Jean Everson and I stopped in to visit with the Oldhams and Pastor Krusemark in Stockton on November 29. They are still working on the parsonage for Grace, in spite of having an entire congregation caring and helping and losses in the lower level only ... Imagine the needs of those who lost their entire homes and contents, those who are alone, who may not have family or friends to help, or the money to get the job done.
Bonnie Oldham was planning a fundraiser for those who suffered losses in the flood in Stockton. It was yesterday (Dec. 9) -- She organized food, auction and raffle donations, the location and bands to play. Amazing for a woman who has lost everything herself. She and Roger agreed to take nothing from the donations -- They are doing this as an enco0uragement to the community. What a blessing to know Bonnie and her tenacity and her heart for others.
We then went into Rushford and had lunch at Camp St. Mark with Pastor Stephan and the people from Lutheran Disaster Relief. Great lunch and a wonderful camp! We worked with a group of Brethren of Christ from Indiana sanding sheetrock in one house and putting in insulation and cleaning out removed sheetrock in another. The house where we were installing insulation was a daycare center. The FEMA trailer can not be used for daycare, so the homeowner has lost her business as well until the house is done -- and work has just started. The other home where we sanded sheetrock is in our photo album -- last time I worked in the house (which belongs to the Bergs), there were no walls inside or out from 4 feet on down. The house is enclosed, siding replaced and sheetrock almost finished. Wow! How fun to see the progress!
I heard the sheetrock distribution in Minnesota City on December 1 went well in spite of bad roads and a lot of AWOL volunteers due to the weather. Congratulations to Jaye Fritz for her faithful work! I am beginning to work on a distribution/work day in Rushford in January. The desire was to do it earlier, but the lack of available volunteers and donations (hard to get large donations from organizations at the end of the year!) made it necessary to move it to January.
Personally, as the holiday season comes, I am finding it difficult if not impossible to find time to serve those in need in SE Minnesota. The weather has been iffy (boy, has it been iffy), snowy, bad roads and cold. Add Christmas preparations, concerts, shopping, baking, etc., and it's easy to make excuses.
I'm on a guilt trip as I know no excuse will comfort those in need in Minnesota City, Stockton and Rushford. But I'm also learning I don't need to be there to help, and neither do you... Even if you can't go and help until after the first of the year, consider some of these ideas for this week:
1. Send cards to Camp St. Mark (St. Mark Lutheran, Rushford) to encourage the workers who are giving up their holiday preparation time.
2. Send cards to the pastor at St. Mark and at Grace Lutheran in Stockton, asking them to read them to the congregation, or to distribute them to people in need. Enclosing a gift card from Menards would be a nice touch!
3. Email me your note of encouragement (strongv@woodburylutheran.org) and I will forward it to the churches or individuals.
4. Pray, pray, pray. Pray for strength, for comfort during the holidays, for joy in the face of mounting financial needs, and for peace as communities struggle to survive a significant loss not just for those who lost their homes, but the entire community.
5. Give. Send your gift cards or donations of money to Woodbury Lutheran Disaster Relief Fund, 7380 Afton Road, Woodbury, MN 55125. All money is used to purchase building materials for those in need.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Camp St. Mark stay
Those who don't want to commute for just one day should consider a stay at Camp St. Mark in Rushford. They have 32 beds, a full kitchen, living room area with television, Internet connections. Run by Lutheran Disaster Relief, they suggest a $20/day donation, will provide you with warm, comfortable, mattressed beds, nice showers (I painted them!), and three square meals a day (a camp cook will come in and prepare your food).
Contact me at 651-208-4353 to inquire aout the camp or register on our website.
Contact me at 651-208-4353 to inquire aout the camp or register on our website.
A Busy Day in Rushford
It's been so long since I blogged into this site I couldn't remember the password. In fact, it just occured to me I am a year older than I was last time I entered a blog.
We had a busy day in Rushford today, and met a lot of good brothers and sisters in Christ. I drove down with David Stevens from St. Andrews Mahtomedi. It snowed enough that the grassy areas were white and the shoulder of the road was icy. I was sad to reflect that many people still need help getting their homes enclosed and insulated and that as winter comes there may be days we in the Cities want to help but can't get there.
We met up as planned with Steve Neddermeyer "The Pork Chop Man" from St. Paul Lutheran (I hope I remembered the right saint!) in Watertown, his wife Diane, son Steven, and a group of 10 others from Steve's church or circle of friends. We also met a group from Christ Lutheran in Lake Elmo/Stillwater and still others from Hosanna Lutheran in Lakeville. In all, there were about 60-70 people working through Lutheran Disaster Relief. Don't worry if you didn't join us today but still want to help -- We left PLENTY of work for you to do!
There is every kind of job imaginable right now! A couple of groups were installing vinyl siding, another group was framing an old house that needed a lot of work. The group from Hosanna was removing insulation and nails in a home of a family they have "adopted" -- a young couple with a one-year-old child and another on the way. David worked with them in the morning, shoveling small pieces of sheetrock and insulation beads into a dumpster. The group from Watertown spent the first hour moving furniture for the city newspaper from their temporary quarters back into their downtown building. That's progress and exciting to see! I ran errands and worked with Steve from LDR on organizing work and materials for our crew's next jobs.
We then split into two groups -- the skilled laborers working inside Rushford Mall, where they sheetrocked retail space so service businesses that have been displaced can reopen soon. The rest of us were sent to a 12-unit non-profit owned apartment building for low income seniors that will be demolished. It had been deluged with 6-8 feet of water, and all of the windows had been blown out. Some of the renters had removed what they could, others what they wanted, still others had not been back to their homes at all. Someone had removed all the appliances and furniture, and we had to remove everything that was left.
We got nearly half done cleaning out the housing units -- that's 6 kitchens, 6 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms and 6 living rooms -- and filled an entire dumpster.
A sweet elderly woman stopped by with her brother from LaCrosse to show him where a friend of hers, Alice, had lived, and to tell him (and thereby us) about Alice's adventure. Alice slept through the door-to-door warning as someone knocked on doors to tell people to evacuate. She awoke only when the window in her bedroom broke, flooding her apartment with water. Alice climbed onto her dining room table, but as the water rose, she feared that wouldn't be high enough. She then climbed onto her kitchen countertop and spent the next five hours on her countertop, chest-high in water filled with sewage and debris, waiting for help. Someone finally broke through the roof of the building to rescue her. I can only imagine how frightened she must have been that she would not be found... Her body temperature had dropped to 91 degrees and she spent several days in the hospital. She is now living with a daughter in St. Paul.
Two of the women in our group were working in Alice's apartment when her friend arrived. They had already set aside several "pretty dishes," a few teacups, some ceramic owls (which Alice apparently collected), and her friend carefully packed them up to take to Alice.
I worked in an apartment where I found a recipe box that was nearly dry (but encased in mud). At the back of the box were several cards dated 1976-1981 that listed cows by name, their calves, and their names (although it looks like they stopped naming the calves in 1978), and dates that any of them had died. I also found a photo album with several salvageable pictures. Steven found a framed confirmation certificate from 1915 (a gentleman born in 1902) that we took to the LDR office to see if they could find the original owner. Many reminders how years of treasured, very personal "stuff" can be destroyed in an instant. One of the women in the group said she wanted to go home and clean out all her closets and give most of her "stuff" away!
We were stinking (from the mold/sewage/mud/sludge) mix in the apartments. Stinging noses (really loved that crockpot full of beef!), wet feet, and the dark and cold in the building forced an early end to our day (about 3:15). We had a quick prayer at the worksite for the blessing of being called to serve, for the lives of those who had lived in the apartments, for recovery for the town, for safe travel for the team and for blessings for all who worked before and behind us. After a brief tour of Camp St. Mark (a beautiful facility; see my next blog for more on the camp), David and I headed for home.
Thanks to Steve for organizing his group, and to Steve and Diane for making sandwiches and cookies for the whole bunch. It was a good day, and I was blessed to get to work with such a great bunch of people!
We had a busy day in Rushford today, and met a lot of good brothers and sisters in Christ. I drove down with David Stevens from St. Andrews Mahtomedi. It snowed enough that the grassy areas were white and the shoulder of the road was icy. I was sad to reflect that many people still need help getting their homes enclosed and insulated and that as winter comes there may be days we in the Cities want to help but can't get there.
