Tennessee-North Carolina Return Trip Fall 2011
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It seems that there is hardly time to dash off this news before we will be off
again-this time to NYC for our fourth annual Bowery Thanksgiving-but the
month on the road was a great trip. Once again, Saul and Brian joined us,
along with Rice. We spent three weeks in Tennessee, and stayed at the
Apison United Methodist Church. Pastor Todd opened his church (and
laundry room!) to us and made us feel so welcome and comfortable. One
night, we had dinner with Pastor Todd and his wife, Liz, and he was able to
give us some details about the storms that we were not aware of. Curt had
been frustrated because he was in the middle of another commitment when
the tornadoes struck and was unable to get to Apison right away. But it
turned out that there had been so many gawkers and looters in the area right
after the storm that the police locked down the town. Residents were issued
cards that allowed them access to certain areas. No other people-not even
relief workers-were permitted. It was two weeks before anyone could get in,
and that was just the time that Curt was available.
The main coordinator of the relief efforts is our friend Jo-Jo. He had been
planning an extended trip to Alaska for some time, and was actually on the
way when the tornadoes struck his community. He immediately turned
around (he had gotten as far as Chicago) and has been working non-stop
(literally) ever since. He joined us for Bible study a few times (and for ice
cream a few more!). We genuinely enjoyed his company. He is interested in
getting a truck and trailer and responding to other relief efforts. We hope to
team up with him in the future!
The majority of the work we did centered on rebuilding the home of Arthur
Bates. Arthur had been home on the night of the tornadoes. He had just
butchered a cow and was debating about going out to deliver some of the cuts
as promised. He finally decided that since he had given his word, he should go
out even though the weather was bad. He returned to discover that the 104-
year-old house his grandfather had built had been completely destroyed. The
house did not have insurance because of its age. Pastor Todd and others have
worked diligently to get grants and other help, so there is money for supplies,
and volunteers for labor.
It was very pleasant to work with Arthur-he has been following the Lord for
thirty years and always had a story, whether it was about his time in the
Navy, or churning butter as a boy and putting it in the mailbox for the
mailman, or some other tale. Sometimes his eyes would tear up in the
middle of a story. Most of all, he was excited about knowing and sharing
Jesus. His new house is ready to be painted on the inside, and is almost
finished on the outside. We have a theory that he actually does not want the
house to be finished because he is enjoying the company so much. Jo-Jo is
hoping it will be finished by Thanksgiving, although we were the last team
signed up to work. Please pray--and even consider going yourself to help if
that is possible--that workers would respond to the need. Volunteers for labor
are so necessary since many of the residents were not insured.
We were able to fellowship at several different churches while away. We
attended Pastor Todd's church (AUMC), CCCleveleand, and CCChattanooga.
One weekend, we traveled to Calvary Chapel Rivergate, a fellowship in
Goodlettsville, Tennessee (near Nashville) for their "Outreach Sunday."
Many ministries within the church and the city were invited to have a table. I
thought it was a little strange that we were invited to this event that seemed
to be focused on community outreach since we are not from the area, but
when I heard the whole story, it was clearly God's doing. It seems that CCR
was interested in starting a disaster relief ministry. Chris and Connie White
agreed to spearhead the process by looking at some local ministries that were
already involved in relief. Unfortunately, they did not have any success with
finding anyone local who was willing to help. Somehow, one of the pastors at
CCR knew that CCSarasota had an active relief ministry, so Connie
contacted Curt. She thought that our ministry was the “most organized,
knowledgeable and active” of the ones she spoke to, and when she found out
we would be in town at the same time as the outreach weekend, everything
came together.
Before the service, Curt hosted a meeting for people who were interested in
disaster relief. He spoke for about forty-five minutes to fifteen or so people.
Then, during the church service, each ministry was introduced. Curt even got
to speak for a few minutes-the only ministry asked to do so. Afterwards, we
enjoyed lunch with Chris and Connie and all marveled that we "just
happened" to be in Tennessee at the time of this event.
After three weeks in Tennessee, we headed to Jacksonville, NC. We were
warmly re-welcomed by Pastor Greg and his wife Cory, and all of our old
friends at Calvary Chapel Jacksonville. Curt and the guys did some work in
the church that Pastor Greg had had on his "secret" list for awhile. (A secret
list is one that Greg doesn't tell anyone about- he just lets God supply the
needs.) We enjoyed the fellowship with CCJax tremendously and feel that
the Lord has knit our hearts together. When we were on our way to respond
to Irene back in September, the Lord told Curt that this trip was about
making connections. That didn’t make sense to Curt at the time, but on this
trip, Pastor Greg took Curt aside and said the same thing-that he thought
the Lord brought us all together for not just a clean-up effort and a follow-up
visit but for an on-going relationship.
The month on the road went by quickly. We met so many people who love
and serve our dear Lord Jesus--it made the Body of Christ seem so alive.
Then, when we returned to our own fellowship, we were encouraged by those
who greeted us with the report that they had been praying for the different
needs--the church scattered but still connected. It is so exciting to be part of
this vibrant connection in the body of Christ, be it in Tennessee, North
Carolina, New York, Florida, or wherever else we go!
Please remember to keep us in prayer as we head to NYC later this week.
