We treat our pastors like royalty!
Patty and Jay have decided not to transfer their memberships to the Louisiana Conference after touring and working on this parsonage!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Just like royalty
We treat our pastors like royalty!
Patty and Jay have decided not to transfer their memberships to the Louisiana Conference after touring and working on this parsonage!
Feeding the Masses
Sue from Orion UMC
This is my first mission trip and it won't be my last. The camaradery with people you barely know or didn't know at all before this week is fantastic. The devastation here is unfathomable.
I am cooking for our group, and I love the feeling I get watching this wonderful group people dive into a meal I have prepared for them.
God's blessings to everyone in this group and everyone at home taht has provided us with monetary gifts and our spouses who have sacrificed something so we could be here.
This is my first mission trip and it won't be my last. The camaradery with people you barely know or didn't know at all before this week is fantastic. The devastation here is unfathomable.
I am cooking for our group, and I love the feeling I get watching this wonderful group people dive into a meal I have prepared for them.
God's blessings to everyone in this group and everyone at home taht has provided us with monetary gifts and our spouses who have sacrificed something so we could be here.
Farmer Dan
Farmer Dan (he's a convert and wants a diesel truck of his very own now) sez "the truck ain't comin' home"!
Sharing the Love...
Dennis, Christ UMC
After two short days working in Lousiana, I'm overwhelmed by the need of the people for help. Yet what I see from them is hope and thanksgiving. The home in the area that I am working on has over 5 feet of water in them. Today I visited with a neighbor, Huston Turner. Huston told me that he had lived in that area (within blocks of his home) all his life. Huston has homeowner's and flood insurance, yet the insurance company is still fighting. Huston has not qualified for any type of assistance so far. With the help of his brother in law he gutted his home, replaced the the roof, reinstalled some insulation and is ready to dry wall. Huston and his brother in law both work, so the progress is slow. Our team offered to help him drywall while we are here. Huston and his wife are lucky to have a FEMA trailer in their front yard and hope to be in their house in 6 months.
This has been an incredible experience for me. We have strengthened our bonds with our fellow workers and keep looking for opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ with those that we have encountered.
God's blessings on all of you and thank you for the prayers. We can meet the needs of these people one person at a time.
After two short days working in Lousiana, I'm overwhelmed by the need of the people for help. Yet what I see from them is hope and thanksgiving. The home in the area that I am working on has over 5 feet of water in them. Today I visited with a neighbor, Huston Turner. Huston told me that he had lived in that area (within blocks of his home) all his life. Huston has homeowner's and flood insurance, yet the insurance company is still fighting. Huston has not qualified for any type of assistance so far. With the help of his brother in law he gutted his home, replaced the the roof, reinstalled some insulation and is ready to dry wall. Huston and his brother in law both work, so the progress is slow. Our team offered to help him drywall while we are here. Huston and his wife are lucky to have a FEMA trailer in their front yard and hope to be in their house in 6 months.
This has been an incredible experience for me. We have strengthened our bonds with our fellow workers and keep looking for opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ with those that we have encountered.
God's blessings on all of you and thank you for the prayers. We can meet the needs of these people one person at a time.
Surprise!
Walt from Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
Just want to say hi to my wife, mom, daughters, cousins, friends, and especially to my cousins in Sweden who are following this relief mission of ours. I'm especially grateful to God and the grace of Jesus Christ for this opportunity to help my fellow man. We are dry-walling and painting a home of an 89 year old African Amercian woman who will be 90 tomorrow. We are planning a surprise birthday party for her tomorrow. This place is an unbelieveable mess. We think it is bad here, but what about those poor souls of the tsunami disaster? God help us.
Just want to say hi to my wife, mom, daughters, cousins, friends, and especially to my cousins in Sweden who are following this relief mission of ours. I'm especially grateful to God and the grace of Jesus Christ for this opportunity to help my fellow man. We are dry-walling and painting a home of an 89 year old African Amercian woman who will be 90 tomorrow. We are planning a surprise birthday party for her tomorrow. This place is an unbelieveable mess. We think it is bad here, but what about those poor souls of the tsunami disaster? God help us.
