Well, when I started this blog it's purpose was simply to share the story and some pictures of our trip. I thought it would be a very temporary blog, but it seems the adventure continues ....
We'll be going back to Grand Isle soon! After being devestated by Katrina, Rita came and dumped another 2 feet of water and mud over the island. In early November a group of up to 12 people (first come, first serve) will be heading back to Grand Isle to assist in clean up and do whatever work we find to do there. You can sign up for the trip beginning this Sunday, Oct. 3rd.
The Trip Itinerary looks like this:
Departing WRCOG 9:00 AM, Saturday, Oct. 29
Arriving Grand Isle 5:00PM Sunday, Oct. 30
Work days - Monday, Tues, Wednesday, Thursday
Departing Grand Isle 4:00 AM Friday, Nov. 4
Arriving WRCOG 11:00 PM Friday, Nov. 4
The Mission:
To serve and share Jesus through light duty clean-up work in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Qualities Needed in Volunteers:
Adult women and men with valid driver's slicense, good driving record, flexibility, courage, endurance, strength of heart, a testimony, ability to pack everything you need in one small (carry-on) suitcase and a willingness not to whine when yo'ure hot, tired and uncomfortable - or when things go wrong or when God changes our plans.
It is an exclusive privilege for our group to be welcomed back by the public officials. Expect to live and work in real-time Hurricane survival/emergency situation conditions. Don't expect electricity, running water, A/C, or flushable toilets (ask John L. of Hamilton, OH). We will sleep under roof, but on a floor, eat Red Cross food, drive long hours and work long days - a week of sacrifice to ehlp those who've lost so much!
To Be Included on the Volunteer List Do These Things:
Pray. Talke with the Lord. LIsten to Him. Seek His will regarding your participation. Everything about this journey will be God-directed.
Time Off. Talk with your employer and family. Be sure you can get the time away before you make a commitment to go.
Driving Record. Our church requires drivers of it's vans to submit a BMV driving record statement. If you don't already have one on file with Steve Morgan, please talk with Steve or call your local BMV for more information on obtaining a recored. We must have this on file before you can be included to go.
Emergency Authorization Form
*** Remember - First come, first serve. Spots on the team will not be "held". The firs 12 who do and turn in the thigns above will go.
What to Pack
Only what is absolutely necessary.
Everything must fint in one small airline size "carry-on" luggage bag. Included in the bag whoudl be 2 rolls of toilet paper and 2 small emergency meals that require no refrigeration or cooking - ready-to-eat, wilderness style - just in case the Red Cross meals fall through.
Also pack:
A small pillow and sleeping bag
A flashlight
Between meal snack (no cooler chests)
Food money
A camera
Work gloves and appropriate owrk clothing, shoes, etc.
Emergency grocery money
Small Bible
Insect repellant, sunscreen
A willingness to do anything we may be asked or required to do.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Benefit Concert
Sunday, Oct. 2nd at 6 PM there will be a benefit concert featuring many of our Winton Rd. singers and our Choir. A freewill donation will be taken with all money going directly to hurricane relief.
Many of the families affected by Katrina were military families. Some of these families have men currently serving in Iraq while their families at home lost everything. The concert will have a patriotic theme and we will be honoring our military.
Please help us get the word out.
Many of the families affected by Katrina were military families. Some of these families have men currently serving in Iraq while their families at home lost everything. The concert will have a patriotic theme and we will be honoring our military.
Please help us get the word out.
Trip To Meridian, MS
The second trip to Meridian MS will be to take furniture and household items to the families affected by Hurricane Katrina. Trip dates are Oct. 9 - 15
Drop off your donations on the following days:
Monday, Oct. 3 - Saturday, Oct. 8
10 AM to 6 PM
Below is a partial list of needed items:
Pots and Pans
Dishes
Cooking Utensils
Flatware
Glasses
Bed linens
Towels
Furniture
Electronics (TV, Video/DVD players)
Toys for the children (Playstation, Gameboy, games, etc.)
Drop off your donations on the following days:
Monday, Oct. 3 - Saturday, Oct. 8
10 AM to 6 PM
Below is a partial list of needed items:
Pots and Pans
Dishes
Cooking Utensils
Flatware
Glasses
Bed linens
Towels
Furniture
Electronics (TV, Video/DVD players)
Toys for the children (Playstation, Gameboy, games, etc.)
Monday, September 19, 2005
God's Grand Diversion to Grand Isle
Forty-four thousand pounds of meat and nowhere to put it! That’s what our Hurricane Katrina food relief convoy faced while sitting in the parking lot of the North Park Church of God in Meridian Mississippi.
Just three days prior, confirmed arrangements were made with the Red Cross to deliver and 18-wheeler packed with donated pre-cooked meat products and another truck packed with non-perishables. But upon arrival of our convoy from the Winton Road First Church of God (Fairfield, OH) the best of plans quickly began to unravel. Because the emergency needs and relief efforts in this disaster are fluid and daily changing, the Red Cross had just received another shipment that had packed their cold storage facilities to capacity. After hastily placing phone calls, we found that this was also the situation in other major relief organizations in the immediate region – even as far as Jackson, Mississippi.
