Category: Prayer and Support Letter

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2019 Serve Houston!

2019, New Location, repeat organization….

We’re excited to be going to Houston, TX for 2019.

We’ll refrain from the many times “Houston, we have a problem” will be said… We’re sure the locals love hearing that.

In response to the floods that Houston has experienced, we’ll be sending a 22-person team to the region: 15 returning Evergreensgv.org team members, 4 newbies, and 3 always-appreciated, underrated out-of-state team members from our time in  Oklahoma and Mississippi.

Why Houston?

Much like our trip to Louisiana last year, our core leaders prayerfully considered and visited Texas last October, meeting up with Reach Global, and surveying potential areas we could serve.

Initially, we were called to the area in response to Hurricane Harvey, but there have been damaging tornadoes touching down in the region even this week

 

Our core team of Chris C, Craig, Jeff and Mathias felt this was the right time and the right place. Our experience with Reach Global last year led us to partner with them again this year. Much of the work with ReachGlobal is rehab work (as opposed to building new housing) and emphasizes making personal connections with the people we’re working with.

ReachGlobal organizes volunteers like ourselves, with homeowners who need assistance. After planning the repairs with ReachGlobal, the homeowners are responsible for supplying all the building supplies. ReachGlobal oversees the project, and groups like ours provide the labor.

Our schedule, and 4 newbies

We will be in Houston May 19-25 of this year, and we’ll be staying will be taking with us 4 newbies, Dewey, Hugh, Mona and Zohreh.

As usual, we won’t know what type of work we’ll have in store for us when we get to Houston, but it’ll likely be rehab work. Last year with ReachGlobal, we repaired a roof, repaired damaged flooring and tile, and painted. So flexibility is always helpful when we hit the road.

If you want to learn more, please take a look at our informational support letter

 
 

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OKC 2017-Support Letter

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxPubJpJo0GdZzJ6MDczeldtYjg

Thanks to everyone that’s been supporting us in prayer and donations. 

Once again, it’s not so much that we are asking for donations, each team member is contributing some of their own funds, and our church helps make this team happen.

It’s really to let others partner with us, especially if they’re unable to join us (physically) on the trip. We believe God could rebuild these homes with or without our help, but if we get the opportunity to participate, we’re trying to jump at that opportunity. So we extend that invitation to you as well.

We also hold ourselves accountable to those who support us, and we prayerfully make decisions on how we use our resources.


So if you want to partner up with us, feel free to read the support letter below, and commit to pray for the team, or if you want, you can support us financially as well.

If you wanted to see a copy of our support letter, it’s available via this link

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Here’s your 2015 Team!

Evergreen SGV Oklahoma Relief Team April 26 – May 3, 2015

Your 2015 Team
Row 1: Chris, Gary, Peter, Tommy, Craig, Lorin, Shirley, Pam, Art
Row 2: Tom, Frank, Jeff, Matthew, Virginia
(Kelly not pictured)
Here’s an excerpt from our Support Letter, which you can access by clicking here
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  1 John 4:11
Once again, we are investing a week of our lives to share the love of Jesus with those affected by the devastation of an EF5 tornado, that caused loss of life and property in Moore, OK, in May 2013. We will partner with Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity to do whatever construction or refurbishment work is needed.
If God is calling you to support us, please consider our prayer requests:  
(1) team unity
(2) safe travel to and from Oklahoma City, as  well as safe travels while we are there
(3) protection from injury and illness 
(4)  protection for our families while we are away
(5)  most of all, that God would provide opportunities for us to grow in faith in Him and to share that faith with others we encounter.
Thank you for taking time to consider this opportunity to partner with us.
In His service, Members of the Evergreen SGV 2015 Oklahoma Relief Team
PS:  Before, during and after our mission trip, we will be recording reflections on the Team blog at http://sgvhabitat.blogspot.com
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2010 Support Letters and Response Cards

Sorry we didn’t post this sooner, but here are the Support letters and Response cards we sent out earlier. In case you missed it, you can click on any of these to view/download them.

Click on the following if you’d like to see the:

We thank all of you for your support and care. We’ll work hard on your behalf, and for the Glory of God. This is so much more than just hammers and nails, it’s about building lives, communities and hope in Christ.

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2009 Prayer Letter

We’re a couple weeks out, and here we go.

Our team has been finalized, prayer groups have been formed and plane tickets have been booked.

