Several churches in South Jersey have pooled their resources and made multiple trips to Lakeshore since Hurricane Katrina. Bob Thomson shares the following recap of their most recent trip. I post it here because it gives a glimpse of a typical week in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. You can also see pictures from their Lakeshore #7 trip.
Bob writes:
Jeremiah 32:42, “this is what the Lord says: as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. (NIV)
A week ago we entered a van going to the Phila. airport as individuals and soon became the 7th Alliance Mission Team heading for the Mississippi Gulf coast. This was no vacation as we entered into a flood ravaged land during the annual gnat plague. Unbelievable. Daily rain hampered our start to what became a bonding and sharing opportunity with spring breakers from across the fruited plains. What a blessing it was to share with young people who could be sitting on a beach somewhere in the sun.
Don’t ever think that this is a mission to the members of the Lakeshore Baptist Church. Not. We took turns going into the community to do whatever needed to be done. While others of us prepared meals and kept the compound shipshape and did maintenance. Our team hung air conditioners, hooked up appliances and ordered bathroom fixtures for a homeless man’s new construction. We did extensive repair on a home and shed of a family where the elderly mother took care of her two mentally challenged daughters. We were able to be involved for two days in the new bunkhouse raising which will house future volunteers. We took our turn at running the kitchen and helped other teams with menus. Work in the free store and church grounds beautification project kept the team busy. Our young people went with other teams to clear land for the church expansion.
It was an experience. You had to be there to get the blessing. We plan on going back. Do yourself a favor. Save a week of vacation and join us this fall.
Bob Thomson coordinator for the
Alliance of Christian Churches in S. Jersey for Katrina Relief
