Disaster Assistance LaPlace, LA

883 meals today, homes cleaned, met with church from FL that wants to help, met with another group from AR that wants to help and group from AL will arrive between 10 and midnight tonight. Tomorrow looks to be a very busy day hopefully we will have a large amount of volunteers.

Transformed by the Word By Brian Kirby

Disaster Assistance Work in LaPlace… As you know, the relief group Disaster Assistance CoC from Lake Jackson, TX has been in LaPlace, LA for several days now conducting relief efforts after the flooding that took place in that community due to Hurricane Isaac. This organization, supported by the churches of Christ and overseen by the church in Lake Jackson, TX, has been across the United States helping communities recover from various disasters over the years – including here at Goodwood during Hurricane Gustav. Mike Baumgartner with Disaster Assistance has informed me that they will likely be in LaPlace for several months as they continue to assist with the relief and recover efforts there. As of the writing of this article, Disaster Assistance has served 3904 meals, distributed a semi-trailer load of supplies from Disaster Relief (Nashville, TN), helped several families clear out their flooded homes. They have also set up 25 air mattresses and obtained a mobile shower facility for any volunteers who wish to come and help. There are also several coordinated efforts in the works at this point to have volunteers from all over the southeast United States to come and help out with the relief efforts. Mike has also let me know that there is still a great need for volunteers in the effort. If you, or a group of you all, are interested in helping out with the relief effort, visit the Disaster Assistance web site at http://www.disasterassistancecoc.com/ for information on volunteering OR you can contact me (Bryan) at the church office. If you want to know what kind of supplies they need, visit the “Items Needed” page on their website OR you can donate cash (which is always useful) through the church or on their website. As we look at the efforts that are going on all over south Louisiana, let’s keep a few passages from the New Testament in mind. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8 ESV) “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17 ESV) And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10 ESV)

GREAT NEWS

Photo below is a shower trailer just delivered tonight here at the church. We now have 4 showers for ladys and 3 for men. Now there is no excuse for anyone not to come and help. You can sleep in the church and have a nice hot shower.

Busy-Busy Day Today

We served 958 meals and handed out almost all of the semi load of supplies from Disaster Relief, Photo below shows people in line for Disaster Assistance meals and Disaster Relief supplies.

Hurricane Isaac-Laplace, LA

The days just keep getting bigger. Today we did 1132 meals and helped two families clean out there flooded houses

Hurricane Isaac-Laplace, LA

Lots going on today. We did 649 meals. Filled out many more work orders. We had volunteers here today from Hickory Knoll CoC. Tomorrow volunteers that I know of will be from Goodwood CoC, Zachary CoC and Hickory Knoll. Union CoC here on Tuesday. We also packed many bags of groceries for hand out tomorrow.

-Disaster Assistance Mission-Hurricane Isaac-Laplace, LA

Really busy day today we did 501 meals, signed up 10 families that need help and Don had 2 bible studies. We need your help donation information on the right.

Disaster Assistance-Hurricane Isaac-Laplace, LA

Well a long day of driving and on the phone for 10 hours we have arrived. After many calls between myself, Fred Franke and Elder at Hollywood Road CoC we decided that other places had much more damage than Houma. So we are setup at Laplace Church of Christ. Every members house was flooded plus most of the town. All power is out so we are running on generators. Tomorrow we are going to be in full swing, serving meals and volunteers out helping cleanup. We have many Disaster Assistance regulars here, Fred is bring volunteers and Goodwood CoC is bring volunteers from Baton Rouge and I am sure others will also be here. Looks like we will be here a long time. We need your help to continue this mission work.

Hurricane Isaac from Don Hudson

We volunteers with Disaster Assistance got stuck for today in Tuscaloosa. To many storms coming thru. We leave in the morning for Houma, La. We will be working with several areas inundated by flood waters. We may have a high way patrol escort into the area. Folks there are aware we are coming and are looking forward to our presence and help as we work with them both spiritually and physically. They are very receptive in learning of this Jesus and His Church who influenced and made possible our being there to help. "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." If want to help, please go to our web site. Wwwdisasterassistancoc@gmail.c​om or call me at 931 698 3150. On behalf of so many hurting people, thank you for your concern and help.

Disaster Assistance Hurricane Isaac - Things continue to get worse.

TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. – Residents living along the Tangipahoa River were told to quickly evacuate after a potential dam break at Lake Tangipahoa, a breach that could release a torrent of water south into Louisiana. McComb, Miss., mayor Whitney Rawlings said there was a 50 percent chance the dam would fail. He said it was currently holding, but the concern is that it would eventually give. “What they’re doing now is saying, ‘OK, this thing might go. People need to be moving now in case it does go.’ And lord only knows if this thing holds or not,” Rawlings said. Around 10:10 a.m., a mandatory evacuation was called for areas along the Tangipahoa River from Kentwood through Robert, an area that would affect between 50,000 and 60,000 people. Residents within a mile of the river were asked to evacuate.

