It seems like disaster is striking one after the other in rapid fashion. No sooner do the floods in West Virginia slip into our memory holes than Mother Nature throws another tantrum in a different section of the country.
Actually, I don’t think it is Mother Nature who is angry…I believe it is Father God. We are rapidly coming to the realization that God has more disaster than the government has relief.
Just six weeks ago we asked you to help with our efforts in Clendenin, West Virginia and you responded generously. Last week we made our second delivery of bread products to the Clendenin area. Your donations enabled us to deliver nearly $60,000 in FREE BREAD. No middle men…no government red tape…church to church…person to person…no big “CEO” salaries and benefits.
We are asking for your help again as we head to the Baton Rouge area. But this outreach will be different. The area affected is massive in scale.
Many say the devastation is greater than Hurricane Katrina…which the area still has not recovered from. But the IMMEDIATE need is simple…everyday living supplies. Diapers, milk, cleaning products, ice, hot food, hammers, nails, bleach…lot’s of bleach…imagine if EVERYTHING you owned was gone.
This is our chance to BE THE CHURCH to our neighbors in need.
It is easy to look at the devastation and simply admit that our little efforts would be futile. But there are individual lives involved and it is better to do something than to do nothing. We will not be driving 20 hours with a truck load of bread, but rather, putting much needed supplies into the hands of PASTORS…ON THE GROUND…supplying the needs of families in their communities.
We believe it is the job of the CHURCH to meet the needs of the people…and it is time that we encourage people to look to JESUS for their provision…not the Federal government. PLEASE HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
Take one minute and watch the video. We have networked with our friend Pastor Dale Sochia in New Orleans who is working as a go-between with a group of Pastors in the flooded area. We want to put supplies in THEIR hands so that they can meet the needs of the people in THEIR communities. Not FEMA…not the Red Cross…not Obama…but man to man…church to church…are we our brother’s keeper?
I will be leading a team with boots on the ground this weekend. If you would like to go with us simply drop me an email. We will provide a place to stay (bring a sleeping bag) and put food in your stomach. But you will be there to SERVE…
Can you swing a hammer? Can you make a sandwich? Can you say a prayer? Can you offer hope? Whatever you can do we will put you to work. Please come and join us. Perhaps your church would provide the gas for your trip? Maybe your Sunday school class would donate to help purchase supplies.
Our team will be heading south on Thursday Aug 25 and will serve on the ground Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We will head home on Monday and we would love for you to join us. The experience will change your life.
One of our Salt and Light Brigade members is driving a food truck from which we hope to feed the volunteers who have rushed to Louisiana to help. We plan on serving over 4000 meals this weekend.
In addition, our crew will spend most of our time pulling up carpet, wiping down walls, ripping out dry-wall and encouraging those who have lost everything. Authorities say that 80% of the 40,000 homes affected have no flood insurance.
We hate asking for money. That is one of the things that give Christian ministries such a bad name. We wish there was some other way. But our friends need our help and we have no one to turn to but you. We have a ministry but we are not a “church.” YOU are our congregation. We know most of you can’t go, but we can. You can make a difference by helping us put “boots on the ground.” Everyone can donate something and no gift is too small.
With the devastation so great “what difference, at this point, will it make” Hillary may be asking. Financially…probably not much. But showing Christian love to others in their time of need will go a long way in helping the victims climb the huge mountain that lies before them.
Many of you have helped us in the past. You know we deliver on our promises. Our friends in Louisiana need our help.
Donate here. Thanks for caring.
View the News with Views version of the column. It has more images.
