The Sweet Dropper

Below is the letter from Jim Bland I mentioned yesterday regarding the appeal for donations to Mission to North America disaster relief:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

And now Ike…  Beginning with the summer floods in Iowa, we are experiencing a series of storms, opportunities for God’s people in the PCA to serve brothers and sisters in Christ and to bear witness to Christ’s love through serving storm survivors in surrounding communities.

Please prayerfully consider giving generously to the MNA 2008 Hurricane Relief Fund, or if you prefer, giving to a specific event or city.  A list of the communities in which MNA is now coordinating disaster response, under the leadership of Disaster Response Director Arklie Hooten, is presented below.  Each offers opportunities for volunteers to serve, and each requires financial support for relief operations.

MNA’s normal practice is to make discreet financial appeals for each disaster event.  During this season, however, because the needs vary greatly in scope and because there is an ongoing need for assistance in several communities, it will be helpful if we may use your gift where we believe it is most needed.  If you prefer to designate your gift for a specific event, we will honor that designation.  Donations are used solely for the needs of PCA families and churches who have experienced loss, as well as for the costs of relief operations.  No portion of your gift will be used for MNA administrative overhead.

Gifts: send your donations to MNA at 1700 N. Brown Road, Suite 101, Lawrenceville GA 30043, or contribute online via credit card by clicking here.  Designate your gift to 2008 Hurricane Fund, or to the specific event to which you wish to give.

Volunteers: If you want to volunteer for unskilled general clean-up work or if you want to help with specific skills, you may sign up as an individual or you may form a team and sign up the team to come. MNA does not charge any fees to volunteer team participants. Expenses for each individual or team will vary according to the work site in which they are serving.

You may click here to register on the MNA web site.  It will greatly help our management of telephone calls if you allow us to contact you as opportunities to serve open up.

Ike: As we send this email, we do not yet know what damage Ike will do.  There are 17 PCA churches and 4000 PCA church members in the Houston area.  We anticipate that there will be needs to address among PCA members and opportunities for service in their communities.  We will send updates on volunteer and monetary needs as soon as we are able to make assessments.

Haiti: The needs of Haiti are beyond any comprehension to those of us who enjoy the comforts of life in the United States.  Severely hit by Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike, the people of Haiti are suffering far beyond their normal destitute way of life.  Through the relationship MNA has with Dony St. Germain, who serves not only as MNA Haitian Ministries Coordinator in the United States but also leads a church planting movement in Haiti under El Shaddai Ministries International, we have a great opportunity to give directly to those in need.  See the further details in the report below by Arklie Hooten.

Iowa Summer Floods: Teams from PCA churches will continue to work in Cedar Rapids through October.  After a break during the winter months when outside work is difficult, plans are underway to resume hosting volunteer teams who will participate in rebuilding homes in the spring of 2009.  See further details in the report below by Arklie Hooten.

Gustav: While media attention focused on how well New Orleans withstood the storm, Gustav did major damage in Baton Rouge and other smaller towns in Louisiana.  A number of PCA families were affected and requests are still coming in.  Volunteer teams from PCA churches have been serving in these areas.

Katrina rebuilding: In the midst of all of these events, we don’t want to lose focus on the rebuilding that continues at the Gulf Coast, through teams who serve with Lagniappe Presbyterian in Bay St. Louis MS and with Redeemer Presbyterian and St. Roch Community Church in New Orleans LA.  As you look for opportunities for volunteers to serve and to give, we seek your participation in these ongoing ministries.

Please prayerfully consider how you can participate.  MNA will keep you posted on new developments.  Most of all, pray for those who have suffered losses, that God’s glory and the compassion of Christ will be seen through these events as the Gospel is advanced.  Our calling is to serve as Christ served, For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).