Over the weekend I received a cd full of photos and video from Alson Toavs. Thought you would enjoy them as well!
You can see the photos at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/tripblogs/JRCWP2008
Blessings!
Mike
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
The parable of the little girl
Hello all on hump day! I would like to share a parable with you.... Once upon a time about 16 years ago a little girl was born on the gulf coast of a great country. She was a pretty little girl and did all the things little girls like to do. But when she was 5 her mother died from a terrible pain that caused her to seek shalom in all the wrong places. The little girl was very sad and her dad was nowhere to be found. In many ways but not nearly completely the little girl was all alone.
She was passed from one aunt to the other and then to another. No place to call home. Finally she got to live with grandpa but that didn't last too long because grandpa was old and tired. The little girl was finally and fully embraced by her mothers best friend. Lets call her Mary. Mary loved her and cared for her very well....the little girl grew and did all the things teenage girls like to do....
And then one day a terrible storm blew into town and huffed and puffed and blew their apartment building away. Trees were gone, houses were gone, businesses were gone, bridges were gone and people were gone. All blown away by the wind and the wild water. Insurance companies were sad but not too sad.... The little girl moved into a trailer and lived there with her guardian - shall we say legal angel? The trailers made alot of people sick and alot of people rich.
One day some very ordinary folk traveled to this gulf region of the great country because they loved this one called Jesus. They built the two women a new house so they together could finally build a home. Nine other houses were built for other families with their own stories. And then the former king of the great country came to visit! The little girls mother never her wildest dreams could have thought a king would visit her lovely daughter. But he did. He did because he loved this one called Jesus.....
Something rings of the kingdom of God in this parable for me........I am one on the journey with you.
Pastor Jeff Cowmeadow
Calvary Baptist
She was passed from one aunt to the other and then to another. No place to call home. Finally she got to live with grandpa but that didn't last too long because grandpa was old and tired. The little girl was finally and fully embraced by her mothers best friend. Lets call her Mary. Mary loved her and cared for her very well....the little girl grew and did all the things teenage girls like to do....
And then one day a terrible storm blew into town and huffed and puffed and blew their apartment building away. Trees were gone, houses were gone, businesses were gone, bridges were gone and people were gone. All blown away by the wind and the wild water. Insurance companies were sad but not too sad.... The little girl moved into a trailer and lived there with her guardian - shall we say legal angel? The trailers made alot of people sick and alot of people rich.
One day some very ordinary folk traveled to this gulf region of the great country because they loved this one called Jesus. They built the two women a new house so they together could finally build a home. Nine other houses were built for other families with their own stories. And then the former king of the great country came to visit! The little girls mother never her wildest dreams could have thought a king would visit her lovely daughter. But he did. He did because he loved this one called Jesus.....
Something rings of the kingdom of God in this parable for me........I am one on the journey with you.
Pastor Jeff Cowmeadow
Calvary Baptist
Hump Day
Wow! Hard to believe that we are finished with hump day. Time is flying so fast and the houses are coming together so nicely. The crews are doing well and are really working hard to complete Mary Lou and Ashley's houses.
Here's a little slide show of our experience so far...
Last night we had the unique privilege to be part of the very first showing of a documentary about those who stayed in Bay St. Louis during hurricane Katrina called "One Eyed Girl." It is a light hearted, winsome telling of the character and courage of those who call this part of the country home. Be sure to check out their website because you probably will not see it in your local theater anytime soon.
Peace
Mike
Here's a little slide show of our experience so far...
Last night we had the unique privilege to be part of the very first showing of a documentary about those who stayed in Bay St. Louis during hurricane Katrina called "One Eyed Girl." It is a light hearted, winsome telling of the character and courage of those who call this part of the country home. Be sure to check out their website because you probably will not see it in your local theater anytime soon.
Peace
Mike
Monday, 12 May 2008
A Blank Slate and a New Beginning
There are times in all our lives when we need a “New Beginning” and certainly the people of the Gulf Coast are in need of a collective “New Beginning.” For our team we have the honor to help two families, Ashley and Mary Lou to begin again. Ashley is a single mom with a young daughter and Mary Lou is later in life, both hoping and praying for an opportunity to start again.
