Preparing for the outreach

Can you make heads or tails of this? This is what used to be someones "things", their life. This is what happens when it all becomes trash piled up next to the street for the disaster relief trash trucks to come and take it away. The land fill gets higher and higher each day! More and more people are left with only this pile after the storm. And this isn't even the big stuff, the appliances and larger furniture. Where's the beds, dresser, table, couch, chairs, everything we are so used to having and take for granted?! Thank God you are able to bring up this site on your computer, that you have a computer and the chair you are sitting in to read this! Don't take your blessings for granted.

Today we had the joy of having breakfast with Pastors Rick and Vickey. Even though it came another gully washer and we were drenched just getting to their car we had a wonderful visit and the time to get to know each other a bit better. We thank them for all they are doing to welcome us and for their hearts of love and outreach into this community. We pray God will continue to bring in the lost to The Refuge where they will find a home and get to know Jesus!

Diane drove one of the church members to the Air Force Base, in the city next to us. She is elderly and unable to see well enough to drive so Diane took her to her doctor's appointment. Just another of the ways volunteers can help! No special skills required, just the desire to help.

After all of us got back we started in on the organization once again. Boy oh Boy did we make visible progress today! The 30 yard dumpster in the back is mounding up. We got through all of the things, the toys, towels, books, food, drinks and anything else that was back there. We are getting things ready for the outreach that The Refuge will be having on Saturday, August 5th. There will be so many happening things that day, gifts everywhere, food pantry items and who knows what all. It will be a fantastic day of blessing the community. There will be service booths set up for local relief agencies and Monty and I will be manning the Convoy of Hope booth. Pastor Rick said at the last one they had (the day before Easter) over 1500 people came through! Now that's an outreach! We are really looking forward to being a part of it and representing Convoy!

This evening we were still organizing and were able to move into the tool room. That room has a tendency to really become a mess. Volunteers in and out during the week needing this and that. Trying to keep some sense about it is tough but we made tremendous progress this evening and it really looks like we could find what we need. What a thought! It is so important for us to keep track of tools. It might look like we have quite alot of them but when you have them spread out over who knows how many worksites they can easily be lost. Even if we loose the small stuff it takes funds to replace it, funds that should be used to rebuild, not replace. It is a special blessing when teams come down and bring their own tools and even greater yet when they purchase things while they are here and then leave them to donate to the effort!

As I have said before, there are just so many ways for people to get involved with the relief efforts. Coming here to volunteer is the best but when that isn't possible there are many other ways to help. Sending tools, or making it possible for us to purchase them is one way. Helping those who are coming to volunteer is another way. Search your hearts and listen for God's direction in how He wants you to become an active part. You have seen the photos, you have read the stories of the families we have been helping, now see where you fit into the rebuilding of lives and homes.

Thank you for reading and for keeping us in your prayers. Without you and those prayers we would not be able to continue the calling God has placed on our lives.

Blessings to all of you and until tomorrow.....Susan and Monty

It poured all day long!

Yes, it is very real!!!! It must be the biggest grasshopper I have ever seen in my life! And she didn't hesitate to pick it up and hold it, and do her fare share of scaring the rest of the girls with it! They sure do grow their bugs big down here!

It has poured rain all day, the first all day rain since we have been here. They talked about the monsoons and now I believe them. We are nearly 18 inches below the average rainfall so this is welcomed by all. It made for an excellent day to work inside.

And work inside is just what we did all day. We all dove into the back warehouse space we have here in the church and went through boxes and boxes and then more boxes of things that just needed organized. Monty and I made a trip to Lowes and picked up some shelving which really helped us get things out and where they need to be. We are still handing out food to those who come in and request it along with numerous health and beauty supplies.

We are starting to get things ready for the big outreach Saturday coming up here outside the church. There will be games and all sorts of things going on all day. It will be so much fun and all of the things in the back room needed to be gotten ready. We are not done and will continue working tomorrow but managed to make a huge dent in things today.

I have a special notice for Elmer --- we found your bag of money and will be sending it to you soon! :)

We were so thrilled to have Anita and her family from the Spanish Village come for a visit this afternoon. She has family visiting and she wanted them to come here, see the church where they have been coming and meet Diane who has spent so much time over there helping them get rebuilt. Pastor Rick made sure all of the children left with a stuffed animal to take home with them!

Today was one of those days that we have so desperately needed, one that we don't get very often. We need time to get and keep things organized as they can get out of hand so easily. We are so thankful for today and for the rain that kept us inside. As usual, God and His perfect timing!

Thank you again for all of your prayers. We also want to thank those of you who have been praying for Monty's step father, Tony. We spoke with his mother today and the doctors discovered Tony has blood pressure and sugar problems and he has a hernia. All of which are very treatable and we are so thankful it wasn't anything worse.

