One year

One year after the storm, reminders of devastation still surround us on every side. As we see God moving forward, piles of construction material begin to replace the mounds of storm debris. Through the past twelve crisis-drenched intense months, God taught us to lean hard on His sovereign hand. Running a food distribution center that supports and entire community, operating a saw mill, hosting and directing thousands of volunteers, building countless sheds and decks, mucking out houses, rehabbing homes, removing mountains of storm debris, bulldozing property, building houses from the ground up, and holding high the hope of Christ all while living in third-world country conditions, can push anyone over the limits of human capacity. Self sufficiency fails, but God never does. He continues to remind us not to rely on ourselves but on the God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:3-11)

Fueled by God’s sustaining grace, the long road ahead will bring both difficulty and delight. We know that the depths of Christian suffering catapults the believer to heights of unspeakable glory. The deep Katrina scars that mark our soil and flesh point to the overwhelming drop-jawed glory of God. Lakeshore Baptist Church has gained encouragement and strength from the body of Christ flooding to our side as we minister to our storm ravaged community.

Please do not forget about us. The past 365 days began seeing Christ glorified in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. We could not have made it this far without God turning the hearts of His people toward the gulf coast. So much more remains undone. The task before us will take years of commitment and perseverance. We need continued prayer support, a steady flow of volunteer hands, and finances to push the work forward.