We met up as planned with Steve Neddermeyer "The Pork Chop Man" from St. Paul Lutheran (I hope I remembered the right saint!) in Watertown, his wife Diane, son Steven, and a group of 10 others from Steve's church or circle of friends. We also met a group from Christ Lutheran in Lake Elmo/Stillwater and still others from Hosanna Lutheran in Lakeville. In all, there were about 60-70 people working through Lutheran Disaster Relief. Don't worry if you didn't join us today but still want to help -- We left PLENTY of work for you to do!
There is every kind of job imaginable right now! A couple of groups were installing vinyl siding, another group was framing an old house that needed a lot of work. The group from Hosanna was removing insulation and nails in a home of a family they have "adopted" -- a young couple with a one-year-old child and another on the way. David worked with them in the morning, shoveling small pieces of sheetrock and insulation beads into a dumpster. The group from Watertown spent the first hour moving furniture for the city newspaper from their temporary quarters back into their downtown building. That's progress and exciting to see! I ran errands and worked with Steve from LDR on organizing work and materials for our crew's next jobs.
We then split into two groups -- the skilled laborers working inside Rushford Mall, where they sheetrocked retail space so service businesses that have been displaced can reopen soon. The rest of us were sent to a 12-unit non-profit owned apartment building for low income seniors that will be demolished. It had been deluged with 6-8 feet of water, and all of the windows had been blown out. Some of the renters had removed what they could, others what they wanted, still others had not been back to their homes at all. Someone had removed all the appliances and furniture, and we had to remove everything that was left.
We got nearly half done cleaning out the housing units -- that's 6 kitchens, 6 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms and 6 living rooms -- and filled an entire dumpster.
A sweet elderly woman stopped by with her brother from LaCrosse to show him where a friend of hers, Alice, had lived, and to tell him (and thereby us) about Alice's adventure. Alice slept through the door-to-door warning as someone knocked on doors to tell people to evacuate. She awoke only when the window in her bedroom broke, flooding her apartment with water. Alice climbed onto her dining room table, but as the water rose, she feared that wouldn't be high enough. She then climbed onto her kitchen countertop and spent the next five hours on her countertop, chest-high in water filled with sewage and debris, waiting for help. Someone finally broke through the roof of the building to rescue her. I can only imagine how frightened she must have been that she would not be found... Her body temperature had dropped to 91 degrees and she spent several days in the hospital. She is now living with a daughter in St. Paul.
Two of the women in our group were working in Alice's apartment when her friend arrived. They had already set aside several "pretty dishes," a few teacups, some ceramic owls (which Alice apparently collected), and her friend carefully packed them up to take to Alice.
I worked in an apartment where I found a recipe box that was nearly dry (but encased in mud). At the back of the box were several cards dated 1976-1981 that listed cows by name, their calves, and their names (although it looks like they stopped naming the calves in 1978), and dates that any of them had died. I also found a photo album with several salvageable pictures. Steven found a framed confirmation certificate from 1915 (a gentleman born in 1902) that we took to the LDR office to see if they could find the original owner. Many reminders how years of treasured, very personal "stuff" can be destroyed in an instant. One of the women in the group said she wanted to go home and clean out all her closets and give most of her "stuff" away!
We were stinking (from the mold/sewage/mud/sludge) mix in the apartments. Stinging noses (really loved that crockpot full of beef!), wet feet, and the dark and cold in the building forced an early end to our day (about 3:15). We had a quick prayer at the worksite for the blessing of being called to serve, for the lives of those who had lived in the apartments, for recovery for the town, for safe travel for the team and for blessings for all who worked before and behind us. After a brief tour of Camp St. Mark (a beautiful facility; see my next blog for more on the camp), David and I headed for home.
Thanks to Steve for organizing his group, and to Steve and Diane for making sandwiches and cookies for the whole bunch. It was a good day, and I was blessed to get to work with such a great bunch of people!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Amazing Progress!
It was amazing to be working in Rushford today as we helped get Camp St. Mark ready for LDR laborers who will volunteer for a week at a time to rebuild the community.
A dozen men from Lord of Life Lutheran in Maple Grove arrived to put together 32 bunks they had cut and partially assembled in their church. A small group of us (Mike, Connie and David Sabbann and my daughter Shaina and I) came from Woodbury Lutheran to paint the new shower area. It's now a bright white and ready for use!
Pastor Merlin and couple of members of their church were installing privacy curtains around the bunks in the church lower level, while a half dozen women from St. Mark were cleaning out the cupboards, washing dishes and refrigerators and other appliances.
Two tile installers were working in the bathroom grout and waiting for our paint to dry to finish installing the baseboard strips in the shower.
A truck delivered 30 mattresses for the bunks. Another volunteer group temporarily installed carpet that will be pulled up when the teams are done and replaced by permanent carpet. At times, the noise of screw guns and team members cajoling each other was crazy! A reporter from Rochester ABC Channel 6 news came and did an interview with Pastor Merlin in the middle of all the hub bub. As he said, as far as we know, this is the first such camp in Minnesota. We have learned a lot from Katrina.
Several parishioners stopped by at various times to witness the progress and encourage us all. They are thrilled to be able to provide that kind of service to their community. As Pastor Merlin said, their church building was only being used a few hours a week; now it goes from a building to a ministry!
It was great fun to be part of the team that is putting the camp together. Now, bring on the laborers!
Blessings to all who sleep and labor in the camp. And happy birthday to Connie Sabbann. What a selfless thing to do on your 29th birthday!
A dozen men from Lord of Life Lutheran in Maple Grove arrived to put together 32 bunks they had cut and partially assembled in their church. A small group of us (Mike, Connie and David Sabbann and my daughter Shaina and I) came from Woodbury Lutheran to paint the new shower area. It's now a bright white and ready for use!
Pastor Merlin and couple of members of their church were installing privacy curtains around the bunks in the church lower level, while a half dozen women from St. Mark were cleaning out the cupboards, washing dishes and refrigerators and other appliances.
Two tile installers were working in the bathroom grout and waiting for our paint to dry to finish installing the baseboard strips in the shower.
A truck delivered 30 mattresses for the bunks. Another volunteer group temporarily installed carpet that will be pulled up when the teams are done and replaced by permanent carpet. At times, the noise of screw guns and team members cajoling each other was crazy! A reporter from Rochester ABC Channel 6 news came and did an interview with Pastor Merlin in the middle of all the hub bub. As he said, as far as we know, this is the first such camp in Minnesota. We have learned a lot from Katrina.
Several parishioners stopped by at various times to witness the progress and encourage us all. They are thrilled to be able to provide that kind of service to their community. As Pastor Merlin said, their church building was only being used a few hours a week; now it goes from a building to a ministry!
It was great fun to be part of the team that is putting the camp together. Now, bring on the laborers!
Blessings to all who sleep and labor in the camp. And happy birthday to Connie Sabbann. What a selfless thing to do on your 29th birthday!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Saturday Update -- Winona Team
We had a great time on Saturday. The couple's name is Dale & Clara Newcomb. Their phone should be hooked up soon. They are a nice couple, with quite a bit of damage, and to complicate matters Clara just got out of the hospital after having some extensive surgery to remove a tumor (I'm not sure whether it is cancerous or not...). They were very happy that we were there, and even made us some lunch.
We were able to finish their roof, and I think that the group from Grace Church in Rochester finished hanging the sheetrock. Then they tore apart some wet sheetrock from another room in the home, which will need to be dried and re-hung. They will probably need some more help, but I think that their big concerns are now taken care of.
Lorene Gray, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Circle Pines
We were able to finish their roof, and I think that the group from Grace Church in Rochester finished hanging the sheetrock. Then they tore apart some wet sheetrock from another room in the home, which will need to be dried and re-hung. They will probably need some more help, but I think that their big concerns are now taken care of.
Lorene Gray, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Circle Pines
Saturday, October 20, 2007
A shift in the weather as a front blows in!