Please continue to pray for us and for all of the relief efforts that are going on all along the coast. Pray for a hedge of protection around everyone and for strength and peace for those families who are trying to rebuild their lives.

Until tomorrow....we love you....Susan and Monty

4th of July celebrations

Since my photos are backwards I guess I'll run through the day that way also!

The top 2 photos were taken this evening at the cookout we went to with a large group of families from our church here, The Refuge. The kids spent nearly all of their time in the trampoline arena and surprisingly with no accidents. We had enough food for a small army and it was delicious. I feel as though I have eaten enough to last me for a week but somehow know that by morning I'll be ready to eat again! It was nice to be in the company of so many people from church and get to know them a bit better. After the meal we packed in as many vehicles as possible and headed the couple of blocks to the beach to watch the fireworks. It was an amazing sight to watch them being set off over the water with the moonlight also bouncing off the small waves.

This morning we took off for Billy Joe Johnson's 97 foot houseboat on the Pascagoula river for a wonderful lunch. All of the Teen Challenge girls were there and you can see by the photos it was quite a large group of people! The girls spend every holiday at Billy Joe's and it's no wonder. You can see by the spread on the bar area that it was a feast! We had gar creole (gar is a fish), butter beans with sausage, fried catfish, smoked chicken, hushpuppies and all the usual fixins. Like I said, I should be full for a week! We watched the people going up and down the river in their pontoons, jetskis and bass boats. The river was the place to be on a day as hot and humid as today was.

Oh yeah --- the lady in the green shirt --- "single Christian lady..." :)
She is one of the leaders at Teen Challenge and has dedicated herself to helping these girls get a chance at a real life! She enjoys what she is doing and is such a joy to be around. (she'll flip to see I actually printed her words).

All in all it was a great day to celebrate our freedom. It was a holiday that I will never forget as I have never spent one like this. It was a fun day and we feel blessed to have been included in these peoples' family parties. It helps us when we think about our families back home and missing them on days like today.

It's just so awesome to realize the religious freedoms we have here and that we too often take for granted. It should be something we stop and celebrate more than just one day a year.

We thank these families and our families at home. We love you all!

Until tomorrow....God bless America. Susan and Monty

Unwinding

Empty tombs, bodies nowhere to be found. Houses found in places they shouldn't be found. Both in and near New Orleans. Both impossible to "fix".

I didn't know just how tired I was until I started to unwind a bit today. Last week I was sick each day with sinus who knows what. Combine that with working nearly 17 hour days for weeks on end and it does catch up with you, or atleast it has with me. Both Monty and I have decided to catch up on some much needed "down time" this week with it being a holiday and we don't have volunteers. I just didn't realize how long we have been going at this pace and how it will take some time to re-energize and recooperate in preparation for the upcoming teams the rest of this month.

The entire city seemed a bit calmer today also. Not as much traffic on the streets with alot of the businesses closed today for tomorrows holiday.

There may not be alot of "excitement" with this weeks blog entries but there will be daily entries to keep you up with what is happening.

I did talk with Delores today and her family is here for the holiday. Guess what she has them doing --- they are mudding and taping and sanding her walls! How's that for a holiday? I bet she isn't the only one who will be spending their holiday working. She said to say hello to the teams for her and that she loves all of you!

We will be going to 2 holiday get togethers tomorrow and feel blessed to be invited to both. When you are away from home with family and friends, especially on holidays, it's nice to be included with other peoples families. Be sure and stay tuned to hear about them. It should be a fun day!

Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday and also remember that our freedom came at a cost, not only our physical freedom but more importantly our spiritual freedom. Thanks to Jesus who paid the price for us we are truly FREE!!!

God bless America! Susan and Monty

Pictorial of New Orleans

This is what East New Orleans looks like, 10 months after hurricane Katrina. THIS is what you see EVERYWHERE you look! Not one building is left undamaged, not one! The water slammed cars into campers into boats into houses. In the one photo you will see a white spot on the roof, that is someones side by side refrigerator/freezer. If you will click on the blue house you will see the painting on it, it's for sale for $47,000.

The only thing cleaned up are the streets, and those were done by dozers only. Nothing has been touched with the houses or businesses. The trash is piled higher than the roofs of the houses. Windows are all blown out, doors pushed in and piles and piles of what used to be household belongings are either strewn into the streets or piled inside the homes covered with black mold. The smell of the mold while driving through is quite strong. In some homes you can see their clothing in piles. In others there is nothing left.

