Hurricane Katrina Relief Mission Service Project
There is a saying that many of us should follow more closely. This saying is, “Charity Begins At Home.” So many of us get caught up in missions that take place outside our own country, but there is so much that needs to be done here at home. We try and focus on starving children in Africa while we have so many starving here in America as well. We devote our attention to what is going on with the War in Iraq while we still have victims struggling from natural disasters.
One such disaster that is still causing a lot of pain and strife is Hurricane Katrina. As most of you reading this are well aware, the Hurricane caused quite a lot of damage in the Louisiana area, especially that of New Orleans. Several lost all their worldly possessions, and many lost their lives. We could talk about how botched up the help was upon the aftermath of this hurricane, but again most of you know this. It is old news.
However, what many do not comprehend is that many people are still without a home they can once more call their own. Several homes still need to be gutted and cleaned. This process is a disgusting and daunting task for all those involved. Quite often there is rotten food found in fridges, mold taking over the drywall, and at times an unfortunate worker comes across a corpse of a Katrina victim, most often what once was a treasured family pet.
The Relief Mission Service Project, sponsored by http://www.ImpactMissions.com, does exactly that. Volunteers come throughout the year to help with the nasty job of cleaning and gutting to the foundation these left over homes, in hopes to rebuild and help yet another family regain their lives and start anew.
The rebuilding process, when enough volunteers are available, can be finished in a relatively short time, but it does take quite a lot of work and dedication to make it so. From rewiring damaged electrical systems, to replacing damaged and warped stairways and joists, to putting up new drywall – the steps to a completely rebuilt home is not a simple weekend project. However, the love these fellow Believers have for these suffering New Orleans citizens flows in abundance and shows in the dedication they have for completing these homes.
Besides these tasks, those involved with Impact Missions also help out the city by sitting down with the victims and their families, listening to their stories and acknowledging their pain and sorrow. This can be even harder than cleaning and rebuilding homes – it is impossible to hear these heartfelt stories and not have a deep compassion for what these people have gone through. Several of these people have also doubt the existence of God due to the havoc ravaged by the hurricane, but these missionaries help to bring the truth of the Good News to them, helping many to once more believe in our Savior Jesus Christ.
So next time you are thinking of donating some time or money to a 'worthy cause', go ahead and do so – but leave a little for our neighbors in Louisiana. Charity should continue to take place in our home country as it does overseas.