I thought this was an appropriate title, as our team worked indoors most of the weekend due to a week of rains that have soaked the grounds and swelled the streams again. We waited impatiently all day for a warm, dry front to blow in (and blow it did as we fought 45 mph gusts as we traveled from site to site).
We also experienced a shift for our ministry -- With a place to stay in Winona (thanks Pastor Moore and St. Martin's for the use of the school gymnasium and church dining hall over MEA weekend!), we had some real continuity as people could continue jobs for several days. Some nearly 60 people came in and out over the weekend; 18 of them staying all three days. The team is made up of all ages from all over the state. Churches include Woodbury Community Church, New Heights Community Church in Inver Grove Heights, Peace Lutheran Robbinsdale, Woodbury Lutheran, Good Shepherd Lutheran Circle Pines, Zion Lutheran Cologne, and Grace Lutheran Rochester.
I had a LONG day yesterday as I commuted from the Twin Cities and visited all our work sites in Rushford, Stockton and Minnesota City. It was amazing to witness the Body of Christ working!
We started by delivering two van loads of supplies for the Lutheran Disaster Response camp under construction at St. Mark in Rushford. A couple of members of Trinity Lutheran in Hudson arrived while we were delivering the supplies. They were bringing kitchen cabinets that had been donated from their church. Donated appliances have miraculously arrived as well and Pastor Merlin appears to be a bit overwhelmed but grateful for the outpouring. Our laborers on this site included an electrician and several sheetrockers, so it was exciting to see the progress they had made on the electrical and showers for the camp. We would have had more laborers at the camp if there had been room for all who wanted to work on the project.
I met with Rolf of LDR who will be coordinating workers, and introduced Gary and Karen Schmidt, members of Peace in Robbinsdale, to the LDR organization in Rushford. They worked with LDR projects to get a feel for how their jobs are organized. They were pleased with their job assignment and the day.
Pastor Moore of St. Martin in Winona reached out to Minnesota City in a very visible and needed way as they paid for a community dumpster that our volunteers are filling with debris they pick up in the neighborhood. The damage in the Gunderson subdivision is stunning; as bad as anything I witnessed on the Gulf. Even when you see it, it is nearly beyond comprehension. I can understand the despair the residents of this community are expressing.
I met and prayed with Peter Horton, who had several volunteers working on his home. He is a junior high teacher with two daughters, one 15, and a wife in hospice with MS. His home was totally gutted and all contents destroyed, they had no insurance, but the community has stepped up with volunteer help and his home is well on the way to recovery. Lynn and Patty Zellmer of Zion Cologne helped several of Pete's coworkers with sheetrock and a dozen of our team members picked up debris. What joy to bring hope to someone with so many burdens!
The repainting of the fellowship hall at Grace in Stockton is complete, thanks to Stacy Glocke and her children Zachary and Hillary from Good Shepherd, Circle Pines. Grace can begin using the hall again. A kitchen is still needed to complete the project, but their progress is a testimony to the faithfulness of this congregation (especially but not limited to Bev Potter) who has worked tirelessly to get their church and parsonage restored.
It was a great day, and the progress is visible and heartening. As Lutherans do so well, the members of St. Martin provided a fabulous potluck offering and fellowship Friday night, with plenty of leftovers for lunches on Saturday. When I left after team sharing and prayer, many from the group were starting a volleyball tournament in the gymnasium. Tireless, absolutely tireless!
Today, as I get ready to start my day at home in the Twin Cities, I am praying for the outdoor work on the schedule today. Two additional churches with another 14 laborers were going to join the group. Several team members were going to finish up their work at the camp in Rushford, some were rebuilding a garage in Minnesota City, still others working on replacing a roof in Winona, helping Pete Horton replace his siding, sheetrock in homes in Minnesota City and Winona, and continuing to pick up debris in Minnesota City. Many hands make the burden so much lighter and we are SO thankful St. Martin gave us the opportunity to coordinate the MEA weekend.
What's next? Pastor Moore in Winona is interested in a sheetrock blitz in Minnesota City. We'll keep you posted!
Photos from this weekend will soon follow. Watch for them! You'll love Will, our six-year-old "muddy buddy" who worked like crazy with debris removal for three hours in mud-soaked Minnesota City.
We also experienced a shift for our ministry -- With a place to stay in Winona (thanks Pastor Moore and St. Martin's for the use of the school gymnasium and church dining hall over MEA weekend!), we had some real continuity as people could continue jobs for several days. Some nearly 60 people came in and out over the weekend; 18 of them staying all three days. The team is made up of all ages from all over the state. Churches include Woodbury Community Church, New Heights Community Church in Inver Grove Heights, Peace Lutheran Robbinsdale, Woodbury Lutheran, Good Shepherd Lutheran Circle Pines, Zion Lutheran Cologne, and Grace Lutheran Rochester.
I had a LONG day yesterday as I commuted from the Twin Cities and visited all our work sites in Rushford, Stockton and Minnesota City. It was amazing to witness the Body of Christ working!
We started by delivering two van loads of supplies for the Lutheran Disaster Response camp under construction at St. Mark in Rushford. A couple of members of Trinity Lutheran in Hudson arrived while we were delivering the supplies. They were bringing kitchen cabinets that had been donated from their church. Donated appliances have miraculously arrived as well and Pastor Merlin appears to be a bit overwhelmed but grateful for the outpouring. Our laborers on this site included an electrician and several sheetrockers, so it was exciting to see the progress they had made on the electrical and showers for the camp. We would have had more laborers at the camp if there had been room for all who wanted to work on the project.
I met with Rolf of LDR who will be coordinating workers, and introduced Gary and Karen Schmidt, members of Peace in Robbinsdale, to the LDR organization in Rushford. They worked with LDR projects to get a feel for how their jobs are organized. They were pleased with their job assignment and the day.
Pastor Moore of St. Martin in Winona reached out to Minnesota City in a very visible and needed way as they paid for a community dumpster that our volunteers are filling with debris they pick up in the neighborhood. The damage in the Gunderson subdivision is stunning; as bad as anything I witnessed on the Gulf. Even when you see it, it is nearly beyond comprehension. I can understand the despair the residents of this community are expressing.
I met and prayed with Peter Horton, who had several volunteers working on his home. He is a junior high teacher with two daughters, one 15, and a wife in hospice with MS. His home was totally gutted and all contents destroyed, they had no insurance, but the community has stepped up with volunteer help and his home is well on the way to recovery. Lynn and Patty Zellmer of Zion Cologne helped several of Pete's coworkers with sheetrock and a dozen of our team members picked up debris. What joy to bring hope to someone with so many burdens!
The repainting of the fellowship hall at Grace in Stockton is complete, thanks to Stacy Glocke and her children Zachary and Hillary from Good Shepherd, Circle Pines. Grace can begin using the hall again. A kitchen is still needed to complete the project, but their progress is a testimony to the faithfulness of this congregation (especially but not limited to Bev Potter) who has worked tirelessly to get their church and parsonage restored.
It was a great day, and the progress is visible and heartening. As Lutherans do so well, the members of St. Martin provided a fabulous potluck offering and fellowship Friday night, with plenty of leftovers for lunches on Saturday. When I left after team sharing and prayer, many from the group were starting a volleyball tournament in the gymnasium. Tireless, absolutely tireless!
Today, as I get ready to start my day at home in the Twin Cities, I am praying for the outdoor work on the schedule today. Two additional churches with another 14 laborers were going to join the group. Several team members were going to finish up their work at the camp in Rushford, some were rebuilding a garage in Minnesota City, still others working on replacing a roof in Winona, helping Pete Horton replace his siding, sheetrock in homes in Minnesota City and Winona, and continuing to pick up debris in Minnesota City. Many hands make the burden so much lighter and we are SO thankful St. Martin gave us the opportunity to coordinate the MEA weekend.
What's next? Pastor Moore in Winona is interested in a sheetrock blitz in Minnesota City. We'll keep you posted!
Photos from this weekend will soon follow. Watch for them! You'll love Will, our six-year-old "muddy buddy" who worked like crazy with debris removal for three hours in mud-soaked Minnesota City.
