Savage Storm Blasts Midwest

Schools here in Muncie, IN had the kids in storm shelters 3 times Tuesday.

One of the strongest storms in decades barreled across the Midwest on Tuesday.

Rice, Texas Tornado

Here is our new trailer donated by El Campo Church of Christ, El Campo, TX

Great day yesterday. Had two presentations one at AM services and another at PM services in North Central FL. Had one couple from each church talk to me about being part of the Disaster Assistance Mission and they each have an RV :):):)

Yesterday Don delivered meals and conducted 11 bible studies. Last night I attended Bellingrath Road CoC. This is a very nice small church. It is located right in front of the RV park that I talk about below. If another major disaster ever hits this area I think this church would work with us.

--Disaster Assistance--Bayou La Batre--Just got todays update from Don Hudson our Director of Evangelism. He had Bible Studies with 18 people today.

Lunches waiting for the last item to be added(a baked chicken sandwich)than they will be closed and boxed for Don and Rosemary to take out with them while they visit families and conduct bible studies in the Bayou La Batre area.

Chicken baking in our ovens

Disaster Assistance Making Plans for now and Future Storms

I am setup at the Payne's RV Park in Theodore, AL about 5 min from Bayou La Batre. This park is behind the Bellingrath Road Church of Christ. I can walk to Wednesday night service. Don and Rosemary are on their way here. Don will be conducting bible studies this week Rosemary and I will prepare meals for him to take out with him for
the families in Bayou La Batre.

I just had a meeting with the owner of this RV park. They were not effected by hurricane Katrina, so this would be a good place to setup if there was another major storm down here in this area. He said we could reserve 5 spots for our future needs. The park has laundry and bath house, on site propane fill up and he also owns an RV service center. Great for all our needs.

From here we could service Bayou La Batre, all of the towns on Mobile Bay and these towns in MS. Pascagoula, Moss Point, Gautier and Ocean Springs.

Great location to setup our Mobile Headquarters if we are needed in this area again.

Bayou La Batre, AL--Gulf Coast Oil Disaster

I will be heading back South on Tuesday or Wednesday. I have two meetings scheduled and I will be watching the tropical storms. The Bay Area Food Bank is no longer having food handouts at the Hemley Road Church of Christ, the handouts are now at the Bayou La Batre Comunity Center. So if we return there we will setup there or a different location other than the church.

Earl now a tropical storm

Well the East Coast dogged a big one. Earl left behind some flooding, wind damage and some power outages. Most areas say they will be open and in good shape for the Labor Day Weekend.

We still have no idea where the worst damage is going to be from Hurricane Earl. It may be Saturday before we know where we are needed.

Keeping an eye on Earl's path

Normally we would be on our way to the projected landfall area but this one is to hard to call. We are waiting longer to make sure we go to the correct area.

Watching Hurricane Earl

A satellite image shows Hurricane Earl spinning off the Florida coast Wednesday morning. As the storm barreled toward the eastern seaboard and threatened weekend holiday plans for beachgoers, North Carolina authorities ordered the mandatory evacuation of Ocracoke Island.

Hurricane Earl

We are watching the progress of this storm. The hurricane experts are now saying that it may take the same track as the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944. If it follows that track the damage will be Catastrophic. As soon as we know for sure we will be on our way there.

Spending this week at home catching up on paper work and watching the storms in the Atlantic. If a huricane hits the US than I will go there if not I will stay here until after Labor Day than head back to South Alabama.

Below is a normal week at Hemley Road Church of Christ, Bayou La Batre

Each week there is usually 2 grocery hand outs. The bay area food bank brings around 12000 pounds
one day and on Fridays they bring produce and fruits to hand out.
Also frozen dinners and water from CoC Disaster Relief is handed out.
Between 500 and 800 boxed lunches are delivered to nursing home and other needy families each day.
Cloths that are dropped off are sorted by size and handed out as needed.
Food from the Church pantry is handed out as needed also.
Volunteers are housed and taken care of almost every week.
Regular Church services are held on Sunday and Wednesday.
Many other things seem to come up each week also.

Yazoo City, MS Church of Christ

Got an update from Yazoo today. They have finished most of the clean up work and now are ready for the repairs and rebuilding of the houses. They now need specialized volunteers to help with that work. If you would like to help just let me know and I will give you the phone numbers to call. They have a building where they are housing the building supplies. disasterassistance@gmail.com

Great Day @ Hemley Road CoC in Bayou La Batre

Had my alarm set for 6AM today but was awaken by people arriving and lining up before it went off. The food hand out will not start until 10AM.