We will be preparing over 15,000 meals in 4 days!!
again-this time to NYC for our fourth annual Bowery Thanksgiving-but the
month on the road was a great trip. Once again, Saul and Brian joined us,
along with Rice. We spent three weeks in Tennessee, and stayed at the
Apison United Methodist Church. Pastor Todd opened his church (and
laundry room!) to us and made us feel so welcome and comfortable. One
night, we had dinner with Pastor Todd and his wife, Liz, and he was able to
give us some details about the storms that we were not aware of. Curt had
been frustrated because he was in the middle of another commitment when
the tornadoes struck and was unable to get to Apison right away. But it
turned out that there had been so many gawkers and looters in the area right
after the storm that the police locked down the town. Residents were issued
cards that allowed them access to certain areas. No other people-not even
relief workers-were permitted. It was two weeks before anyone could get in,
and that was just the time that Curt was available.
The main coordinator of the relief efforts is our friend Jo-Jo. He had been
planning an extended trip to Alaska for some time, and was actually on the
way when the tornadoes struck his community. He immediately turned
around (he had gotten as far as Chicago) and has been working non-stop
(literally) ever since. He joined us for Bible study a few times (and for ice
cream a few more!). We genuinely enjoyed his company. He is interested in
getting a truck and trailer and responding to other relief efforts. We hope to
team up with him in the future!
The majority of the work we did centered on rebuilding the home of Arthur
Bates. Arthur had been home on the night of the tornadoes. He had just
butchered a cow and was debating about going out to deliver some of the cuts
as promised. He finally decided that since he had given his word, he should go
out even though the weather was bad. He returned to discover that the 104-
year-old house his grandfather had built had been completely destroyed. The
house did not have insurance because of its age. Pastor Todd and others have
worked diligently to get grants and other help, so there is money for supplies,
and volunteers for labor.
It was very pleasant to work with Arthur-he has been following the Lord for
thirty years and always had a story, whether it was about his time in the
Navy, or churning butter as a boy and putting it in the mailbox for the
mailman, or some other tale. Sometimes his eyes would tear up in the
middle of a story. Most of all, he was excited about knowing and sharing
Jesus. His new house is ready to be painted on the inside, and is almost
finished on the outside. We have a theory that he actually does not want the
house to be finished because he is enjoying the company so much. Jo-Jo is
hoping it will be finished by Thanksgiving, although we were the last team
signed up to work. Please pray--and even consider going yourself to help if
that is possible--that workers would respond to the need. Volunteers for labor
are so necessary since many of the residents were not insured.
We were able to fellowship at several different churches while away. We
attended Pastor Todd's church (AUMC), CCCleveleand, and CCChattanooga.
One weekend, we traveled to Calvary Chapel Rivergate, a fellowship in
Goodlettsville, Tennessee (near Nashville) for their "Outreach Sunday."
Many ministries within the church and the city were invited to have a table. I
thought it was a little strange that we were invited to this event that seemed
to be focused on community outreach since we are not from the area, but
when I heard the whole story, it was clearly God's doing. It seems that CCR
was interested in starting a disaster relief ministry. Chris and Connie White
agreed to spearhead the process by looking at some local ministries that were
already involved in relief. Unfortunately, they did not have any success with
finding anyone local who was willing to help. Somehow, one of the pastors at
CCR knew that CCSarasota had an active relief ministry, so Connie
contacted Curt. She thought that our ministry was the “most organized,
knowledgeable and active” of the ones she spoke to, and when she found out
we would be in town at the same time as the outreach weekend, everything
came together.
Before the service, Curt hosted a meeting for people who were interested in
disaster relief. He spoke for about forty-five minutes to fifteen or so people.
Then, during the church service, each ministry was introduced. Curt even got
to speak for a few minutes-the only ministry asked to do so. Afterwards, we
enjoyed lunch with Chris and Connie and all marveled that we "just
happened" to be in Tennessee at the time of this event.
After three weeks in Tennessee, we headed to Jacksonville, NC. We were
warmly re-welcomed by Pastor Greg and his wife Cory, and all of our old
friends at Calvary Chapel Jacksonville. Curt and the guys did some work in
the church that Pastor Greg had had on his "secret" list for awhile. (A secret
list is one that Greg doesn't tell anyone about- he just lets God supply the
needs.) We enjoyed the fellowship with CCJax tremendously and feel that
the Lord has knit our hearts together. When we were on our way to respond
to Irene back in September, the Lord told Curt that this trip was about
making connections. That didn’t make sense to Curt at the time, but on this
trip, Pastor Greg took Curt aside and said the same thing-that he thought
the Lord brought us all together for not just a clean-up effort and a follow-up
visit but for an on-going relationship.
The month on the road went by quickly. We met so many people who love
and serve our dear Lord Jesus--it made the Body of Christ seem so alive.
Then, when we returned to our own fellowship, we were encouraged by those
who greeted us with the report that they had been praying for the different
needs--the church scattered but still connected. It is so exciting to be part of
this vibrant connection in the body of Christ, be it in Tennessee, North
Carolina, New York, Florida, or wherever else we go!
Please remember to keep us in prayer as we head to NYC later this week.
We will be preparing over 15,000 meals in 4 days!!
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the
darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