Tough Decisions
Patty from Christ UMC
This has been an incredible 2 days. The emotions have run the gamot from sadness to hope and promise. The stories we hear from people who lived through the hurricane are unbelieveable.
Judy and I talked with someone around the block from where we were working. She was sitting in her yard, and invited us to chat. She said that she had left before the hurricane hit, and she lost family members in the hurricane. She had to leave behind a baby, but came back to see the baby. She has decided to abandon her home here, and move to Chicago Heights without the baby.
I asked her if she has been able to live in the house and she said no. When I asked her where she was living, she indicated that she's living out in her yard. She's leaving tomorrow. She's a person of faith, and she talked about how she's been through so much but that God has kept her together. Judy and I prayed for her, and wished her well on her trip to Illinois. She thanked us for coming to help others.
It's a privilege to serve God and our neighbors as we share the love of Jesus Christ with God's beloved children.
Fat Tuesday and Fall Festival
Julie from Orion UMC
We began our day today with another good breakfast. Thanks Sue & Jan! During our devotion time we each thought of a word to describe our feelings of what we were seeing - probably 20 different words and they all were powerfully accurate. our group at Geneva's house worked on mudding, sanding, a little more taping, electrical, covered windows with plastic - we're ready for spray-texture to be applied to ceilings and walls.
It's Fat Tuesday - and a holiday for many workers and the school kids were off. It's important for the people to have their celebration and parades - it's part of their heritage and the word I would describe today would be pride.
It would compare to Orion being wiped out by a tornado - but 6 months later we would be sure that Orion Fall Festival happened! We're proud of it and that's just who we are and what we do! YOU CAN'T KEEP US DOWN!
Geneva will be 90 tomorrow - we have gifts and a cake and we will do our best to be sure she has a great day and with her family - celebration fitting a wonderful, proud, strong lady!
So hello at home - we miss you and we'll see you soon!
I can lock my house
Steve - Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
Last night, I listened to the New Orleans talk radio station. I do this all night, for some reason. Perhaps a way to absorb knowledge. Anyway, all this reminded me of the difference in people, especially the way they are handling this total disaster here.
Our group has finished our second day at the home of Natasha and Tyrone. Yesterday we learned she had just purchased the house and had slept in it three nights before the hurricane put six feet of water in her home. She and Tyrone now live in a FEMA trailer on her driveway. Others have worked at her home before us, as we are putting drywall up, and making it more liveable. As we left yesterday, Ken left keys to the new front door he and Ray installed. Today, she had tears of appreciation for something small to us, but something big to her. She told us that she was grateful that she could finally lock her door. She and her son offered us Mardi Gras beads and big smiles (Ken is styling his beads and a octopus from Tyrone in this picture). We believe she is working, because her house payments continue. There is a strong belief here that the best way to get reconstruction done is people helping people, as opposed to those sitting with a house full of debris and whining about it on talk radio.
P.S. I think I will just throw my clothes away. Debbie will not allow them in the house.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Geneva and Peter
Several of our posts talk about Geneva and Peter, an 89 year old woman and her son, where some of our folks are working. These are pictures of them, her home, and some of our folks working there.
Reflections - Day 1
We don't want you to just hear from me (Jay) about our trip, so we're going to post comments from other team members, along with pictures. Here we go!
Gary - Christ UMC
What struck me today was the weather, which by Quad City standards was beautiful, warm, and sunny. This was in direct contrast to what I saw. Six months after the hurricane there are still boats in trees, demolished cars piled on top of each other, houses & businesses in shambles. Debris is strewn everywhere. Yet, with all of that, at the end of our first work day a neighbor stopped by to thank us for helping. From my perspective, they will need our help for a long time to come.
Kathy - Orion UMC
Julie, the Millen family, Pastor Don, and Walt worked with our group at Geneva Silver's house today. Geneva will be 90 on Wednesday! Geneva has 15 children. We repaired some electrical problems, and worked on the drywall at her house. The drywall was already up when we arrived there this morning. We mudded and sanded. We saw so many houses that were damaged by Katrina. We were located 5 miles north of Lake Ponchartrain and most of the damage in Slidell was done by the flooding after the dikes broke. We eat our meals at Aldersgate UMC. Sue and Jan are our cooks. We miss our families, but also feel like we are really here fulfilling a need as we are helping impoverished people get their homes back. We are spoiled at home!