Every single business has been looted clean, nothing left anywhere. There was not one gas station open, one restaurant, one bank, one church, one grocery store, one pharmacy, one anything! There is no place to get water, food or any necessities. There were very few people in the streets, a few trying to clean up things but nothing to clean with. The only thing that will clean up anything is a bulldozer. The other people were just aimlessly walking around the streets.

Under the overpass you see the vehicles. The ones they have pulled from the rubble are lined up there. There is no place to go with them so they just piled them there. New, old - it made no difference. There are camper trailers along side of the road, 4 piled together, not one salvagable.

We didn't even take photos as we drove through the 9th ward. The military is still patroling and we went through quickly. After awhile the photos are even too much. There are cemetaries where the bodies were unearthed and are now missing.

It's no wonder relief efforts are not inside the city as yet, you can't send in relief if you have nowhere to house them, no church, no warehouse, no anyplace they can lay their heads. There isn't even power in most places. You cannot bring in volunteers if they have no way to get food or water or noplace to even use the restroom. Not to mention the safety factor. There have been over 18 murders there in the past couple of weeks!

And it's been 10 months! And people think it should be okay by now. I'd like to know the definition of "okay" if this is okay!

Before Convoy of Hope relocated us from Pascagoula to Gautier there was some thoughts of sending us closer to New Orleans. But they just aren't ready yet. They will be, someday, and when they are ready so will we be ready!

As I said last night, the only thing that kept going through my mind as we drove through was I wanted to get out and somehow start helping. My heart was breaking and at the same time God was speaking to me, telling me that we are following His calling on our lives and that there is so much to be done!

There was such a "death" feeling as we went through. I didn't see animals and only a few people. The plants are all gone, the big trees dead from being in too much water. No flowers, no landscaping in the subdivisions, no anything "live". I have never experienced that feeling before and didn't like it one bit! God brought us into this world to experience joy, His joy, and there is no joy anywhere around there! But God also brought us into this world to be His servants, to help His people, to help OUR people! The opportunities to serve will only grow and grow.

Most of this is out of the news by now. We hear a bit about it every now and then but the "newness" is gone. It's old news now and people only want to hear the new stuff!

I'll get on my "soapbox" once again and preach this message until I can't preach it anymore! We need YOU to help the coast rebuild their homes and more importantly, their lives! If you are not here, if you have not been here, you CANNOT fully grasp the depth of this destruction! But you can pray, you can do what you can do! EVERYONE can do SOMETHING! Nothing is too small. No one is unskilled. I beg of you to pray and search your hearts and find a way you can help. Find a way!!!!!!

Today is supposed to be a day of rest but I must be honest with you. Ever since we went and we saw what we saw I have not been able to rest! It stirs me to the depth of my soul and only wish I could use something more than a few photos and a few words to help you to understand! But that is all I have and I pray both will touch your hearts and you will know what you can do to help.

Thank you for caring, for caring enough to keep reading my heartfelt journal, for keeping us in your prayers. This job is not easy, but God did not promise easy! What He did promise is that He would be with us always and that is the prayer we need. Satan has been really tough on us today. Monty awoke to find a flat tire on the van. It had a 4" bolt, yes, a bolt, jammed in it along with 2 nails. It was really beyond repair but the men at Walmart took pity and did the best patch job they could. We need 4 new tires but that isn't in the budget so we look for God to provide in His always perfect timing. I awoke to find the closet where I keep my clothes to be literally infested with ants. They had made their way into my box of bathroom etcs and were imbedded in my toothbrush and covering the toothpaste tube. After alot of cleaning and spray they now are gone. These are the depths that Satan will go to when trying to stop us from doing God's will! he has no boundaries and we are constantly hit from all sides. We NEED your prayers and thank you for holding us up!

This is a holiday week and therefore we have no volunteers scheduled. This means there will be a halt to the work we have been doing in the homes. The homeowners understand this and look forward to when help returns.

Thank you again for all of your support. We love you and miss all of you!

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Susan and Monty

Goodbye Colorado

Due to the late hour last night (this morning) this blog will cover both yesterday and today. Very early this morning we bid farewell to our Colorado team. They worked late into the evening yesterday and you can see the results in Barbara's house in these photos.

The first photo is the unloading of our 300 sheets of sheetrock into our new warehouse facility, thanks to Brother Watson.

The next photo is an awesome group photo of not only the Colorado team but also our friends from home with Monty, Diane and I. Thanks to Cole for taking the photo!

You can see the wonderful cross inlaid in the tile surrounding Barbara's bathtub. Monty came up with the pattern and thanks to our expert tile layer it turned out great. Barbara has not seen it yet and I know this photo will surprise her (she reads the blog daily).

You can also see the tile flooring being installed. The entire house will be done in this flooring, thanks to Barbara's home church, Bethel Assembly and Pastor Tim's donation.

