When I hear of Louisiana, I think of jumbalaya (shrimp&sausage recipie)! I first tasted this when I went to UMM in 1995-my freshmen year! There were fellow students from Louisiana that shared their "cajun" cooking! I'm now writing this in the wake of... Hurricane Katrina..this has been the topic all over the country this past week (Aug 29th to today, September 3rd of Saturday). I tried to call a friend of mine to see if he has heard from folks (Alex Williams 00', Chris Sherrod 99', etc..) that went to UMM with us "back in the days" from Louisiana. I was an RA to 1 resident-Judy Brown 02' (1-Carol (McFarland) Sherrod other resident that moved to Louisiana to marry a UMM student living there) back in 1997-1998 at one of the residential halls (Clayton A. Gay Hall). Another UMM connection is Tyra Pruitt (picture with Japanese UMM Int'l students), who lived on 1837 Lamanche Street (south eastern corner of the city close to the infamous "media mentioned" St. Bernard Parish) . There is no way reaching them (e-mail or mail), so I tried to call this friend that has kept in touch with them since the UMM days.
CNN: Safe List A-Z Names of Victims/Survivors
Earthlink, Hurricane Katrina Listings
Today (Friday, September 9th), I just got an e-mail update of a former UMM student from the gulf coast region. She was a student I knew from the Gateway program....
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 09:21:07 -0500
Hi,
We heard that they are okay. One of our students, Keisha Fletcher, was okay, but she and her whole family of 32 had to relocate to a military base in Alabama.
You're welcome for the key chain.
1-2 Punch! Hurricaine Rita on Saturday, September 24th
I'm currently watching pictures of the devestation from this second hurricaine that veered more east of New Orleans (eye went along the border of Eastern Texas & Western Louisiana.
Some Cities Hit:
Why did God "might've" let this happen?
Probably/likely the same answer as the Asian Tsunami or 9-11
! We need to learn from these past natural disasters/human catastrophes and stop pointing our fingers at others, and start pointing to ourselves! God is in control of the weather and if you read stories of God's judgment/wrath in the Old Testament, there is a commonality-His people turned away from Him! How has the south and our nation turned away from God...
Louisiana:
I'm not an expert on this, but this is just some answers I've heard that has been talked around since this state and natural disaster!
What to do now?
As a Christian, we need to ask God for forgiveness as individuals and a nation! We can't go back to the same old life because that past caused this situation.
PRAY
From : Tom W
Hi Everyone,
Lord bless you all!!
Prayer Directives:
Elijah List:
Stories from T.V.
from the disaster zone
When the Saints Go Marching In
"We finally arrived at our destination, Victory Church, located on the far end of town in a suburb of the city called Metairie.
Pastor Frank Bailey met us and welcomed us into the church an impressive facility that had been transformed into an impressive human machine of compassion and kindness.
Pastors Resource Council
How can I be used?
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 11:06:13 -0700 (PDT)
"Hi_________,
I hope Labor Day Weekend was restful. I was wondering if you've been getting e-mails from others about new topics to add for the Sept 14th meeting. As many have had their eyes of the Hurricane Katrina devastation, I was wondering if I could throw some "action relief" topics as a community:
HRA-Housing: How many vacant housing units we have in our city that we can use to house victims from the recent hurricane or future city, state, nation emergencies?
Morris Elem School Bldg: Can this be a possible use (e.g. shelter, Salvation Army expansion, etc..)?
"New" Morris Elementary School: Are we looking for new students? How about students from the gulf coast (watching KSAK during the 11a-12noon hour about Minnesota hosting 3,000 victims from the gulf coast and being located in Camp Ripley, which is not too far) ?
Sal:)
https://www.angelfire.com/mn2/goodnewsumm/usa.louisiana.html
From: "Morris Community Church"
4. Adopt A Hurricane Victim
It is not necessary that these families be put into individual homes
(although the local church may do that if desired). Churches with family
life
centers which have shower and food preparation facilities can
be used in this effort.
These people need a place to stay for the next three to six months
until they can get back on their feet. AFA's role is simply to put the
local
church and needy family into contact with each other. After that is
accomplished, AFA steps out of the picture .
