Miss Marie's Home and More....

It won't be long and Miss Marie will be in her home. We are almost ready with Hai's home as well.
When it gets this close each team that comes in wants to be here for that official day to come. Just knowing that we are baby steps away is very exciting. Miss Marie has been waiting for several months but has not missed a night sleeping in her home since the storm. She refused leave and was steadfast in her desire to not leave the home here father built in the 40's. There is a bathroom to texture and paint, cabinets to set in the kitchen and bathroom, flooring for the kitchen, bath, two doors to be hung and some work that needs to happen on both porches. Then we will either paint or reside her home... more to come on that.

Miss Hai's home needs the bathroom sheetrock finished, primed, painted and her siding completed. When that is done she and her 5 children can move back home!

We were able to bless many people on Friday and yesterday again! We are needing to move out supplies from our warehouse to the smaller unit right next door to us over the next few weeks so while we are working on homes we also need to accomplish that! With that being said, we had to downsize some of the products such and Vitamin water, cases of coffee, a gaylord(super-sized box)full of shampoo, soap and toothpaste. We took two large loads down to Galveston, pulled up at our favorite outreach spot on the corner of Broadway and 51's and each day it only took about 1/2 hour and it was gone. We always cause a bit of a traffic jam but talk about blessing people in a big way... FREE Stuff... Amazing! Yesterday we also took three pallets of excess light fixtures to Light House Ministries... the people in San Leon will be hugely blessed by these lights. We kept enough for what our needs are so it was our pleasure to pass that donation on to them.

I know I have mentioned on the blog in the past to watch Susan's blog for day-to-day updates on what we are doing.. She and Monty have connected with the San Leon Community Church and will not be keeping current on the jobs that Mercy Response are doing so I am in the process of having www.mercyresponse.com website updated in order to keep you all more current on what happening. We have made a solid commitment to the victims of Ike and encourage all of you to stay tuned!

God Bless you and thank you all for continued prayer!

Rebuilding in Masses

For those of you who have been following Susan's blog at www.msmission.blogspot.com you will see that we are actively rebuilding 11 homes and a church. Over the last weeks our volunteer numbers ranged for the mid sixties to last weeks 31 responders. Being in rebuild it is our desire to have teams at a 4 to 1 ratio of skill. One highly skilled person to four people who are willing and teachable.

Over the past 8 weeks we have been helping with a home that as of yesterday the owners were able to move back in. That is one of the 11... we are dedicated to get two or three more done in the next week or so.

It has been a great time for the sense of family.. last week a dear friend, Shirly, from my home church came to spend a week to support me and believe me, it was just the support I needed. She worked like crazy, we were able to have great times outside of the work hours and I miss her already! Gregg and Pam from SD are here again and the three weeks they spend here will be up by Friday of next week. It would be great if they could spend more time but they need to get back to their business and all that life has ahead of them. It will be an awesome week spending time with them working with tile, drywall finishing and painting at 3 different locations.

My two daughters and my 3 grandchildren will be here during Easter week so it will be a long awaited time to see them. My youngest daughter is not able to be with us that week. It would be incredible if she could make it.

My mother who is 91 was in the hospital again last week so I ask that she is held up in prayer. My Dad 's 88th Birthday was Friday... Come this May they will celebrate their 62nd Anniversary.

For a day by day look at what we have been working on click on the link above for Susan's blog.

Prayers and Blessing!
Diane

Progress, Progress, Progress

Here it is nearly a month passing and I can only say that when there is progress happening in so many directions it is difficult for me to get to the blog. I can say this... a huge "Thanks" to the countless numbers of responders from TX, IN, GA, MO, IA, OR, MN, MI, and GA (again)!!! The work on rebuild that has been happening is, for a lack of a better word "AMAZING". I hope I don't miss any as I try to list them, Miss Marie, Miss Naomi, St. Paul's Church, Spring Church, Miss Pilar, Miss, Hai, Miss Terri, Mr. Richard, Miss Clarise, Miss Jeannie, Miss Cathy, Paul and Susan, Mr.Ralph, Nareen and Clinton, Miss Terese, Mr.Randy, Vern and Nina, Pastor Nathan, Miss Dennings, Carl and Marilyn. Of all these listed only about 4 of them were demolition. We are head strong into rebuilding homes.

