TALK ABOUT A GOD THING.........

Talk about a "GOD" thing....have I got stories for you!...........
First let me say that GOD is truly blessing this ministry. Without GOD none of this would be possible. It is so awesome to stand right here and see GOD work!

CASE #1

Last week I checked to see what items were needed in Cedar Rapids (as you remember, I'm still in Ohio helping my mother who has a recurrence of breast cancer) well anyway........they said they were going to be needing cleaning supplies, especially bleach. I hadn't yet put the word out about that need whenI received a call from a newspaper in Fort Dodge, IA. Her name was Regina and she said that they wanted to put a semi out in front of a store to allow the customers to donate items that we needed. "What do you need most", she asked........hmmmm let me think...CLEANING SUPPLIES AND BLEACH!! Well, this morning I received a call about 9:30 am from the semi driver that he was a block away with a semi load of cleaning supplies, etc. YEP......a "GOD" thing!! Of course, He took care of that need.

CASE #2

Saturday Mark called me. "Just checking on the funding", he said. "We are in need of more generators to run the fans and dehumidifiers in these houses" .......I checked on things (funding is still low) and we agreed that if he could get a good sized discount for purchasing 3-4 generators that he should go ahead. WELL..........about 1/2 an hour later in walks a man with a semi........He is with Harbour Contractors Inc. out of Plainville, IL. He tells how he had a semi load of new, ("very good quality", Mark tells me in a SUPER EXCITED tone of voice.) tools (generators, power sprayers, etc.) He said before he left home he and his brother prayed to GOD to direct them to the right organization to donate these tools to. He first stopped at FEMA, they said they couldn't accept them......his next stop was Red Cross who said they couldn't accept them but that we were accepting donations and sent him to us. YEP, $40,000 - $50,000 worth of tools donated and just the items we needed. Don't tell me that's not a "GOD" thing!! We are thankful to and praising our LORD!!

CASE #3

I talked to Mark today. (imagine that!) :) He was telling about a need that they had today for baby items and how (Dawn - from the church in Cedar Rapids) had just received a call from a lady that wanted to donate money but she really wanted it to go for........you guessed it.........INFANT ITEMS!! Another "GOD" thing you ask?!?!?
I BELIEVE SO!!! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT! PRAISE GOD for providing what is needed.

I'm sure I'll have many more to tell you about, these were just the ones in the last couple of days! :) I'm sure there's more that I don't even know about.
GOD IS GOOD!


Below are pics of some of the DRT volunteers in Cedar Rapids, IA.

SHIRLEY CARD - SIDNEY, OHIO-(MID-COUNTY CHURCH OF CHRIST-TROY, OHIO) -WORKING IN CEDAR RAPIDS


VOLUNTEERS IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IA

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. MORE VOLUNTEERS

This is Richard.

How Many Richards Can We Help?!?!

His name is Richard. He lives in Cedar Rapids, IA. and Richard has cancer.
Richard is like so many others in the flood stricken areas in the Midwest. They all have their stories to tell, their stories are all different but yet the same.

Richard relays to the needs assessor for DRT how he has beaten cancer once and now that it has returned and become 2 different types of cancer he says he will beat it again. Richard is optimistic even though he has just been through a horrible ordeal with the flood in Cedar Rapids. Richard had just purchased all new appliances about (1) year ago........then the rains came. It flooded his basement........then it continued until it had flooded 4-5 feet on the first floor of his home. All appliances (among other things) are now gone.

Richard's story is touching and pulls at the heartstrings. Yet this story is typical of so many in the Midwest. Over 5,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed. So many have no insurance. Many were not in flood zones at all or were in 500 yr. flood zones. THEY NEED YOUR HELP!!

PLEASE consider taking the time to volunteer. Let's help them get their homes cleaned out and rebuilt. Let's help give them hope. Let's help them get through this. Let's show them THE LOVE OF JESUS!

Housing is provided at the Central Church of Christ in Cedar Rapids. DRT will provide continental breakfast, lunch and evening meals. DRT also has air mattresses available as well as towels for the showers. (this will help to give you more room in your vehicles to bring more people!!) :)
The work is there waiting on you. People are counting on us as christians to help them. We can't let them down. This is our opportunity to reach out to them to teach of Jesus' Love for them.

Please fill out the volunteer sign up form on our website: http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org/
You may email or call me with any questions you have. disasterrelief@hotmail.com
937-308-2259 Laura

WORK IN CEDAR RAPIDS

The relief effort is underway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. DRT is working with the Central Church of Christ there and they are doing a tremendous job of pulling together and working for the LORD through disaster relief.

The distribution of supplies began yesterday as well as volunteers helping move belongings of a member of the church there. DRT coordinators are also checking out jobs that need done.

Over 5,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed with MANY not having insurance. Much help is needed. PLEASE consider coming and volunteering for this great work, YOU ARE NEEDED!!

Another levee has been breached in Missouri and additional towns are flooding. We'll keep you posted as we have updates.