LOCAL
2006 UMM Spring Break Relief-Efforts Trip to Post-Katrina Louisiana Area
Cookout to aid Katrina victims
Morris area residents and businesses are planning a community-wide fund-raising festival to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The event, which features a community cookout, raffles, auctions and music, is Oct. 10 at the new Morris Area Elementary School, said Carol McCannon, one of the event organizers.
The event grew from the tragic aftermath of Katrina, which all but wiped out several gulf coast cities, including New Orleans.
Rod Searle, general manager of the Prairie Inn, put the idea for the festival to McCannon, and a group of interested participants grew quickly, McCannon said.
(As of Thursday), there are 17 people saying, Yeah, we all want to do a piece of this, McCannon said.
The tentative theme revolves around the food court comes to Morris, McCannon said.
Restaurants would donate and serve food free of charge, and activities would include music, dancing, art displays, raffles and silent auctions, she said.
Cash donations are the goal, but the group also will be arranging to store any food or material donations that come in, she said.
We want to provide people a cool place to come and eat free, McCannon said. All they have to do is open their pocket books.
Those wishing to get involved in the event can call McCannon at (320) 589-6083, Searle at (320) 589-3030, Morris Mayor Carol Wilcox at (320) 589-3945, or Margaret Payne at (320) 589-2808.
Lutheran Campus Ministry gives New Wine lowdown on New Orleans plight
04/29/2006
"The New Wine performers are set to follow in the footsteps of the Lutheran Campus Ministry to Louisiana.
An LCM group spent spring break working to help in the recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Now the New Wine group from First Lutheran Church will get its own experience in the weather-ravaged region.
Before departing, the New Wine troupe will perform Kingdom Tales, a musical that was written by their director, Pastor Todd Mattson.
New Wine will be performing in dessert theatre on May 7, 10, 13 and 14 at First Lutheran at 7 p.m. each night. Advance tickets must be purchased.
Kingdom Tales, which Mattson estimates he wrote in 1990, takes a contemporary look at a number of Jesus parables.
The New Winers will take their music and message with them when they board the vans for their annual cross country venture. The vans will be pointed toward New Orleans in mid-June.
The tour will include performances in Sioux Falls, S.D., Springfield, Mo., Memphis, Tenn., Lafayette, La., and Slidell, La.
Slidell is where the group will offer their help rebuilding in the aftermath of the powerful hurricanes. New Wine will work out of Peace Lutheran Church in Slidell.
Peace Lutheran has an experience-tested system for hosting volunteers from all over. The church has a retreat center that will provide overnight accommodations.
New Wine will perform at Peace Lutheran and at another New Orleans-area Lutheran church. By day, the music and message will be put aside in order to confront the monumental task of recovery. The New Winers efforts are coordinated by Lutheran Disaster Response.
Slidell was the home base for the LCM group from Morris, as well. The LCM group made a presentation to New Wine Sunday, with pictures, giving the New Winers an idea of what they can expect when they get to New Orleans.
The LCM group did a lot of mucking houses when in New Orleans, but it is still unclear the exact nature of the work that awaits New Wine, according to Mattson.
Mucking is a process of shoveling out up to six inches of sediment found in the homes that have been closed since the onslaught of the floodwaters.
Supervisors ensure that all the necessary health precautions are taken, Mattson stressed.
This is via protective outerwear and equipment, he said. Because of policy age restrictions set for Lutheran Disaster Response volunteers, it is likely that most or all of the Winers will be put to tasks that are less potentially hazardous.
A ship of state in stormy times
Morris Sun Tribune
"
In her introduction of Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco at Tuesdays Opening Convocation, University of Minnesota, Morris Chancellor Jacquie Johnson took note of all the pioneering Blanco has accomplished in her career.
STATE
Articles
Ministries
NATION
Churches
Maps
Ministries
Other Organizations
States Helping/Effected
Weather Sites
Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!
To: "Alpha Omega"
From: "Mike M
Subject: Re: Sal-UMM Alumns from LA?
Mike
-Mardi Gras (sex, drugs, pornography-present day "Sodom & Gomorrah"?)
-past slavery
-past and current racism (blacks, indians, etc..)
