Church Services at COCC. We had 30 in attendance.

This is Ben. Ask him about his Pandas. :)

Volunteers from the Richland Rd. Church of Christ in Marion, Ohio.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

I Know....I know.....You didn't think I was ever going to sit down and write in the blog again, did you?!?! :)

It's going to take awhile to get caught up. Things have been VERY busy for the DRT.

We are stationed in Barrett Junction, CA. We're working with the San Diego area churches of Christ following the recent wildfires.

We have set up a "tent city" area here in the back country. It is called the Churches of Christ Center (COCC). We are housing people who have been affected by the fires and need a place to stay. We're also providing over 1200 meals per week to the survivors of the fires here in this area.
We have a large distribution area where we provide supplies. We have volunteers going out to work with the families on their houses and lots and we have worship services here every Sunday. We've been having about 30-35 in attendance every Sunday. Another service we provide is showers and a laundry trailer. This has been a wonderful benefit to the community, they've had no electric or water and many are still staying in tents on their property.

Shirley Mansfield is in charge of registration. She has set up an awesome system and has everything on computer. Her husband Harry is in charge of making sure all of the generators are filled. (these are large generators that provide power to everything we have here as well as pumping in heat and air conditioning to the tents that people are staying in.) He makes sure our drink containers are always full in our dining tent as well as doing "a little bit of everything else" :) Mike Baumgartner works in the distribution tent and is doing a wonderful job of helping people with their daily needs as well as some occassional cooking. Marge Wood is our onsite bookkeeper as well as helping with meals, keeping the dining tent clean and supplied, washing towels from the kitchen and showers and many other things that are done "behind the scenes". Jimmy Nichols is in charge of taking the vounteer groups out to the job sites and keeping our trash emptied :) he is always keeping us laughing. He never has a negative comment and is a joy to everyone.

Tune back in for the update on our Christmas Party.

GREAT NEWS IN FINDLAY, OHIO

There have been close to 600 people helped so far here in Findlay, Ohio.
Since my last post we've had volunteers from the Mid-County Church of Christ in Troy, Ohio, Marion, Ohio, and another group from Norval Park Church of Christ in Zanesville, Ohio. We currently have a group from the Cox Blvd. Church of Christ in Sheffield, AL. and tomorrow have groups coming from Richmond Church of Christ in Richmond, KY. and from the Southgate Church of Christ. Saturday we have a couple coming from Huntsville, AL that will be bringing supplies.

We are so thankful to ALL of you who are praying, coming and working, bringing supplies, sending monetary donations, etc.

THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS!!! We are having visitors that we have been helping from the community at each of the worship services on Sundays and Wednesdays. PRAISE GOD!!!!
Our prayer is that the church here will continue with the follow up and that souls will be added to the Lords church.

SUPPLIES ARE NEEDED!!!

It is VERY busy here!! Red Cross has shut down. This is not a sign that things are ok here, this is just the way it is in a disaster area.....the Red Cross only stays for so long.
Now is when the people here in Findlay are really needing help. As hard as it is they are coming to the realization that they MUST throw away precious belongings and tear out walls, etc. Now is when they need the cleaning products, household supplies, furniture, etc. that their insurance did not allow for.

We are running extremely low on supplies. If your congregation is one that agreed to make up care packs for us......now is when we need them :) If you don't have them made up but would like to furnish the funds to allow for us to make them up here....please respond by phone or email as soon as possible to let us know. It is very needed and the community has been very appreciative of the church here in Findlay.
The seeds are being planted today......PLEASE help us reach out.

With this being said......vounteers are still desperately needed as well to help with the clean up and disinfecting stage.

You may call my cell phone 937-308-2259 or email disasterrelief@hotmail.com to make arrangements to ship the care packs, let us know funds are on the way or to schedule a trip to volunteer.

Funds can be mailed to:
Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
C/O Melbourne Church of Christ
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, FL. 32904

FLOOD CLEAN UP

These are some pictures the Norval Park group from Zanesville, Oh. took while they worked with us yesterday.