Disaster Assistance Tracking Isaac

I have arrived in Birmingham, AL with the Mobile Headquarters. We have 2 or 3 other RV's with volunteers arriving tomorrow. We all will wait here until it is safe to go into the affected areas. You can fill out volunteer form on the web site. Donation information is to your right and also on the web page.

Disaster Assistance-Hurricane Isaac

I will be taking the Mobile Headquarters to Birmingham, AL on Monday. From there I will watch and wait to see where landfall is than head that direction. If anyone who has RV wants to meet me there and be part of the First Response just let me know.

Watching Isaac and fires out West.

Tropical Storm Isaac is forecast to continue strengthening steadily as it moves through the northern Lesser Antilles on Wednesday and into the northeast Caribbean by Thursday. Isaac could become a hurricane as early as Thursday. Residents and visitors of the northern Caribbean, Yucatan Peninsula, southeastern United States and the central/eastern Gulf Coast should watch the progress of Isaac closely over the next week or more.

Oklahoma City Wildfires

We are watching the fires across the West and staying in touch with our contacts in each area of concern. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Some Oklahoma residents have returned to emergency s helters despite evacuation orders in many areas of the state being lifted, as wildfires continued to burn. A "monster" fire had devoured almost 91 square miles and continued to burn between Mannford and Kellyville in northeastern Oklahoma's Creek County as light rain and cooler temperatures gave firefighters a brief respite early Sunday, said Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker.

I just talked with our contact in Luther, Okla. They said there was 25 homes that was burned there.

Oklahoma Fires

Tracy Streeper hugs five year-old grandson Jesse, as they stand on the north side of Streeper's destroyed home, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012 in Luther, Okla. While residents of one Oklahoma town sifted through their c harred belongings Saturday to salvage what they could after a roaring wildfire that may have been deliberately set, residents in two other towns were being ordered to evacuate their homes. The fire near Luther, which is about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, destroyed nearly five dozen homes and other buildings before firefighters were able to gain some measure of control Saturday. TABLOIDS OUT Photo: AP / AP

Today we have volunteers helping another homeowner sift and cleanup ashes.

Great day in progress. Photo below shows just part of the volunteers we have out working on 5 different homer owners properties. We have around 70 volunteers working from Mountain View, Pikes Peak, Eastside, Tri-Lakes and Golden Church of Christ, local people and out of towners. It is written, "Am I my brother's keeper"? When we choose to be of help, wonderful opportunities often present themselves. Among them, we can help people see the influence of Christ in our lives. We thank our Father that we may also help someone see rays of sunshine (Son shine) that discouragement has clouded.

We are getting ready for another big day tomorrow helping the owners of the burned homes sift thru the ashes. We have volunteers coming from Mountain View, Pikes Peak and Eastside Church of Christ plus other local and out of town people coming to help.

Well we were having another good day until about 20 min. ago and the wind took our awning, tables, chairs and supplies and tore them up and put them all over the parking lot. Come and joins us so you don't miss out on all the fun.

Big day today. Worked on 3 sites, the giveway and meals at Ground Zero. 50 volunteers help.

Lots going on. We have 1 group of volunteers out sifting and cleanup today. Doing lunches and preparing meals for large giveaway tonight and tomorrow for the families that had damage. Tomorrow we have lots of volunteers that will be out sifting and cleaning aprox 50-60. Large group from Mountain View CoC, two groups from TX and other locals will make up those numbers.

Busy day, had pod delivered to store more supplies in. Worked on two cleanup jobs. One is comp. and the other one will probably be finished tomorrow. The one that we completed the owner was very happy we found many things including most of his coin collection. Also did all of the normal stuff (meals, handed out other food and supplies and signed up more people for help).

Photo below is our volunteer work crew for today. We have two houses to work with today.

Today was another good day. Talked to many people, handed out meals and other supplies and signed up another family to help sift and cleanup. We have cleanup for tomorrow, Thursday and 2 on Saturday. I am also planning on attending special program on Fri & Sat evening to hand out meals, other supplies and sign up families who need help.

Volunteers helping clenaup and sift Colorado Springs Fire

Colorado Springs Fire Video by Matt Elliott

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Nu5V7MH1U&feature=player_embedded

The fire is contained and now we have flash flood warnings. Today was another good day. Handed our meals, other food and supplies. Had sifters delivered. Talked to many people and scheduled another family that wants help sifting and cleanup. That makes 3 for this week.

Today has been a good day. We handed out meals, other food, cleaning supplies, mops, shovels and wheel barrel. Looks like the people are slowly wanting to sign up for help with clean up. We have 5 families wanting help and have one of them scheduled for next week. One lady in today with no insurance lost everything. Herman & Lisa from Mountain View CoC have agreed to supervise the cleanup crews. As I have stated before if anyone wants to volunteer to help here you will need RV or make arrangements at Hotel. If you do want to come send me email with dates and how many. We are setup up on land with no utilities and are running everything form our large generator.

