News at ABWE
Katrina Relief Update on Project Help the Shepherds
Norm Nicklas, Director of North America Church Planting, and Bill Hanson, Director of the ABWE Projects Office, completed a survey trip to Louisiana and Mississippi, to see how ABWE could assist those in the Gulf Coast region affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Rev. Larry Miller, the retired pastor from the region who is spearheading relief efforts among fundamental, independent churches along the Gulf Coast, facilitated this survey trip. Pastor Larry has been in contact with several churches that have been affected, in addition to various individuals, and is in touch with their ongoing needs. He will be helping to put together work teams to assist those in need.
WORK TEAM OPPORTUNITIES
GENERAL INFORMATION
Work teams are needed to assist churches in need. Teams will stay at New Orleans Bible Church and should bring the following:
- Small hand tools for removing drywall, saws, etc.
- Sleeping bags.
- Someone to cook for their team.
- First aid kits.
- Charcoal masks for protection against mold in the damaged homes.
Please note:
- Team members must have tetanus shots.
- Cost is $25.00 per person, per day.
- Teams of 5 to 20 are acceptable.
- Teams should stay for one week, if possible.
- Be prepared to share the gospel.
- Be prepared and flexible to do whatever work may be necessary.
- Teams may drive here and bring supplies. Call or e-mail first for a list of needed materials.
- Teams will need to rent a vehicle for transportation, if they do not drive to New Orleans.
- Individual team members will be required to sign a liability waiver.
For those who want to form teams on their own and go directly to the area, please contact:
- Rev. Larry Miller at 225.223.9652.
For those who would like to work through ABWE, please contact:
- Bill Hanson at 810.694.7347.
Please know that all efforts through the Project Office will have an emphasis on sharing the gospel through the building of buildings. Simply helping with reconstruction is good but is not our primary goal. Our prayer and desire is to see God change people and draw them to Christ through this experience.
CHURCHES IN NEED OF WORK TEAMS
Fellowship Bible Church, New Orleans
Details:
- Presently doing clean up.
- Reconstruction will happen later.
- Contact: jdkinchiii@bellsouth.net
Berean Bible Church, New Orleans, LA
Details:
- Originally had a membership of around 400 people; membership is down 50%.
- Twenty-five families of this church have a total loss of their property.
- 60,000 homes in St. Bernard Parish are not habitable.
Other churches and organizations have been sending money to assist with Pastors’ salaries, building renovation costs and missionary support. - Berean is hosting work teams in its gym and recently had around 200 Cedarville University students assist in the cleaning up of a local high school.
- Work teams that desire to assist will stay in the gym facilities; will be required to bring someone to cook. Information is available on church website: www.Bereannola.com
- Short term needs:
- Work teams to replace roofs.
- Berean will host work teams, 5 to 20 people or more at a time.
- Work teams to replace drywall, doors, trim, paint, etc.
- Bring building materials for houses if possible; a list of materials can be provided.
- Equipment is needed, such as commercial carpet cleaners, commercial vacuum cleaners, tile buffers and stripper.
- Contact: John Ritchie at 504.887.6028 or Calvin Turner at 504.391.2947.
FAITH BIBLE CHURCH, Slidell, LA
Details:
- Faith Bible Church originally had 65 families. Of these families, 15 will be relocating out of the area.
- It has been estimated that 60 % of the people do not have flood insurance, mainly because flood insurance is not available outside designated flood zones.
- Water from Lake Ponchartrain extended 4 miles inland.
- Homes of some church members were totally flattened; just the concrete slabs remain.
- Everything south of Highway 190 flooded.
- The church had 2’ of water in the building when they returned one week after the storm.
- The church has been focusing on repairing its structure and hosting work teams.
- They have hosted some 525 volunteers to date.
- They have cleared debris from 125 homes.
- The goal is to rebuild 11 homes by January.
- Refurbishing a house, which includes insulation, drywall, trim, doors, cabinets, floor coverings and painting, costs from $10,000 to $15,000, depending on the size of the home; this includes volunteer labor.
- FBC is focusing on three areas:
- Recovery of its church building.
- Clearing homes of debris by work teams.
- Reconstruction of homes in the Slidell area.
- Work teams are needed.
- The church can host teams of various sizes.
- Contact: Pastor Keith Boyer, pastorkeithfbc@earthlink.net or at 985.502.3094.
- Specifically needed are people skilled in drywall.
- Can sleep 70 volunteers in auditorium.
Bible Fellowship Church, Pass Christian, Mississippi
Details:
- Pass Christian, Mississippi, is where the storm surge was the most terrible.
- Bible Fellowship Church is 4 miles inland and had around 2’ of water in the building.
- Members’ homes have been extensively damaged and some are totally lost.
- Congregation size was 25 families. In these families, 13 have homes that are a total loss; 6 of the 25 families have decided to relocate. However, Katrina has sparked two new families to join.
- A construction supervisor just arrived to assist for the next 3 to 6 months.
- Goals of Bible Fellowship Church:
- Upgrade its facilities; put an addition on to the existing building to meet the new needs that they feel will develop.
- Work to assist the community with reconstruction for the next 12 months.
- Host work teams to assist in the area.
- Presently setting up to facilitate work teams:
- Contact: Pastor Don Trest at 228.263.1476 or at bfctrest@juno.com. Website: www.bfc4u.org
- A contractor from Michigan has agreed to build 3 panelized homes for church members in the near future.
- This past week, they assisted in gutting 4 homes and clearing 4 home sites.
GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
Future Project: We want to help a needy family by rebuilding their home. If you would like to help financially or could send a work team please contact Project Manager: Bill Hanson at billh@abwe.org or call his cell at: 810-813-5828
Charcoal masks @ $40 each, for mold abatement. (May be purchased at home supply stores such as Lowes. Refill canisters are also available, for $15 each.) Send to Associate Pastor John Kinchen, 3232 Kentucky Avenue, Kenner, LA 70065-4635.
More money is needed for the missionary budgets of various churches. These churches have lost many members due to relocation; other members have lost jobs and so are presently unable to give.
UPDATES - Hurricane Katrina Relief Project: Help the Shepherds
| Funds Received as of February 2006 | $140,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Distribution of Funds | |
| General | $20,000.00 |
| Truck for Hispanic ministry | $5,000.00 |
| R & R for 18 Pastoral staff /wives | $15,000.00 |
| 200 Portable Baby High Chairs | $4,000 |
| Distribution to three Churches | $64,000.00 |
| Faith Bible Church | $40,000.00 |
| Church Repairs | $5,000.00 |
| Replace 2 Educational Trailers | $30,000.00 |
| Nursery /Children’s Equipment | $5,000.00 |
| Bible Fellowship Church | $19,000.00 |
| Daniel’s Den/ Youth Building | $6,000.00 |
| Repairs Main building | $11,000.00 |
| Repairs to sign & pump house | $2,000.00 |
| Berean Bible Church | $5,000.00 |
| Mortgage, etc. 50%members gone | $5,000.00 |
| New Projects Currently under Development.. | |
| To be announced.. | NA |