush to the road, watching the lives of so many just get bulldozed into the street. It's so difficult to see these people standing there watching the bulldozers shove their years of memories into heaps of rubble. On the other hand....it's sure makes you feel good to hear the comments from those that are being helped and even from others that are working near our group. Mark and I had several people come up to us to tell us how impressed they were with the DRT volunteers.
We met with one lady today whose house (from the outside) looks like it didn't receive much damage except for the roof. HOWEVER.....when we talked to her we found out differently. For one thing, her house is splitting in half on the inside. That is the physical damage they received from the tornado. Then she told about the night of the tornado and how it was sucking all the air out of the house. She said it felt as though it was taking the breath away from them and that they would die from suffocation. Then just as that was happening, the tornado started to pull her 12 year old son up through the roof. They had to climb on the bed and grab ahold of his legs to keep him inside. She has 5 children ranging in age from 4 to 15 and they all are now terrified of any loud sounds. She said the noise from the tornado was horrible. This family moved to Florida several years ago from Kentucky to take care of other family members who were ill.
Please keep this family in your prayers.
I would like to say a special thank you to Bob, Bill, Lloyd, Shirley, Hoss, Gordy, the "Bread of Life" group. You all did an amazing job today working for the LORD!! And then there is our terrific Mike who has been doing all of our cooking for us!! What would we do without you?!?! Thanks Mike!!
Please keep DRT in your prayers as we minister to the tornado survivors.
We met with one lady today whose house (from the outside) looks like it didn't receive much damage except for the roof. HOWEVER.....when we talked to her we found out differently. For one thing, her house is splitting in half on the inside. That is the physical damage they received from the tornado. Then she told about the night of the tornado and how it was sucking all the air out of the house. She said it felt as though it was taking the breath away from them and that they would die from suffocation. Then just as that was happening, the tornado started to pull her 12 year old son up through the roof. They had to climb on the bed and grab ahold of his legs to keep him inside. She has 5 children ranging in age from 4 to 15 and they all are now terrified of any loud sounds. She said the noise from the tornado was horrible. This family moved to Florida several years ago from Kentucky to take care of other family members who were ill.
Please keep this family in your prayers.
I would like to say a special thank you to Bob, Bill, Lloyd, Shirley, Hoss, Gordy, the "Bread of Life" group. You all did an amazing job today working for the LORD!! And then there is our terrific Mike who has been doing all of our cooking for us!! What would we do without you?!?! Thanks Mike!!
Please keep DRT in your prayers as we minister to the tornado survivors.
FLORIDA STORMS
The Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team is currently working in the Lady Lake and The Villages area in Florida following the storms.
We are in desperate need of donations!! Funding is very low due to Hurricane Katrina and many people here in Central Florida need our help! We are finding many had no insurance and they have lost everything.
PLEASE help by sending volunteers to help with debris clean up or by donating funds.
The funds will be used to purchase items for those who have lost everything and have no insurance as well as purchasing building material for those without insurance.
Please check our website and blog for further updates or feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 937-308-2259
Also please call that number to volunteer.
You may donate online through our website www.churchesofchristdrt.org or
Funds can be sent to:
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
C/O West Melbourne Church of Christ
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, Fl. 32904
We are in desperate need of donations!! Funding is very low due to Hurricane Katrina and many people here in Central Florida need our help! We are finding many had no insurance and they have lost everything.
PLEASE help by sending volunteers to help with debris clean up or by donating funds.
The funds will be used to purchase items for those who have lost everything and have no insurance as well as purchasing building material for those without insurance.
Please check our website and blog for further updates or feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 937-308-2259
Also please call that number to volunteer.
You may donate online through our website www.churchesofchristdrt.org or
Funds can be sent to:
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
C/O West Melbourne Church of Christ
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, Fl. 32904
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