In case you can't tell by the picture......the washer is FILLED with muck and yuck!

Flooding is such a nasty, disgusting job to clean up after! We are so appreciative of all who are volunteering their time!!

FINDLAY GOING STRONG

The church here in Findlay is reaching out to many in the community. We've had many coming in for supplies as well as signing up for assistance with their houses.

Today we are blessed to have volunteers from the Millersburg Church of Christ as well as the Norval Park Church of Christ in Zanesville, Ohio. They are doing an excellent job sharing the Love of Jesus through disaster relief. They are doing some nasty work on these houses, we are so thankful for them!!
PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING.......we are in desperate need of more volunteers! It is dirty work but VERY rewarding!! :)

Many of you have sent the care packs that your congregation made up and we are so thankful for that!! We recently "revamped" the care pack program, if you would like a copy of the new items that go in the care packs, please email me. disasterrelief@hotmail.com


****IF YOU SIGNED UP THROUGH OUR WEBSITE TO VOLUNTEER OR RECEIVE UPDATES THROUGH EMAIL................

I am asking you to please sign up again. My computer (along with the backup CD) was stolen. There was no information on the computer from any of you that would cause an identity problem, etc. for you, however I no longer have your email addresses or the forms that you filled out to volunteer.

YOU ARE NEEDED

Yesterday was an excellent day of reaching out to the community here in Findlay, Ohio.
We have had a steady stream from the community coming to pick up supplies.

The stories you hear are so sad. One of the families told of having their house flooded then a few days later it caught on fire. Many of these families have no flood insurance. They did not live in a zoned flood plain and were told they did not need it. Now they find themselves with either no house to live in or one that is quickly becoming filled with mold. Walls and flooring need tore out, basements, crawl spaces and living areas need bleached to stop the mold.....vehicles, furniture, appliances have been ruined by the flood.

You have been so generous in the past and I know once again you're asking............

What can I do to help?!?!?!

Your help is needed through financial donations and volunteering.

Volunteers are needed to help with distribution, answering phones, assessment, bleaching houses, helping with clean up and debris removal and when houses are dried out, rebuilding.

The financial donations help to purchase building material, houseshold supplies, furniture, etc. for those without insurance.

TO VOLUNTEER......please call me (Laura) at 937-308-2259

We will house you, feed you, and have the work all lined up for you when you arrive. We also have our shower trailer here!! Doesn't get any better than that, does it?!? :)

TO HELP FINANCIALLY.......

You may donate online through our website.. http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org/

or by postal mail to:

CHURCHES OF CHRIST DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM

C/O MELBOURNE CHURCH OF CHRIST

810 HOLLYWOOD BLVD.

WEST MELBOURNE, FL. 32904

FLOODING IN FINDLAY

Well.......it has been a very long time since I've updated this blog!!

Between computer problems, then having my computer stolen, getting our house finished and putting it up for sale.....Anyway....the house is done and up for sale (that's how we help to support ourselves) I now have a new computer and we're "good to go" :)

We are now in Findlay, Ohio working with the Bright Rd. Church of Christ following the recent floods. Over 4,000 structures have been affected here and many are without flood insurance.
We have a few of our coordinators with us. Harry and Shirley Mansfield from Texas and Marge Wood from Lancaster, Ohio are here with us coordinating the relief efforts.

Today we have volunteers from the Norval Park Church of Christ, Zanesville, Ohio working with us. They brought school supplies, cleaning kits and personal care kits with them and will be working with those who have had flood damage to their houses.
The church here in Findlay have had several members go out and help members of the community work on their houses.

We are in desperate need of volunteers. If you are able to help please call me at 937-308-2259 to schedule.

Funding is also desperately needed to help those without insurance. If you are able to help in this way please send to:

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
C/O Melbourne Church of Christ
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, FL. 32904

BE PREPARED

Tornadoes seem to be all around us this year and it sounds like hurricanes could be coming our way as well. Please help us (and you) to be prepared.