-U.S. political involvement (e.g. Middle East-ironically this happened after watching images of Israelities ("God's chosen people from the Old Testament) being removed from their homes in the 9-11 statement by Anne Graham Lotz)
Sent : Friday, September 2, 2005 5:14 PM
To : saldapal@hotmail.com
Subject : FW: Prayer
As you know, the US has experienced horrific devastation and
loss of life as a result of Hurricane Katrina that roared through the Gulf
region earlier this week. I received a list of prayer directives from the
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and thought Id pass them on to you. Lets
be praying for the Lords intervention at this time and that people would
ultimately turn their hearts to Him as a result of this tragedy!
Tom Waters
* Courage and comfort to people still trapped by the flood waters
* Healing and health to the injured
* Comfort for those who have lost loved ones and those who have not
yet heard from their loved ones in the affected regions
* Rapid deployment of relief supplies Efood, water, medical supplies
and clothes
* Strength, courage and wisdom to the medical personnel helping the
injured; to persons searching for survivors; to relief workers taking in
food, water and medical supplies; and to those who are counselling the
bereaved and grief-stricken
* Courage for police and the National Guard who are seeking to restore
order and provide security
* Guidance for pastors, church leaders and lay people as they seek to
provide spiritual counsel and help
* Strength, courage and wisdom to those directing the emergency
response
* An end to the violence and a spirit of lawfulness on the part of all
* An outpouring of generosity from the Christian community towards
those affected by this tragedy
* That people will seek the Lord at this time of tragedy
"But that is the beginning and not the end of the matter. The end is to pray and give and help and share the gospel, and sacrifice and repent and fight and pray in the Spirit more yet.
I and the Elijah List staff want to encourage you to seek God that the Spirit of Repentance would be granted and released to all of us, Christian and pre-Christian alike."-Elijah List
WORD OF THE LORD THAT CAME FORTH ON AUGUST 12, 2005
To the United States of America ... "Know that today this nation is being realigned. Get ready, for refuge cities will begin to arise throughout this land. They will begin to rise up from state to state to state all along the East coast, all along the Gulf, and all along the West coast. . . .more
"Senator Sharon Weston Broome of Baton Rouge then joins Montel as he visits various shelters to talk with individuals and families who survived Hurricane Katrina, each with an incredible story to tell. Finally, Montel speaks with a very candid Mayor of Baton Rouge, Mayor Kip Holden, about the catastrophe."
I was watching this on Monday, September 6th and was encouraged to hear the interviews Montel had with victims of the hurricaine. One lady said, "all these stories give glory to God!". Another cool interview was with Pastor Larry of Bethany World Prayer Center. Two days later, I was watching TBN (Breakthrough-Pastor Rod Parsley)and this same pastor was being interviewd. Pastor Larry shared about 750 of 800 victims that came to their church for shelter gave their lives to the Lord after a salvation invitation message!
"Bethany immediately opened its north campus as the City of Hope, an evacuee shelter which began housing, feeding and caring for the spiritual needs of 850 displaced individuals. Approximately 450 remain in the shelter one week later.
President George W. Bush and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco accompanied Pastor Stockstill on a visit to the evacuees in the City of Hope on August 5th. Baton Rouge is standing as a beacon of light around the world as we open our hearts, homes and pocketbooks to our fellow Louisianans, said Pastor Stockstill. We want to thank our President, our Governor, and all of our friends in the Body of Christ around the country and the world for the assistance that has been pouring forth; it is most gratifying, but it must continue.
In a little over one week, Bethanys 10,000-member congregation has prepared and served 36,000 meals, made up 12,000 beds and laundered 24,000 towels and washcloths and 36,000 articles of clothing. And this is only the beginning. Projections are that as more and more people who were staying at hotels and with family members begin to run out of money, the shelters will continue to grow.
In addition to the donations from the community and churches across America, Bethany is spending approximately $10,000 per day to meet the needs of the displaced families and relief workers.
At Bethanys Center of Hope on its southern campus, Camp Champions was opened to provide the same needs for the many of the hundreds of hurricane relief workers making the daily trek to New Orleans to continue evacuations and to locate the dead. Bethany is serving approximately 200 workers a day at Camp Champions.
When we look in the eyes of these battle-weary workers who are at ground zero in New Orleans--seeing the despair, the pain, the death, the destructiona hot meal, a shower and a clean bed, along with prayer and counseling, go a long way toward their own recovery, said Pastor Stockstill. People are separated from their families, their homes, their jobs, their schools, their playgrounds, said Pastor Larry. This is what were dealing with at Camp Champions.
