KatrinaGrace Team VII Pics and Update

For those of you interested in our work with Katrina Survivors in the New Orleans Metro area, we've just gotten pictures from our 7th Team that returned a couple of weeks ago. They can be found here. You can get just an idea of how much work still needs to be done.

When I went down in May/June, I was particularly struck by how much damage there still was in the Lower 9th Ward.

We've just learned that Habitat for Humanity in Slidell, LA (pics from May-June in Slidell) wants to build 100 homes in a year and very much need volunteers. We are just beginning planning to send teams there. Our host church when we are in Covington - Trinity - just agreed to let us stay there while we work in Slidell. We'll be doing the work under their auspices.

The 8 Teams we've sent so far have been

• Work Teams - gutting out houses, clearing out trees, etc
• Compassion Teams - meeting with those who need pastoral care
• Cooking Teams - cooking for the Work Teams
• Planning Teams (quick and small) - we did one of these to map out 2006

Trinity has asked for more Compassion Teams and it looks like we might be sending some Building Teams. We expect to be visiting the area well into 2007 if not beyond. Though it's not in the news as much as it was, the amount of devastation still in the area is difficult to comprehend.

There are at least three good things rising out of the devastation:

1. I personally have only heard of one or two churches that aren't sending people to the area to help. The response of Christ's church has been wonderful.
   
   
2. The people that we've met have a very high opinion of the church in the light of all the folks working to help.
   
   
3. Most importantly, as Katrina has been a major paradigm shifting event, people in the area are seeking and finding God.