Our journey picks up some steam now.

For those of you who are interested in supporting our project, here’s our prayer letter, giving you more details about this trip, and the people that will be participating.

Support Letter

Response form

Thanks for your support!

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2008 Prayer Letter


If you wish to download the complete PDF’s, here are the Prayer letter and the Response Form



Mo Nakatsui, Steve Chen, Kevin Kubo, Peter Lau, Chris Chan,
Tommy Yamada, Steve Ogata, Paul Liu, Craig Kakihara, Will Jong

Katrina Gulf Coast Relief Team
Biloxi, Mississippi
4-11 May 2008

It’s hard to remember when it was that Hurricane Katrina unleashed devastation on the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida (August 2005). And yet the recovery work is slated to continue in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area for many more years to come. Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed and thousands of people were left homeless. Evergreen Baptist Church of San Gabriel Valley extended offers at that time to assist in the form of sending volunteers to help rebuild along with monetary contributions to fund relief efforts. In April 2007, we finally had an opportunity to send a team to assist in that relief effort. We again have an opportunity to send a team to continue the recovery effort in this devastated area.

In partnership with Habitat for Humanity (HFH), Evergreen Baptist Church SGV will be sending a team of ten men to assist in the rebuilding efforts to provide low cost homes for those in need along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The team will fly to Gulf Port/Biloxi Airport and stay at the Salvation Army Volunteer Village. We will be working with Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast (hfhmgc.org) doing whatever construction or refurbishing work is needed during our week stay.

God has called each of us to go on this mission and we are all excited about the opportunity. Some of us were fortunate enough to have served on last year’s team and feel especially grateful to be able to serve again. We on this team, however, recognize that this trip is made possible by people who will stand beside us and support us through prayer, enco uragement, and financial contributions.

If you hear God’s call to support us please consider interceding with God in these areas on our behalf: (1) the building of close relationships among the team members so we can work cooperatively together, as well as with the HFH staff; (2) safe travel to and from the Biloxi area, as well as safe travels while we are serving in Mississippi; (3) protection from harm while working at the construction sites; (4) protection for our families while we are away; (5) good weather that is conducive to working at the construction tasks we are assigned; and (6) most of all, that God would open doors of opportunity for us to grow in faith in Him and to share that faith with others we encounter.

If God lays it on your heart to support us financially, we will gladly accept it for use in God’s service, but note that our greatest desire is for you to pray and be our intercessors. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to share with you our desire to have you partner with us in this endeavor. May God’s grace and mercy be with you always.

In His service,
Members of the Evergreen SGV Katrina Gulf Coast Relief Team

Katrina Gulf Coast Relief Team Thoughts

Chris Chan “I am excited about the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those that have been so dramatically affected by Hurricane Katrina. I can’t even begin to imagine what they have gone through and are still struggling with. My hope is that through our actions or direct communication with the people in the Gulf Coast, they would be able to experience the love of Jesus and the hope that is found in Him.”

Steve Chen “Since Hurricane Katrina struck, I wanted to help. However, dismissed the opportunity by focusing on my busy life. Finally, overcoming my selfishness, I empathized with lives unexpectedly devastated. I’m honored to be working along caring men whose hearts desire to bring hope back to families.”

Will Jong “I’ve been told that the experience from the mission is far greater for myself, than the recipient of our, sacrifice of time, and effort. The Lord’s gift is truly Divine. It is, far greater to give than to receive.”

Craig Kakihara “I was inspired by last year’s team and sensed the Lord’s calling to participate this year. I’m honored to have an opportunity to serve alongside Godly men and glorify our Lord through excellent work and excellent witness.”

Kevin Kubo “I am really excited about being able to serve God by serving others.”

Peter Lau “Trusting God is hard. It must have been for those who lost their homes in the gulf region. God doesn’t overlook things just because they’re not prevalent in the news. If our church, our team, and my participation help people understand that they’re not forgotten or forsaken, I’m honored to help.”

Paul Liu “The Lord has placed a burden on my heart to serve those less fortunate. I am looking forward to this great opportunity to serve with my Christian brothers and share the love of Christ.”

Mo Nakatsui “Since my job involves working indoors in a secular environment, last year I really enjoyed serving the Lord by working outdoors with my hands, building something with other Christian men; so I just had to do it again. Ending up with something that means so much to a family in need was an added plus.”

