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Your Help Is Needed in Lake Charles!

Situation Report #2

June 1, 2021

As Hope Force International steps into "ground zero" of a natural disaster, the expectation for emotions are always there.  One can assume that each engagement will be similar to the last, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  As an organization, we prepare ourselves for what we could possibly encounter, but it is our reliance upon God to provide the strength needed to respond.  Our Hope Force Central U.S. Disaster Coordinator, Brian Wagner, shares what this means:

“Today I stepped into a world beyond my comprehension. A single dad of 6 kids reached out for help with his home that had been flooded.  His roof was torn off during one of the hurricanes, and though partially repaired, continues to leak.  He spoke of the challenge to keep his hours up at work, ensure his kids got dinner every night, and the struggle to simply make ends meet. Every belonging of this man and his children was damaged in the flood, and now sat at the curb.  Sewage water came in and was two feet high throughout the house. The only thing in their home now was a recently purchased blow up mattress that his children sleep on while he sleeps on the hard floor.

As I shared our intention of coming alongside him and helping, this man’s eyes began to water and you could sense the weight of the world being lifted off of him. The burden he had been carrying alone was now to be carried by many.

I wish I could say that this was a unique situation, but that would not be true.  Each damaged home houses a family with a story of struggle.  Each of those stories is one of challenge, hopelessness, and heartache.  And so, we engage.  We come alongside through God's strength to demonstrate the "gospel of hope" -- providing the hands and feet of Jesus.  We aren’t all that impressive as a people. We simply enter the uncomfortable — empowered by the Holy Spirit to come alongside our neighbors with the love of Jesus. It isn’t rocket science. It’s the Church.”

What we need most at this time is people to come down and meet, get to know and serve these amazing people. Specifically, we could use volunteers to come in for the week of June 7th and June 14th  including non-trained volunteers.   The need is great.  The call is clear.  The pathway is paved.  Our God is the God of restoration, and He uses people to bring this good news...best demonstrated in the work He has asked us to do.

If you feel a "nudge" in your heart and can create some availability in your calendar, please email Connie to get details about coming and joining in the ministry of presence in the great state of Louisiana!