OK, WE NEED YOU!!!!! :)

These pictures were taken at Jeff and Becky Lentz's home, they live in the city of Palo, Iowa about 10 miles north of Cedar Rapids. The pictures you see are typical of the damage done in this area, However Jeff and Becky'shome sits on a higher plain then the rest of the town (and these are newer homes). The older homes built in town closer to the river were completely wiped out and may not be salvageable and most are not able to get to there homes yet. This is a small community of about 1500 that sits along the Cedar river there are several such cities from Waterloo to point's South, so, as you can imagine there is a tremendous need for help.We have other's in our Church family that live in Cedar Rapids, the picture's would be the same the pain and concern that comes with this type of disaster is also the same.We look forward to any help you may be able to offer, as you may know we have devoted much time and effort helping people in Parkersburg Iowa (F-5Tornado victims) just north West of Cedar Rapids, we are aware of how to send teams out for a day or two to help people, but then we come home and were done, we pray for and have concern for these people, but as hard as it is to say it doesn't hurt like when it hit's your family... Sometimes the shock of what's happened prevents you from knowing what to do.THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! We will be praying for everyone on your team who will be traveling to Iowa.
Maurice (Moe) Colby
Elder
Cedar Rapids Church of Christ.

5 of our DRT Coordinators are now in Cedar Rapids, IA. working with the Central Church of Christ. Monday (tomorrow) is the 1st day of operations.

What does that mean, you ask?!?!?! ............
That means we are ready and now all we need is........YOU!!!!!

Housing is available for our volunteers in the church building, DRT supplies 3 daily meals, great fellowship and the work is ready and just waiting for you :)

The first phase will consist of distribution of supplies and clean up of homes. The DRT has a tool trailer and supply trailer on site. The shower trailer will arrive tomorrow. The DRT supply trailer contains new small household appliances, care packs and new clothing to be distributed to the community.

One thing that is very important to us is to make sure that the community knows that the help is coming from the "local" congregation. When DRT goes into a disaster area, we "become" part of the local congregation as we work with them. That way when it's time for DRT to leave the disaster area the community knows not of DRT but of the local church.
It's very important to us that the local congregation gets the "credit" for the work accomplished and GOD receives the glory.

Please see the website for a list of items needed and keep checking back here for updates.

On A Personal Note..........

Before I get into more information about the midwest floods I'd like to ask a personal request of you.

I will not be heading to Iowa with the rest of our coordinators for awhile. I will be staying in Ohio helping my mother and taking her back and forth to Columubus for appointments, etc. As some of you know, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy 30 years ago. She had a recurrance 10 years ago in her scar (for those of you who have had breast cancer or know someone who has......PLEASE examine your scars also. This is not common but can happen.)
My mother recently noticed a change once again in her scar and went in for an MRI. It did show a mass in her chest wall near her ribs. I am sitting in the waiting room as I write this while she is having a biopsy to determine if she has had yet another recurrance of cancer. She's a little more apprehensive this time (my father passed away about 5 years ago so she doesn't have him here with her this time)
Please lift her up to the Father in your prayers. She has had such a tremendous influence on my day to day life as well as my spiritual life. She is truly a woman of GOD. If you would like to send her a card of encouragement, it would mean so much to both of us!

Janet Baker
19371 Knox Lake Rd.
Fredericktown, Ohio 43019

FLOODING--

Several more levees have been breached threatening towns in Illinois and Missouri.
This is a large scale disaster and your help is desperately needed.

The elders of the Central Church of Christ in Cedar Rapids have asked for our assistance and with your help we all can help them reach out to their communities.
Please fill out the volunteer form on our website.
As always we will have a place for volunteers to stay, we will provide your meals and the work will be lined up and ready for you when you arrive.
Our shower trailer will be coming to Cedar Rapids from our base camp in Florida.
Feel free to email or call with further questions.
(Laura -disasterrelief@hotmail.com or 937-308-2259)

Most importantly, please keep those affected by the floods and those that are ministering to them in your prayers.

Great things will be accomplished through our LORD in these trying times. Remember to always give GOD the praise and glory.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA

DRT is working with the Central Church of Christ in Cedar Rapids, IA. following the recent flooding of much of their city.

Volunteers and financial donations are needed for this and other flooded areas.
To volunteer, please fill out the volunteer form on our website.

http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org

Donations can be made through our website or by postal mail to:

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
Melbourne Church of Christ
810 Hollywood Blvd.
West Melbourne, Florida 32904

Please watch this blog and the website for further information.
Most of all please keep those affected by the floods in your prayers as well as those ministering to them.

Midwest Flooding

 

Many of you have done such an amazing work for the LORD in past disasters by partnering with DRT to help those in need and we thank our GOD for you!

Once again, we come to you with the news of flooding in the Midwest. Many of our brothers and sisters have been affected by these floods. TENS OF THOUSANDS of people are out of their homes and MANY have no flood insurance.

We appeal to you today to PLEASE once again, partner with DRT to reach out to our Christian brothers and sisters in need as well as helping them reach out to their communities through disaster relief.

DRT brings to the disaster areas trained coordinators to help the local congregations set up a relief effort. DRT provides tool trailers, shower trailer, mobile kitchen as well as RV's for use by volunteers. Some of the ways DRT helps congregations in disaster areas reach out to their communities is by providing home cooked meals, basic necessities, volunteer labor and helping provide building material for those without insurance. DRT's main goal is to build relationships with those being assisted and to be able to reach out to them through example and by teaching the Good News of our LOVING LORD AND SAVIOR.

*****Due to so many disasters this year as well as last year, DRT's funding is down considerably. Your donations are URGENTLY needed to help with transportation of equipment as well as the above services and goods that DRT provides in disaster areas.

Please watch our website for opportunities to volunteer and please keep those affected by these disasters and those ministering to them in your prayers.

Donations can be made online through our website:
http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org

 

Or by postal mail to:

Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team

Melbourne Church of Christ

810 Hollywood Blvd.

West Melbourne, Florida 32904

 

Your caring is such an encouragement to us as well as those in the disaster areas!