With the help of Pastor Earl Wheatley, we were fortunate to at least make small food drops off at the Aldersgate Retirement Community and the Poplar Springs Nursing Center – both sheltering elderly hurricane victims who had been transported from flooded nursing homes. We also packed a church van full of boxed frozen meat to be delivered to Love’s Kitchen – a charity organization in Meridian, MS. However we were still desperate to make a food drop of the remaining 43,500 pounds of meat.
Then someone from Ohio called who had learned of our plight and had been making dozens of phone calls trying to help us find a place in need of food. It so happens that one man who answered the phone said, “Wait just a minute. My daughter from Grand Isle just came up for a visit and she may be able to help you.” Through this connection she forwarded the phone number that linked us to a councilman from Grand Isle, LA. Grand Isle is a fishing community on the southern most tip of Louisiana, a few hours south of New Orleans – six hours south of where we were. They said, “Come”. On the way there we learned that the island of Grand Isle nearly out of food and that they had just learned that morning that the Army Corp of Engineers had informed Grand Isle that Wednesday morning the severely damaged bridge (their only land link) would be close for three weeks for repair. Officials were scrambling to figure out a way for their relief workers and the 200 residents to survive. Then came the call telling us that they not only wanted the food, but that they were now in a position of dire need and were counting on us to deliver the food.
God’s grand diversion to Grand Isle was now in progress. We were concerned about road blocks near New Orleans but the police and National Guard freely granted us passage past road blocks.
On our last stop for diesel fuel before going any deeper into the destruction area, our situation became increasingly urgent. Something was wrong with the refer (refrigerated trailer). The temperature gauge showed a severere increase inside. There was now no turning back. Our shipment had to arrive and get unloaded quickly.
En route, Pastor Early Wheatley stayed in contact to monitor our progress. He also passed along the news that the food we loaded in his church van was gratefully received by Love’s Kitchen and that it had filled their eight empty freezers perfectly with no room to spare. It was just the right amount – something we could have not known when we were loading the van.
Upon arriving at the damaged bridge we unloaded half of the 18-wheeler by hand. A portable cold storage unit was waiting for us. We wondered why they didn’t take the entire 44,000 pounds over to Grand Isle, but that question was answered half way across the bridge. The national guard took the lead as they gave us an escort and recommended that we go very slowly and keep at least one concrete span of bridge distance between each of our trucks and car. A paramedic followed us over – just in case.
The bridge we were crossing was indeed severely damaged. Some of the damaged sections has shifted as much as 4 feet while others had broken apart and sank as much as 12 inches. Planks of wood has been placed between the sections to act as ramps between the sections.
On the other side we first unloaded the five pallets of food at the fire station where a crew of guardsmen were waiting. Then the officials cried out instructions – “take the rest to the church.” At the church, the National Guardsmen swarmed our trucks and quickly unloaded everything. As the last pallet of frozen meat was loaded into their storage unit, we noticed that it was once again a perfect fit. Like the shipment to Love’s Kitchen in Meridian earlier that day, this shipment to Grand isle was just the right amount. That could have only been orchestrated by a perfect God.
That night, the National Guard allowed us to bunk down with them at their Town Hall – one of the few structures that was not completely destroyed and that had generator power. We slept on Arm cots with Army sleeping bags just outside the door to the Mayor’s office. They kindly gave us their lunches for supper that evening and allowed us to eat breakfast with them the next morning before making what would likely be the last passage of civilians back across the damaged bridge.
Two days later, a city council member expressed his ongoing appreciation saying in a deep Cajun accent, Thank you so much! You fixed us up real good! We didn’t know what we were going to do but now we have enough food for a whole month!”
- Pastor Brian Buriff / Winton Rd. First Church of God / Fairfield, OH
Just three days prior, confirmed arrangements were made with the Red Cross to deliver and 18-wheeler packed with donated pre-cooked meat products and another truck packed with non-perishables. But upon arrival of our convoy from the Winton Road First Church of God (Fairfield, OH) the best of plans quickly began to unravel. Because the emergency needs and relief efforts in this disaster are fluid and daily changing, the Red Cross had just received another shipment that had packed their cold storage facilities to capacity. After hastily placing phone calls, we found that this was also the situation in other major relief organizations in the immediate region – even as far as Jackson, Mississippi.
With the help of Pastor Earl Wheatley, we were fortunate to at least make small food drops off at the Aldersgate Retirement Community and the Poplar Springs Nursing Center – both sheltering elderly hurricane victims who had been transported from flooded nursing homes. We also packed a church van full of boxed frozen meat to be delivered to Love’s Kitchen – a charity organization in Meridian, MS. However we were still desperate to make a food drop of the remaining 43,500 pounds of meat.