We've been receiving an excellent response from many of you approving our request to use your parking lots as a staging site should a disaster occur in your area and we thank you. We still need MANY, MANY more of you in the following states as well as the states we haven't heard from yet. So far we've heard from:
ALABAMA
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
KENTUCKY
MISSOURI
NORTH CAROLINA
OKLAHOMA
SOUTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
VIRGINIA

If you haven't emailed to let us know your congregation is willing to allow us to use your parking lot as a staging area should a disaster occur in your area, please consider it. It is a wonderful outreach and really helps to have things in place "BEFORE" a disaster happens. We need the final approval to be from an elder of the congregation though, the only exception would be if you don't have elders at this time.

MMMM.....MMMMM.....GOOD!!!! :)

The mobile kitchen has kept us busy here in Greensburg, Kansas. We've served approx. 4500 meals. The elders of the Mullinville Church of Christ have taken time during the lunch hours to come and meet with those that eat with us. Sitting and talking, mainly listening with an understanding ear. The kitchen is a wonderful outreach ministry. We've had visits here at worship service and have a Bible study set up.
There is a lot of work that goes into the kitchen work and we've had many volunteers helping. To all of you that have spent countless hours....and there have been many, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to LARRY for teaching me SO MUCH about the kitchen!!! Larry used to cook in the Army among other places and I learned so much from him. You ALL helped tremendously and it could not have taken place without ALL OF YOU!!!

Many think that when you have "free food" at a disaster area you get hot dogs, sandwiches, etc. we feel that it is very important for those that have been through a disaster to have a well balanced home cooked meal. Here is a list of just a few of the items on our menu that we've served over the last couple of weeks.

French Chicken (Chicken & Rice)
Green Beans
Mixed Fruit
Salad
Roll
Dessert
Drink

Baked Spaghetti
Hominy or Green Beans
Baked Potatoes
Fruit
Roll
Dessert
Drink

Grilled Chicken
Corn
Fried Potatoes
Salad
Roll
Dessert
Drink

Fresh Kansas Beef Cheeseburgers w/
Lettuce/tomato/onion
baked beans
Macaroni & Cheese
Mixed Fruit
Roll
Dessert
Drink

Swiss Chicken
Lima Beans
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Salad
Dessert
Roll
Drink

Double Cheese Meatloaf
Baked Potatoes
Corn/Green Beans
Salad
Roll
Dessert
Drink

Enchiladas
Refried Beans
Rice
Salad
Roll
Dessert
Drink

2007 HURRICANE SEASON

I decided to be the only person who didn't mention the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season yesterday. :) However......there always seems to be a however doesn't there??! :) The 2007 hurricane season did begin yesterday and we have now already had 2 named storms. If the forecasters are correct we have another 15 named storms to go.

****This brings me to something we'd like to discuss with you. ******

We are looking for congregations of the Church of Christ who will give us advance approval to use your parking lot as a staging area for our equipment should a disaster occur in your area. We are a 1st Response Organization and need to be "on the ground" immediately following a disaster. Many times following a disaster cell phone towers are down and it is basically difficult to get in touch with all the elders, etc. in a congregation to make this decision immediately. If this approval is given in advance we can come in immediately and reach out to those affected. We are completely self-contained and all we need is the use of a portion of the parking lot. This response can be done by email, however it must be done by an elder of the congregation.
While no one wants a disaster in their town, disaster relief is very helpful to the members after a disaster and is a very effective way to reach the lost in the community.

PROGRESSION IN GREENSBURG

Things are progressing here in Greensburg. Some think it's quicker than expected.... others think not so much. Dealing with city issues after a disaster are always the same in some respects no matter which city we're in. Things change from day to day keeping homeowners on edge not knowing for sure what is going on or what to do next. Meetings after meetings take place. But things will come together as they always do. Unfortunately it's just one more stressful situation for the community.

I pray that as those of us that are working with the community of Greensburg can bring just a little bit of hope to those that have been through so much since May 4.

