Bastrop, TX Everyone Welcome

Don's Devotional

Affections are powerful. Affections are often that on which we focus and use so much of our strength and energy. My affections can be good or bad, it really does depend on me. It is written, "set your affections on things that are above". In doing this, it can help us grow in the Spirit. By setting our affections on the living Jesus, we can grow in our concern for the church...that in all things He might have the preeminence. We can grow spiritually in bible study...rightly dividing the word. It has been said, "that which becomes still, becomes stagnant". I want my life to be a refreshing stream not a stagnant pond. I believe you do too. Let's help and encourage each other.

-Disaster Assistance-Update from Central Church of Christ Tuscaloosa, AL by Lee Jamieson-

We have been providing appliances, furniture and ongoing assistance to folks we encountered during the time you were here. We cull through the contacts and assist them as they find their new permanent home. We have helped 35-40 families in this way so far. We are lined up to assist 15 families as soon as their new Habitat-For-Humanity homes are completed.

-Disaster Assistancce-Bastrop TX CoC-We received 1000 cases today each filled with the following items: 14 oz box cereal, 2 boxes mac & cheese, 4 packs of ramen noodles, 2 bx of jello, 1 pk paper plates, box of tuna helper, 1 pk spaghetti, 1 can spaghetti sauce, jar of peanut butter, jar of jelly, box of saltines, 2 cans of chili, roll of paper towels, pk of silverware, laundry soap, six pack applesauce, bx of instant coffee, bag of pinto beans and a bag of rice.

We just received 3 loads of pre-packed food boxes photo of one trailer being unloaded below

Disaster Assistance/Bastrop Church of Christ

Group of Abilene Christian University students here for the weekend volunteering, just back from cleaning a homesite.

-Disaster Assistance-Bastrop,TX-We have a large group of students today from Abilene Christian University out helping cleanup burned homes.

Thanksgiving Meal for Bastrop,TX area.

On Saturday November 12 a Thanksgiving meal will be served at the Bastrop Church of Christ for fire victims, fire fighters, police and anyone in the area that wants to attend.

Below is from todays Bastrop Church of Christ bulletin

The Bastrop Church of Christ Relief efforts continue on going into our 7th week, beginning today. We have had donations of all kinds coming in from the community, other Churches of Christ, and even those out of state as far away as Maine. We, by Gods gracious mercy and love, have been supplied with the means to help well over 1,000 families so far.

We have been blessed with volunteers from all over, on a daily basis, who have worked endlessly on sorting and organizing all the clothes, dishes, food pantry items, loading and unloading trailers of everything for basic can foods to whole bedroom suits. What a blessing and wonderful thing to see the outpouring of loving kindness, and generosity of those who lost so much in the Labor Day Fires.

We have groups of volunteers who go out and clean up the home sites as well. What a blessing it has been for those who have found themselves with nothing, being provided so much by their fellow community peers.

We are sure that God's love and compassion is being shown through all who are here volunteering and donating, in his name. What a way to reach out to the community and show them how much we do care and how much love God can bring to a community through those of his children who are willing to open their hearts and mind and let God work through them.....All Glory to God!

-Disaster Assistance-Bastrop Church of Christ,TX-

Load of hay just arrived for our 4 legged friends. We have around 70 volunteers working here at the distribution center and out cleaning up burned homes today.

Photos below are of the work volunteers did today.

-Disaster Assistance-Bastrop,TX-

Town Hall Community Conversation from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Jerry Fay Wilhelm Center for the Performing Arts, 1401 Cedar Street, Bastrop.

“We’ve got a long road ahead of us, but we’ve already started on our way back,” Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald said. “We know people have questions about what happens next, so we’re getting representatives from government agencies and other public sector providers together so people can get their questions answered in one place.”

We were here with Elders from Bastrop CoC last night with a display setup.

Bastrop Church of Christ

New items are needed by those in our community who are rebuilding their lives and homes after the Labor Day fires.... ladders, paint brushes, hand tools and masking tape. As you can see by this new list, priorities are changing. These items may be dropped off at the Bastrop Church of Christ building which is located at 287 FM 20. Please share this with your FB friends. Your help is very appreciated.

Disaster Assistance-Bastrop,TX

Was out surveying the area with Elders of Bastrop CoC last night. Photo below is one of the burned homes that we have helped clean up.

Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management

Update: Fire has been name Old Potato Fire. Fire is estimated at 500-600 acs and spreading north toward Herron Trail and 2336 Camp Swift. TFS has several aircraft resources fighting fire including DC-10. Herron Trail and Oak Hill Cemetary Rd to 2336 have been evacuated.

Central Texas fires 2011

The Austin Bar Association in partnership with the Bastrop County Bar Association has opened a free legal clinic in the Disaster Relief Center (1602 Hill St., Bastrop High School 9th Grade Center) established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Attorney volunteers will be available at the Relief Center to answer basic legal questions Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The legal clinics will be available at this location as long as the FEMA Center is operating.

In addition, two hotlines have been set up for legal questions for those that cannot return to the area:
•State Bar of Texas: 1-800-504-7030
•Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: 1-866-757-1570

Bastrop, TX- Ralph and his group are from League City CoC, Texas

This is the place we worked in assistance to those that lost their homes in the recent wildfire. It was a brick home with a metal roof and steel studs, and it was completely destroyed, though the flag and pole in the front yard were untouched, as were the wood frame homes on either side of this one.

By: Ralph Bryant

Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 2

Still having ground fires inside the perimeter of the "Complex" fire. Please keep the needles swept away from your surviving homes. If you have yaupon brush remaining on your property, cut it back, or remove it completely. This is the "ladder fuel" that carries the fire into the tops of the trees. One month has passed and there are still many hot spots and stumps burning in the ground. The needle litter is igniting and will carry the fire to anything it can contact.

New phase begins in Bastrop rebuilding

Officials roll out programs to clean up areas

Updated: Monday, 03 Oct 2011, 10:37 AM CDT
Published : Monday, 03 Oct 2011, 10:33 AM CDT



BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) - A new phase is beginning in Bastrop County as residents continue work to rebuild.

Officials are rolling out programs to clean up the areas affected by the wildfires.

Residents can now drop off debris along the sidewalks in front of their properties, and crews will pick it up.

Officials are also assessing the damage to the area's natural resources, all while firefighters remain on guard with these dry conditions.

Many thanks to the thousands of volunteers that have and are helping us. We feel your efforts are much more than a minimum wage estimate. We know that weather you help 1 hr, 1 day,1 week or more that the time you give is PRICELESS!!!!!!!!

At the present time here in Bastrop, TX at the Bastrop Church of Christ there is only two full time mission groups that are helping. Disaster Relief(Nashville) is providing part of the supplies and Disaster Assistance CoC is working onsite 24/7 with the Elders on all phases of this relief effort(homeowner fire damage cleanup, meal prep, supply distribution and all volunteer coordination for these efforts). Like at our past mission works we plan on being here as long as the Elders of Bastrop CoC feel we are needed.

I also want to thank the Elders and the members here at Bastrop CoC for all there help and support. So many of them are here everyday to make sure things are running smoothly. Also many other churches have sent volunteers, supplies and funds to help this work Thank You Thank You Thank You.

As always we still need three things:

Your Prayers
Volunteers
Funds

We have around 70 volunteers here helping today.

Most of this group is from Texas A&M

Group siging in before they go out to help homeowners cleanup fire damage