Can you Help Volunteers Fly?

If you have any Frequent Flyer Miles that you might be interested in donating to folks flying down to LA or MS this year to help with Katrina Relief (we have 5 trips slated so far this year - click here for more info), please send an email to beth.shields@gmail.com

Thanks!


graphic courtesy of stock.xchng

Baltimore Sun: "6 months later, area is still reeling from Katrina"

*click here for KatrinaGrace 2006 Trips Information*

The Baltimore Sun ran a story yesterday giving a few details of what's been done and what remains in the Katrina-affected area that's received the most attention - New Orleans:

• "...vast stretches of the city -- 100 square miles or more -- are still abandoned and rotting."
  
  
• " Fewer than 15 percent of 15,000 businesses are open."
  
  
• " But about two-thirds of the city remains uninhabited."
  
  
• "Reconstruction officials have picked up about 33 million cubic yards of debris, but they're only halfway done, and piles of fetid mattresses and moldy drywall still line many streets."
  
  
• "The new hurricane season is fewer than 100 days away, and repairs to the city's levees are 40 percent complete, federal officials said recently."

What's even more sobering is that New Orleans is just one area in a 90,000 square mail zone that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Updated KatrinaZone Team Plans for 2006

updated on Sunday 2 April 2006

Here's where we are on 2006 Trips

If you have a group that would like to volunteer separately from any of these planned trips, please email Stephen at sshields@faithmaps.org.

• KatrinaGrace Team V
  
  
• The Cooking Team
  
• Trinity Church - Covington, LA
• Leave on Sun 16 Apr & Return on Sat 22 Apr
  
• Cooking for 60-80 people Monday thru Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM
• Update: This Team is Now Filled
• Team Consists of:
• Peggy Westland - Team Leader
• Peggy Wortman
• Len Thompson
• Bill Tagalicod
• Lynne King
• Steven Lilly
• Odin Worthman
  
  
• The Biloxi Team (NEW TRIP)
  
  
• Work Team
• Bay Vista Baptist Church - Biloxi, MS
  
• Randy (Gadget) and Nicole Ambuel are the Team Leaders
• Leave Easter Weekend, Return the Following Weekend
  
  
• KatrinaGrace Team VI
  
  
• Trinity Church - Covington, LA
  
• Stephen Shields will lead this team.
  
• Leave Sun 28 May and Return on Saturday 3 June
  
• Trinity has reached out to 4,600 folks who could use some "so how's it going?" followup. This will involve those who are good listeners and an empathetic ear. This would be a good trip for those who are, as Trinity's Volunteer Coordinator says, "mercy-focused."
  
  
• KatrinaGrace Team VII
  
  
• A Work Team
• Trinity Church - Covington, LA
  
• Date Change: Sunday, July 2 - Saturday, July 8th
  
  
• KatrinaGrace Team VIII
  
  
• Work Team
  
• Trinity Church - Covington, LA
  
• Specific dates to be set for one week in November 2006

As always, for all of these trips we are looking for donated frequent flyer miles. If you have any miles that you would like to contribute, please email Beth Shields at beth.shields@gmail.com.

Pictures from Tuesday 7 March 2006

It's hard to believe that after half a year there should still be so much devastation in New Orleans and Mississippi.

Benjy Oliver posts about his tour this week of New Orleans and Katrina Damage and has created an online album where you can see all of his shots.

Forcey Memorial Church

Our partner in the Baltimore-Washington Corridor who has worked with us in the past with our Trinity trips is Forcey Memorial Church in Silver Spring, MD. They have a nice website they've set up supporting their efforts.

Sat 4 March 2006 Presentation to Grace's Men's Breakfast

I had a great opportunity today to speak to Grace Community Church's Men's Ministry about

• Hurricane Katrina,
• some its impact,
  
• how Christians are responding,
• how KatrinaGrace has responded, and
  
• what KatrinaGrace is planning in 2006.

Stephen Shields

Slideshow here.

Residential Construction Project Manager Sought

All - I am asking you to specifically pray and help us seek at least two
individuals that could serve as a construction pm. We really need to be
moving to construction at this time, and will not be able to do so
effectively without a good residential construction project manager.

Please ask your churches and friends for any ideas of names, and
forward them to me to follow up with. We should be able to provide
housing and possibly some form of per diem. this is such a great
ministry opportunity.

Mark Lewis, who coordinates volunteers in Covington, LA for Trinity Church and Compassion Ministries, asks for suggestions for this position.