Steve Ogata “I went to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi in 2007 with no expectations except to use power tools, learn about construction, and serve God. A year later, I have retired from pharmacy and become the Building Project Administrator of Evergreen SGV. Again, I am going to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi with no expectations.”

Tommy Yamada “As part of last year’s Katrina Gulf Coast Relief Team, I was extremely blessed by the fellowship and unity I experienced. I feel very privileged to be a part of this year’s team and again look forward to ‘feeling His pleasure’.”

Check out what happened last year, and keep up with this year’s team (we plan to update the blog each night again) at the following internet location: http://sgvhabitat.blogspot.com

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Team Prayer Letter

Hurricane Katrina Recovery Project Gautier, Mississippi
April 21st – 28th, 2007

It seems like an eternity ago that hurricane Katrina unleashed indescribable devastation upon the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed and thousands of people were left homeless. Evergreen Baptist Church, San Gabriel Valley extended offers at that time to assist in the form of sending volunteers to help rebuild along with monetary contributions to fund relief efforts. After a season of waiting, God’s timing and plan for us is such that our offer has now been accepted!

In partnership with American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA) and Habitat for Humanity (HFH), Evergreen Baptist Church of SGV will be sending a team of ten men to assist in the rebuilding efforts to provide homes for those in need along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The team will fly down and stay at the Salvation Army Volunteer Village for seven days while working on the construction of homes sponsored financially by ABC-USA. We have the honor and privilege of being a part of the team.

God has called each of us to go on this mission, and we are all quite excited about the opportunity to serve in this way. However, this trip will not be possible apart from people like you coming alongside us to support us with prayer, finances, and encouragement. So our hope and prayer is that God would show you how He would want you to partner with us.

If He calls you to intercede for us, both now as we prepare and during the 7 days that we’ll be in Mississippi, here are a few requests: for strong relationships and cooperation among our team as well with other volunteers that we will be working with; for safety in our travels; for physical protection while working on the construction sites; for protection over our families while we are away; for weather that will be conducive to our construction tasks that we will be assigned; and for God to use our efforts to bless and help the families that lost their homes to the destruction of hurricane Katrina as well as to others providing assistance in the recovery efforts.

If God calls you to contribute financially towards the roughly $8,500 that we as a team need to raise, please fill out the response form and send it with your check in the enclosed envelope. And if He calls you to write a note of affirmation or encouragement to one (or all) of us, feel free to do so on the back of the response card.

Thank you for considering how you can partner with us on this mission. May God’s grace and mercy always be with you.

In His Service,

Evergreen SGV Katrina Recovery Team April 2007

Katrina Recovery Team April 2007

Gary Yee, Art Fong, Peter Lau, (Mathias Nakatsui drawn on whiteboard), Mo Nakatsui, Steve Ogata
Robert Nishikawa, Dennis Cho, Tommy Yamada, Frank Murakami

Dennis Cho “This is an opportunity to give a little of myself to help so many in need. It’s the least I can do considering all the blessings God has bestowed upon me.”

Art Fong “I am truly honored to be used by God in this way and anticipate the many blessings that will come from this as a result.”

Peter Lau “One thing that impressed me about this one is that even though we may not be rebuilding all the homes in a particular region, even a few new homes in an area can help retain and build up property value in that area. Hopefully that will encourage others to stay and rebuild on their own, and help them and investors have confidence in the region.”

Frank Murakami “I am glad I finally get to go to the Gulf area to help those who were devastated by Katrina. To go with a great bunch of guys from our church is a real plus.” “I want the people there to know that I care.”

Mo Nakatsui in Matthew 25:40 it says, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” I see this as an opportunity to give back to God in a small way for the many blessings He has given me.

Mathias Nakatsui “I am looking forward to serving the people in the Gulf Coast by building homes.”

Robert Nishikawa “Serving the Lord is one of the greatest things I can do for a God who has given me so much. I am going take this opportunity and make a difference.”

Steve Ogata “In addition to all the more serious and heartfelt concerns, this is my opportunity to use power tools and enjoy the camaraderie of encouraging joyful Christian guys.”

Tommy Yamada “I’m looking forward to experiencing a new part of God’s kingdom and hopefully ‘feel His pleasure’.”

Gary Yee “I want to be able to put the love of Christ into action…to live out my sacrifice.”