When I first met Samuel, he introduced himself as “Samuel – as in Second Samuel from the Bible.” I guess he figured he wasn’t worthy to be named after “First Samuel.” He has had a hard life and made several poor decisions that cut him off from any contact from his family for years. Before the storm he lived a lone in a meager rental property.
Samuel never received a MEMA cottage or FEMA camper. Because his pre-Katrina rental property remained physically inhabitable he lacked eligibility for any government assistance. While the gulf coast housing shortage pushed his living quarters above his financial abilities, FEMA regulations deemed his housing loss “not directly storm related,” so he has been in the tent and his vehicle for nearly three years now. Hurricane Gustav flooded his car, so he has been left with only a tent set up on the slab of a storm-destroyed home. To the glory of God, our church has secured a piece of property and the teams framed a tiny house for him this week. Lord willing, it will not take us long to have it ready for him to inhabit.
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WOW. Sounds like a great project and great cause. I’d love to see photos of the house and happy to write about it on my blog too. Sounds like a great story that needs as much re-telling as possible.
This fills my heart with such Joy!
Thank you Lakeshore for continuing to reach out to those in need 4 years after the storm.
Blessings + Love Always,
Paula
[…] Posted by Pastor Don A. Elbourne Jr. Yesterday I posted about a man currently living in a tent. Samuel story is not unique. This past Friday we had two families come by the church asking for tents and blankets. I did not catch their full stories, but circumstances have driven them to seek shelter in sub-third world country living conditions. As MEMA begins to pull all cottages from Hancock County in light of the March 31 deadline to close out all government provided temporary housing, we fear more and more families, individuals, and elderly will get pushed out with nowhere else to turn. […]
[…] We began the new year by beginning two new construction homes. The first is the tiny house for Samuel. Last week our friends from Sovereign Grace Church – Chippewa Falls Wisconsin set the concrete blocks. This week folks from ARBCA churches framed the house. […]
[…] I write this post to request prayer on behalf of Don, the project leadership team, and the entire church because it appears that the County Planning and Zoning Commission is seeking to pass a resolution that would virtually stop all future efforts to minister in the community after May of this year. While there have been various groups who have come and gone from this area, Lakeshore has remained faithfully committed to the task of bring hope to the destitute and a helping hand to those who have no where else to turn. Years after Katrina, still there are folks living in tents or practically homeless. […]
Seeing this video + hearing Don’s testimony once again is proof of how Lakeshore Baptist Church has not only helped hundreds and hundreds of people in Hancock County since August 2005 but has also blessed hundreds and hundreds of mission trip folks (like my husband + I) who were privileged to be a small part of this rebuilding effort. LBC has saved lives and changed lives; saved minds from despair and changed hearts toward Jesus.
Our MARYLAND church prayers are w/ you. We would like to know what else we can do — write letters of support? send a petition to the county?? you name it…
We love you all,
Paula + Barry