Local Oaks Leader Dean Roddy was contacted a few months ago by a County agent and was asked if it was possible to help out a wheelchair bound man with advanced MS. The things that this man needed down were outside the guidelines that the county handles but they heard about The OAKS Mininstry.
Dean payed the man a visit and found that not only did he need some general help with clean-up but also needed some structural help with his home. This is also a mobile home ...can you imagine being confined to a wheelchair and then in some of the confinements of an older mobile home?
This man also has a teenage autistic daughter to care for.
Dean sent out a request and was able to get a team out there to help do some clean up. From there the structural needs still needed to be met. I soon found out that this man was a family acquaintance so I asked Dean if I could try to rally my family to his aid. I have a large family so I sent out the plight on our family website. Some of my sisters were quick to respond which was great and they will be a big help but what I needed was my brothers and I knew they were not the ones reading the site. I needed the builders (Ver Kuilen Builders to be specific)! I was able to contact them and because they were already building a home their time was limited, The OAKS Fund was used for the materials and in a day and 1/2 the structural part was completed. Mr G. was smiles from ear-to ear as he saw his home take on the needed changes. Now as soon as it warms up enough to open the windows, the drywall finishing can be done. That is where my sisters and I will come in, when I get back from the south we are planning to get it done and paint. We will also give the house a complete cleaning.
I love working with my Ministry family and this project brought an added dimension being able to have personal family step up to the need.
Psalm 138:8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever-- do not abandon the works of your hands.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
God is in the House
As I stated in the intro, OAKS Global responds to needs outside the 30 mile radius of Christ The Rock Community Church. In this case this family lives right outside that mile line.
It was in October of 2007 when a request to help this family of 6 who lived in a mobile home that seemed to have a re-occurring rat problem. At that time the young mother was 7 1/2 months pregnant with their 5th child, unable to work and the father was having some health problems that rendered him unable to work as well.
A request for some assistant to evaluate the cause was sent out to the vast and growing list of OAKS volunteers. As always an OAKS volunteer team went out to investigate and to minister to this couple. Several things came out of this initial visit such as the need for food for the family, countless repairs to the mobile home, general clean-up around the exterior of the home and to show them that God is always waiting to be welcomed in.
Their situation was already in the hands of County case workers so their names were given to some local organizations and corporations to see what additional assistant could occur. From there not only OAKS came to their aid, a group of employees from Kimberly-Clark Corp. took them on as their Thanksgiving and Christmas family. They blessed the family with food for both Holidays and gifts for the entire family for Christmas. Some members of the OAKS Team made weekly food delivery and ministry. The family began attending Church Services, God was moving in them in a big way. Just seeing how total strangers came along side them gave them reason to praise God. So you see...God is in the house!
Once the structural assessment was complete it was brought to the OAKS Task Team assigned to them through CTR. An effort to gain funding for a newer mobile home began and it was decided that an alternate living arrangement needed to be found as soon as possible. The new baby was now here so all the more reason for the urgency. I was able to speak to a local realtor who happened to have a suitable place for them. I know God orchestrated that as well.
On one of the coldest weekends in this Wisconsin winter another OAKS Team gathered to assist with the move. They got the move made in just a few hours. On that day and many days since people who have heard the story have been moved buy just knowing that there are people who do come along side those in need. There have been many opportunities to be a witness for God.
Were we are today with this is that there is a mobile home available to be moved onto the property, the cost for the home and the transport of it are above what was gathered but we are not letting that get in the way of moving forward because we serve a generous God and we know that all things are possible.
Psalm 145:16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
It was in October of 2007 when a request to help this family of 6 who lived in a mobile home that seemed to have a re-occurring rat problem. At that time the young mother was 7 1/2 months pregnant with their 5th child, unable to work and the father was having some health problems that rendered him unable to work as well.
A request for some assistant to evaluate the cause was sent out to the vast and growing list of OAKS volunteers. As always an OAKS volunteer team went out to investigate and to minister to this couple. Several things came out of this initial visit such as the need for food for the family, countless repairs to the mobile home, general clean-up around the exterior of the home and to show them that God is always waiting to be welcomed in.