In the past week, President George Bush, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, entertainer John Travolta, and Pastors T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn and Rod Parsley, along with all the major news networks, have visited Bethanys operations.
Bethany is also working with the statewide Pastors Resource Council, organized by the Louisiana Family Forum. This council is responsible for collecting and distributing food and supplies for church shelters across the state.
One of the most exciting outcomes of this tragedy is the unity in the Body of Christ, said Pastor Stockstill. Together we can confront and overcome the enemy; we will continue to serve these individuals until every single person is enjoying the quality of life that God has planned for them.
The City of Hope is located at 13855 Plank Road in Baker, Louisiana, a bedroom community of Baton Rouge, and can be reached at 225-774-1700. Camp Champions is located at 10877 Reiger Road, at the Three Crosses, in Baton Rouge and can be reached at 225-293-1355.
Donations can be made at lifelinefoundation.com or bethany.com Hurricane Katrina Relief.
-Katrina Relief Report
On one side of the church is a local Anheuser-Busch factory, and on the other is the official practice facility of the New Orleans Saints which was also serving as a staging area for FEMA and other military relief operations. But on the grounds of this church campus, dozens of the Saints of God were busy practicing the love and compassion of Christ with the help of Operation Blessing and several church networks from across America.
We pulled into the church parking lot behind a long row of cars waiting to get supplies for their families. A sign in the front of the church said free food 9 to 4. We learned later that local radio stations were also encouraging people to come to this shelter that had partnered with OB to distribute food, cleaning supplies, water, and other necessities.
Friday, September 16th-I was watching CBN's 700 Club this morning and was encouraged by the above story. They interviewed the Chief of Police (city?) and he mentioned that this disaster was a "cleansing" of the city of it's 200 annual murders. They believe they are probably the safest city in America right now! He was optimistic about the city will be rebuilt, but pessimistic that the city might turn to its' old ways of sinful nature (e.g. crime). As long as the city learn from this disaster and change for the better for God !
Dream Center, homeless shelter for victims
From: "GoodNews Morris"
Subject: Sal-New added topic for COPC mtg...
P.S. Morris Community Church is willing to house a family/victims at our old church building (211 E. 6th St.). Contact Pat Franey, pastor. I'm sure there are other church organizations, families, or others in the community that probably have the same willingness. I feel using or UMM Alumn/Morris Community (e.g. daughter of LA Mayor) connections (listed in website below) is a good way to start?
To: Undisclosed@, Recipients@
Subject: Announcements 9-9-05
Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2005 07:31:39 -0700
AFA is seeking to find churches that would be willing to adopt a
hurricane victim family for the next three to six months. If your church
would
be willing to adopt a family, please fill out the form and email it
back to us. We in turn will contact a family needing shelter and have
them get in contact with you directly. You can interview them to see if
their needs and your facilities are compatible and to secure
references such as their previous local church and pastor. We suggest
that you screen the family carefully. While 99% of these people will be
very appreciative, there is always that 1% who can create
problems.
Hurricane Katrina Related Links:
-There will be a packed 16 passenger UMM Van hauling some "relief volunteer college students" as part of their Spring Break trip. This trip (preperation mtg.) is spearheaded by Lutheran Campus Ministry. They left on Friday, March 3rd and will be returning the week after.
09/10/2005
*The Key contact is Dave Swenson of Student Activities at 589.6418 or dswenson@mrs.umn.edu
Rose Sale Fundraiser for $20, which proceeds from sale will go the the Katrina Relief courtesy of Praire Community Services Fund
"Pilar Eble, a Lafayette, La., native, is the daughter of Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who faces the daunting task of trying to manage the hundreds of thousands of New Orleans-area refugees and the cleanup and rebuilding of the city.
Were both kind of shellshocked, Pilar Eble said of her and Michael. You want to help, but you know you cant help.
Pilar Eble tried to find words to describe the situation, finally realizing that the Indonesian disaster late last year served as the only apt comparison.
Its our tsunami, she said.