Recovering
I taught a class on Thursday to a group of junior high students and we explored the 3 "Rs" of disaster (response, relief and recovery). Recovery is not the responsibility of the federal government, or the Red Cross (they are responsible for response and relief) or the Salvation Army (relief). Recovery is a personal and community responsibility, so it falls to us as individuals and the church body to bring people back to wholeness.
With God's favor, we are quickly moving from Disaster Relief to Disaster Recovery as rebuilding starts. These are exciting times. I continue to receive 3-6 new phone inquiries a week from churches "kicking the tires" to see how their congregations might get involved in disaster assistance and am encouraged to see the fire to serve others spreading.
Last week volunteer count was small (to be expected after the blitz on October 6) but there were six members from St. Michael's Bloomington who helped finish the walls in the Stockton parsonage and did sheetrocking in the church. They are well on the way to completing the painting of those walls. The kitchen has not yet been completed, but the fellowship hall is nearly ready for use. Several of the men also helped John Regan, who returned to complete the sheetrock project at the Fritze house, and it is done. So, we already have one completion from the We Rocked Stockton event. That's progress, and encouragement for the entire community!
With God's favor, we are quickly moving from Disaster Relief to Disaster Recovery as rebuilding starts. These are exciting times. I continue to receive 3-6 new phone inquiries a week from churches "kicking the tires" to see how their congregations might get involved in disaster assistance and am encouraged to see the fire to serve others spreading.
Last week volunteer count was small (to be expected after the blitz on October 6) but there were six members from St. Michael's Bloomington who helped finish the walls in the Stockton parsonage and did sheetrocking in the church. They are well on the way to completing the painting of those walls. The kitchen has not yet been completed, but the fellowship hall is nearly ready for use. Several of the men also helped John Regan, who returned to complete the sheetrock project at the Fritze house, and it is done. So, we already have one completion from the We Rocked Stockton event. That's progress, and encouragement for the entire community!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Sheetrock and Pork Chops and Donut Holes, Oh My!
God is good; very, very good! As I blog this at 5 a.m. the morning after, I have to say it was an amazing day in Stockton, thanks to the hands and feet of Christ, who moved among us yesterday in so, so many ways.
A reporter from the Winona Daily News asked me "Why sheetrock?" I want to start today's blog with the answer. Once the mud and water are gone, a home may look pretty good, but mold grows amazingly quickly on damaged rock so the sheetrock needs to be removed as soon as possible. Then, there is what feels like a step back, as the walls are taken down to the bare studs. So, new sheetrock is the first visible sign of rebuilding.
Buying sheetrock also helps bridge the gap between cleanout and when 'cash strapped' homeowners are able to find financial help to begin rebuilding. Most people in Stockton have finished cleanout and they are waiting -- for electrical inspections, for volunteer help, and/or for money to rebuild. Many who lost all say they are waiting for a miracle. If they have to wait too long, the larger community of volunteers and donors forgets their need. So, buying sheetrock gives them (and us) a jump start on the rebuilding process while volunteers are still willing.
Several families who need to fully rebuild asked for sheetrock and, after confirming they had a clean, dry place to store it, we provided them with the maximum amount we allowed. Bonnie Oldham and Pete Bambenek both told me, "This gives me hope."
Bonnie further said, "We don't have anything else right now. This is the first thing I can touch and see. It's a reminder that we will again have our own place, that this is temporary. I can't explain how getting sheetrock, and spending time with you all, changed my life today, but it did." I could have distributed just 80 sheets to Bonnie and today would have been a rousing success. But we multiplied that times 31 families...Wow!
Now, onto the details. An estimated 120-130 volunteers showed up, some from as far away as Morris (Gene Pasche from Orphan Grain Train North Minnesota), Comfrey and Cambridge. Our count included 50 youth from Woodbury Lutheran Church who continued to work the stream bed and fields to clear debris.
It started rough, as all big events tend to do. Volunteers began arriving about 9 a.m., a few minutes after the first of the Stockton residents, who had a variety of questions. It was hard to ask them to wait until 9:30; I can't explain the look in some of their eyes, only to say my heart ached. I knew it wasn't the first time in the past eight weeks someone has told them they have to wait, and the sheetrock hadn't yet arrived, so I'm guessing they were wondering if I had promised them something they wouldn't actually be getting. As good Lutherans, we had some good strong coffee and enough bakery goods to feed the entire county, so we were able to begin building community right away among the volunteers and the people of Stockton, and soothe those who had to wait.
The first two of six truckloads from Menards in Winona (wow, they were fabulous!) pulled in about 9:20 a.m. At the end of the day we had reloaded into pickups, vans and trailers 1600 sheets of drywall, 25,000 feet of tape, 250 gallons of mudding compound, 400 pounds of screws, 100 pounds of nails, and a hundred corner beads. We had also dolled out 400 pork chops, 150 hot dogs, and 600 donut holes, 40 bags of bread, 100+ quilts, an uncountable number of hugs (I got so carried away, I even hugged the reporter) and dozens of prayers.
It was a Herculian effort, but our distribution worked like a charm, in spite of the fact I really hadn't thought it out! There was a lot of reshuffling as people decided they didn't need quite as many sheets as they had ordered, or asked for a few more. Rather than cipher and sweat, I just changed their orders and decided we would hope for the best at the end of the distribution... With reservation, I compromised and filled one request with 20 sheets (they wanted 120) that I had prayerfully decided before the day started I could not fill (long story), and we ran 20 sheets short for the last pick up. That's how exacting God is; but God (and donors from Mississippi) had also provided Home Depot cards so I could give the homeowner more than enough to purchase the shortage.
Huge thanks to Woodbury Lutheran Mission Board, Our Savior Excelsior, Dakota-Washington County Thrivent, the Flood Run and members of First Baptist Church-Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for the funding to purchase the rock and materials and to Menards Winona for their discounts and for providing us with a truck and loading equipment for most of the day.
The kitchen crew from Thrivent (thanks St. Martin Winona, Grace Lutheran and Winona Chapter for lunch) and griller Steve Neddermeyer and family were fabulous (I'm hoping we'll share those pork chops in heaven!) and I heard many people say having a meal open to everyone was a good way to build the community up. The Thrivent "quilt distribution" was awesome (we especially loved watching one family of 9 who came in a van and the smiles on the faces of each of their kids, who left with a new, beautiful, handmade quilt). Our work teams were great and started on several new projects. Several women from Woodbury Lutheran took the list of people who had picked up sheetrock and made some home visits, lending a listening ear and a kind word. It was amazing to see how each of us is given our own gifts and how God used each and every one of us to the best of our abilities. He filled our day with divine appointments!
About 7:15 in the evening, we drove away from the community center as the remaining member of the kitchen crew put away the last serving spoon. As we headed north on County 23, the lights were still on in the lower level of the first home we sent a crew to at 9:45 a.m. Woodbury residents and volunteers John Regan and Ken Hoffman, were still hanging sheetrock on the walk-out lower level! AMAZING!!!!! (I also admit with a little guilt that we didn't stop, but I did offer a silent prayer of protection and of thanksgiving for them both.)
There was little said in our car on the ride home (those of you who know Dana Adkins and/or me must be amazed at that!). We were bone weary, but soul-satisfied. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
A reporter from the Winona Daily News asked me "Why sheetrock?" I want to start today's blog with the answer. Once the mud and water are gone, a home may look pretty good, but mold grows amazingly quickly on damaged rock so the sheetrock needs to be removed as soon as possible. Then, there is what feels like a step back, as the walls are taken down to the bare studs. So, new sheetrock is the first visible sign of rebuilding.
Buying sheetrock also helps bridge the gap between cleanout and when 'cash strapped' homeowners are able to find financial help to begin rebuilding. Most people in Stockton have finished cleanout and they are waiting -- for electrical inspections, for volunteer help, and/or for money to rebuild. Many who lost all say they are waiting for a miracle. If they have to wait too long, the larger community of volunteers and donors forgets their need. So, buying sheetrock gives them (and us) a jump start on the rebuilding process while volunteers are still willing.
Several families who need to fully rebuild asked for sheetrock and, after confirming they had a clean, dry place to store it, we provided them with the maximum amount we allowed. Bonnie Oldham and Pete Bambenek both told me, "This gives me hope."