Rich - Orion UMC
Dan, John, Tom, Ken, Ray, Steve, Aaron, and I worked at a house that had flood damage up to six feet in the house. We met the mother and young son when we arrived. She had moved into this house 3 days before the hurricane, and she left before the flood, but ended up in a hotel near New Orleans. She is presently living in a FEMA trailer in her driveway, as are most of the families in this area. We worked with drywall for most of the day, and hopefully after tomorrow, we will have much progress visible for the family. Even in this short time, I have had a wonderful experience in meeting good people with a common goal; helping people that need help, and sharing while strengthening our faith in God. I love doing this, but miss my family.
Linda, Christ UMC
Day one, and blessings are abundant. Our group has been making a difference for Geneva. She and her son Peter have an amazing story to tell (we'll be interviewing her tomorrow on video). Geneva will turn 90 on Wednesday, March 1. She and her son have made our work very rewarding. Geneva claims she is so blessed to have each and every one of us to cross her path. I say we are the ones that are blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer our time to make her life easier and less complicated.
Don, Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
What an exciting experience it has been to see our United Methodist connection at work here in Slidell. The United Methodists are definitely getting something done. We got here Sunday afternoon and the Slidell AldersgateUMC was open and ready to provide us with lodging. This morning, all 28 of us met at the UMCOR office, where Phyllis gave us our assignment with dispatch and great professionalism. She shared a time of prayer with us and by 8:30, we were on our ways to our worksites. The team I am on is repairing the home of Geneva, an 89 year old widow. Her house is one of very few that is being worked on in her neighborhood. UMCOR has made it possible. Today we cleaned, sanded, and mudded drywall and did some wiring. The devastation still here after 6 months is unbelievable, but thanks to you all, the presence of God is real and tangible.
Kathy, Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
It is a whole lot easier traveling with adults than with youth! We had an uneventful trip here, and all arrived in Slidell in time for supper on Sunday. Our group is terrific; lots of hard working, good spirited people. I have been working with Jay, Patty, Judy, Dennis, Gary and Tony on a parsonage. The water in this home was 65 inches deep: that is as high as the top of my head. The pastor that lived here is in Baton Rouge now. They lost everything in the flood. We heard stories today of how a wall of water came rushing into the neighborhood. The devastation is unbelievable. The good news is that the UMC is here. We are one of the very few organizations that is able to provide both materials and labor. Most groups that want to help are only able to provide labor and many folks simply do not have the resources to buy the needed materials.
Tony and I had a contest to see who could wear the most drywall mud. I think I won! I did get in the shower first. Two members of our team are devoting their time to feeding us. We are so grateful to them.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Gary - Christ UMC
What struck me today was the weather, which by Quad City standards was beautiful, warm, and sunny. This was in direct contrast to what I saw. Six months after the hurricane there are still boats in trees, demolished cars piled on top of each other, houses & businesses in shambles. Debris is strewn everywhere. Yet, with all of that, at the end of our first work day a neighbor stopped by to thank us for helping. From my perspective, they will need our help for a long time to come.
Kathy - Orion UMC
Julie, the Millen family, Pastor Don, and Walt worked with our group at Geneva Silver's house today. Geneva will be 90 on Wednesday! Geneva has 15 children. We repaired some electrical problems, and worked on the drywall at her house. The drywall was already up when we arrived there this morning. We mudded and sanded. We saw so many houses that were damaged by Katrina. We were located 5 miles north of Lake Ponchartrain and most of the damage in Slidell was done by the flooding after the dikes broke. We eat our meals at Aldersgate UMC. Sue and Jan are our cooks. We miss our families, but also feel like we are really here fulfilling a need as we are helping impoverished people get their homes back. We are spoiled at home!
