Hoosiers respond to needs in hurricane-wracked Miss, La.

From Mission Outlook reports edited by
Gina Riendeau of the North Indiana Conference staff

Churches large and small have responded to needs in Mississippi and Louisiana. An Akron area team from Argos, Ijamsville, Akron and Omega UMCs teamed up to help out families in Gautier, Miss. The 17 team members slept on a church gym floor. Despite hard bed and hard work, the team, which visited in October, is returning to Gautier in February with 28 volunteers.

Late December and early January found 18 volunteers from Valparaiso First UMC helping to rebuild six homes in Pascagoula. Team members ranged in age from 11 to 17. They assisted in roofing, dry-walling, plumbing, and electrical work. Most importantly, they were compassionate listeners for devastated families.

Saint Joseph UMC in Fort Wayne felt the call to help with disaster relief in the New Orleans area in October. Three members spent one week at the North Cross UMC in Madisonville. La. The team finished removing water damaged wall board and floor covering at the Hartzell Mount Zion UMC in Slidell. La. In December, Saint Joseph UMC partnered with North Cross UMC again this time to provide $1,000 in gift cards to needy families on their "Giving Tree." They also took $900 in Lowe's gift cards and gave them to UMCOR to aid in relief efforts. Saint Joseph has scheduled their next trip April 2-8. For more information, contact sministries@stjoemin.com.

Good Shepherd UMC in Fort Wayne is taking a team to New Orleans at the end of January and early February.

Volunteers of Hope UMC in Hoagland (Fort Wayne District) have made three trips to the Gulf states and plan to make two more trips, one in April and one in July to help out with Vacation Bible School in Gulfport.. They also sent a truckload of supplies South, too. The Hope team worked at North Cross UMC in Madisonville. La. and Trinity UMC in Gulfport.

Last updated on 25 Apr 2008

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