Bonnie further said, "We don't have anything else right now. This is the first thing I can touch and see. It's a reminder that we will again have our own place, that this is temporary. I can't explain how getting sheetrock, and spending time with you all, changed my life today, but it did." I could have distributed just 80 sheets to Bonnie and today would have been a rousing success. But we multiplied that times 31 families...Wow!
Now, onto the details. An estimated 120-130 volunteers showed up, some from as far away as Morris (Gene Pasche from Orphan Grain Train North Minnesota), Comfrey and Cambridge. Our count included 50 youth from Woodbury Lutheran Church who continued to work the stream bed and fields to clear debris.
It started rough, as all big events tend to do. Volunteers began arriving about 9 a.m., a few minutes after the first of the Stockton residents, who had a variety of questions. It was hard to ask them to wait until 9:30; I can't explain the look in some of their eyes, only to say my heart ached. I knew it wasn't the first time in the past eight weeks someone has told them they have to wait, and the sheetrock hadn't yet arrived, so I'm guessing they were wondering if I had promised them something they wouldn't actually be getting. As good Lutherans, we had some good strong coffee and enough bakery goods to feed the entire county, so we were able to begin building community right away among the volunteers and the people of Stockton, and soothe those who had to wait.
The first two of six truckloads from Menards in Winona (wow, they were fabulous!) pulled in about 9:20 a.m. At the end of the day we had reloaded into pickups, vans and trailers 1600 sheets of drywall, 25,000 feet of tape, 250 gallons of mudding compound, 400 pounds of screws, 100 pounds of nails, and a hundred corner beads. We had also dolled out 400 pork chops, 150 hot dogs, and 600 donut holes, 40 bags of bread, 100+ quilts, an uncountable number of hugs (I got so carried away, I even hugged the reporter) and dozens of prayers.
It was a Herculian effort, but our distribution worked like a charm, in spite of the fact I really hadn't thought it out! There was a lot of reshuffling as people decided they didn't need quite as many sheets as they had ordered, or asked for a few more. Rather than cipher and sweat, I just changed their orders and decided we would hope for the best at the end of the distribution... With reservation, I compromised and filled one request with 20 sheets (they wanted 120) that I had prayerfully decided before the day started I could not fill (long story), and we ran 20 sheets short for the last pick up. That's how exacting God is; but God (and donors from Mississippi) had also provided Home Depot cards so I could give the homeowner more than enough to purchase the shortage.
Huge thanks to Woodbury Lutheran Mission Board, Our Savior Excelsior, Dakota-Washington County Thrivent, the Flood Run and members of First Baptist Church-Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for the funding to purchase the rock and materials and to Menards Winona for their discounts and for providing us with a truck and loading equipment for most of the day.
The kitchen crew from Thrivent (thanks St. Martin Winona, Grace Lutheran and Winona Chapter for lunch) and griller Steve Neddermeyer and family were fabulous (I'm hoping we'll share those pork chops in heaven!) and I heard many people say having a meal open to everyone was a good way to build the community up. The Thrivent "quilt distribution" was awesome (we especially loved watching one family of 9 who came in a van and the smiles on the faces of each of their kids, who left with a new, beautiful, handmade quilt). Our work teams were great and started on several new projects. Several women from Woodbury Lutheran took the list of people who had picked up sheetrock and made some home visits, lending a listening ear and a kind word. It was amazing to see how each of us is given our own gifts and how God used each and every one of us to the best of our abilities. He filled our day with divine appointments!
About 7:15 in the evening, we drove away from the community center as the remaining member of the kitchen crew put away the last serving spoon. As we headed north on County 23, the lights were still on in the lower level of the first home we sent a crew to at 9:45 a.m. Woodbury residents and volunteers John Regan and Ken Hoffman, were still hanging sheetrock on the walk-out lower level! AMAZING!!!!! (I also admit with a little guilt that we didn't stop, but I did offer a silent prayer of protection and of thanksgiving for them both.)
There was little said in our car on the ride home (those of you who know Dana Adkins and/or me must be amazed at that!). We were bone weary, but soul-satisfied. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Looking Back and forward
I apologize to anyone I forget to thank in this update. It's been a crazy, crazy week with planning WE ROCKED STOCKTON for this Saturday.
Last Saturday, a group from St. Peter's Lutheran-Edina (thanks Pastor Shockley!) and Tim Bredahl from Woodbury Lutheran worked at Grace in Stockton with several members of that congregation. They finished sheetrocking the lower level in a day! Yeah! Next will be refinishing the concrete floor (no more carpet) and rebuilding the kitchen.
Monday, a couple of members of St. Stephanus worked in Rushford for the day and several people are working with me behind the scenes on upcoming events. Thanks to all for your willingness to continue serving the Body.
Last Saturday, a group from St. Peter's Lutheran-Edina (thanks Pastor Shockley!) and Tim Bredahl from Woodbury Lutheran worked at Grace in Stockton with several members of that congregation. They finished sheetrocking the lower level in a day! Yeah! Next will be refinishing the concrete floor (no more carpet) and rebuilding the kitchen.
Monday, a couple of members of St. Stephanus worked in Rushford for the day and several people are working with me behind the scenes on upcoming events. Thanks to all for your willingness to continue serving the Body.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thanks Concordia Academy!!!!!!!!!
An army of nearly 200 guys from Concordia Academy St. Paul, along with principal Pastor Tim Berner and several instructors, descended on Stockton (a town of 682) today to clean the woods just north of town and along the river banks. They also helped mud out several yards and a shed, moved equipment, tore apart a damaged deck and a fence, and just about anything else homeowners asked them to do.
There were some sobering moments -- Finding a shed in a farm field that was reasonably intact and realizing they wouldn't be able to finish the job they had come to do -- clearing the field so the farmer could get his machines in for harvest. Several guys learning a couple died in a car in the very field they were clearing. Another group realizing the "junk" they were hauling had been the contents of a home that had broken loose from its foundation and floated to the railroad tracks, its contents spilling into the woods and breaking apart. All three residents and the resident cat amazingly survived -- the humans on the roof and the cat on a shelf in the closet.
I talked at length with Bonnie Oldham, the homeowner who had lost their house. She was teary and grateful the guys were helping clean out the woods, and hopeful we would find some of their belongings as she hadn't been able to face going in to look herself. Sadly, we did not find anything from their home intact. But what a great visible reminder of God's provision that their home was hung up on the railroad tracks and didn't break up in the woods as their belongings did.
Bonnie shared that she was raised in an LCMS church and "had faith before the storm but nothing like now." She said as their house floated in a the swirling current past a neighbor's home where they too were on their roof awaiting help, she yelled to the neighbor, "Call [the sheriff] and tell him we're loose. Then call my son, tell him I love him and I'll see him soon." Seconds later, they floated over the tracks, the steps broke loose and caught on the tracks, stopping their progress. "That kind of thing can only be from God," she said with confidence.
The guys removed more than 6 commercial dumpsters full of trash (I hate to call it that, as we all realized today all that "trash" was not so long ago someone's treasure). People stopped on Highway 23 as they worked, yelling out "Thank you," "great work guys!" Even a county sheriff's department car came by and talked over his speaker, "Good job guys. Thanks for being here!" A few even came by and dropped off snacks on the side of the road for the guys to enjoy as they worked.
Our only casualty came early, as Ryan (I think it was Ryan) had a spray can of black paint explode when he threw some lumber on top of it. (Guess I missed the instruction about separating the hazardous materials from the rest! Oops!) Fortunately he has quick reflexes and was able to close his eyes and mouth before he got a faceful of paint. An hour of eyewash and scrubbing, and a shower, thanks to a resident of Stockton who heard of his plight, and he had been neutralized to a light grey.
KARE 11 news carried the story (minus Ryan's incident) on the 6 p.m. news tonight (Sept. 25). Hope many of you caught it; they did their school proud! Thanks Pastor Berner, the rest of the male staff who accompanied them, On Eagles Wings Bus Company, Thrivent (which gave them a grant for bus transportation) and most of all the great guys from Concordia Academy. What a day!!!!!! Whoo hoo!!!!!!!! They were God's army, no doubt about it!