Compassion Ministries Katrina Page

I've added a link to the Evangelical Free Church of America's Compassion Ministries Katrina Page under "Links and Information" on the right-hand side of this page.

Trinity Church, in Covington, LA, with whom KatrinaGrace has been working since the storms, is an Evangelical Free Church and Compassion coordinates the volunteers from all over the country working through Trinity.

The Katrina Volunteer Phenomenon

Tens of thousands of volunteers from hundreds of faith-based groups have poured into the region.

AP runs a story on the amazing number of church folks volunteering in the Katrina Zone.

The Washington Post ran a similar story earlier in the month (free registration required).

Word and Deed, Again and Again

The collaboration between Christian groups has impressed Pass Christian's politicians. Christians represent 95 percent of relief volunteers, said Lou Rizzardi, Pass Christian's Ward 1 alderman who coordinates them.

"Faith-based organizations come in here much more organized, ready to go to work," Rizzardi said. "They don't ask for anything." Mennonites re-roofed Trinity Church, an Episcopal congregation. The Assemblies of God donated a huge tent to shelter Crusade volunteers. Pass Christian's largest volunteer presence is Campus Crusade. Of Todd's efforts to mobilize manpower, Rizzardi said, "I don't know what I would have done without him."

Christianity Today article posted today

photo from http://www.dbooth.net/ed/album/index.htm

Positions Available @ Trinity Church in Covington, LA

Trinity's Michael Sprague announces that they are filling some positions in Covington, LA. Specifically:

Associate Pastor of Adult Ministries

Trinity Church is a growing, vibrant, grace-centered, Evangelical Free Church of about 700 Christ-followers. The candidate must love Jesus and be a strong leader who is able to lead, train, and motivate volunteers and oversee a wide array of adult ministries spanning small groups, men's, women's, discipleship and care. This family oriented community is located on the Northshore of Lake Ponchartrain, where you will find some of the best schools in the state. Better yet, we are experiencing revival, renewal, and an Acts 2 kind of experience in the aftermath of Katrina. A 15,000 square foot educational building will open in April. If you have been hearing the "still small voice" say "I've got a new adventure for you" please apply.

Pastor of Children's Ministry

Trinity Church in Covington, LA, is a contemporary EFCA church with an average attendance of 700. Of this 700, 140 are children from birth through sixth grade. We are looking for a dynamic, creative, fun loving person who is passionate about Jesus and able to create environments that are irresistible to children and their parents. The ideal candidate must be able to cast vision, recruit, train and mobilize volunteer staff. A new $1.5 million dollar state of the art children's building will open in April 2006.

If you are interested in applying for these positions or if you know of anyone who might be interested, please email Michael Sprague.

New Letter from Trinity's Michael Sprague

Trinity's Pastor, Michael Sprague, has posted a new pastoral letter.

work, work, work

Trinity's Michael Sprague reports that as of 2/12 Trinity Church has seen 1,898 volunteers from all across the country forming 153 teams investing 72,810 work hours completing 834 work requests

See his most recent letter here.













photo courtesy of stock.xchng

New Orleans Times-Picayune Article on Trinity Church

Volunteers working through Trinity Church in Covington, LA - including those from KatrinaGrace - have invested over 52,000 work hours assisting Katrina-affected LA residents.

The Times-Picayune recently covered the church's efforts.

link

KatrinaGrace Team IV Dec 2005 Trip and Pics

In late Dec 2005, Jen Long and Beth Shields travelled to Covington, LA to meet with Trinity Church's Michael Sprague and Mark Lewis to plan KatrinaGrace activities for 2006.

Pictures

• Pictures of New Orleans, Slidell, and Covington taken by Jen Long
  


• Pictures of Katrina's Aftermath in the neighborhood of Trinity Church's Jeff Boran
  


• Pictures from Chalmette and Lakeview (taken by Jeff Boran)
  


