Evergreen SGV Relief team Sgvserve.org
It’s a little raw, but here’s some video from our departure.. words from our leader Craig, who will be joining us next week..
thanks Gary for doing the video editing… 🙂
thank God for youtube video editing… and a team effort from Los Angeles and Mississippi
 |
| 2008 image of last year’s work site |
This is a picture from the site where we worked last year, you can see the white footprint from the previous home. This would be a “before” picture. If you look at the Google credits, it says the picture was from 2008. What a difference a couple of years make.
Previously, it was a really nice neighborhood. Then Katrina came, then it became a sparse one. The google maps images (currently) show many FEMA and other trailers. Once new pictures come in, even the devastation will turn more and more into a memory.
We are hours away from boarding our plane. It’s been an exhausting week of wrapping up things from errands, work-related issues, car repairs and family time.
Now we focus.
Each one of the men and women are trying to hone in on our purpose for going. It’s to help, that’s for sure… We are going to Mississippi to continue the recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Those of us that have seen the rebuilding of the Mississippi Gulf Coast region remember the wreckage, tarp-covered homes and once-floating casinos on land.
So all the more we appreciate the newbies, the ones who haven’t been before. They go out with devotion and heart even more than just reliving the devastation. Wreckage unseen, they go to help those that they may never see, but try to be part of God’s helping hand.
But if it were just financial aid, we could send money alone. As has been said before, there are less expensive and often more “efficient” ways to translate dollars to housing. But we go to serve. We serve God, but we also serve others on His behalf. To put a face and hands to a sometimes unseen God, and we ourselves are humbled in the process.
Your Prayers
If during the next couple of weeks, you get a chance, we seek your prayers for us while we try to minister on behalf of God and the others who have sent us. It’s not a working vacation. We’re trying to remind others and ourselves that God has not forgotten them, and restoration comes in many forms, sometimes buildings, sometimes people.
And if there’s anything we can pray for you while we’re working, we’d love to know how to pray for you. Drop us a line! sgvhabitat@gmail.com
 |
| Pam! |
Recently, California had a barrage of thunderstorms that shook houses and nerves. Pam reflects on Katrina and our lives…
It was a dark and stormy night…I just experienced a thunderstorm like none I’ve never experienced. It began at midnight and continued for two hours straight! It alternated between pounding rain, huge bursts of lightning, followed by incredible booms of thunder that rattled the house. It brought back memories of how scared I was during a storm at night when I was little…I would get up and walk to my parents’ bedroom and watch them sleep or sit in the hallway. During this thunderstorm, I kept wondering how my two nephews with whom I was sharing the room could sleep through it all. When was this thunderstorm going to end? I need to get some sleep since I was driving over 400 miles the next morning on my own. Then my thoughts turned to the folks who had experienced and lived through Hurricane Katrina. My thunderstorm paled in comparison. They had to endure a much more violent and intense storm that lasted about a week.
Aren’t our lives also filled with storms and hurricanes in one form or another? During those times, don’t you just want it to stop and get back to the calmness? But God didn’t come to eliminate those life storms or hurricanes. He came to fill them with his presence. God is in control. During life storms or hurricanes, we’re forced to search for and cling to God’s ever present hand. We don’t have to wonder where God is. “Lord, you are my strength, and my protection. You are a safe place for me to run in times of trouble.” Jeremiah 16:19. He’s also there building endurance in us. “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.” Romans 5:3-5. We can be a storm or hurricane survivor if we keep our focus on God. He will supply us with everything we need to stand firm during our storm or hurricane.
 |
| Steve, repeat team member and tree trimmer |
Steve O. is a charter member of these trips. Been one of the four guys that has gone every year. He and Mo have been part of the Coed team since first formed… Yet this many years later, he’s still learning and growing…
Some of you know I have this odd-shaped lemon tree in my backyard. And some of you know that my wife, Shirley is in Malawi with Pastor Ian. Since I will have or am having two weeks of time alone, I put together a whole laundry list of chores to accomplish around the house that I can do by myself. Like trimming the lemon tree.
I waited until after Monday, which is trash collection day for me. This way, I had a whole container I could fill up with discarded branches, twigs, and leaves.
After finishing, I reflected upon how ugly a tree looks after it is trimmed. Branches don’t taper gracefully, but end abruptly. What branches still remain, that is.
I used a pruning saw for the larger branches and a set of sharp loppers for the smaller ones. It’s a good thing trees don’t have nerve endings.
But we do. And we need to be pruned at times. Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15: 1-2. Jesus is saying all branches are pruned. All of them. Those that bear fruit and those that don’t. And we are the branches.
Jesus explain his parable in the following verses, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” v. 5-6.
I am willing to bet that this process of pruning will be a part of the Katrina experience for most if not all of the team members. Including me.
 |
| Millie, James chowing down on Stonefire grill that Mo and Carol picked up so the team wouldn’t have to scurry around for our dinner |
 |
| Pastor Kyle stopped by and gave an impromptu devotional (mini bible lesson) while we ate. It inspired and focused us |
This is a busy time. Easter was just a week ago, taxes are due, our church is having a conferencing on parenting next Saturday. Oh, and yes, we’re flying out in 8 days, April 22nd.