Their youthful enthusiasm and dig-in attitude was a joy to watch. They were able to make good progress on the job, but we could use another group of high school guys for the same task another day... We've thrown down the gauntlet; now who will answer?
There were some sobering moments -- Finding a shed in a farm field that was reasonably intact and realizing they wouldn't be able to finish the job they had come to do -- clearing the field so the farmer could get his machines in for harvest. Several guys learning a couple died in a car in the very field they were clearing. Another group realizing the "junk" they were hauling had been the contents of a home that had broken loose from its foundation and floated to the railroad tracks, its contents spilling into the woods and breaking apart. All three residents and the resident cat amazingly survived -- the humans on the roof and the cat on a shelf in the closet.
I talked at length with Bonnie Oldham, the homeowner who had lost their house. She was teary and grateful the guys were helping clean out the woods, and hopeful we would find some of their belongings as she hadn't been able to face going in to look herself. Sadly, we did not find anything from their home intact. But what a great visible reminder of God's provision that their home was hung up on the railroad tracks and didn't break up in the woods as their belongings did.
Bonnie shared that she was raised in an LCMS church and "had faith before the storm but nothing like now." She said as their house floated in a the swirling current past a neighbor's home where they too were on their roof awaiting help, she yelled to the neighbor, "Call [the sheriff] and tell him we're loose. Then call my son, tell him I love him and I'll see him soon." Seconds later, they floated over the tracks, the steps broke loose and caught on the tracks, stopping their progress. "That kind of thing can only be from God," she said with confidence.
The guys removed more than 6 commercial dumpsters full of trash (I hate to call it that, as we all realized today all that "trash" was not so long ago someone's treasure). People stopped on Highway 23 as they worked, yelling out "Thank you," "great work guys!" Even a county sheriff's department car came by and talked over his speaker, "Good job guys. Thanks for being here!" A few even came by and dropped off snacks on the side of the road for the guys to enjoy as they worked.
Our only casualty came early, as Ryan (I think it was Ryan) had a spray can of black paint explode when he threw some lumber on top of it. (Guess I missed the instruction about separating the hazardous materials from the rest! Oops!) Fortunately he has quick reflexes and was able to close his eyes and mouth before he got a faceful of paint. An hour of eyewash and scrubbing, and a shower, thanks to a resident of Stockton who heard of his plight, and he had been neutralized to a light grey.
KARE 11 news carried the story (minus Ryan's incident) on the 6 p.m. news tonight (Sept. 25). Hope many of you caught it; they did their school proud! Thanks Pastor Berner, the rest of the male staff who accompanied them, On Eagles Wings Bus Company, Thrivent (which gave them a grant for bus transportation) and most of all the great guys from Concordia Academy. What a day!!!!!! Whoo hoo!!!!!!!! They were God's army, no doubt about it!
Their youthful enthusiasm and dig-in attitude was a joy to watch. They were able to make good progress on the job, but we could use another group of high school guys for the same task another day... We've thrown down the gauntlet; now who will answer?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Progress!
A group of 5 from St. Stephanus St. Paul gets extra credit for the work they did on Thursday when they cleaned out the "Beast" crawl space below the stairway in St. Mark Lutheran in Rushford. They removed the landing to get to it from above and the work is done! To God be the glory; but hats off to these brave men and women for taking one for the team!
Saturday, my family and I went to Rushford with a sweet delivery -- an entire preschool full of toys, games, books, puzzles, supplies and imaginative play items donated from the families of Woodbury Lutheran Church Preschool to Little Lamb's Preschool at St. Mark. Most of it, including some big items such as an art table and chairs, was new. We met with preschool director Vicky Luehmann and her husband Howie, and shared hugs and good wishes for a good start on Monday, Sept. 24. Vicky was very grateful for the overwhelming generosity of the Woodbury families. We'll have pictures of both groups next week.
We then joined a team of 12, from St. John Montgomery, Woodbury Lutheran and Crossroads Cottage Grove, in Stockton. The guys from Montgomery and a couple from Grace Lutheran sheetrocked the parsonage lower level. It's done -- not just the sheetrock hanging, but the taping and mudding, too. Others took down what was left of the fence in the backyard. And several of us from Woodbury, Montgomery and Grace Lutheran washed and sanded fellowship hall chairs that had been done the first weekend we were in Stockton after discovering most of them had water inside the legs and were beginning to rust. Ah, well, sometimes it's one step backward! We used as much Rustoleum as we could get our hands on in Winona, drilled holes in the bottoms of all of them and prayed they are almost like new.
The guys from Woodbury and Cottage Grove worked in Vi's shop and finished pulling the walls and cleaning out the old insulation. It's still a long way from being ready for rebuilding, but they made significant progress.
Best part of the day was having lunch with the people from the church (thanks to the women of Grace). God graced us with absolutely beautiful weather for al fresco dining, but looking at the tables on the church lawn and the change in the leaves reminded me we have a lot of work to do before the snow flies!
I had a couple of "off road adventures" checking out sites for the boys coming in Tuesday from Concordia Academy, who are going to clear the river banks and corn fields of debris. One was in Mark's 4x4, and we took a side trip to the top of a hill with a fabulous view of the valley (check out the pictures). The other was in our minivan as we followed a farmer on a corn field road which ended at a destroyed "crick crossing." Our minivan will never be the same and getting a coach bus full of boys in there would be more than a bit tricky. A funny visual, but not even remotely possible. We do have limitations on what we can help with!
Saturday, my family and I went to Rushford with a sweet delivery -- an entire preschool full of toys, games, books, puzzles, supplies and imaginative play items donated from the families of Woodbury Lutheran Church Preschool to Little Lamb's Preschool at St. Mark. Most of it, including some big items such as an art table and chairs, was new. We met with preschool director Vicky Luehmann and her husband Howie, and shared hugs and good wishes for a good start on Monday, Sept. 24. Vicky was very grateful for the overwhelming generosity of the Woodbury families. We'll have pictures of both groups next week.
We then joined a team of 12, from St. John Montgomery, Woodbury Lutheran and Crossroads Cottage Grove, in Stockton. The guys from Montgomery and a couple from Grace Lutheran sheetrocked the parsonage lower level. It's done -- not just the sheetrock hanging, but the taping and mudding, too. Others took down what was left of the fence in the backyard. And several of us from Woodbury, Montgomery and Grace Lutheran washed and sanded fellowship hall chairs that had been done the first weekend we were in Stockton after discovering most of them had water inside the legs and were beginning to rust. Ah, well, sometimes it's one step backward! We used as much Rustoleum as we could get our hands on in Winona, drilled holes in the bottoms of all of them and prayed they are almost like new.
The guys from Woodbury and Cottage Grove worked in Vi's shop and finished pulling the walls and cleaning out the old insulation. It's still a long way from being ready for rebuilding, but they made significant progress.
Best part of the day was having lunch with the people from the church (thanks to the women of Grace). God graced us with absolutely beautiful weather for al fresco dining, but looking at the tables on the church lawn and the change in the leaves reminded me we have a lot of work to do before the snow flies!
I had a couple of "off road adventures" checking out sites for the boys coming in Tuesday from Concordia Academy, who are going to clear the river banks and corn fields of debris. One was in Mark's 4x4, and we took a side trip to the top of a hill with a fabulous view of the valley (check out the pictures). The other was in our minivan as we followed a farmer on a corn field road which ended at a destroyed "crick crossing." Our minivan will never be the same and getting a coach bus full of boys in there would be more than a bit tricky. A funny visual, but not even remotely possible. We do have limitations on what we can help with!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Unleashing a Beast!
Five women, Alicia, Debbie, Kathy and Mary from St. John Lutheran, Montgomery, and myself worked in St. Mark Lutheran in Rushford yesterday, Sept. 19.
We were sent to a house in the eastern part of the city, where damage is more substantial than anywhere else in town. Deja Vu! It was like a ghost town. No one was around, except a crew moving debris from what was remaining of the house next door. Several homes had been gutted inside and out. The house we were sent to had all walls removed to the four foot level both inside and outside. There were personal belongings scattered all over the yard mixed with shovels, bleach, photos placed in the sun (one look confirmed they are not salvageable, but hope dies slowly). The smell in the air was just as I remembered on my first visit to Ocean Springs in early October 2005 -- an incomparable, unforgettable mix of mold and rot and bleach. No one was home and it appeared the work we had been sent to do (power wash the basement) had already been done. So we headed over to the church, where we were warmly greeted by Pastor Merlin. He had a job for us.