• Some Stunning Katrina Aftermath Shot Provided by Jeff Boran

The Trip

In December, KatrinaGrace decided to bring Christmas to Covington, so on December 17th, Jen Long & Beth Shields flew down to meet with pastor Michael Sprague and team leader Mark Lewis to deliver $15,000 worth of gift cards for Trinity to distribute and to discuss Grace’s role in the continuing rebuilding effort. During this meeting, we learned a number of new things, not the least of which is the extent to which suicide is an issue at this time. Michael said that the effects of the storm are being felt more than ever by those who must rebuild their lives in a dramatically different world than what they knew before. Michael had spoken to someone dealing with suicidal thoughts every day that week. We also found out that our teams need to stay for a week in order to be effective, and that tearing down and rebuilding homes is not the only type of team we can send – cooking teams, counseling teams, and daycare teams are all possibilities - which opens up the number of people from Grace who can be an effective part of this ministry. We talked about the possibility of planning eight trips this year as opposed to the four we had originally planned – a major difference in what we had discussed (the leadership team needs to sign off on this first). In addition, Johnny & Jen Long are hoping to start an adopt-a-family type program, where Grace families can “adopt” families through Trinity. Michael informed us that moral support and encouragement may be even more necessary than financial support. Mark Lewis is contemplating an adopt-a-house type program, where individuals and/or organizations would adopt a particular house to renovate or construct. Mark said only 10 percent of the work has been completed so far. He and Michael also put a bug in our ear about incenting the Howard County community to help raise money and support for the rebuilding effort. The true rebuilding effort will probably not be into full swing until the spring of 2006. Michael also informed us that Compassion is looking to hire a retired contractor who can work for six months as a project manager to aid in the rebuilding effort. Price gouging is a problem now with the market demand being so high for construction and roofing companies. Finally, we discussed the staff of Trinity, a total of eight people who are working more than full-time to bring hope and healing to Covington and the surrounding communities. These amazing people are overworked, overstressed, and overtired and need special support and encouragement from our community.

It's not known at this point how many of these needs KatrinaGrace can specifically address, but the trip definitely gave us a lot to think about as we finalize plans for 2006. And, of course, with God's help, we will pitch in in 2006!

Impact of KatrinaGrace Christmas 2005 Initiative

On December 17th, 2005, Beth Shields and Jen Long, on behalf of Grace Community Church's KatrinaGrace Ministry, delivered $15,000 worth of Gift Cards from Home Depot, Target and Walmart to the folks at Trinity Church in Covington, LA to distribute to their friends and neighbors impacted by Hurricane Katrina. After these were distributed, at our request, Trinity asked her folks to provide some feedback on the cards' impact. Here's what we found out.

Donnette Nienaliei

I gave the gift card to a young couple with 3 children who are taking care of a 91 year old woman in a wheelchair. They had a tree on the roof of their house that caused major structural damage. They still have a 4*4 in their den holding up the main beam to keep it from falling in. There were so grateful for the gift card and couldn’t believe we would do that.

John McCants

A lady came into church asking for help with her light bill. I asked if she was ok, and she said she had lost a family member, had another sick relative, and was working odd jobs in tough financial times. I have her the gift card and was able to pray with her! She was very grateful, saying it would help.

Accardo Family (four $50 Cards)

We gave all 4 of our cards to Cindi Christian.

Cindi lived in Slidell, LA prior to Hurricane Katrina. Cindi’s House was totally flooded and she lost all of her personal belongings. Cindi is in the entertainment business and all of her clients closed down and [her] business was lost.

Cindi is a warm and giving person who needed to know that God loves her and will be with her during this time.

Cindi is currently living in Kenner, her clothes are in Algories and working in New Orleans ([when] she can). She was delighted with the gift!!

Robin Cooper

I live n Slidell about one mile from the lake. Needless to say my house became an indoor swimming pool. God has continued to show His Great Grace & Mercy in providing 1st a c*15 camper & now a FEMA [trailer]. His will [permitting], my home is being [rebuilt[. Thank you for your kindness towards our family.

John Hecker

One of my co-workers lives in Slidell. He had 5 ft. of water in his house and lost both of his cars. His children, [a] daughter [(15)] and son [(10)] (guessing on ages), were sent to New York with his mother-in-law. The family is Catholic by faith, but by the way [of his] fierce love he has for his children, I know he knows the Lord in his heart. His son returned from New York the day after Thanksgiving. His daughter is too afraid to come home. His heart is hurting very much because of this. With the help of work, FEMA, and others, his house is being rebuilt. He has done a lot of the work himself. I had given him the card to buy his son a Christmas present. With all money going into the house, he had no hopes for giving his son anything. He is not materialistic, but Christmas is for the kids. I felt that this [was] where the Lord was prompting me to send these funds. He asked me to thank everyone in Trinity. I have talked to him about what we do at Trinity. I do not know if he will ever set foot in here, but he seems very openhearted and humbled by what we do.