Flooding not common
The Ebles moved to Morris in 2003 when Michael took an assistant professorship in studio arts at the University of Minnesota, Morris. Since then, hes added the position of Humanities Fine Arts Center Gallery curator."
By Brian Williams
Sun Tribune
New Wine will perform Kingdom Tales as part of the send-off worship and potluck set for Sunday, June 18, at First Lutheran. The kids are expected back June 29. New Wine has its final performance set that evening at the church.
New Wine has also been invited to perform at the Southwest Minnesota Synod Assembly on June 10 in St. Peter.
The dessert theatre begins in the sanctuary, where dessert orders will be taken and the first half of Kingdom Tales will be presented. A 30-minute intermission in the fellowship hall will be followed by the conclusion of Kingdom Tales in the sanctuary.
This years New Wine group includes:
Dustin Anderson, Shanda Arbach, Jessie Bergerson, Bess Boever, Dani Bormann, Megan Braaten, Jacky Brustuen, Geoff Brustuen, Angi Buchanan, Jen Buchanan, Melissa Bumann, Samantha Buro.
Tom Crouse, Thore Dosdall, Rachel Dudding, Matthew Edwards, Ben Ehlers, Emily Ehlers, Ray Finzel, Matt Forcella, Jason Grasshoff, Kayla Grasshoff, Joey Grussing, James Heily.
Crystal Heinrichs, Trevor Hopkins, Megan Hoyer, Joshua Johnson, Young-Min Joo, Jeremy Jost, Anika Kildegaard, Hannah Kill, Corey Lembcke, Jimmi Lembcke, Johanna Luetmer, Mack Mattson.
Sibley Mattson, Charles Michealson, Mike Morales, Justin Moser, Stephanie Noel, Fiona OHalloran-Johnson, Alyssa Peterson, Lauren Peterson, Drew Quandt, Kelsey Raasch, Phil Rudney, LeeAnn Schatzke.
Sean Schultz, Carter Smith, Katie VanKempen, Holly Varnum, Peary Webster and Tyrone Webster.
Give us your feedback on this article.
Published Saturday, September 09, 2006
Blanco is the first woman from the Louisiana city of Lafayette to be elected to the state House of Representatives. Blanco then became the first woman to serve, and then chair, the states Public Services Commission.
And finally, Blanco became the first woman governor of Louisiana with her 2004 election.
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (right) meets with University of Minnesota, Morris student Donna Semans following the UMM Opening Convocation at Edson Auditorium Tuesday.
Louisiana governor at UMM
Blanco speech at UMM
As you can see, she is good at firsts, Johnson said.
One first Blanco could have done without, however, was being the first governor to deal with the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
But Blanco made clear to the audience packed into Edson Auditorium that she always has relished being first in line to tackle challenges like those that unfolded in the wakes of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
How you meet unexpected events shapes your life, Blanco said. Life, as Ive often told my children, simply is not fair.
Blanco is the mother of Morris resident Pilar Eble and the mother-in-law of UMM studio art professor Michael Eble. She was scheduled to address last years freshmen class convocation but had to postpone her appearance following the Aug. 29 arrival of Katrina.
Blanco was invited back this year, and she spoke at length about how the challenges of those storms and her political and family lives placed her in situations she never could have dreamed of.
Blanco also spent considerable time recounting the days after Katrina hit and voiced strong opinions about the federal governments reaction to the disaster and the medias role in shaping -- or misshaping -- public perceptions about Louisiana and New Orleans.
Blanco recapped her life as a school teacher, wife and mother. She left her teaching career soon after giving birth to the first of her six children and spent 15 years as a stay-at-home mother.
A job at the Census Bureau put Blanco into the public eye, and people soon encouraged her to run for state office.
The prospect seemed far-flung, given the citys history, and caused trepidation in a household that included all those kids and an army of pets, including an alligator.
But Blanco told the students that shes never been one to adhere to rigid guidelines about what she could or couldnt do, nor was she able to map out her life well into the future.
People need to be flexible to change their direction and jump at opportunities, but should do so in the context of committed living.
Life will expand your horizons if you put yourself in the right place at the right time, Blanco said. Nobody is going to do this for you. At the end of the day, you will never regret playing an active role shaping the world we live in. You will never regret bringing your values to the table.
Blanco spent five years in the state House, seven years on the Public Services Commission, and then ran twice and was elected twice as Louisianas lieutenant governor.