The skilled laborers have been coming on all teams and those who did not have a skill when they came are going home with one. The leaders of the teams and other skilled people were just incredible when it came to teaching other responders.

We have been so blessed to have all of them. The home owners are seeing more than hope they are experiencing love from all the efforts being poured on them.

Within camp there have been some amazing GOD moments! I wish everyone would be able to tune in during the after dinner hours to be a part of the days experiences. The life-changing occurrences that have been shared are next to and even qualifying as miraculous!

There are 6 more teams in next week starting to arrive as soon as tomorrow afternoon so it will be another quick turn-around week-end. Our prayers are for those leaving and those coming in. Next week the teams are coming in from NY, VA, MO, and 2 from IN. It is spring break for some so the camp will be filled with nearly 70 people once again. We love a full house! Lives will be blessed by all the PROGRESS!!!!

We were blessed today by a donation from a local school. One of the classes has been holding some fundraising and they presented us with their donations today. I just did not know what a huge area I am in.. oh, I know the population is the 4th largest in the nation but, this school was only 9th grade and there were over 1000 kids in the school. It was a glass of about 30 who blessed us by there efforts!

Continued prayer for all we are doing to help and for all the travels of those going and coming into camp. We also ask for prayer over their families as the answer God's call to come help!

Back Into Her Home

Miss Dennings was the first home owner I met when I arrived here at the Houston Mercy Response Camp last October. My second day here we (I and a team from Ohio) went into her home to gut it out. She is in her late 70's and put on the first pair of pants she had ever worn and pitched right in to help. She has had continued help from her friends ans a local church to get her where she is today... Back Home!!!

Yesterday my brother and sister-in-law and I went over to secure her home by putting up a fence in her yard. She is in an area that warrants her concern. She was beaming when she walked out of her back door and saw us already at work. Our plan is to finish the job today apparently right in time because the business across the alley from her is planning a huge MardiGra party next Friday night so she is feeling a lot more comfort that she'll have the fence up.

As for what is coming up... starting Monday the 16th of Feb we have several skilled people coming into camp to go head strong into rebuilding. The homes we are going to be in are Miss Marie's, Miss Naomi's, Miss Hai's, 2 trailers to skirt, 2 small porch decks to build, 2 roof jobs and the Galveston Vineyard Church plant to move ahead. I expect that over the next month we should be helping more people to move back home and a church ready to hold services again.

It is so exciting to see all the hope in the eyes of all these people.

A prayer for skilled responders is my ask for today. It's time to get more people home!

Miracles Happen More Often Than You Think!

Last week we had the great pleasure to spend time with a team from WI not only because it is my home state but for the fact that they were a great group of people who were here to leave a impact on the lives of the many that they helped by serving God in whatever way he led them. Susan, Monty and I had a great time working with them and spending time with them in camp.

Many times when teams are planning their trips here we hear of the roadblocks that occur and we all are very aware that when we are asked to go out in faith, something inevitably happens...Satan rears his ugly head and tries to step in to do whatever he can to prevent it. The following message that was sent to me is one of many that we have heard.. God if Good!...ALL THE TIME!


Hi Diane,

Just an interesting little story for you:)

As you may or may not have realized, we experienced many "close calls" on
our way down and during our time in Texas. I even stated to the kids once
that with as many "near misses" as we had, if anyone denies that God's hand
of protection is on us, they are crazy!! Well, we drove back, safe and
sound and got back on Saturday, as you know. The maintenance man at our
church took both vans out today to fuel them up a couple of miles from
church....when he drove into the parking lot of our facility, the pewter
van's brakes would not work at all! They were able to safely secure it,
and had to have it towed to be fixed. Narcy (the maintenance guy) called
Jim straight away and first thing he said was "you guys must have had the
hand of God upon you!"
Wow! God's not kidding when He says that when He opens a door, no one can
shut it.
Hope this encourages you, Susan and Monte!

Love
Tanya

This week my brother Jim and sister-in-law- Connie and I have been continuing the work started in in the Galveston Vineyard Church plant. Other things we have on our platter for the week is to build the tool crib in the warehouse, hook up the 2nd shower trailer, build a security fence and anything else that may come up.