Sanding away in her kitchen pantry is Kim and daughter Rose. Elmer was around the corner, a family affair! It is now ready for primer and paint. Thanks guys!

The other half of the team was at Delores's all day. They brought over a couple of members that had been working in Barbara's in order to have some extra hands. They called Monty and needed his truck and trailer to pick up things they had purchased for her at Lowes. It was nearly 4 hours later but Delores ended up with 2 new toilets, a new tub, a new shower surround, a washer, a dryer and a hot water heater - all thanks to the generous hearts of the Colorado team! I wonder if Delores's tears of joy have stopped flowing yet! I know the team members had tears of their own flowing as they did not want to leave her. This happens all the time and just shows the hearts of love and service in the volunteers who choose to take time from their own lives, away from their families and come here to bless others.

It was another amazing week filled with blessings flowing back and forth from homeowner to volunteer and back again. With all of those blessings flowing back and forth they are bound to spill out onto Monty and I. Isnt' God awesome!

Yesterday afternoon we took some time to spend with Elmer, Kim and Rose. We had never made the trip to New Orleans and neither had they so we took off and went (only after changing out the alternator on Elmer's van)! I plan on putting a pictorial on tomorrow's blog and warn you that the photos are tough to look at. I pray I will find the proper words to use with them. All I wanted to do was get out of the van and start helping, but it isn't safe, the military police are still patroling the streets and .... you'll just have to see for yourself tomorrow.

I would encourage you to attend your home church, or a visiting one, tomorrow ... and pray for all of the victims here along the coastline. They have come a long way but still have an even longer way to go! They need your prayers, we need your prayers. Without them this entire relief effort will not be able to continue with the rebuilding of homes and lives! We thank you for your love, prayers and support.

Until tomorrow...count your blessings....Susan and Monty
PS: this is for Andrea C from NC. I know you are trying to reach me. Did you get one of our cards? I know Gwen has my phone number, give her a call and then call me asap! We miss all of you and will be anxiously awaiting your return trip!

Delores is blessed

The aftermath------vehicles that still lay in the rubble and piles of appliances that await the trash trucks to come and pick them up. No appliance can withstand salt water!

It all happened 10 months ago today and these photos were taken within the past couple of weeks ---- it's NOT over, it's NOT all okay!! The photos speak for themselves.

Today the blessings continued to flow and flow. Delores was the one who got to go along with Monty and her team to Lowes. It was a few hours but they came out with a new washer and dryer, hot water heater, 2 toilets and 2 shower/tub combos --- all thanks to her team! They wanted to bless her and her family and thank the Lord they did just that! She was so happy she donated a tub/shower combo to Convoy of Hope! We know the Lord will show us just who it should go to!

Barbara's team was busy getting the tile floors down. When I was there late morning they had the family room done and were working away in the kitchen and hallway. One of the team, Dan, is still there this evening working away. Monty finally went to pick him up and get him to the showers. They only have a couple of closets to prime and paint and will no doubt be pushing full steam ahead tomorrow.

We were blessed by Lowes this afternoon. They delivered 300 sheets of sheetrock. We have been out for quite some time so this is a great blessing and will probably go out as fast as it came in. We are so thankful for our new warehouse space, all 15,000 sq ft of it! Brother Watson blessed us by allowing Convoy to use his warehouse. We hope to fill it with all sorts of things to bless the communities.

Both of the teams took the afternoon to do some traveling and see the area. We always encourage teams to do this so they will see the full effect of the storm. I think they planned to make it all down the coast into New Orleans. We always try and prepare them for what they will see as it isn't easy to see all of the devastation. It seems that as you drive you hit a point where words just aren't descriptive enough! Our plan is to take Elmer, Kim and Rose on that drive tomorrow. Rose is working on a 4H project while she is here and making that trip will add to her project. Monty and I have not been all the way to New Orleans yet ourselves and thought this would be the time.

Be sure and stay tuned as I am certain we will have updated photos of what it looks like all along the coastline. It may be out of the news where you live but it is still headline news here! The longer we are here the harder and harder it is to remember what it looks like to be in a town where there isn't damage everywhere, where people are not all crowded into Lowes trying to find the materials they need, where conversations are anything but centered on desperation! Please keep everyone all along the coast in your prayers.

I just wish you could see it and experience it for yourselves! Think about it and maybe it is something God is calling you to do but you are too busy to hear His call?!

Be sure to thank God for the home you have and all the blessings He has bestowed on you and your families! NEVER take them for granted!

Until tomorrow....Susan and Monty

What a blessed day!

So you think it's been nearly 10 months since hurricane Katrina and things are probably getting close to being done --- these photos are for you! These are taken in Louisianna where some of the cities haven't even started with relief efforts!

