Denham Springs: Cindy

Our first assignment was to assist a lady named Cindy. Cindy's home is in a Suburb called Denham Springs. In this area 87% of homes and 90% of businesses were damaged- most of which ended up with around 3 feet of water. 

It is overwhelming to drive down the streets. Every bulding has piles of belongings, furnature, flooring, and insulation lining the curb. Some piles are over 6 feet high. 

Cindy is a photographer, and her husband works for the city. Because of this Cindy has been home alone much of the last 2 weeks, while her husband is out helping others. Because of help from neighbors and family, Cindy's home, which had 2 feet of water in it, had already been emptied and gutted, and was currently drying out. Cindy is currently living in their RV that is parked in their driveway. 

But Cindy also had a garage/studio and a large shed that had not yet been cleaned out. It was our task to help her accomplish this. A couple years ago Cindy lost one of her kidneys to cancer. Recently, she has been having difficulties with her other kidney. This leaves her very tired and weak. She expressed how daunting the task of emptying, sorting, and cleaning out everything was. She said it seemed so overwhelming she didn't even want to start. It was emotional as well. 

Along with many tools and decorations , Cindy had boxes and boxes of photographs that were in storage. Many of which were completely ruined. 

 

At one point we overheard Condy talking on the phone saying, "I've got 13 strangers here hauling my stuff out to the curb." It was after this we tried to slow things down and really have a conversation with her about everything. Cindy explained that her sister, and brother and father were all currently going through the same thing. That she wanted so badly to go and help them and ignore the work that had to be done at her own home. She talked about how she had about 10 minutes from when she saw the water rushing down her street, to when it started entering her house. She said she tried to move as many belonging up high on counters and shelves as she could. 

After our work and conversations were done we had the chance to pray with and over Cindy. We thanked her for the opportunity to serve her.  She seemed very touched by the fact that this group of 13 people from Michigan, would drop everything and come down to Louisiana. We finally understood why God was telling us, "Just go. Be there." 

It was a hard, emotional, rewarding experience to be with Cindy for these 2 hours. It seemed like we did so little- just carrying stuff, mopping a floor. But to Cindy, it was a huge relief. It was a burden that was looming over her, that was lifted. To Cindy, it was an expression of love. 

Lion King and Revival Temple

After leaving Rockford MI at 9:30pm we entered Louisiana around noon. We drove straight to our lodging. We are staying at a place called the Lion King Retreat Center. It is a beautiful haven that is tucked 35 minutes away from the city of walker. The house we are living in is called the mission house. 

After stopping to drop off our things we headed into town to go the church. We started to see signs of flooding on our way. A washed out road over a creek, mud lines along the bushes, businesses closed. Once in town about three-quarters of the businesses were back up and running. All of the restaurants that were open had signs posted in the windows verifying their sanitation. 

The church we are working with is called Revival Temple Church. The church has a chapel, a family life center and a main building. Once the waters started to rise on Friday, the church opened their doors as a shelter and distribution center. The national guard dropped off over 200 people that they had rescued. But as the waters continued to rise the church had to send people and donations away, as the water began to come into the chapel and family center. By the time the water had reached its peak, the chapel was under 4-6 feet of water, the family center had 2-3 feet of water, and the main worship center had 10 inches of water. The chapel had just recently undergone $90,000 worth of renovations. It wasn't until Sunday evening the water began to recede. This past week the church was able to fully clean and gut out their main building in order to still hold Sunday service, but the chapel and family center still have some gutting to be done. As of now the family center is back to serving as a distribution hub, providing cleaning supplies, water and meals for volunteers who are helping with clean up efforts. They are focused first on serving the 82 families from within their congregation that have water damage, but also have a list of community members that is growing by the day.   

After receiving a quick orientation, we were given a name and an address of our first worksite! We grabbed some cleaning supplies and hit the road! 

  

An Open Letter to my Special Students

Dear students, 

It's 3am and I can't sleep. You see, today was the first day I went back to my classroom since summer break. And now, I can't stop thinking about you. 

I'm so excited about the year ahead. We have a clean slate, a fresh start. I am excited for you to meet your new homeroom teachers, and make new friends with your classmates. I look forward to helping you get used to your new schedules and how you can best manage all of your new materials. 

