Day 20

Okay - so it has been a few days -- no reason to fear or panic,, please do not have apprehension.... God has everything under control. HE has shown me that very thing many times this week!

This has been an awesome week of hard work, spiritual battles, spiritual victories and illuminations of scripture and God's word. (for me at least..)

Sunday: We travelled to the Lower 9th Ward. This is an area where the levee break was R-E-A-L bad. Nothing is where it is suppose to be... houses, cars, trees,- -nothing. Three of us were walking through the rubble, and a large man drove up to a crooked, battered house and began to spray paint numbers on the side. We watched, wanting to talk with the man, but not wanting to take this moment away from him. When he was finished spray painting the street address on the house for insurance reference, we spoke to him. His name was Charles. He was just back in New Orleans for a little while to take care of some personal business. We told him we were here to help, but he said it was too late. He said there was nothing we could fix doen here, it was already 'done'. The homes are too damaged, and all the people are gone... Jane asked if we could pray for him. Mr. Charles dropped his spray can and grabbed our hands to form a prayer circle and dropped his head to pray. Jane, Dave and I prayed for Charles and the family he is separated from - because of Katrina - . When we finished our prayer, he had to turn away from us - - because he was starting to cry and he didn't want us to see it. We were all pretty broken up that we made a big man cry just by holding his hand and calling up to Jesus.


Monday-Tuesday: We worked on the roof! The home is owned by Stephen & Millie. They have a large home way back in the woods.. except the woods are gone -- thay all anded on top of the house and all around the 10 acres surrounding it. Over 120 trees gone, - over 300 chickens gone. Nearly $28,000 gone to "fly-by-night" operators who cut his trees and put a new roof on his home. Why were we there??, because his 'brand new' roof leaks like a strainer!! We had great conversations with the family. He is 73 yrs old, and she is 71. He has a bad back from years of hard work, and she has M.S. and can only get arounf in her Power-Chair. He has to lift her up into bed or bath or car... Now that he is retired, his only job in life is to care for his wife. Since they were 'taken' by their previous workers, they are literally pennyless. Last week Mr. Stephen came to church for the first time in 33 years. This past wednesday he came again for our evening dinner and service --- because there was no food to eat at home. Please join us in prayers from Stephen & Millie. We pray for the comfort that comes with the knowledge of Jesus Christ to come into their lives.
If you were to ask what this family needs the 'most'? Food?, Shelter?, Finances?: I would answer that they need someone to come to their home at least once per week to love them and share with them. These are the most wonderful people!! Most time is spent listening..., because they have a LOT of fantastic stories to tell. Listening to stories has become a new ministry of mine! Next, this family needs food, soap, cleaning supplies, and regular household items. I believe this is the family which many people back home (Faith/ Woodruff) have been looking for to adopt. They could be helped tremendously with the simple offer of Walmart Gift cards. Then they could purchase all their household items and also food. Talk to any of the people returning home this week for more information on this family.
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY: Dan and 'the men' went to work on a home which was water damamged, replacing paneling and drywall, Mark and Dave went to a home owned by the niece of Stephen & Millie. -Another awesome survival story; this single mom and three kids lost a portion of their home completely (cannot be rebuilt) due to Hurricane Katrina. She works two jobs, yet they have only soup most week days and have a regular supply of military M.R.E.'s (meals ready to eat) that they eat for supper. Survival? Yes... A Real Life? nope... Yet they continue on, day after day, with the joy of knowing there is a church out there who cares for them.

Humor: PLEASE GIVE: We are asking for donations for the Brett Walker Trouser Foundation. It appears that Brett has gone through 2 pairs of pants in 4 days, and he is running low in the trouser supplies.... If you only KNEW what happened to his pants - you would fall off your chair laughing - so I must let him (or Dan Scholten who was a witness) tell the stories. Ask them what happened?!!?

God Sightings; This week God was sighted all over the place. Jesus appeared to me in a dream (and said nothing - very interesting -->But I will never forget His eyes!!!) I saw the hand of God working in the lives of all the Minocqua/Woodruff volunteers (as well as Illinois and Canada) I saw God work in the lives of homeowners and homeless people alike. This week I was personally surprised by a waitress named Janell from the Outback Steakhouse. One week ago we visited the Outback for a farewell meal, (Smokey, Kathy, Liz, Nancy, Shawn & Daniell and Mark & Cathy) and asked the waitress for any prayer requests before supper... She asked us to pray for her mom and then held hands and prayed along with us. WoW! She has Since brought her boyfriend to church for their first service in Covington. WOW GOD!!

This experience is becoming the most inspiring of my life. Knowing that God is in complete control, and that HIS plan will succeed is comforting and humbling.

I pray for each of you reading this; that God may impress His will into your lives so that every move you make is a step in the direction that GOD would take you in.

May God bless you all.
-mj

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2Corinthians 5:17