I realize this is not in the news headlines any longer, unless you live here on the coast, but you all need to see the reality of things here on the coast! The water is still standing in places, the black mold continues to grow and contaminate everything and everyone and some of the clean up of debris is only in the beginning stages. You can see the boat piled with what used to be someones home along with vehicles mixed in like they were put in a bowl and the mixing blades turned on high! And like I have said repeatedly, this is not overseas, this is in our own backyards and these are our family members in Christ!

I beg you to keep reading this blog, keep praying for the residents and the volunteers who are desperately trying to regain their lives back! Pray that the volunteers keep coming to the coastal areas because without them this rebuilding will not happen! They have been coming in a steady stream but with the heat of the summer on us they have slowed down quite a bit in some areas. I pray this blog will move their (your) hearts to see the reality, feel the pain and act on that still, small voice that is tugging on your ear! Come join us in this effort and your life WILL be changed!

God was moving at high speed here today! Our teams were up and laughing and singing early this morning. When I came in at 7:25am they were chanting "we want devotions". They got their devotions and were on their way.

Today we kept the same 2 groups, one at Delores's house and the other at Barbara's. Delores's team that joined in the family birthday celebration last night had a blast and did not get back here until after midnight! It's that relationship thing again! :)

They were finishing hanging sheetrock, priming, painting, installing the microwave, paintint the soon to be baseboard, finishing the bathrooms and starting to lay the floor tile in Barbara's. They had planned on working till around 8 this evening and so far we haven't seen anything out of them so they must have kept going! We took them to the warehouse to get enough tile to finish the entire house and I must say their trailer had some weight on it! They are moving like a finely tuned machine and seem to be enjoying every minute, even if it is extremely hot!

The team with Delores is the same kind of machine! They leave in the morning with laughter on their faces and in their hearts! They also were to be finishing up the walls in her kitchen, spraying the texture on the walls and continuing in the what used to be her garage! I found a photo of Delores's kitchen the first day we went to see the house and showed it to them. They were shocked to see the improvements that have been made already! It gave them even more motivation to keep going!

Monty and I went over to one of our church members homes to repair a leak in their ceiling. They (Cindi and Wally) had lived in New Orleans. They evacuated before the storm and when they returned they found they had lost everything!! They decided to walk away and move here to Gautier. They bought a trailer and are living in a beautiful trailer park. It just needed a new vent to the bathroom and we got it taken care of in no time. We would ask that you keep Wally in your prayers as he had surgery yesterday and could use some uplifting.

We also had a wonderful meeting with our Convoy of Hope leaders this afternoon. They oversee all of the relief operations along the coast and are more than busy people! We always enjoy seeing them and today they had some great news. They are in the process of aquiring furniture. From the photos they had it is really nice furniture. We look forward to getting some of it here and know it will be such a blessing to those who need it. They also were able to aquire some sheetrock which will be delivered tomorrow.

Monty and I also went to check out yet another house and homeowner requesting help. She has all of her insulation and sheetrock at the house and this will speed the process greatly. We were also blessed when her college age son told us he would like to volunteer with us --- for the summer! He wants to learn construction and this is the place! We are so excited that he has a heart for serving and hope to keep him here with us until time for him to return to college. Here he is, in the middle of destruction himself, and he wants to go out and serve and help others! Another of those "God things" for sure! Thanks Steven, we welcome you aboard our team!

Today was Kim's birthday. She is here with her family and from our home church so we had a birthday dinner and birthday cookie when we got back! Just another example of a woman with a heart for others and who is willing to be here, working, sweating and dirty on her birthday! We love you Kim and thank you for being here! (you too Elmer and Rose)!

We also received word that one of our home churches will be bringing a group of volunteers down next month. They have nearly 20 people coming and it will be an awesome week of sharing and building hopes!

We thank those of you who have been keeping up with our blog and coming along with us on this relief mission. Without your prayers we know we would not have what it takes to get up and keep going day after day after day! Thank you and may God bless you abundantly!

Until tomorrow....rest in the safety of God's arms....Susan and Monty

Day 2 rockin' and rollin'

The day was in full speed ahead mode all day! The team was divided in two groups today. We did not work in Julia's house as she was gone for the day and some decisions will need to be made by she and Oscar before we continue much further.