We are planning for several weeks of highly skilled labor coming in ... so are we busy. Yes! Are we excited... Over the top!

!!

Wisconsin is dear to my heart of course and the people that have helped so far this week here in the Galveston County area are feeling warmth in their hearts as well. The blessings keep coming each time a new team comes in.

This we have been able to work on a roofing job that began last week while a them from LasVegas was here. Hai (owner of the home and mother of 5) has been so excited she is almost floating! Her home was gutted last week and this week we the new roof in going on! We will be continuing to have teams work in her home and with God's grace we will be bringing it through to completion.

Other members of the team went into the Galveston Vineyard Church plant building and completed the remaining gut out...insulated...are drywalling and today the plan is to start mudding!

Other team members are continuing the work on Marie's home... they are drywalling as well along with completing some plumbing. Our responder from WA is up to his elbows in that project.

Also another team is in Paul and Susan's home... completed the sub floor, hung insulation and are now drywalling.

Yet another team... the ladies... with a start from my brother and sister-in-law who took out the door frames, light fixtures and a few other things, completed a gut out with the home owner still amazed! Carl was more than shocked when I drove up and the ladies began unloading from the van. He did not expect the team to be women and he surely thought when he saw Jim that he was going to be staying with the team of ladies... I needed Jim to get them started.. take care of the things that may have been a challenge for them and get him to another job. Carl went home to get his camera!!!! Within 4 hours these ladies had the rooms that need to be gutted done, all the ceilings out, every nail pulled and the tile floor in the kitchen pulled up. When I came back to collect half the team for another job I found that Carl was still in dis-belief and had been calling all his friends to tell them of this team of women. He told me now knows that ladies can work just as hard as a team of men. He and his wife we blessed in a huge way.

As you can see the days are very full.. I have not been able to get to the blog on a daily basis but Susan has been able to be in the office a bit more than I so please look at her blog www.msmission.blogspot.com for a daily report of what we are doing. I will be updating my more on a weekly basis.

Miracles and Blessings

Each day we continue to see miracles happen and this week was no different. People opening there hearts, hearing God call on them to go serve and reaching out within their own team of men! This week was what they called their "Man Trip" which is one of the times throughout the year that the men from their church go on a mission trip. They are able to bond a men of God. Devotions were part of each morning and evening. One thing is for certain, they are going home tired! Not because they burned the midnight oil. It is due to the spent energies in completing the jobs that we assigned to them. Gutting homes is not an easy task and throw in the mix the family connections that are made, emotional energies also a spent in most time a much bigger way.

Families that thought they would be left to fend for themselves were extremely blessed this week. A man in his 60's was given help getting his home ready for the next steps to rebuild. He did not know what he was going to do but when I was able to call him and let him know that a team of six men were coming the following day... I could hear him choke up thought the phone. When they arrived the next morning all I could see in him was thankfulness beyond words. How blessed we are to be here pouring out God's love on these people.

That same pouring out of love was shown to a young mother of 5. Her home had 7 feet of water which destroyed most of her personal items but she remained focused enough to continue to be the mom to her children that she is. The five men from Las Vegas that went in to help her tear out her house bonded with her in a way that they and she will not be forgetting. We (Mercy Response) will be helping her rebuild her home step by step.

The other half of the Las Vegas team and Hugh from WA worked all week in Miss Marie's home. They replaced rotted boards, fixed the flooring which had buckled, tore an old window and replaced it, framed in her rooms, redesigned her bathroom configuration provided her with a propane heater to keep her warm at night. It was down into the 30's at night and she was using 3 hot water bottles to lay on to provide her heat until morning. Miss Marie is in her 80's and simply takes one day at a time knowing that God is in control. Amazing!! Her connection with these guys will always be near and dear to her heart, as it will be for them.

As you can see... our weeks here are endlessly blessed! God is in everything that we do... We feel him reaching down and filling us with is joy! We have three busy months ahead of us. There are teams in every week some exceeding 70 responders with the average of 35-40 each week from the 26th to the end of April. We prayed for teams to come in and remained faithful that our prayers would be answered...
THEY HAVE BEEN!