Her election to the Louisiana governors office in 2004 proved wrong the false prophets who held steadfast to the 11th Commandment that Louisiana would never elect a woman as its chief executive.
Stereotypes can be broken if we all work to define expectations, she said.
Stereotypes were a continuing theme as Blancos speech focused in on Katrina and Rita.
Blancos administration was making strong advances in economic development, job creation, eliminating poverty and improving education rankings when the hurricanes dramatically altered her attention.
She defended the actions of her administration in the hours and days following Katrinas landfall, noting that in the first 36 hours after Katrina hit, the number of people safely evacuated was double the population of the Twin Cities.
Blanco also laid a lot of blame on the federal government for its slow response to the states calls for help, and and the media for painting distorted racial and social pictures of the state and New Orleans for the rest of the country.
Many believe the federal response was slow because the pictures on television were primarily those of African Americans, Blanco said. Frankly, I think the issue is a lack of competence.
Unlike the White House, Blanco said, her administration presented all its documents related to its handling of the storms.
I said, Take the cuss words out of the emails and send it all in, Blanco said. I knew the evidence would show that at the state level we did all that we could do, but were outmanned by the power of nature and I was calling for help every single day.
Media reports were sensationalized because its easier and it sells, Blanco said. But in many cases the reports even hampered rescue and relief efforts.
A majority of New Orleans population is African American and there is poverty, but all levels of social strata were affected -- including middle class African Americans and whites -- and that poverty played no role in the response, she said.
This was a non-discriminatory storm, Blanco said.
Buses evacuating people from New Orleans already were running late because of federal bureaucratic bungling, and now media reports were scaring bus drivers away from venturing into the city because of the overhyped dangers of looters and other lawlessness, she said.
This irresponsible reporting caused people to make negative assumptions about the larger population, Blanco said.
The storms also exposed fatal flaws in the countrys ability to respond to crisis, she said.
Katrina revealed that America does not fully understand the need for emergency preparedness, Blanco said. There is a difference in preparing for a short-term disaster and a long-term catastrophe.
In the year since the storms hit, Louisiana has never been better prepared than it is now, Blanco said.
The state has revamped its communications systems, made sweeping changes in hospital and nursing home emergency plans and has upgraded shelter capacity.
Blanco also said levees have been significantly reinforced since breeches caused the lions share of the damage, and the federal government finally is taking serious the states efforts to revitalize wetland buffer zones which can help weaken future storms before they reach populated areas.
But while Blanco expressed pride and confidence in Louisianas efforts, she noted that much more progress is needed, and theres some trepidation in how the states coast will hold up when the inevitable storm comes again.
The only way well know is to be tested again, she said, and were not ready for a test.
"
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The state prepared for up to 3,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees on Monday without knowing when they might arrive, or how.
They'll be housed at Camp Ripley, a National Guard post near Brainerd. Department of Public Safety spokesman Kevin Smith said the state could take more refugees if the Federal Emergency Management Agency asks.
Once they arrive, refugees will get medical and mental health services along with food and shelter. They'll be housed in 20 dormitories that have 184 beds each.
"We're building a mini-city in a week," he said.
The city of Minneapolis is preparing to handle as many as 1,000 displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina.
HOW TO HELP
"Marcus Troy hopes he'll recognize one of the arrivals when he volunteers to help refugees from Hurricane Katrina as they reach Minnesota's Camp Ripley soon.
The St. Paul man, originally from New Orleans, hasn't heard from his youngest sister, Tamara Billings, since the hurricane devastated the Gulf Coast Aug. 29. She lives in "the heart of New Orleans" with her three children.
Evacuees will spend as many as 45 days in Camp Ripley. Red Cross chapters and community leaders throughout the state will arrange to find more permanent housing."
A Web site, http://Minnesotahelpers.com, has been established for people who want to publicize the availability of housing, cars, or other needs for Katrina victims.
The United Way has been designated the point of contact for offers of assistance for evacuees coming to Minnesota. Especially needed are nonperishable food, water, medical supplies, cots, blankets, clothes (fall and winter), toiletries and diapers. Call the United Way at 211, 651-291-0211 or 1-800-543-7709.