One part of the group continued at Delores's house. They got the air conditioning hooked up in what used to be her garage and is now a work/family room area. They also managed to get the sheetrock up and get the final finishing on the kitchen area walls. This evening they were treated to a special treat, they were invited to go with Delores to a family birthday party and they were very excited. She took them to the showers and they told us they would see us in the morning! Like I have said repeatedly, relationships is what it's all about! Her husband is still dealing with the details of his auto accident and not home yet. Please keep them in your prayers. Both Delores and her daughter spent the day right in there with the volunteers sanding away! And they were still smiling this evening! :)

The other part of the group worked at Barbara's. Just as I thought, Barbara didn't stay home long. She called late last night and said she would be here today to meet the team. She just can't stay away as she doesn't want to miss any of the excitement! The team was thrilled to meet her and I would be willing to bet she will be back before the end of the week? They really made progress today. Kim and Rose joined in and painted doors and trim all day. The team was finishing sheetrock and getting the last few places hung. Monty and Elmer ran errands picking up supplies all day and they now have the tile that will go behind her tub and Monty plans a special surprise for that area. All of the baseboard trim is now on site and the team is busy getting it all painted and ready to go.

It's been another amazing day! Each team brings their own personalities and own goals once they get into the homes they "adopt" for the time they are here. It is so awesome to see them working together, getting stumped by things that come up and then working through and getting it all put together. Each team is "warned" that they will be working in conditions like they have never worked in before and it takes a couple of days being here for them to realize it is the truth! Thus the reason we pray for God's guidance and wisdom each morning in devotion.

Monty and Elmer spent the entire day together and Elmer had his first fried oyster PoBoy! He is from Kentucky but that just isn't far enough south to have experienced some things! He did enjoy all of the southern cooking this evening at the restaurant! He also learned that working here is like nowhere else!

I would like to send a very special thank you to Elmer and Kim's daugher in law, Monica. Your generosity in the form of the Lowes card is such a blessing! We thank you so much and pray God will return blessings to you a hundred fold!

And to Andrea C. from NC, you can call me anytime about the donation. If you don't have my number I know Gwen does. She should also have our email address. Thank you so very much!

To all of the NC team that has commented so wonderfully, we miss you all and are so glad you were so blessed in return. It is our hope and prayer that you will be coming back soon! You know where we live and know our door is always open to you!

It is just such a blessing to see how each team bonds with their homeowner and immediately become part of each other's families. God is an amazing God and we thank Him for all He is doing down here. We feel that something BIG is about to happen and feel so blessed to be a part of everything that is happening. We want all of you to be a part of it also, don't miss out!

We are fast approaching the 10 month anniversary of the hurricane and believe me, no one thought they would still be living in their FEMA trailers and still be trying to rebuild their homes and their lives! I received a call today from a woman asking me if we could "raise" her home. She is like Dane and must raise her home from its existing foundation before she can even think about rebuilding. It's tough to tell them that we are unable to do anything until it is raised.
Another phone call came in from an elderly woman who is caring for her blind husband and also needed help we could not supply. The calls come in all day long every day. Some we can help and add their names and situations to our "list". Still others need help we cannot supply. We would ask that you keep all of them in your prayers.

If you would like to help keep us here, working this relief effort, you can send your donations to us through our home church, Vineyard Community Church at PO Box 3277 in Bloomington, Indiana 47402. Please mark "Katrina" on your donation as you will receive a tax statement. Every $$ comes to us, the church keeps nothing for themselves. We are supported 100% by your heartfelt donations. Without them we would not be able to continue the calling God has placed on our lives. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Until tomorrow....we love and miss you all...Susan and Monty

Home is here!

To explain the title of this entry first, our hometown friends (family) Elmer, Kim and Rose arrived this evening. We are so happy to see family and are really looking forward to being able to share things with them this week!

Our team from Colorado divided into three teams this morning and off we went to the jobs.

The first stop was Delores's house. She was eagerly awaiting their arrival. She also told us her husband had been in a bad auto accident yesterday and although he is fine his truck is a mess. He was about 5 hours from here and is still working to get back home with some kind of vehicle. Delores was busy running errands for her team this afternoon and said they were doing a great job.

The next stop was Julia's house. She was also ready to meet new volunteers and they were going to start in an upstairs bedroom. The ceiling needed torn out and replaced along with the walls of her laundry room. Because her flood waters were lower we will only need to replace the sheetrock from the floor up to 48 inches. We should be able to get her well underway this week.

The last stop was Barbara's house. They immediately got started on the electrical as it is now turned back on and inspected. When we returned in the afternoon they had the one shower installed and had really been making progress. They will be concentrating on painting and all sorts of things tomorrow in preparation for the flooring to be installed as the very last thing. Barbara is staying up north with her family for a couple of days to get some rest but will be back to meet this team soon. She finds it difficult to stay away as it is so exciting to watch the progress and get to know the teams.

Monty and I spent the day with the usual errands and making a couple of stops checking on used car possibilities for Diane. Nothing came of any of our stops but we are praying God will drop exactly what she needs in our clear view!