Update from Don Hudson

Don's Good News....Disaster Assistance, from it's inception, is a mission that seeks to help people and to help the Church of Christ in it's effort in outreach and evangelism. This mission effort is associated with Lake Jackson Church of Christ, Lake Jackson Tx. We work to help the local church in whatever it needs in times of disaster. The need may be repair and ...construction, or preparation of meals,or counseling and sometimes our volunteers just sit and listen to people who have lost everything. Some of them may even have insurance, but they have lost everything and they hurt. We try to share the love and understanding of Jesus with them. We want them to know that God cares and we do too. Due to the efforts of volunteers in this home missionary work, hundreds of bible studies have been conducted and we are aware of many people who have been baptized into Christ. Most importantly we volunteers are there to help the local church. "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

Disaster Assistance - Ground Zero - Colorado Springs Fire

Terry & Joyce Cross arrived here on Saturday form Ohio to volunteer for a few days. They leave for home today. Thank you so much Terry & Joyce. Below is a post from Joyce's facebook page. A meet Rita today. What a story. She is 93 and had to evacuate her home. She was evacuated from 3 different places. Rita was aloud to return to her home a condo Tue 7/3. The stress from this disaster has been hard on her physical and emotionaly. I meet Rita as she was trying to wash the ash off her car that had been left at her home. She didn't understand the auto car wash function and was shaken by the process. I drove the car along with her through the wash as she told me her story and that of others who lost there homes. She called me her angle from heaven and couldn't believe that someone would help her. We talked about why I was there and the work that was being done. Asked her if she would like for us to pray with her and she was over come by the love and care she was given. Terry, Mike and I gave her a drink and we prayed. Wished her God's blessings and she went on her way to buy some groceries. Rita is one of the lucky who returned to a home. Rita like many will be forever changed. This tragedy will find many grieving there losses. The stress will affect the health of some. Continue to pray for the firefighters, the victims, recovery workers and those that minister to them. I'll never forget my friend Rita.

Our First Day at Ground Zero

Well this day started off with a bang. I went out to check oil on generator. When I tried to get back in the latch on the door of the mobile headquarters was broken and I could not get in. Called lock smith he arrived 1 hr later and another 45 min to get it open. Can't get new parts until tomorrow so door is tied shut with string. Than started cooking and generator stopped working. Had to get 4 strong people to help get the 17,500 W generator out of the trailer. Than of course the battery was dead. Finally got it started and cooking again. Than what else could happen? I dropped my phone down the steps and broke the screen. We got the food cooked served around 50 meals, signed up people for other needs, gave out lots of info. and had a listening ear, hug and prayer for many people who lost there homes. All in all we had a good first day.

Disaster Assistance Mission-Colorado Springs Ground Zero Location

We will start serving meals and registering people for other help tomorrow 7/5. Items needed individually wrapped snack cakes individual bag chips ketchup, mustard, mayo packets fruit and pudding cups Gatorade water Clorox wipes paper towels and toilet paper wet wipes walmart gift cards gas cards hand sanitizer wheel barrels shovels, brooms and rakes

-Disaster Assistance Mission-Ground Zero-Colorado Springs Fires-

Well we made it to Ground Zero(main entrance to damaged homes). Photo below is our Mobile Headquarters. You can see the top of the mountains that were burned. We will be setting up and getting things ready for helping families tomorrow.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- One week after the Waldo Canyon Fire firestorm, the wildfire is now 70 percent contained.

The Semi load of supplies from Disaster Relief Nashville will now arrive here at the Eastside Church of Christ on Wednesday then the distribution will began. The lunch program and cleanup will begin when families are allowed to go back to their property. We are not sure when that will be yet. There have been around 350 homes destroyed and a large number of others with damage. Today after service at Eastside we had meeting for any who had questions or wanted to sign up to volunteer. We had a very nice number of members willing to help. This afternoon Elder form Mountain View Church of Christ picked me up and took me to evening service there. I gave presentation of our work and what the plan was for this area. At the end a very nice number of members signed up to help. Both Eastside and Mountain View are very interested in how they can be involved with outreach to the families affected by the fires. If things here are like they were at the Bastrop fires last year, it might be a few weeks before major cleanup begins. As all of you know we have worked 5 disasters in the past 14 months, we need your help to continue at this pace. We need three things YOUR PRAYERS, VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS.

COLORADO SPRINGS (AP) – People who fled the most destructive fire in Colorado's history are being allowed temporary visits to the most devastated neighborhoods, and many will find that their homes were among the nearly 350 burned to the ground. About 10,000 people remain evacuated, down from more than 30,000 at the peak of the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs. On Sunday people whose homes were burned will be allowed to tour the affected areas. Authorities said some residences would be cordoned off with police tape, and people would not be allowed beyond that point.