My favorite part of working with DRT is spending time with the community as they come in to eat with us at the kitchen and talking with them. They have the need to share their stories and I have the desire to know their story. I want so much to just reach into them and take all the pain away. I also know that many times going through some of this pain can make us grow so I listen, I hug and I pray....I pray that each one of them will reach out to GOD as they go through this time. I can't imagine going through something like this and not having GOD in my life. Those without HIM must feel so empty. Please join us in praying for those that we've been working with here in Greensburg.

Well....it seems to be a normal thing for Kansas, but once again we have severe weather predicted for tonight. We had it last week also and had to make a 1:30 am trip to the ministers house to go to the basement during a tornado warning (nice of him to invite us to a party in the middle of the night, huh?). Sure hope we don't have to do that again tonight.....sure makes for a rough day the next day.
I think I'm starting to feel my age as we spend 14-16 hours everyday working here in Greensburg. Even though my kids think I'm "ancient" ...... I'm really not!! :) Just a little tired right now, but nothing that a good night's sleep won't cure. HOPEFULLY! :)

GREENSBURG, KANSAS COPING

Much is being accomplished in Greensburg. However......if you were just traveling through it wouldn't look that way. We can now basically see from one side of the town to the other since most of the structures have been demolished.

The homeowners along with help from many volunteers have spent countless hours digging through rubble to find what is left of their belongings....just a little something that might help them remember the past. Things that before the storm would have seemed like trash now become treasures as they sift through years of broken memories.

As we are working in the community we are hearing wonderful comments about the outreach of the Mullinville church. We are thrilled to be a part of the relief effort here. The Mullinville church is about 80 in number and full of hard working brothers and sisters who are working daily reaching out to the community.

The tornado moved this house to the middle of the street.

This is the other side of the same house that the tornado moved to the middle of the street. Someone with a sense of humor planted the "Red Dorothy Shoes" and witches hat. :)

Within a day or two I will put some pictures on here showing what it looks like now.

We have been serving hundreds of meals to the community and have been talking to several families who have no insurance. With many working together for the LORD, much can be accomplished! If you are able to help financially in some small way, you may donate online through the website or by postal mail. http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org or

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team

C/O Melbourne Church of Christ

810 Hollywood Blvd.

West Melbourne, Fl. 32904

VOLUNTEERS--THE LIFELINE

Debris is getting cleaned up.. So far 15, 500 truck loads of debris have been taken to the dump. That is alot of debris!

YOUR MEAL IS NOW SERVED......Volunteers have been very busy working in the DRT mobile kitchen preparing and serving meals everyday in Greensburg to the tornado survivors as well as other volunteers and workers. We are receiving an excellent response to these home cooked meals and hundreds of meals are being served.

Thanks to the volunteers from KENTUCKY, KANSAS, TEXAS, ARIZONA, OHIO, NEBRASKA and OKLAHOMA coming to work with DRT much is being accomplished! Volunteers have helped the survivors dig through their belongings to find pictures, cherished heirlooms, money, you name it....they are helping them find it. They have also been sitting, talking and mainly listening with the survivors when they come to eat. This has been very theraputic for the community.

The volunteers have been also hauling debris to the street, working in fields to remove debris so the fields can be prepared. They've been working in the church building helping with distribution of supplies....they've been very busy....all the while being a shining light to the community in the name of Our Lord.



I'm working on getting pictures for the blog. When I left home I happened to grab the wrong cord that goes from the camera to the computer and the closest Wal-Mart is about 35 miles away. I'm working on making it over there to have a disc made.



There are quite a few people in Greensburg with a sense of humor though. We see signs in front of houses that are all down except for maybe one room with a realtor sign in front that says "OPEN HOUSE" I thought that was pretty cute.

There was a house in the middle of the road when we first got here, someone had put red shoes sticking out from under the house and a witches hat beside it. Perfect for Kansas. I have pictures. Just have to get them on here for you.



These survivors have to keep a sense of humor or life is very difficult to continue on. There is such complete devastation and destruction. Please continue to keep all these in your prayers as well as those of us that are ministering to them.