This evening we attended the funeral of our dear friend Chad's mother. They chose to make it a celebration of her life and it was just that. Pastor Rick talked about how cancer cannot reach her into eternity and it was just what the family needed to hear.

I want to thank the NC team for their wonderful comments and tell them that we miss them! And thanks for realizing the drill was with you and for sending the means to replace it. Awesome!!!!

I would like to ask for prayer for myself. I don't like to do such a thing but I have somehow managed to catch a nasty summer cold and although I am fighting it with all I have it's getting the best of me at the moment. I know that with your prayers it will not take me down! Thank you!

Due to just that, I am cutting this a bit short and will take some time to visit with our friends who just arrived. We thank you for your prayers and support.

Oh yea! Please continue to pray for Monty's step father as he is not any better and will be undergoing some testing this week.

God bless! Until tomorrow....Susan and Monty

Delta Colorado arrives

Yes, the Colorado team arrived this evening, after being on the road for 2 days and staying last night in Dallas. They are a bit road weary but all in one piece and grocery shopping as I write this.

They will be dividing into 3 teams for the week. One team to return to Julia's and continue the clean up and tear out the ceiling in her upstairs bedroom where it caved in from the water. They will repair that place and do other repairs around the house as needed.

Another part of the team will return to Delores's house to continue with her sheetrock finishing and structural changes being made.

The last part of the team will be returning to Barbara's house. As usual, God has blessed us with exactly what we need in the way of team members. We have an experienced tile man on this team and it just so happens that Barbara's entire house will be floor tiled!!!!! God always knows and God always provides! They will also be painting the doors and casing around the doors and finishing the sheetrock along with priming and painting. This house could be VERY close to being completed this week so please keep all of the team members in your prayers.

We were blessed to have our Pastor Rick and Vickey back from their travels last week and he had a very thought provoking message this morning. The topic was "Submission"; a word no one likes to hear, let alone do. His points were right on as usual and I really appreciated hearing it put in the context he did.

Monty spent part of the afternoon at one of the church member's homes checking to see if we can stop some ceiling leaking in their bathroom. Looks like he will be working on that this week. We also have some light work that needs done in Pastor Rick's mothers house this week. Just another week where the work isn't hard to find!! :)

We also spent some time this afternoon looking for a good used car for Diane. Her church (Wisconsin) is supporting her for 9 months here but she doesn't have transportation. She has been here since February and getting by but really needs to find something good and affordable, not an easy combination. If any of you have any leads please let us know. She isn't looking for a Cadillac, just something that will get her from point A to point B without falling apart. The best case would be that it would also get her back home to Wisconsin in August when she is scheduled to become a grandmother, again. Keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground and let us know.

Tomorrow will be another Monday. Another day when the teams come in raring to go and ready to rebuild the city in a week! It's always so awesome and inspiring to see and feel their enthusiasm, to see their hearts of service and explosive energy. We are just so blessed to be coordinating the efforts here and thank God for placing us in His work. As usual, we ask for your prayers of wisdom and strength as we need both numerous times each day.

For those of you who would like to help support us financially in our rebuilding efforts, please take it to prayer and realize that we are not supported by any one church or organization. The ONLY means of support we have is through your donations. We do have a home at home and would like to keep it. Without your help we would not be able to answer the calling God has placed on our lives. If you feel moved to help, please send your donations to our church, Vineyard Community Church at PO Box 3277 in Bloomington, Indiana 47402. Please note "Katrina" on your donation as you will receive a tax donation receipt. We thank you for your generous hearts!

Until tomorrow....we love you all and miss you somethin' aweful!!!! Susan and Monty

They went home this morning

Here they are, as a group and some individually! What an awesome team and we had to say goodbye this morning. We pray for safe travel and also pray they are able to share the blessings they received here with their families and friends.

Last night was wonderful, once again. We did have to make some last minute changes as late afternoon blessed us with a downpour of rain like I have never seen! We managed to get 2" of rain in about an hour thus we decided to move the dinner inside. The devotion room became a restaurant and it was quite an evening of blessings and sharing and extending our families. We were also so pleased that Pastor Rick and Vickey were back and able to join us. Don and MaryAnn had prepared a feast and everyone was filled to the top. What a wonderful set of cooks, not to mention true believers. You see, they were out under their tents the entire time it stormed, MaryAnn singing "Jesus loves me" while Don took the broom and kept poking the tops of the tents to dump the water!

The team had gifts for all of the homeowners, a wonderful group photo of themselves, a Bible signed by all of them and a devotion booklet. Something they all will treasure for years and years to come. It was once again a time of sharing, singing and prayers. It gave Monty and I an opportunity to let them all know just what blessings they had been to us! Their spirits of joy and enthusiasm were contagious and their hearts of service and discipleship unsurpassed. Thanks again to all of you and thank you for allowing us to become a part of your families. We look forward to seeing you again sometime soon!