My mind is racing as I think about how I can organize my classroom to best support your needs. I think about the reading groups we will have, the writing workshops, and the math practice. I think about how I can provide your test accommodations, and what classroom routines we will want to set in place. I am already planning what I will say when I meet with your classroom teachers to talk about you. 

I think about all the goals you will work towards this year. I am excited to have you fill our your data folders so you can see your progress.  I look forward to celebrating your successes, no matter how big or small. I am anxious for the day I can tell you, "You met your goal!" It will be so great when we can write new goals. 

 I imagine how we will get through those tough days when you say "I can't do it." And I hope and pray that we can make it  through together. I promise you I will do my best to encourage you and give you the tools you need to be successful. I will stand up for you, even when you don't stand up for yourself. 

I also wonder how we will get through those tough days when I think, "I can't do this!" And I hope and pray we can make it through together! I ask you to be patient with me when I get frustrated. Please help me be joyful always, and forgive me when I mess up. 

No doubt we have hours and hours of hard work ahead of us. There will be tears. There will be mistakes. But there will also be laughter, and those "aha" moments when we finally get it. There will be times when I look at you and I can't wipe the smile off my face. Because I will look at you and see all of the amazing things that make you you.  Those are the moments that make it all worth it. 

So, my wonderful, unique, beautiful students, I must say thank you. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. 

This year is going to be awesome. 

Let's do this. Let's make it count. 

Together. 

With love, 

Your resource room teacher. 

Crew 4

Crew 3: Team Hashtag 

Our crew has been working at Heather Holley's house this week. Each day we are greeted by Heather's youngest daughter Lilly, and their dog Lucy. 

 Heather and her husband Robert, along with their two children Julie and Henry were home when the F5 tornado hit in 2011. After hearing the sirens, they ran into their bathroom and got into the tub. Julie laid over her children and pulled a twin mattress over them while Robert sat outside the tub and held onto Heather's leg, and the doorknob to the bathroom door. 

After a few minutes there was a lul in the storm. They thought it was over. But it was just they eye of the tornado. The wind picked up again and it was loud and dark. Heather spoke of the fear of not being able to tell her children that it was going to be ok. but God protected them. When the storm settled, this door was the only thing between them and the rubble. 

Their house was completely destroyed.  They could see the watertower that was 5 miles away through the studs of their walls. 

Heather and her family ended up purchasing a home that was about a mile away. They only needed to replace the windows and the roof to make it livable. 

We had two jobs this week. Siding and drywall.  In the backyard we removed siding that was ruined from tornado storms, and replaced it with new siding. 

Taking off the old siding 

Putting on new siding. 

It was hard cutting the new vinyl siding! 

Inside we worked on repairing crack in the drywall. It was on the ceiling upstairs above the stairwell. 

Our firsts task was to remove the cracked drywall. 

But once we removed the drywall we found that the framing around the chimney was rotted out. So we had to remove and replace the moldy wood and insulation. So that put us back a few days. But we were able to work together to complete the project. 

On the last day, the leaders stayed back after working hours to finish the siding on the shed. Although it started down pouring rain, we were able finish it! 

 

All in all it was a great week at Heathers! We loved using our hands (man veins) and hard hats to serve the Holley family! 

Guest Post: Yoon from Crew 8

Crew 8: Wildcats (get your head in the game!)

Under the wise and strong leadership of Next Step Ministry leader Ian (pronounced eye on), our group was assigned with the task of tearing down an old, rotting shed and building a brand new shed for a member of the Joplin community. 

Miss Betty is an elderly individual in her 80s who is wheelchair bound and requires assistance with her activities of daily living. When we first met Betty, she rolled up to us in her wheelchair and greeted us with a warm, hearty smile that melted our hearts. We introduced ourselves to Betty and set off to begin our work. 

We started off by carefully removing pieces of the old shed and preparing the blueprints for the new shed. Demolition proved to be an easy task, but leveling the ground was time consuming and meticulous. After preparing the groundwork, we set the foundation woodwork for the floor. The students were eager to get their hands on various tasks, such as hammering nails into the studs, cutting boards, and raising the walls of the new shed. 

On several occasions, we were treated to slushies, cupcakes and a delicious lunch set up by Miss Betty's caretaker, Pamela and her daughter Melanie. Betty thanked us every time she joined us and always offered us a pitcher of ice cold sweet tea. If I had to describe Miss Betty in one word, I would say "sincere". She spoke with a soft but firm voice, and her presence was comforting. Although she was physically limited, her words and heart reached out to each and every one of us.