Tony B

This lady I work with and her husband lived in Chalmette. They had just made their final mortgage payment and their house was paid off. Her husband drove an 18 wheeler. When Katrina came, their house and the 18 wheeler were washed away. I didn’t know but 18 wheelers are only insured when they are being driven. So that was a total loss. In their late 50’s, she told me last week that she couldn’t believe that they were having to start over. Her husband is working ripping out houses. They now live on the West Bank in an apartment and hope to rebuild in Chalmette at some point. I had carried the gift card for over a week and last night I decided to give it to her. When I got to work, I went to the lunch room and she was the only one there. She went to her office and after getting some coffee I approached her as she was taking out her check book. I don’t know if she was checking her balance or getting ready to write a check, but the gift card brought tears to her heart.

Beverly Theisen

Spoke with a lady at my gym – while we were talking she began to relate to me the story of her daughter and grandbaby who lost everything and were in a FEMA trailer.

As I shared the gift with her she was sincerely touched and very grateful. Thank you for allowing me to participate in giving this gift of love – what joy it brought to my heart.

Unknown

I wanted to share an experience we had with the gift cards. We picked up three gift cards when they were first offered and kept them waiting for the Lord to put someone on our hearts or bring the need to us. We waited and waited – nothing. Then I got a call from this lady whom I’ve known for years that works with OCS. Years ago my office had adopted a family for Christmas and then continued to do so every year since. She called and wanted to know if we still did that. I checked and we had already adopted our family for this year. Then she told me she had prayed about this family and who could she call and she said the Lord told her to call me. Then I thought of the gift cards. I put her in touch with Karen and the kids and they all got together and used the gift cards to buy presents for this family with 10 kids under the age of 12, 5 boys and 5 girls. They wrapped the presents and delivered them to the family. I receive a thank you card this past week that reads as follows:

Bill, Thanks! Hanging out with your family was a wonderful experience. Your obedience to God to help this family and demonstrate the true meaning of giving warmly touched my heart and theirs. Thanks for arranging and thank Karen for making it happen. Regina”

Praise God!

Rebecca B

First I must praise and honor my God for his provisions. In the last few months God has provided me with a vehicle and a home. After returning from Katrina I felt as if I should give a lady $50.00. At first I thought maybe it was my own emotions. I wanted it to be of God and for Him to receive the glory from it. As I waited and prayed, the idea would not leave me. I was about the give the lady the money. I guess I was also so hesitant because I am a single mother living solely on child support. So I am very limited on finances. What an amazing God! When I was told about the card last Sunday and that the amount was for $50.00 I knew my God had provided the money. So I knew it would not be in any way my doing and God will receive the Glory. Not only did God provide that, but I was also blessed when someone gave me a gift card this week. I got my son a nice Christmas suit and new pair of shoes. I am not poor, my Heavenly Father owns it all. Praise His Holy Name.

Liz Haindel

I gave a gift card to a store clerk that I saw regularly that just seems to have a hard life. Surprisingly she just snatched it up with hardly a word.

God is teaching me again to do His works without expectation of any reward here but trust He is going to use this for His glory.

A preschool worker new to Northlake Christian since the storm is commuting from Percy Quinn State Park everyday. She and her extended family all lost their homes in Chalmette but are together in campers at the park.

She was very grateful for the gift.

Major Bridge Damaged by Katrina Reopens Connecting Covington to New Orleans

A major bridge over Lake Pontchartrain that was torn apart by Hurricane Katrina reopened fully to traffic just before dawn Friday.

Katrina's storm surge ripped giant sections of the five-mile concrete bridge, which links New Orleans and Slidell, La., and tossed some into the lake. Other sections of the Interstate 10 span shifted by as much as 5 feet.

ap story

Thanks from the Batiquins

KatrinaGrace recently helped the Batiquins with $250 to help pay for a mobile storage unit for their belongings while they replaced their roof which was destroyed by Katrina.

They sent Grace this note:

We wanted to thak you for your prayers and the check you guys sent to us through Kathy Boren. It really blessed our hearts and our lives that day! We moved back into our home last Friday and today we are busy counting our blessings!

Thanks and blessings back on you! You have served us well!

The Batiquins - Tony, Dawn & kids


image from stock.xchng

Forcey Provides Updated Information on Upcoming Trips

We have officially scheduled 4 trips to Louisiana. If you are interested in participating in any of these trips, please contact me directly.

Trip #1: Led by John Riston is scheduled for January 14-22 – it is completely full.

Trip #2: Led by Gary Williams is scheduled for January 28 – February 4 – still has room for about 17 more people. Included in this group is a small group of men led by Grove Teates who will be driving down to Louisiana and hauling a number of large pieces of landscaping equipment. This group of men will be staying from January 28 – February 10. If you have a desire to stay that long as well, let us know.