So when Tommy reminded us that we had a team meeting, Friday night, the question was “what are we going to discuss?” “Team Bonding Time,” was his reply.
Friday night, our last team meeting
It’s the last time before we depart to go over some practical matters, make sure the newbies know what to expect….
We shared a meal, Pastor Kyle (Katrina alumnus) stopped by and gave an impromptu and timely devotional (brief bible teaching). We prayed for each other and blessed the first timers and the women on the team.
 |
| Craig had the “vets” pray for and bless all the women and the first timers |
But more than anything, it focused us as a team in purpose, unity and prayer. We are representing God and our church members to bless others, whomever they are. As Kyle put it “before telling people about Christ, we’re trying to BE Christ” to them. The big picture for this project is to combine efforts with the ongoing work of Habitat for Humanity to provide low cost housing.
Sunday morning, Children’s message and Commissioning
Instead of having a separate church service for children, we like to incorporate them into the general service. One of those ways is to have a special time of our service for a mini-message just for the kids. This Sunday, Gary M led our team in a fun and informative teaching.. (Video below)
Pastor Victor prayed for the entire team, and our MSG (support groups) stood with us and blessed us.
It’s touching having family and friends stand with us, and reminds us we do not make these efforts on our own.
We’re one week away!
|
| Pam! |
This is the first year Pam will be coming to Mississippi. But she’s been part of our support team as wife to Art, and friend/supporter to many. So we can’t really say she’s joining, because she has been part all along… This will mark the third married couple we have serving concurrently, in fact Mo and Carol N will be on the Coed team this year as well.
I’ve had the opportunity to send several dear friends as part of this mission since its inception. It’s such an amazing experience to go to the airport and send teams off and be there when they return. It’s awesome to see so many folks come out. I’ve enjoyed hearing their stories of divine appointments, using a palm nailer, going to WalMart, working side by side with potential home owners, The Shed Barbeque Joint, overcoming a fear of heights, Brad’s (one of the Habitat foreman) inspiring Martin Luther King’s impression, going to WalMart, sharing meals with Habitat families, going to WalMart, etc.
Art and I talked about how this could be a ministry that we could serve together. However, the timing has never been ideal …there’s always been some excuse to hold me back. But it’s God’s timing, not mine. So after many years of sending, I’m blessed to be one being sent. And on another note, WalMart and I aren’t friends even though there’s a Super WalMart a mile from home. Who knows, maybe after this trip, WalMart and I will become better friends. After all, I’ll have to get my daily fix of popcorn or ice cream somewhere!
 |
| This will James’ first year going to Mississippi |
James will be joining the Mission to Mississippi for the first time, and serving on the 1-week Coed team.
He shares his perspective as he prepares…
As I was going over my “suggested packing list” for the upcoming spring relief trip to Mississippi, under the category of footwear, I saw that “work boots” was listed. I’m one of those guys who likes to have appropriate footwear for any activity I’m engaged in, whether it’s running shoes for a marathon, cycling shoes for cycling, snow shoes for snow shoeing, lounge shoes for lounging, and work boots for working. I guess you could say I have a shoe fetish. I’ve been wanting some “work boots” for a while now but since I don’t really do any real work, I couldn’t justify spending money on some work boots other than trying to make a fashion statement.
As you could imagine, I was pretty happy when I came across the packing list and immediately started looking online for some work boots. I was eyeing some pretty nice Red Wings but at $250 a pop, who was I kidding. I eventually did buy some new kicks and the break in process has been interesting. The first pair I bought turned out to be too small after the painful realization that they weren’t going to fit even after countless hours of wearing them around the house and eventually outside; a big no-no. I didn’t want to be “that guy” who returns used tires to Nordstrom’s so I bit the bullet and purchased a new larger pair. I’m happy to report that the new pair are breaking in wonderfully and look quite nice, if I do say so myself, especially with some skinny jeans.
So what have I learned in this process and how is this preparing myself for the relief trip to the Gulf Coast? I came across the armor of God lesson from Ephesians this past week and I couldn’t help think about my bipedal ordeal. Eph 6:15 reads, “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” This is an excerpt from my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) notes to help clarify: “The specific piece of armor is not mentioned, but probably it means boots or traveling sandals. The soldiers’ feet must be equipped for movement, for long marches, for sudden attack, and for carrying us from place to place where we need to speak to others about Jesus. The feet are at all times equipped and ready for any emergency and any opportunity. Probably the emphasis on readiness refers to a state of alertness and a spirit eager to spread the gospel.” When I read that I thought, hey, that’s suppose to be me! A spirit eager to spread the gospel and ready for any opportunity. Well, I have the boots to physically get me there and I’m continuing to pray for the Holy Spirit to lead me there
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace” (Isaiah 52:7)
