God be with them

We are all watching, television, internet, anything with news about the upcoming hurricane. And the tropical storm coming right behind it. Are we praying?

I was speaking with Gary, from our Illinois team this evening. He called to check on us. He does that every couple of months or so. His calls are such support for us, just knowing he is there thinking about and praying for us! He also helps supply the safety equipment we use in the field after a disaster. He is stock piling as we speak, preparing. Thanks Gary!

As we told Gary, and those in Columbus who have asked, we WILL be returning to the Gulf Coast --- when God calls us. It's not a matter of IF we will go, it's WHEN. And to be down right honest -- our financial support will need to improve to even allow us to pack up and make the trip! We know we won't be going within the next weeks. There will need to be time, time for those who are the experts to come in and make the areas safe. Preparations will need to be made to handle volunteers. Safety is the key! We have learned that the work will be there for a long time and the volunteers won't. God will let us know when it's time to go, when it's time to leave here! THEN we will be ready!

For all of you who are watching the news and waiting -- as I said -- are we praying? Not only should we pray for the hurricane to blow out and away -- we should be praying for the people -- and they now have names and faces for alot of you who went to volunteer after Katrina. They are no longer just faceless strangers -- you have a connection with a family or families. It's personal -- and that makes a big difference!

Gary mentioned Dane, I think of Ms Faye, Ms Ollie, Pastor Tim and Sherry, Pastor David, Pastor Lavoy, Pastor Rick, all of their congregations, and thousands of others who we helped. How will they handle this? Are they evacuating? Do they have someplace to go? We have spoken to some of them and made our home here available for anyone who wants to come this far north. But how will they handle it if they return to loosing everything -- again? This is where we we need to be praying -- courage and strength to get through whatever it is that they will need to get through! God promises to never give us more than we can handle but . . .

I also challenge every church out there --- keep your doors open for tomorrow and Monday! Keep the doors open for prayer -- for anyone and everyone who might want to come inside and pray for the Gulf Coast. I know we can pray anywhere -- but coming inside a church just makes us feel closer to God, closer with others who might gather there. There is power, amazing and almighty power in prayer. When we gather together that power is even stronger, and so are we! You Pastors -- think about doing this! God is calling us all to pray -- open the doors and let us in!

Challenge YOUR church when you attend tomorrow. Be there to welcome those who want to come in and pray!

Let us all join together and pray for our brothers and sisters in the south! God bless disaster victims!!!

Until next time . . . Susan and Monty

PS the Biloxi television station can be accessed at www.wlox.com During Katrina they stayed on air throughout the entire storm, only relocating when their roof blew off and required them to move to the basement!