Well, start we did! The morning began with breakfast and devotions at 6:30AM in the town of Diamond Head. We were all very anxious to get started and do as much as possible. The home sites all had some of the more complicated aspects of site preparation completed. Nevertheless, the site is a virtual blank slate. Over the next 9 hours we hammered, sawed, painted, and carried all of the external walls and roofs into existence. By 6:00PM we were all dead dog tired and ready to call it a day.
Of course our tired is almost insignificant to the kind of tired the residents of the Coast feel some 2 ½ years following Katrina.
We would love your prayers for Mary Lou and Ashley and for all the things they need to go right in their lives so that this “new beginning” can truly be a fresh start they need. We would also covet your prayers for our own continued safety, sore muscles, and productivity. That not only would we be productive in our work but that we would also maximize our opportunity to get to know these incredible women.
Blessings!
Mike
More Photos!
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| JRCWP 2008 |
Sunday, 11 May 2008
It’s As Simple As 1234
That’s how many miles it is from the doorsteps of Christ Presbyterian Church to the doorsteps of Lagniappe Presbyterian Church. After some initial hiccups that required the pressing into service of the CPC trailer (Thanks CPC! I’ll bring the trailer back next Saturday!) we finally got on the road at 8:30pm on Friday night. To add to the adventure of our departure our team of riders wasn’t complete until we picked up the “late, but don’t call me out” Mike Shaw in Farmington. Seems Mike thought we were leaving on Saturday! Glad you could throw things in a bag and join us Mike!
22-hours later we arrived in Gulfport, MS where Mike confirmed the trip was so easy that we did it, “sitting down.”
No doubt about it! I don’t want to sit for the rest of the week!
Lagniappe Presbyterian Church is the home of the Hancock County Habitat for Humanity chapter. Lagniappe is an incredible church, born out of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. They and their amazing story of grace and perseverance have been featured in many articles.
The Lagniappe facility is an amazing testimony to the ingenuity of people called by God to do a hard task. Every inch of the facility is designed to maximize a work teams time, talent, energy, and spiritual well being during their time in Gulfport.
Our team is excited to be entering into this experience of following God into the hard places. Please pray for our teams that we would continue to grow together, work together, laugh together, and learn together.
Grace & Peace
Mike Hotz
PS: Please check out our photo album for our day in pictures!
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Welcome to our adventure!
Thanks for joining us as we join with thousands of people from around the country who will gather in the Gulf Coast for this mega-build, supporting Habitat’s vision to provide everyone with safe, decent, affordable shelter. With so many hands working, amazing things will be accomplished!
BRING HOPE TO THE GULF COAST REGION
In August 2005, the lives of Gulf Coast residents changed forever as hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated nearly 1 million houses. Although 1,200 homes have been built or are under construction through Habitat’s Gulf Coast Recovery Program in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas, there is still much to be done.
JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER WORK PROJECT
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn have been helping Habitat for Humanity since 1984. As part of Habitat’s ongoing Gulf Coast Recovery effort, HHHI and Carter selected the Gulf Coast as the location for the 25th annual “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.”
OUR TEAM
The people traveling on this amazing trip come from a variety places and life stages. Three primary communities are represented. They include: Calvary Baptist Church, Christ Presbyterian Church, and Tree Trust. To learn more about these communities click on the links to the right!
CHECK BACK
Check back with us as we tell the story of what can happen when people from every walk of life gather to make a difference one life and one house at a time!
Blessings!
Mike
BRING HOPE TO THE GULF COAST REGION
In August 2005, the lives of Gulf Coast residents changed forever as hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated nearly 1 million houses. Although 1,200 homes have been built or are under construction through Habitat’s Gulf Coast Recovery Program in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas, there is still much to be done.
JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER WORK PROJECT
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn have been helping Habitat for Humanity since 1984. As part of Habitat’s ongoing Gulf Coast Recovery effort, HHHI and Carter selected the Gulf Coast as the location for the 25th annual “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.”
OUR TEAM
The people traveling on this amazing trip come from a variety places and life stages. Three primary communities are represented. They include: Calvary Baptist Church, Christ Presbyterian Church, and Tree Trust. To learn more about these communities click on the links to the right!
CHECK BACK
Check back with us as we tell the story of what can happen when people from every walk of life gather to make a difference one life and one house at a time!
Blessings!
Mike
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