Funding is needed to continue here in Kansas as well as funding for upcoming 2007 storms. You may do so online through our website http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org or by postal may to:



Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team

C/O Melbourne Church of Christ

810 Hollywood Blvd.

West Hollywood, Florida 32904

ENCOURAGING

This is the word that comes to mind as I think of all of you who are so giving of your time and resources to help those in Greensburg, Kansas. You have prayed, hauled trailers, put together care packs, sent funding, loaded trailers, you've pulled brush and debris, cooked meals, cut down trees, sat and listened with an understanding ear to the disaster survivors...the list goes on and on. Thanks to John McGuire and his son for getting one of our supply trailers where it needed to be and then loading it :)

We are so appreciative to Luther and Patty Honey for making sure our shower and kitchen trailers got out here to Kansas from our Florida base site.

We've been very busy and have had some terrific help in the kitchen. Today we served a total of about 125. The number has been increasing daily as people find out we are serving food. You have to remember NO ONE lives in Greensburg right now. There is an 8:00 - 8:00 curfew and EVERYONE including homeowners have to be out. So we are serving food to homeowners who come in to work on their property, county and city workers, volunteers, etc.



We've also been having a great response in volunteers coming in to haul debris to the street, help people go through their belongings, cut down trees, etc. Many families are being helped and hearts are being touched.

I write this section with a heavy heart. Today Mark was talking to a man who had stopped by for dinner. He had a broken knee cap and damaged leg, as they were talking to him they learned that his injuries were sustained by a guardrail coming through the house. The guardrail had killed this man's wife as it came barreling through the house. This man is in great emotional pain as you might imagine, PLEASE, take a moment right now and pray for him.

It is volunteers like many of you who make a difference in the lives of people like these. Please continue. DRT is here to make a difference....to show the LOVE OF JESUS. If you've done any of of the things listed in the first paragraph (and I'm sure I've left out many things) then....."YOU" are part of the team and we're thankful you are.
We're getting responses about help with the computer for Starla. If you are able to help, please email me at disasterrelief@hotmail.com

Stay tuned for more updates....

I'M LEARNING FROM THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS

You've seen the pictures..... you've heard the news reports....but until you are actually here on the ground walking among the tangled belongings strewn through what was once the town of Greensburg it isn't real. Even being here and seeing it in person it doesn't seem real. Mark and I have been doing disaster relief for 15 years and seeing the total devastation is still mind boggling.

The people we've met here in Kansas are so appreciative of any assistance, actually they usually tell us, "help someone else first, there are others that need the help more than I do" when we know they need it just as much as anyone else. I can't tell you how many times we've heard people say that and we've only been here a short time. It just makes you want to help them all the more. You can tell the people here are used to being the ones giving and not receiving, I just tell them that they are depriving someone else of the blessings of giving so please allow others to reach out and receive that blessing by helping them. They understand then and with a smile they will accept the help.

Jerry and Starla live in Greensburg. They lost their house, vehicles and all their belongings. Not only this but Starla had a framing business in downtown Greensburg and lost her business as well. Through all this, Jerry and Starla are putting GOD first. They have agreed to allow DRT to set up our relief effort on their property. Their property became top priority to make this happen and the heavy equipment was brought in today to tear down the house, etc. along with volunteers to clean up after them. The site is now ready for our kitchen and trailers, etc.
WE NOW HAVE SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO DO FOR THEM...... Starla also lost her computer in the storm. If you can help with the purchase of a new computer so we can surprise Starla, please let us know.

GREENSBURG, KANSAS

We have a team preparing to leave for Greensburg, Kansas. From the information we have received so far there have been 10 families in the church there who have lost their homes and all of their belongings. As you can imagine, the church and the town is still in shock.
DRT will be taking the 30' mobile kitchen, 1st response tool trailer, supply trailer as well as RV's for volunteers to stay in.
I can hear you asking yourself, "I wonder what I can do to help"............. Well, I'm glad you're asking :) We do have some suggestions.