Rich - Orion UMC
Dan, John, Tom, Ken, Ray, Steve, Aaron, and I worked at a house that had flood damage up to six feet in the house. We met the mother and young son when we arrived. She had moved into this house 3 days before the hurricane, and she left before the flood, but ended up in a hotel near New Orleans. She is presently living in a FEMA trailer in her driveway, as are most of the families in this area. We worked with drywall for most of the day, and hopefully after tomorrow, we will have much progress visible for the family. Even in this short time, I have had a wonderful experience in meeting good people with a common goal; helping people that need help, and sharing while strengthening our faith in God. I love doing this, but miss my family.
Linda, Christ UMC
Day one, and blessings are abundant. Our group has been making a difference for Geneva. She and her son Peter have an amazing story to tell (we'll be interviewing her tomorrow on video). Geneva will turn 90 on Wednesday, March 1. She and her son have made our work very rewarding. Geneva claims she is so blessed to have each and every one of us to cross her path. I say we are the ones that are blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer our time to make her life easier and less complicated.
Don, Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
What an exciting experience it has been to see our United Methodist connection at work here in Slidell. The United Methodists are definitely getting something done. We got here Sunday afternoon and the Slidell AldersgateUMC was open and ready to provide us with lodging. This morning, all 28 of us met at the UMCOR office, where Phyllis gave us our assignment with dispatch and great professionalism. She shared a time of prayer with us and by 8:30, we were on our ways to our worksites. The team I am on is repairing the home of Geneva, an 89 year old widow. Her house is one of very few that is being worked on in her neighborhood. UMCOR has made it possible. Today we cleaned, sanded, and mudded drywall and did some wiring. The devastation still here after 6 months is unbelievable, but thanks to you all, the presence of God is real and tangible.
Kathy, Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
It is a whole lot easier traveling with adults than with youth! We had an uneventful trip here, and all arrived in Slidell in time for supper on Sunday. Our group is terrific; lots of hard working, good spirited people. I have been working with Jay, Patty, Judy, Dennis, Gary and Tony on a parsonage. The water in this home was 65 inches deep: that is as high as the top of my head. The pastor that lived here is in Baton Rouge now. They lost everything in the flood. We heard stories today of how a wall of water came rushing into the neighborhood. The devastation is unbelievable. The good news is that the UMC is here. We are one of the very few organizations that is able to provide both materials and labor. Most groups that want to help are only able to provide labor and many folks simply do not have the resources to buy the needed materials.
Tony and I had a contest to see who could wear the most drywall mud. I think I won! I did get in the shower first. Two members of our team are devoting their time to feeding us. We are so grateful to them.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Day 1: Monday
We got our initial assignments today! There are two other groups here with us - one from the Northeast, and another from Ohio. There's also a gentleman from Colorado. The other groups have different assignments. Our assignment is construction-related.
We've been divided into three groups, working on three different homes. Our tasks include drywalling, taping, mudding, simple plumbing fixture installation, and other tasks. One of the homes is a parsonage for a United Methodist church. The clergy family is living in Baton Rouge right now, but the reconstruction on the church is almost complete.
Look for pictures later today!
We've been divided into three groups, working on three different homes. Our tasks include drywalling, taping, mudding, simple plumbing fixture installation, and other tasks. One of the homes is a parsonage for a United Methodist church. The clergy family is living in Baton Rouge right now, but the reconstruction on the church is almost complete.
Look for pictures later today!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
We're Here!
It's Sunday night, and the team has finally arrived in Louisiana! Members of the team left at different times on Saturday and Sunday and arrived by car, truck, van, or plane. We're here and anxious to begin our work tomorrow in Slidell. Tomorrow, we'll let you know what we're doing!
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Journey With Us!
Welcome to the Louisiana work trip blog! From February 25th through March 4th, people from East Moline Christ, Moline Riverside, Orion, and the Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish of the United Methodist Church will be travelling to Slidell, Louisiana, to help with hurricane relief.
Would you like to know what we're doing? Please feel free to check this blogsite every day during the trip for a synopsis of our work, worship, and fellowship...and we'll also try to post some pictures. Please share this blogsite with friends and family members who might be interested!
Would you like to know what we're doing? Please feel free to check this blogsite every day during the trip for a synopsis of our work, worship, and fellowship...and we'll also try to post some pictures. Please share this blogsite with friends and family members who might be interested!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)