Trip #3: Led by Sam Barrow is scheduled for February 11-19 – still has room for about 22 more people

Trip #4: Led by John Heater is scheduled for April 8-16 and is geared for teenagers. The plan is to take about 6 adults and 27 teens and drive down in three vans. If we do not get enough teens signed up, then we will open it up to more adults.

All of these trips are open to those outside of Forcey but Forcey-ites get priority placement.

Thanx,

John Heater

john-heater@forcey.org

(cell) 301-928-8060

KatrinaGrace Plans thru 2006

As you've probably picked up from media reports, there is still a lot to be done in Louisiana (and Mississippi) to aid the region in its recovery from Katrina. In addition to the remaining need still for massive cleanup and rebuilding all through the region, there is now additional concern for increasing depression and more suicides.

KatrinaGrace is planning to continue to partner with Trinity Church in Covington, LA in reaching out to Katrina Survivors in the area for many months to come.

This past Sunday, the KatrinaGrace Leadership Team met to establish focuses for 2006. Here are some of our plans for the next several months. And some of this will likely change:

• On Saturday 17 December, Beth Shields and Jen Long, two members of the Leadership Team are flying to Covington, LA to meet with Michael Sprague, Trinity's Senior Pastor, Mark Lewis, who coordinate's Trinity's Katrina Relief Efforts, and Jim Warren, who is taking a leadership role in Trinity's efforts to aid the community in rebuilding. The meeting is to discuss how KatrinaGrace and Trinity might most effectively partner to serve the community in the coming months. Michael has also asked Beth and Jen to speak to the church on Sunday and then they're flying back.
  
  
• Because of your generous giving for Katrina relief, KatrinaGrace will also be providing Trinity with several thousands of dollars worth of Christmas Gift Cards to be distributed to Katrina Survivors. What's really cool is that independently of us, Trinity had already decided to do the same thing themselves. There's enormous need in the area and this will only be a drop in the bucket.
  
  
• In addition to the small planning trip mentioned above, and participating in the Forcey trips mentioned yesterday, KatrinaGrace plans to sponsor at least four trips in 2006 to Covington, LA in Feb, May, August and November to work with Trinity in cleanup, rebuilding, social work, etc. The plan is to use donated frequent flyer miles and rent trucks in the area once we arrive. Beth Shields will be coordinating these trips and establishing team leaders, so if you're interested in participating in any of these, please email her.
  
  
• In October, KatrinaGrace decided to directly support Trinity's Katrina Relief efforts with $1000 monthly payments through March of 2006. This past Sunday, the Leadership Team decided to extend those payments through September of 2006.
  
  
• One of the focuses in 2006 that we are most excited about is the KatrinaZone Family Adoption Initiative, that will be led by Johnny and Jen Long. Michael Sprague of Trinity loved this idea when we recently shared it with him and this is one of the items on the agenda for further planning when Jen and Beth fly down in a couple of weeks.
  
  The idea is that Grace individuals and families get personally involved with one particular Katrina surviving family in Trinity's community. They can exchange letters, assistance, advice, money, fellowship, friendship, whatever. KatrinaGrace allocated $3000 for this but we are also encouraging folks to establish their own monthly amounts, giving thru Grace (which makes it tax-deductable) and with the entire amount going to the selected family.
  
  
• We haven't gotten as involved with Katrina Survivors who have ended up in the Baltimore-Washington Corridor as much as we originally hoped. It seems that most of them have connected with family and friends and have flown under the radar. Nevertheless, we've earmarked $3000 for supporting these kinds of folks as they hit our radar screen. If you learn of particular cases that could use our assistance, please email Stephen Shields.
  
  
• A KatrinaGrace Community Event. Not sure what this looks like yet but we've a lot of pictures and some video and - more importantly - some good stories. We are seeking the best forum in which to share these with whoever is interested.
  
  So this site will be the best place to learn about how all this unfolds and to discover where you might fit in!
  
  Possible Action Steps
  
  If you have any frequent-flyer miles that you'd like to donate, please email Stephen Shields.
  
  If you are interested in going on any of the KatrinaGrace trips, pls email Beth Shields.
  
  If you'd like to go on any of the Forcey Trips, email John Heater.
  
  If you'd like to adopt a Katrina Survivor Family, email either Johnny Long or Jen Long.
  
  If you'd like to contribute financially to any of these initiatives, just give a check to Grace Community Church and designate it for "KatrinaGrace."
  
  More to come.
  
  

image from stock.xchng