Barb Wooler, director of Crisis Response for Encompass World Partners, has provided an update to recent needs in the U.S. in the aftermath of hurricanes Florence and Michael.
While Hurricanes Florence and Michael may not be our favorites due to the lives these two have turned upside down, these storms have opened many bridges for believers to serve their communities, and that’s only GOOD.
Hurricane Florence
Three Charis teams have deployed to serve alongside our partner church, Renovation Church (renochurch.org/) in Hampstead, N.C. With three more teams arriving this weekend (Oct. 20-27) – two from Akron Grace (Bath Campus) and one from Penn Valley Church (Telford, PA) – and three more coming in November, we are just one team shy of our goal of deploying 10 teams to the region.
Want to Serve People in Florence Impact Zone?
- Cost: Mostly just your travel to/from to Hampstead, NC. Your lodging, two meals a day and morning coffee provided by Renovation Church.
- Duration of stay: teams serve either Saturday to Saturday or Thursday through Saturday (travel home Sunday).
- Requirements: reasonably healthy and able to do moderate to heavy work. No skill required (training onsite).
Hurricane Michael
This one was truly a wind-making monster. Unlike slow-moving Florence, who gave five days warning before dropping 30+inches of rain and immersing houses in feet of water, Michael raced toward the Florida panhandle, starting out on Monday (10/8) as a Cat 1 and striking just two mornings later as a devastating Category 4! The storm surge and winds have left the panhandle looking like a war zone with a huge debrief field of trees, cars, and lumber from broken up houses.
Want to Help People in Michael’s Impact Zone?
- Phase 1: Relief Supplies – Working in partnership with our Charis Church partner, Ghent Grace Brethren Church (Roanoke, Va.), we are sending relief supplies to a church in Panama City that they know – the Northstar Church. The first load of relief supplies are will arrive in Panama City on Thursday (Oct. 18), with more deliveries being planned for later. Total needed: $2,000 ($1,000 already raised). Click here to give to provide relief supplies.
- Phase 2: Reconstruction – It is too soon to provide details, but the general plan will be to deploy at least two teams to the region in January, 2019. Team members should at least be handy with a hammer.
Please contact Barb Wooler with questions or if you would like to send or join a team.