Thursday, September 22, 2005
From Beth Duffy – week 2 work crew team
Wed., 9/21 Ok, where do I start?!? It's 7:30 a.m....we're having a group meeting (about 100 workers...from Calif., Colo., Canada., Ohio, etc.). Just took a "cool" shower in a "mash" type of set up outside...it's actually awesome showering outside...it's warm down here (even at 7:00 a.m.)! Volunteers are a huge blessing here (older youth/adults)...AND YOU can be one!!! Pray-ers, sorters, organizers, kitchen help, nurses, social workers, counselors, physical laborers, (tree cutting, clearing brush, tearing down houses, unloading/loading boxes to hand out). You name it, the jobs are endless.
TR, 9/22 10:00 a.m. We received the sad news this a.m. that we have to leave this afternoon because of the unpredictability of Hurricane Rita. This is sad news to our team because there is SO much work still to be done and this team is FULL of hard workers...working from 8 a.m. until dinner and then some. We don't want to leave, but need to for our safety, they say...we have a very large group. We've met awesome people that will be hard to leave, also. I think that Jed Duffey and his friend, Ben Smith, will be staying to continue helping and come home with one of the next Spring Rd. COC teams that are scheduled to come next week and the week after. Please be praying for them...safety, stamina, and for God to further move in their lives through this opportunity to serve others.
My favorite part...talking and praying with the hurricane victims. God's heart for these people is manifested quickly as you spend time with them. Many of them say they are holding up ok, but then break down while praying with them and need and want to talk. They have held alot in. They need to know that God is real and close to them. They need to know he is in control. They need to be filled with hope. They need to know there's a place to go for help. One woman came up to me and said, "You prayed with that other woman, why didn't you pray with me?" So, of course, I did. There's just not an opportunity to pray with everyone, unfortunately. One woman I prayed with came back later and brought 2 men who needed help with her. She said she felt so much better after the prayers that she decided to reach out help others. Another man who came to the church for help, sat somewhat despondent for about an hour. He said he's never had to ask for help before and he just couldn't accept "handouts". We talked and prayed, but he said he just had to leave and might come back. The situation here, as you can imagine, affects each person differently. Their lives have been turned upside down and laid out before everyone. Each responds and copes the best they know how.
Your prayers right where you are invaluable...not everyone can be here, but God hears and answers your prayers....and EVERYONE here desperately needs them (volunteers AND victims)!!! Please continue to pray for stamina, good sleep, safety, God's healing touch for minds, hearts, bodies, and however else God leads.
There are MANY ways to help...keep in touch with this website AND go to the Tammany Oakes church link for updated items they need contributed. Workers and prayers are ALWAYS needed. There are MANY, MANY stories and testimonies that you will be hearing later...as well as pictures to help you further understand what is going on here.
Thank you SO much for any and every way that you have made it possible for us to be here. We are extremely grateful.
We LOVE you and are VERY thankful for you.
Beth Duffey (Northside Fellowship)
TR, 9/22 10:00 a.m. We received the sad news this a.m. that we have to leave this afternoon because of the unpredictability of Hurricane Rita. This is sad news to our team because there is SO much work still to be done and this team is FULL of hard workers...working from 8 a.m. until dinner and then some. We don't want to leave, but need to for our safety, they say...we have a very large group. We've met awesome people that will be hard to leave, also. I think that Jed Duffey and his friend, Ben Smith, will be staying to continue helping and come home with one of the next Spring Rd. COC teams that are scheduled to come next week and the week after. Please be praying for them...safety, stamina, and for God to further move in their lives through this opportunity to serve others.
My favorite part...talking and praying with the hurricane victims. God's heart for these people is manifested quickly as you spend time with them. Many of them say they are holding up ok, but then break down while praying with them and need and want to talk. They have held alot in. They need to know that God is real and close to them. They need to know he is in control. They need to be filled with hope. They need to know there's a place to go for help. One woman came up to me and said, "You prayed with that other woman, why didn't you pray with me?" So, of course, I did. There's just not an opportunity to pray with everyone, unfortunately. One woman I prayed with came back later and brought 2 men who needed help with her. She said she felt so much better after the prayers that she decided to reach out help others. Another man who came to the church for help, sat somewhat despondent for about an hour. He said he's never had to ask for help before and he just couldn't accept "handouts". We talked and prayed, but he said he just had to leave and might come back. The situation here, as you can imagine, affects each person differently. Their lives have been turned upside down and laid out before everyone. Each responds and copes the best they know how.
Your prayers right where you are invaluable...not everyone can be here, but God hears and answers your prayers....and EVERYONE here desperately needs them (volunteers AND victims)!!! Please continue to pray for stamina, good sleep, safety, God's healing touch for minds, hearts, bodies, and however else God leads.
There are MANY ways to help...keep in touch with this website AND go to the Tammany Oakes church link for updated items they need contributed. Workers and prayers are ALWAYS needed. There are MANY, MANY stories and testimonies that you will be hearing later...as well as pictures to help you further understand what is going on here.
Thank you SO much for any and every way that you have made it possible for us to be here. We are extremely grateful.
We LOVE you and are VERY thankful for you.
Beth Duffey (Northside Fellowship)
# posted by John McGuire @ 3:35 PM 