So, we hauled what was left of the old furnace from the basement to the curb. We then scraped linoleum backing from the kitchen floor until I thought Kathy's leg would fall off (she was using an ice chipper). And we pulled up the linoleum flooring in the bathroom.
When I pulled at a corner just to see how easy or hard it would come up, everyone stepped back. I had unleashed a beast of an odor. The men installing the new furnace came around the corner asking, "Just WHAT is that smell?" We also discovered there is a crawl space full of paint cans under the stairway leading up to the sanctuary that has not yet been cleaned out. Imagine a small area all sealed up, and one month for a stew of mud, fertilizer and sewage to "simmer together." Throw in a few 90 degree days...
A lot of bleach and water and Alicia's persistence, and it was at least bearable, as long you didn't get too close to that crawl space, which we couldn't get in to.
A group of five from St. Stephanus-St. Paul had their choice of several jobs today and have chosen to remove part of the stairway to get to the crawl space and clean it out. I'm not sure they knew what they were getting into. I hope to hear from them tonight that they survived. I also hope they forgive me for not trying harder to talk them out of it. Once that's done, bathroom fixtures are removed, and the kitchen floor scraping is completed, the lower level is ready for rebuilding. We are SO grateful for the many hands, knees and backs that have made the load lighter. Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians... We're all one in this work!
I also met with Lutheran Disaster Response, which will be taking over most of the work coordination in Rushford as the Red Cross responsibilities come to an end. As many of us have learned in New Orleans or Mississippi, the work of the church is essential in recovery. We are called to serve, and unlike "the world," which seems to have the attention span of a bunch of Kindergarteners, I hope we don't forget the needs of our brothers and sisters, who need our compassion and our gifts of time and mercy to get through the long and frustrating days ahead.
We were sent to a house in the eastern part of the city, where damage is more substantial than anywhere else in town. Deja Vu! It was like a ghost town. No one was around, except a crew moving debris from what was remaining of the house next door. Several homes had been gutted inside and out. The house we were sent to had all walls removed to the four foot level both inside and outside. There were personal belongings scattered all over the yard mixed with shovels, bleach, photos placed in the sun (one look confirmed they are not salvageable, but hope dies slowly). The smell in the air was just as I remembered on my first visit to Ocean Springs in early October 2005 -- an incomparable, unforgettable mix of mold and rot and bleach. No one was home and it appeared the work we had been sent to do (power wash the basement) had already been done. So we headed over to the church, where we were warmly greeted by Pastor Merlin. He had a job for us.
So, we hauled what was left of the old furnace from the basement to the curb. We then scraped linoleum backing from the kitchen floor until I thought Kathy's leg would fall off (she was using an ice chipper). And we pulled up the linoleum flooring in the bathroom.
When I pulled at a corner just to see how easy or hard it would come up, everyone stepped back. I had unleashed a beast of an odor. The men installing the new furnace came around the corner asking, "Just WHAT is that smell?" We also discovered there is a crawl space full of paint cans under the stairway leading up to the sanctuary that has not yet been cleaned out. Imagine a small area all sealed up, and one month for a stew of mud, fertilizer and sewage to "simmer together." Throw in a few 90 degree days...
A lot of bleach and water and Alicia's persistence, and it was at least bearable, as long you didn't get too close to that crawl space, which we couldn't get in to.
A group of five from St. Stephanus-St. Paul had their choice of several jobs today and have chosen to remove part of the stairway to get to the crawl space and clean it out. I'm not sure they knew what they were getting into. I hope to hear from them tonight that they survived. I also hope they forgive me for not trying harder to talk them out of it. Once that's done, bathroom fixtures are removed, and the kitchen floor scraping is completed, the lower level is ready for rebuilding. We are SO grateful for the many hands, knees and backs that have made the load lighter. Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians... We're all one in this work!
I also met with Lutheran Disaster Response, which will be taking over most of the work coordination in Rushford as the Red Cross responsibilities come to an end. As many of us have learned in New Orleans or Mississippi, the work of the church is essential in recovery. We are called to serve, and unlike "the world," which seems to have the attention span of a bunch of Kindergarteners, I hope we don't forget the needs of our brothers and sisters, who need our compassion and our gifts of time and mercy to get through the long and frustrating days ahead.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Diamond in the Rough
A small but mighty team of 6, Darlene, Daniel, Karen, Tim and Connie from Woodbury Lutheran and Ken from Woodbury Community Church, worked in Stockton on Saturday, Sept. 15.
I was dismayed that our team was so small, because I had a laundry list of jobs for them, with low priority for Vi and her antique shop. God had other plans -- absolutely no one, not even people we had made appointments with on Thursday, was home -- so Vi got the team's undivided attention.
I have been whining about the work in Vi's building and how time consuming it is and how there just seems to be no reason to saving this old building, once again I am convicted that God has amazing ways... Even with stubborn old buildings (and stubborn old work coordinators!).
As I said, the team gave Vi's project their undivided attention and finishing taking out the old plaster and lath walls. As they worked, Vi shared with a member of our team that she was going to extend her living quarters into the expansive shop, a really good idea our team thought, and one that gave them more defined purpose for the work they were doing.
When they began pulling up the horrid floor, imagine their surprise to discover a beautiful old wood floor, albeit in need of some TLC, under a portion of the plywood overlay. Combine that with the tin ceilings, and we're slowly coming to recognize the building may be a bit of a diamond in the rough that has just been waiting for restoration.
OK, God, OK, we'll keep working on what seemed to be an insurmountable task. We've come a long way, with Vi's insistence and your persistent working in our hearts. Good thing God's (and Vi's) visions are bigger than mine!
Every team member I talked with today said yesterday was a very good day. Aren't they all when we're serving our brothers and sisters in the way God commands?
I was dismayed that our team was so small, because I had a laundry list of jobs for them, with low priority for Vi and her antique shop. God had other plans -- absolutely no one, not even people we had made appointments with on Thursday, was home -- so Vi got the team's undivided attention.
I have been whining about the work in Vi's building and how time consuming it is and how there just seems to be no reason to saving this old building, once again I am convicted that God has amazing ways... Even with stubborn old buildings (and stubborn old work coordinators!).
As I said, the team gave Vi's project their undivided attention and finishing taking out the old plaster and lath walls. As they worked, Vi shared with a member of our team that she was going to extend her living quarters into the expansive shop, a really good idea our team thought, and one that gave them more defined purpose for the work they were doing.
When they began pulling up the horrid floor, imagine their surprise to discover a beautiful old wood floor, albeit in need of some TLC, under a portion of the plywood overlay. Combine that with the tin ceilings, and we're slowly coming to recognize the building may be a bit of a diamond in the rough that has just been waiting for restoration.
OK, God, OK, we'll keep working on what seemed to be an insurmountable task. We've come a long way, with Vi's insistence and your persistent working in our hearts. Good thing God's (and Vi's) visions are bigger than mine!
Every team member I talked with today said yesterday was a very good day. Aren't they all when we're serving our brothers and sisters in the way God commands?
Friday, September 14, 2007
Looking Ahead
The churches in Stockton and Rushford received a grant from Thrivent for volunteer time put into the church or parsonage for rebuilding We will be keeping track of hours for them, so it's important each person serving the churches register through our website. The money will be given to the churches at each 350/hours, and is to be used to purchase building supplies, with $1500 upfront. Yeah, seed money for their rebuilding!
The ongoing issue is long-term support for volunteers Rushford is 20 miles from Winona and nowever else to go for food right now. There is no team housing and no vacant building in town to hold teams who want to sleep there. Tents or even campers? Did you feel the temperature this morning? Beyond that, the only showers are temporary access at the fire station, and food service is limited to the volunteer teams now donating and serving at Montini Hall. The church will want their space back eventually, too! So, the viability of having volunteer recovery teams for the long haul is ????? I don't know, but we're thinking... and talking...