We have made great progress on the new shed so far. The foundation is sturdy, the floorboards are set, and the walls have gone up. Thursday we wrapped up our work and finished by completing a few trusses before leaving our worksite. We went inside to say goodbye to Miss Betty, who was taking a nap. I could see her eyes twinkle as we said our farewells and left the house.

The shed is not complete, but this is not the measure of God's love that was present through the last four days of work. Our crew connected with Miss Betty and her loving presence. We found ourselves growing closer, more intimate, through the grace and mercy of God, who rooted us in his love. Our physical work is temporary, but the relationships formed during this time will remain in our hearts.

Leader Profiles

Mile Ellis

Best Part: getting to know the high school kids

Hardest Part: the food

Worksite: Betty's house 

Work: building a 8x10 shed

God Moment: Betty was very appreciative of us here. She loved having us and talking with us. 

Yoon Choi

Best Part: lunch devotions, seeing the students ask each other deep questions about God and faith. 

Hardest Part: dealing with the heat, getting progressively tired throughout the day. 

Worksite: Betty's 

Work: cutting with a circular saw was really fun! I got really good at it. Also helping the students find their place. 

Memory: when I got to save Ian's life, and eating dinner rolls in one bite. 

Gina Ellis

Best Part: praying with our homeowner

Hardest Part: knee sweat.  very sweaty. Sweating so much. 

Worksite: God's Resort

Work: taking off siding and hanging up tyvek

Quote: " It only hurts if you touch me" PJ's new single 

Bobby Moore

Best Part: Getting to know the students better

Hardest Part: trying to sleep with the constant rustling of bodies rolling on air mattresses. 

Worksite: Heather Holley's

Work: hanging siding, demoing moldy studs, supervising children

Quote: #manveins

Memory: talking with the homeowner and hearing her story of the tornado

PJ Huizenga

Best Part: leading a group of middle school boys with Mike Ellis

Hardest Part: having spiritual conversations with middle school boys

Worksite: God's Resort

Work: I worked with Sarah and Lexi repairing siding that has been damaged by moisture and bugs

Quote: "It only hurts when you touch me."

Memory:  I was pulling a pipe out of the side of a building that Will said would probably be 6 inches long. I pulled and pulled and it ended up being 10 feet long! We all laughed. 

Zach Baumgart

Best Part: getting to know the students more

Hardest Part: knowing there is going to be an end to the trip

Worksite: Heather Holly's 

Work: putting vinyl siding on a shed, working alongside students

Quote: "I am not the artist, I am the canvas"

Memory: seeing all the student going up and chiseling bark off the piece of wood to represent getting rid of what is between us and Jesus. 

Carissa Moore

Best Part: spending time with my girls!! And bedtime stories with Koriel.  

Hardest Part: getting big bites all over my body

Worksite: Heather Holley's

Work: measuring, cutting  and installing siding. Cutting new studs. Overseeing students on the worksite. 

Quote:  "the hammer doesn't have man veins!"

Memory: hearing Heather Holley's story about surviving the tornado

Guest post: Gina from Crew 3

Crew 3: River Rock Raptors!

Our team has been working on a house for God's Resort. God's Resort is a ministry that is a relational-based transitional housing community. They provide housing for individuals and families who want to become empowered to live like Christ. Our crew has been working with a family that is currently living in one of God's Resort houses. Jessica and her husband live with their with two children Nikolai and Cynthia. 

Jessica has fibromyalgia and has difficulty moving around her house sometimes and even playing with her kids. She has been so excited to see the work get done and the the relationships the students are making with her kids.

Our main job this week was to take the siding off the walls and replace it with new siding. But we ended up  doing a few more things than we planned on.

 As the old siding came off we found thousands of termites spilling out. We decided to cut the rotted stuff out and replace it. 

So the past two days we have been taking all the siding off the house, cutting out rotted sections of plywood, cutting new strips of plywood to get screwed back onto the house, and  a lot of other odds and ends that need to happen to keep the other projects moving forward.

Crew 3 has been loving our time working together. We have been making up all kinds of songs on the site and have been enjoying to get to know Nikolai! Nikolai is 7 and has been helping us from the moment we get to his house until the moment we leave. We have been loving that we have not only gotten to know Nikolai better but his mom and neighbors as well. We have been enjoying our time at this house and are looking forward to seeing it finished.