Since it was once again way after midnight before the festivities were completed I was not able to do the blog last night, thus being here in the middle of the afternoon today. This will be the entry for today also.

As I said, we bid farewell to the 5 vehicle convoy this morning and after finding space for the food donations they left behind for the daycare and school we took some time to get cleaned up before taking Diane for breakfast as today is her birthday!!!!!

This afternoon is spent trying to catch up on things, including laundry! We also are in preparation for our next team from Colorado who will arrive tomorrow along with our dear friends from home, Kim, Elmer and Rose who will be here Monday. It will be an awesome week and we are excited to meet new servants for Jesus.

This evening we are scheduled to have birthday with Diane and a family from the Spanish Village where Diane has spent weeks and weeks helping them rebuild. She has done so much more than rebuild their homes, she has become a part of their family and they want to join in the birthday celebration! Once again, a new life-long relationship! Praise God!

As I sit back and think about all that happened this week I see the hand of God! Each team that went to a homeowners home was the perfect team for that home. Each one was especially selected by God and placed there. It is so difficult to describe, one of those "you had to be there" things. But it was more reassurance that God truly is in control and is always with us, no matter where and no matter what. We see new blessings with every team and realize that this country is on the verge of something really BIG! God is moving so strongly and we see Christians taking a stand and following His calling and we see the results of both! The power of God is all powerful! No matter how and when and where Satan tries to stick his nose in and mess up things, God always wins!! All we need to do is surrender and offer ourselves up for His service! It sounds so easy yet can be so difficult! We are just so thankful to God for calling us and using us, just as we are, to do His work and His will!

We thank all of you who have supported us in our mission to rebuild after hurricane Katrina. For those of you who would like to start joining us in this effort you can send your support to our church, Vineyard Community Church at PO Box 3277 in Bloomington, Indiana 47402 and mark your support "Katrina" as it all comes to us, the church keeps nothing for themselves. Without your support we would not be able to continue our calling.

Tomorrow is the day we are privilaged to enter our houses of worship and praise and thank our Lord Jesus for all the blessings in our lives. We hope you will be doing just that. If you do not have a home church, find one! It will change your life like nothing else!

Until tomorrow.....Blessings, Susan and Monty
PS We would like to ask for special prayer for Monty's step-father, Tony, who is ill. And also for Chad, a member here at The Refuge, whose mother passed away. Thank you for remembering both of them.

NC pictorial part 2

The first photo is the children at vacation Bible school. Tonight is the last night and it looks like even more are here this evening. Praise God for the children!

The next 2 show the tent and complete setup of this team. When I said they came prepared I was not kidding! The one that is a bit dark is because it is taken during our evening praise and worship which is the highlight of the day!

The following 2 are the awesome couple who celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary, the head chefs of the group! They have not only endured the heat, they have cooked over grills and hot plates and who knows what all! They produce 3 meals each day and even though the heat index was 102 degrees today (no kidding) they are still smiling! What examples of service for the Lord!

The next 2 are of Delores's house during the construction phase. They got the kitchen cabinets installed now and have made such remarkable progress! We are so blessed that this team not only accomplished far more than we expected but that they built a relationship with Delores and her family that will last a life time!

The last 2 are taken at Julia's house. One is their lunch break and the other is her husband, Oscar, enjoying his front porch (the gary?) for the first time in 2 years! They also have far surpassed any expectations we might have had for their week! And they will also carry their relationship with Julia and Oscar for a lifetime!

This morning was quite sad for Monty and I as we had to say goodbye to our dearest friends, Joe and Dee Dee. They awoke us at 4:15am and were on the road by 5 am. We did hear from them this evening and they are home safe and sound. I really had a difficult time seeing them both go at the same time! But I did get myself pulled together in time for devotions, but fell apart then also. God blessed me with a full set of emotions and I don't have a problem using them to their fullest potential! :)

Monty and I also went to an elderly ladies's home this afternoon and shortened her front door so it would not drag on top of her new carpeting. She wasn't feeling well enough to come and see the results but was so very thankful and is nearly ready to get moved back into her home!

I hope you have enjoyed the pictorials and can feel the love and warmth coming from them. We have been so blessed this entire week with this awesome team, this team who has such a heart for the Lord and has done nothing but open and share that heart with everyone they have worked with. I just can't put it into proper words but God knows and that is what counts! Thank you, North Carolina! You will be in our hearts forever!

Until tomorrow, which will surely be filled with even more blessings and stories...Susan and Monty