People still looking for family or friends in the South or any evacuees who may need assistance can call the State Emergency Operations Center hotline at 651-297-1304 or 800-657-3504.
"MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Nearly two dozen New Orleans residents have arrived in Minneapolis, courtesy of a conglomerate of black churches and leaders who sent a bus to the Houston Astrodome to help those displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
When the evacuees arrived Tuesday evening at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, they stared awkwardly out of the chartered bus. But embraces and smiles from church members broke the ice.
Rev Devon Miller was featured in KSAX Ch. 5 on Wednesday, Sept. 7th 11-12p news. He was speaking about the needs (housing, schools, etc..) for the 3,000 plus victims coming to Minnesota as Gov. Pawlenty was behind him
Victory Fellowship; 5708 Airline Hwy; Metairie, LA 70003
(504) 733-5005
Email: info@victoryfellowship.net
Website: http://www.victoryfellowship.net
" turned in and saw a line. As I stood in line I noticed a church worker was giving instructions to the people. I raised my hand and asked if it were possible to have two plates in order to bring one to my husband. The man Dave(???) Said as he put his arm around me, I could have all I wanted. It was the most humbling moment of my life. As I got close to the food line, he took over and instructed to be sure to give me all I wanted. I looked around, I did not see the red cross, united way or the united fund, salvation army or even the church of my faith and I started to cry. Here was the best people who gave their time and your money to help us, complete strangers.
Irony is that my husband and I volunteer in the inner city of New Orleans and help raise money to feed approx. 300 people 6 days a week and now here I am in a food line.
How do I say thank you to your church. The taste of that BBQ and green beans, beats any 4 star restaurant. Words cannot ever express to you what these hot meals mean to me and my family and the countless others you have served.
I pray for you all and your church and will always try to remember you in my prayers. Your service and food were a gift that I will remember forever and from the bottom of my heart I wish to thank you, each of you.
May God bless you and all and give you and your church the rewards not only that He promised but that you deserve.
Mrs. Charles
Metairie (map)
Rebuilding New Orleans-Blood N' Fire
"One thing I learned is that the Mississippi River was first called Rio de Espiritu Santo River of the Holy Spirit -- by the early Spanish explorers in the delta region. They were captivated by its powerful waters steadily flowing, often overflowing, carving out new life over thousands of miles from Minnesota down to New Orleans.
The other day a man came into the tent at Victory Fellowship in Metairie where we were serving our great hot barbecue and sides prepared on our 30-foot pit. He towered way above the tallest man on our team. At six foot seven and way over 300 pounds we took him maybe for a linebacker for the Saints who once practiced next door to the church.
He came in the tent to get food for his family. He only got as far as the closest tent pole; he leaned against it and began to cry. There was nothing left of his or his familys life as they had known it. He didnt know what to do. He was devastated. Two of the BnF team went over to him and began praying and comforting him with the amazing love of Jesus. It brought new life and hope and gave him the strength to go one more day and believe that God indeed had a plan and a future for him"
-New Orleans
City Map, population of 500 K
Operation Blessing Hurricane Katrina Relief Activities-Update Reports!
I just watched more testimonies of the relief effort today (Tuesday, September 20th of 2005) as Hurricaine Rita becomes a threat. I was touched by a story of a man, who came to BBQ for +6K relief workers in LA. They were almost running out of bread, so he prayed for more. Then a soldier found more found downstairs of this building, which built their faith! Then he shared a touch story of his 32 year old daughter that died earlier this year from cancer and 4 of her kids were left without a mom. He shared how he never lost his trust in the Lord!
Franklin Graham Tours Devastated Area
I was in Indonesia after the tsunami, he said. What has happened here is just as bad, maybe worse in some cases. Theres incredible devastation. Its like a war zone. Its going to take a long time to rebuild. These people need our prayers and they need our support.
Graham said that Samaritan's Purse is committed to helping the region rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Volunteer teams equipped by our Disaster Response Units will be in the storm-damaged area for months to come, making emergency repairs that help families stay in and return to their houses.
I expect that Samaritan's Purse will be here for another year, maybe longer, he said. We want to save as many of these homes that are still standing as we can. If you lose another home to a rainstorm, thats another family that might have to go to a shelter.
*found this link from the Pastor's Resource Council