1.We are in need of drivers to help pull some of the above trailers to the Greensburg, Kansas area. The mobile kitchen is a gooseneck and is located at our coordination site in High Springs, Florida as well as the pull behind RV's that are needed. The 1st response and tool trailer are located in Troy, Ohio.

The following are the types of volunteers we are anticipating needing very soon upon our arrival in the Greensburg, KS. area.

Cooks
Counselors
Clean Up Crews

Please keep watching this blog as well as the website for further information.
If you are able to help in any of these ways please sign up on the website.

Please keep those affected by this disaster in your prayers as well as those that will be ministering to them.

WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT YOU?!?!?

We are thankful that so many of you are allowing GOD to work through you by coming and being part of DRT and reaching out to those affected by disasters. So many lives are being touched especially this month because many college and school groups are coming and working with us instead of the many other things you could be doing on your spring break. We appreciate you so much!

This week in New Orleans we are blessed to have the campus ministry group from PURDUE UNIVERSITY and from what I hear from our onsite coordinators they are an "excellent" group!! We appreciate the time you are taking from your spring break to serve the LORD and the community of New Orleans. We also have a group from
KILGORE, TEXAS and our home congregation of TROY, OHIO this week. We thank you for coming as well and always look forward to our Texas and Ohio groups coming and working with us!

We have an excellent team of coordinators in New Orleans working these (3) weeks. Mark and I are so appreciative of all of you!! Marge (Lancaster, Oh.), Mike (Cape Canaveral, FL.), Bob (Sidney, Oh.), Duane (Piqua, Oh.), Bill (Piqua, Oh) thanks for all you are doing!!

**Update on Hunter** Thank you so much for your prayers for our grandson Hunter. He is now home from the hospital and doing well. He has a cast from his toes to his hip. (This surgery was one of many surgeries he has had since he was born with a club foot) He is doing very well however it is much more difficult for him this time since he's older. He is 2-1/2 and isn't allowed to put any weight on his foot for 3 weeks. Please continue to keep him and his mommy and daddy in your prayers.

HELP NEEDED!!

We appreciate so much all your prayers for our grandson Hunter!! He is doing terrific and should get to come home tomorrow.

As you know DRT is coordinating the relief effort in Enterprise, AL with the College Ave. Church of Christ. I spoke with Mark this afternoon and they are in desperate need of volunteers to work on houses. There are over 1,000 houses that were damaged or destroyed in Enterprise. The media focused mainly on the high school which was a horrible tragedy but they didn't also show the many, many families whose lives were affected by their houses being ripped apart by the tornado.
Let's help the church in Enterprise reach out to their community. Please consider making a trip to Alabama to help with this great work.
If you're interested in volunteering, please call Laura at 937-308-2259 or email at disasterrelief@hotmail.com

SPRING AHEAD :)

REMEMBER TO:
SPRING YOUR CLOCKS FORWARD TONIGHT :)

Mark is at the Florida Bible Camp meeting up with all of the DRT coordinators.
Mark and Jimmy will be bringing one of the tool trailers and our RV and heading to Enterprise, AL today.
Marge, Mike, Bob, Bill and Duane will be heading to New Orleans to begin the work camp at Hickory Knolls.
I am still in Ohio. I am coordinating volunteers by phone from here so I can be here with my grandson when he has surgery on Monday. My plans are to then leave for Central Florida to check on things there and to take the supplies that have been collected. From there I will head to Enterprise, AL.

I hope you are planning on coming to work with us in Alabama, we need you. If you are willing to volunteer, please email or call. disasterrelief@hotmail.com
or call Laura at: 937-308-2259

ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GULF COAST

As I sit here thinking of all the things I want to tell you, my mind is racing. There are so many people out there desperate for help. I want to be there with them, holding them, telling them of GOD'S LOVE for them.....I will be there and I will do all of those things along with many of you just as we've done many times before......But first let me give you an update of what is happening with the DRT efforts in several areas around the country.

On a personal note: Our 2 yr. old grandson (Hunter) will be having surgery Monday, March 12. Please keep him in your prayers. Thanks! Laura

• ENTERPRISE, ALABAMA

IMMEDIATE NEED-- Plywood/OSB sheathing for roof/window covering. If you can help with this need, please call Mark Cremeans at 937-308-0035.

