As of July 6th, the church there (with less than 100 members, most of which were displaced by the storm) had…
…helped over 2000 families with food, water & basic supplies
…helped over 200 families with building supplies
…coordinated numerous groups who have come in from other churches to help
…set up or conducted Bible studies with 46 individuals or families
…baptized 8 people
all in a city with less than 3300 households.

The churches on the coast are doing a great job helping those in need.

She told me, “You know, it’s almost exactly one year. I could never imagine the way my life was going to go. But it did. Everything changed. But, God has been good to me, and given me a new life. Now, I’m just about ready.”

“For what?”

“To be dipped in that liquid grave.”

She spent the next morning in intense studying with Doug (our pulpit minister); and Sunday morning (8/27/06) Barbara was indeed dipped in that liquid grave in the midst of her new family.

That’s Barbara’s story for “a Year Later.”

Longtime reader, second or third time commenter. I was blessed to work at Tammany Oaks this summer. Just wanted to leave a link to the church:

http://www.tammanyoaks.org

Here is a blog that is run by volunteers:

whereisawjesus.blogspot.com

Unfortunately, it hasn’t been updated recently. Most of the recent posts are business related; I recommend reading the eariler posts.

God bless everyone for remembering these people at this crucial point in their lives.

Lelland,
I pondered whether I should give you the attention to your stupidity and judgementalism toward Americans who were hurting. Man where is your compassion. Are you a Christian? Where is your heart? Jesus looks beyond race, social status and political lines. God is not a respector of persons.

Bush didn’t do those things, your right. Many of the people you are talking about didn’t do those things either. People weren’t taking Tv’s but taking water, food, clothes, necessaties. Where would they take the Tv’s? Their homes floating in 5 feet of water?

Bush didn’t respond quick enough to get the people the help they needed. It is amazing that we were shipping food and water in Idonesia in 24 hours but it took 5 days for our own people. Bush sending National Gaurd to build a fence along the boarder instead of rebuilding towns, lives.
We will rebuild countries that we go to war with but what about our own?
Bush is spending Trillions on the war on terror but what about Americans?

Thank God that Churches and Christians did step up and make a difference. Churches and Christians housing people, feeding people, providing clothing, building houses, places of worship, making a differnce the way Christ would. Being Christians. God was definatley glorified by Tammy Oaks and many, many others. That my brother is a sign that Christianity isn’t as srewed up as you think.

God honors God honoring service, and I can see His life flowing through these people out into these communities.

Bay St. Louis, MS, is another place where God’s people are doing good things. Still yet, there is much more to be done. Maybe when I finish praying for God to send more workers, I will get up off my duff and return to work myself! (a little confession of guilt there!)

I appreciate your enthusiasm on this topic. I have been allowed to do mobile feeding for the Red Cross many times and we end up in an urban ministry environment nearly everytime. The Urban inner cities are less equipped to handle disasters, ie, it is hard to have a three day disaster pack with food for the family when your stretching every dollar to keep food on the table.

She told me, “You know, it’s almost exactly one year. I could never imagine the way my life was going to go. But it did. Everything changed. But, God has been good to me, and given me a new life. Now, I’m just about ready.”

“For what?”

“To be dipped in a liquid grave.”

She spent the next morning studying with Doug (our pulpit minister); and Sunday morning (8/27/06) Barbara was indeed dipped in that liquid grave in the midst of her new family.

I should have said: “I was referring to those in the executive and LEGISLATIVE branches government - not the folks…”

As a clarification – I did not refer to specific agencies within the federal response as incompetent. I referred to the federal government as incompetent and by “federal government” I was referring to those in the executive and administrative branches government - not the folks who have tirelessly carried out the tasks of recovery with grace and compassion.

The legislative branch is responsible for not funding the Corps. of Engineers over the years to the degree needed to secure NOLA from a catastrophic flood. For too many years they wagered that NO would not be hit like the last time.

The executive branch is responsible for a complete lack of leadership in the week before this crisis and the first two weeks after Katrina. These were crucial moments when people’s lives literally hung in the balance and there was every appearance - even from watching FOX news coverage - that things were badly. And all the while the Executive branch was fiddling at the White House, fly fishing in west and attending Spamalot in NYC.

I have followed the crisis closely from the beginning and contributed frequently in the last year to organizations and churches working directly in NOLA. Spike has not been my only source of info.

As you, yourself, noted – there continue to be some serious deficits in our response.