Then someone from Ohio called who had learned of our plight and had been making dozens of phone calls trying to help us find a place in need of food. It so happens that one man who answered the phone said, “Wait just a minute. My daughter from Grand Isle just came up for a visit and she may be able to help you.” Through this connection she forwarded the phone number that linked us to a councilman from Grand Isle, LA. Grand Isle is a fishing community on the southern most tip of Louisiana, a few hours south of New Orleans – six hours south of where we were. They said, “Come”. On the way there we learned that the island of Grand Isle nearly out of food and that they had just learned that morning that the Army Corp of Engineers had informed Grand Isle that Wednesday morning the severely damaged bridge (their only land link) would be close for three weeks for repair. Officials were scrambling to figure out a way for their relief workers and the 200 residents to survive. Then came the call telling us that they not only wanted the food, but that they were now in a position of dire need and were counting on us to deliver the food.
God’s grand diversion to Grand Isle was now in progress. We were concerned about road blocks near New Orleans but the police and National Guard freely granted us passage past road blocks.
On our last stop for diesel fuel before going any deeper into the destruction area, our situation became increasingly urgent. Something was wrong with the refer (refrigerated trailer). The temperature gauge showed a severere increase inside. There was now no turning back. Our shipment had to arrive and get unloaded quickly.
En route, Pastor Early Wheatley stayed in contact to monitor our progress. He also passed along the news that the food we loaded in his church van was gratefully received by Love’s Kitchen and that it had filled their eight empty freezers perfectly with no room to spare. It was just the right amount – something we could have not known when we were loading the van.
Upon arriving at the damaged bridge we unloaded half of the 18-wheeler by hand. A portable cold storage unit was waiting for us. We wondered why they didn’t take the entire 44,000 pounds over to Grand Isle, but that question was answered half way across the bridge. The national guard took the lead as they gave us an escort and recommended that we go very slowly and keep at least one concrete span of bridge distance between each of our trucks and car. A paramedic followed us over – just in case.
The bridge we were crossing was indeed severely damaged. Some of the damaged sections has shifted as much as 4 feet while others had broken apart and sank as much as 12 inches. Planks of wood has been placed between the sections to act as ramps between the sections.
On the other side we first unloaded the five pallets of food at the fire station where a crew of guardsmen were waiting. Then the officials cried out instructions – “take the rest to the church.” At the church, the National Guardsmen swarmed our trucks and quickly unloaded everything. As the last pallet of frozen meat was loaded into their storage unit, we noticed that it was once again a perfect fit. Like the shipment to Love’s Kitchen in Meridian earlier that day, this shipment to Grand isle was just the right amount. That could have only been orchestrated by a perfect God.
That night, the National Guard allowed us to bunk down with them at their Town Hall – one of the few structures that was not completely destroyed and that had generator power. We slept on Arm cots with Army sleeping bags just outside the door to the Mayor’s office. They kindly gave us their lunches for supper that evening and allowed us to eat breakfast with them the next morning before making what would likely be the last passage of civilians back across the damaged bridge.
Two days later, a city council member expressed his ongoing appreciation saying in a deep Cajun accent, Thank you so much! You fixed us up real good! We didn’t know what we were going to do but now we have enough food for a whole month!”
- Pastor Brian Buriff / Winton Rd. First Church of God / Fairfield, OH
Our Friends in the National Guard
These guys were just back from Iraq for about 3 months when they were called to Grand Isle to help with security and clean up. They were SO grateful for us. The put us up in Town Hall with Army cots, gave us their lunches to eat, their sleeping bags to sleep in, and watched over us through the night. I am especially grateful to Major "T" since I ate his lunch and slept in his brand new sleeping bag. I hated to be the first one to stink it up with my sweaty body and stinky feet. Sorry Major "T".
The Bridge Going to Grand Isle, LA
This was the bridge going to Grand Isle that had been severely damaged by a 12-20 foot surge. Look at the double yellow lines to get a feel for how shifted the broken sections were.
The Bridge
You can again see how far the sections of the bridge has shifted. Most of the sections had also dropped several inches.
Washing Dishes at the Holiday Inn Express
FEMA is supplying housing to evacuees in all of the area hotels for up to 2 weeks. After the two weeks is up the people have no idea where they will go or what will happen to them.
The area churches are all working together to feed the evacuees. The church we were at were cooking the food outdoors and then driving it over to 3 different hotels and setting up serving lines. We served at the Holiday Inn Express which let us use their facility to clean up afterward.
Water Sent by Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
This is a tent outside the Lake Charles Civic Center where the Red Cross stored drinking water that had been donated by Anheuser-Busch. This shelter was heartbreaking. People were sleeping on cots that were lined up next to each other stretching the lenght and width of the civic center floor. I did not take pictures of this shelter because I did not want to further invade the privacy of the people staying there.
A Shelter at a United Methodist Church
This shelter did it right. They put up partitions to give family some semblance of privacy.
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