VOLUNTEERS--DRT is coordinating volunteers to work with the College Ave. Church of Christ in Enterprise, AL. we are currently working on obtaining housing, etc. for volunteers. Please call Laura to volunteer at 937-308-2259.

• CENTRAL FLORIDA

DRT is collecting small kitchen appliances, sheets and blankets to help furnish the mobile homes. If you would like to donate new or items in VERY GOOD CONDITION, please call Laura at 937-308-2259.

DRT is fundraising to purchase mobile homes for those without insurance. If you are able to help with funding, you can donate through our website at http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org or by mail at:

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team

C/O Melbourne Church of Christ

810 Hollywood Blvd.

West Melbourne, Florida 32904

• GULF COAST - NEW ORLEANS - (KATRINA RELIEF)

The DRT is working with the Hickory Knoll Church of Christ in New Orleans. We have a 3 week work camp scheduled for March 12 - 31. We praise GOD for the following groups who have volunteered to come in and work for the LORD!

Purdue University- COC Campus Ministry

OK. State University -- Stillwater COC Campus ministry

Freed-Hardeman University

Memorial Parkway COC

Harding Academy

Auburn University -- COC Campus Ministry

Kilgore, TX

Troy, TN

Mid-County Church of Christ, Troy, Ohio

Please continue to keep the DRT in your prayers as we work in these communities.

ENTERPRISE, ALABAMA

Enterprise, Alabama Tornado Destruction





These photos were sent to me by Chad Trott from the Enterprise Church of Christ in Enterprise, Alabama. DRT will be working with the Enterprise Church of Christ reach out to their members and community. Please keep watching for information on how you can help as well as keeping this community in your prayers!

WINTERFEST -- AWESOME!!

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

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

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!!

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!!

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!!!

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.

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

HUGE NEWS FLASH!!!!

GROWTH, CHANGE, PROGRESS
Hurricanes, Tornados, Floods……… Whatever the calamity, remember that GOD Rules!!

Today, tomorrow, and forever… His reason for what we as humans label a disaster may be for cleansing our spirit, building our faith, testing our resolve, or providing us, as Christians, the opportunity to teach His Word while ministering to the survivors needs for food, clothing and the other necessities of life.

Great News! The Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team (DRT) continues to grow.

5,000 + volunteers, responding through DRT to assist the survivors of disaster reclaim their lives, attests to the fact that support from many congregations in the U.S. were responsible for the rapid growth of DRT. This is surely most pleasing to our God.

After much prayer and consideration for handling this rapid growth, the Somerset, Ohio elders and the DRT directors have agreed that it would be in the best interests of DRT to be under the oversight of a larger eldership and better located geographically. The Somerset eldership has clearly exhibited their dedication to the Lord’s work during the time DRT was overseen by them. We pray the Lord will richly bless them as they endeavor to serve HIM.

MANY EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES ARE AT HAND!!

With the growth of the mission comes greater responsibility in providing for the needs of those affected by disaster. The elders of the Melbourne Church of Christ in Melbourne, Florida have agreed to oversee the Disaster Response Team ministry as well as work closely with DRT.

Near Gainesville Florida, the Florida Bible Camp has offered 5 acres to the ministry to be utilized as a home and mission staging base. This staging and storage center for disaster relief coordination will help in providing and distributing tools and services quickly as it’s location in north-central Florida is near both I-75 and I-10.

The mission of DRT remains the same and that is to bring the good news of the gospel to disaster survivors through disaster relief efforts. The only thing that will change is the address.

All that being said, when the hurricanes didn’t come this year we lost a lot of support, both financial and volunteer. MANY PEOPLE HARMED BY THE PAST YEARS STORMS ARE STILL IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE!! If you wish to help, please contact Mark or Laura Cremeans at 937-308-0035 or send a donation to the address below.

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team

810 Hollywood Blvd.

West Melbourne, Florida 32904

321-723-8233