Big News

Hi Everyone! This is my first post and I want to let you in on what I will be doing in less than a month. As you know, a couple weeks ago marked the 2nd anniversary of when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast areas in Mississippi and Lousiana. I'm one of these people who always wants to DO something, but rarely gets out of my comfort zone to actually do it. This time was different for some reason. One morning as I was checking a news website, I clicked on a linke to a website that listed out some organizations that give people like me the ability to get involved in a hands-on way. I want to go there. I want to see the aftermath first hand. I am tired of seeing it on the news and on the web. I want to hear people's stories instead of reading them. I want to help.

I found this organization called The St. Bernard Project. Here's the site: www.stbernardproject.org

I will be heading to New Orleans on October 7th and will be there through October 13th. It's going to be Women's Build Week and lots of women are going to converge to help families get out of there FEMA trailers and back in their homes! We will be at one house for the whole week so we will have lots of opportunities to talk to the family that we are helping out. How exciting!

But I want to do more than just hands-on work. I don't want to go there empty handed. I would like to go to St. Bernard's Parish with some financial help too. My costs will be low. The money I want to raise will go directly to the project. I would like to set a goal of raising $1000 for the organization in the next 3 weeks! This money will all got to St. Bernards project. Yes, i t's ambitious, but I believe I can do this with your help. If would like to donate to the organization, make a check out to St. Bernard Project/IH Center and the you can mail the check to me. Please e-mail me if you want my mailing address (just1volunteer@gmail.com). If you would like to help out with any of my expenses you can contact me.
Also, if you want to donate tools or any other types of supplies (that i might be able to take with me), please let me know!

My most awesome friend, Holly Thomas, has agreed to host a brunch at her home on September 22nd so that I can give you more information in person. I'd love for you to come. (Many of you will be getting an e-mail with more details soon.)

If nothing else, I would be grateful for your prayers. I am going to this city alone and, from what i hear and read, New Orleans is not a very safe place. In fact, crime rates have skyrocketed since Katrina. So, prayers for safety would be welcome. Also, since I decided to do this not long ago, I don't have a ton of time to do fundraising. Please know, I am NOT required to raise money for this trip. It costs about $10,000 per house to get it rehabbed to the point the family can live in it again. I am raising money because I believe in this organization and what they are doing. Also, it would be awesome if you would start praying for the family that I will be placed with and whose house I will be working on. They need true hope. Christ is my hope and I believe he IS the true hope for this world. Also, pray for me as I interact with the folks I will be building along side. Pray that I will build (no pun intended) good relationships with them too!

Okay, that's enough for now. I'll update the blog as I have new information to share!

Thanks so much for reading this and thanks in advance for whatever you way you choose to support me!