Their situation was already in the hands of County case workers so their names were given to some local organizations and corporations to see what additional assistant could occur. From there not only OAKS came to their aid, a group of employees from Kimberly-Clark Corp. took them on as their Thanksgiving and Christmas family. They blessed the family with food for both Holidays and gifts for the entire family for Christmas. Some members of the OAKS Team made weekly food delivery and ministry. The family began attending Church Services, God was moving in them in a big way. Just seeing how total strangers came along side them gave them reason to praise God. So you see...God is in the house!
Once the structural assessment was complete it was brought to the OAKS Task Team assigned to them through CTR. An effort to gain funding for a newer mobile home began and it was decided that an alternate living arrangement needed to be found as soon as possible. The new baby was now here so all the more reason for the urgency. I was able to speak to a local realtor who happened to have a suitable place for them. I know God orchestrated that as well.
On one of the coldest weekends in this Wisconsin winter another OAKS Team gathered to assist with the move. They got the move made in just a few hours. On that day and many days since people who have heard the story have been moved buy just knowing that there are people who do come along side those in need. There have been many opportunities to be a witness for God.
Were we are today with this is that there is a mobile home available to be moved onto the property, the cost for the home and the transport of it are above what was gathered but we are not letting that get in the way of moving forward because we serve a generous God and we know that all things are possible.
Psalm 145:16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
OAKS Introduction
This is the first entry for this new blog. The OAKS (Organized Acts of Kindness and Sacrifice)Ministry was birthed out of Christ The Rock Community Church in Menasha, WI about one year ago with the vision that we are all called to help our neighbors no matter how small or large the need. At a local level it might be assisting with a move, giving someone a ride to church, or coming along side the entire community to eliminate poverty. There is nothing that God can't handle and as long as our focus is on Him. We will be able to meet countless needs giving praise to God our Father for all things in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. Christ the Rock Community Church is a non-denomonational Bible based church committed to living, loving and reaching out.
The Global branch of OAKS covers all areas outside a 30 mile radious of CTR with the vision to lead other churches through partnership and example on the path to meeting needs at all levels whether it be a natural disaster, fire or whatever.
There have been hundreds of volunteers from our church and the community deployed out from CTR to the devastated Gulf Coast Region. In January we responded to the tornado that occurred in Kenosha County, WI (a special thank you to Robby, who helped me bless the people there with needed supplies) and during the first week of March I will be heading to the southern states that were affected by several tornadoes. The path went through Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi leaving several areas in shambles and taking a number of lives. My mission is to evaluate the needs and report back to CTR with any immediate, short term and long term needs. The time frame of this evaluation and another building project in Gautier, MS should take approximately 4-6 weeks.
I prayerfully request your deepest prayers which will support all those involved in the OAKS Ministry and my personal involvement as a ministry leader. For those who would also like to make a financial, tax-deductable donation to either the OAKS Ministry or directly to my (D. Jacobson) needs, it can be sent to Christ The Rock Community Church, W6254 Hwy 10-114, Menasha, WI 54952 to the attention of the OAKS Ministry with a notation stating it's distribution.
I am committed to God first and formost. I am also committed to you by keeping this blog up to date with whatever information I find as I travel to make these assessments while witnessing God's word to as many people that He places in my path..
Phil 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
The Global branch of OAKS covers all areas outside a 30 mile radious of CTR with the vision to lead other churches through partnership and example on the path to meeting needs at all levels whether it be a natural disaster, fire or whatever.
There have been hundreds of volunteers from our church and the community deployed out from CTR to the devastated Gulf Coast Region. In January we responded to the tornado that occurred in Kenosha County, WI (a special thank you to Robby, who helped me bless the people there with needed supplies) and during the first week of March I will be heading to the southern states that were affected by several tornadoes. The path went through Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi leaving several areas in shambles and taking a number of lives. My mission is to evaluate the needs and report back to CTR with any immediate, short term and long term needs. The time frame of this evaluation and another building project in Gautier, MS should take approximately 4-6 weeks.
I prayerfully request your deepest prayers which will support all those involved in the OAKS Ministry and my personal involvement as a ministry leader. For those who would also like to make a financial, tax-deductable donation to either the OAKS Ministry or directly to my (D. Jacobson) needs, it can be sent to Christ The Rock Community Church, W6254 Hwy 10-114, Menasha, WI 54952 to the attention of the OAKS Ministry with a notation stating it's distribution.
I am committed to God first and formost. I am also committed to you by keeping this blog up to date with whatever information I find as I travel to make these assessments while witnessing God's word to as many people that He places in my path..
Phil 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
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