We're going to try a weekend group over MEA weekend (families with teens and older). We'll stay at a church in Winona (on the gymnasium floor; bring your cots), and shower at the Fire Hall in Rushford if it's still available. It's 20 miles one way, but it beats driving back to the Twin Cities! If you've got nothing planned for that weekend; join us. It should be a fabulous time!
We are in desperate need of some skilled, experienced team leaders for upcoming weeks. We're going to start sheetrocking the parsonage in Stockton September 29. Can you spare a day????
The ongoing issue is long-term support for volunteers Rushford is 20 miles from Winona and nowever else to go for food right now. There is no team housing and no vacant building in town to hold teams who want to sleep there. Tents or even campers? Did you feel the temperature this morning? Beyond that, the only showers are temporary access at the fire station, and food service is limited to the volunteer teams now donating and serving at Montini Hall. The church will want their space back eventually, too! So, the viability of having volunteer recovery teams for the long haul is ????? I don't know, but we're thinking... and talking...
We're going to try a weekend group over MEA weekend (families with teens and older). We'll stay at a church in Winona (on the gymnasium floor; bring your cots), and shower at the Fire Hall in Rushford if it's still available. It's 20 miles one way, but it beats driving back to the Twin Cities! If you've got nothing planned for that weekend; join us. It should be a fabulous time!
We are in desperate need of some skilled, experienced team leaders for upcoming weeks. We're going to start sheetrocking the parsonage in Stockton September 29. Can you spare a day????
Making the rounds
Mary, Dean and JoAnn from St. John and Miriam from St. Stephanus and I headed to Rushford, Thursday, Sept. 13. It was my first opportunity to meet with Pastor Merlin Stephan (without cell service, we didn't connect on my last two visits).
Pastor Merlin is a wonderful man and we enjoyed getting to know him. We rolled up our sleeves and got right to work removing drywall and doorframes from the lower level of the church. (Dean did most of the work in this regard, besting me two-to-one in the frame removal.) Dean also removed a bathroom cabinet and sink, and the other women and Pastor Merlin tried to remove the linoleum floor in the gutted kitchen, but even with a heat tool, that horrid paper backing just didn't budge. I'm taking all hints!
There is still much to be done here. The bathrooms haven't been touched, so fixtures need to be taken up and cleaned and sanitized (if they can be salvaged at all), and flooring removed. The entire lower level needs a good power washing and sanitizing. I'll have to remember to add power washers, chemical sprayers and shop vacs to the Saturday haul list.
We toured the parsonage, which will now serve as the education wing, with preschool two days a week, confirmation one evening and Sunday morning classes. Pastor Merlin has reduced his living quarters to a small bedroom, bath and office/study. He does still get kitchen privileges! The dining room will serve as the preschool room and he says next time we visit it will be painted a bright, primary color with an alphabet border. We didn't know licensing restrictions required that, but apparently in this situation they do. We told Pastor Merlin we thought he was very selfless in giving up his home and he just shrugged with a slight grin and said, "What choice do I have?" We'll see if he's still smiling in a few weeks after sharing his mornings with three-year-olds. Somehow I think he will!
Lunch at Montini Hall (St. Joseph Catholic) was an excellent offering by a church group from Preston, Minnesota. The church is hosting volunteer groups who prepare and serve 3 squares every day to 200-2000 people -- citizens, business people, utility and road repair workers, relief workers. Most power is back on and people were excitedly chatting about getting their cable, phones and Internet hooked back up so they are connected to the outside world again. The water is still contaminated; they are shutting down one well. There is an abundance of bottled water, though, so it's not a hassle. (And clothing -- have we learned nothing from Katrina???? Used clothing donations when no one polices what is donated are overly time consuming and yield little useful stuff, and aren't as necessary as people think... There were signs everywhere -- "We need help sorting clothing at TRW Center. No more donations. NO MORE!"
We also saw progress. The businesses are mudded and gutted, doors open, big fans running and a sign in each window: NEVER GIVE UP! We heard the Subway Sandwich shop will open next week and one of the bars had lit signs in the window -- WOW! We also saw our first piece of sheetrock being hauled into a home, although I would think it's still too damp.
Even with all the progress, people here are weary. Pastor Merlin said it's going to take a long time before anything approaches normal. Just a week on the job when the flood came, he's not sure what normal will be for him. He doesn't have office staff, and his key members had significant personal losses, so everything has fallen to him. He looked tired, and I think he's ready to be pastoring instead of meeting with furnace installers, electricians, insurance agents, building inspectors, day care license inspectors, etc.
After lunch, we prayed with Pastor Merlin. Sunday, Sept. 16 will be their first service in their building since the flood. We delivered a communion set donated by Redeemer to replace theirs that was destroyed. It will be a sweet reunion and we hope their day is blessed with joy that they are on the way to recovery.
We headed over to Stockton so the team could see Stockton, meet Pastor Krusemark and do a little work. We met Pastor Krusemark at the parsonage, and drove over to Betty and David's as I had heard Betty was asking about us.
When we stopped there two weeks ago, David had just gone on a bear hunting trip for a week (he'd paid for it long ago). We toured the house and I offered to send a team in to pull nails and move debris, but Betty didn't know if David would want that done. Last week, we moved the debris from the yard and hauled it to the curb but she still didn't know about the nails. There they were, hard at work in the yard, leveling the ground where the debris pile had been, pulling weeds. When I pulled up, she approached the van and when she recognized me she asked, "Where were you Saturday? You said you'd pull nails!" So, I dropped Dean, Mary and JoAnn with their crowbars and hammers, and Miriam and I went to check on a few other things. They got the nails done and convinced David to let them take out some (but not all) of the moldy beadboard insulation on the outside walls. Dean thinks they need to remove the firring strips and they definitely need a good power washing and sanitizing and I offered to send a team in Saturday, but Betty said she didn't think so. I'll send a team anyway so she doesn't come looking for me again. Funny! These two are definite passive, humble Minnesotans. She was also talking about the beautiful front garden that she had and how she didn't know how she'd ever get it back to its original beauty next spring. I'll have to add a May visit to Betty to my calendar!
We stopped in to talk with Pastor Krusemark, worked out a few details and learned about some of his members who still needed help. Twenty two families, or 50% of his members had significant damage.
We also stopped at the city offices and got a job assignment for 100 Concordia Academy high schoolers who will be bused in to Stockton and/or Rushford for a service project. There are several cornfields and woods where the river of mud carried and dumped the contents of a couple of destroyed houses, patio furniture, toys, and a flattened barn. They will haul the debris out of the fields and woods and to the curb for pick up. It will make such a difference to those who live near the area, and for the farmer, who can then prepare his field for next spring!
Lots of progress here, too. 99-year-old Helen had a new foundation and the red "do not enter" sign has been removed from her front door. Several other houses had been jacked up and their collapsed basements were being repaired. A couple of homes have been demolished already and some yards had been cleaned, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Vi's been back to the city asking for help and we continue to wonder. You really need to see this place to understand -- It's big, and old, and overwhelming. The Southern Baptists have been there, and did some more demolition on the walls. Now she wants the floors pulled. Each of us does a little work and walks away, shaking our heads. It just doesn't look like progress, we're not sure if we helping, or hurting... But if it gives Vi hope, we'll all keep working on it a bit at a time.
We left Stockton to the rumble of thunder, clap of lightning, and a wary eye to the sky. Looked like a short, small rain. Thank God!!!!!!!
Pastor Merlin is a wonderful man and we enjoyed getting to know him. We rolled up our sleeves and got right to work removing drywall and doorframes from the lower level of the church. (Dean did most of the work in this regard, besting me two-to-one in the frame removal.) Dean also removed a bathroom cabinet and sink, and the other women and Pastor Merlin tried to remove the linoleum floor in the gutted kitchen, but even with a heat tool, that horrid paper backing just didn't budge. I'm taking all hints!
There is still much to be done here. The bathrooms haven't been touched, so fixtures need to be taken up and cleaned and sanitized (if they can be salvaged at all), and flooring removed. The entire lower level needs a good power washing and sanitizing. I'll have to remember to add power washers, chemical sprayers and shop vacs to the Saturday haul list.
We toured the parsonage, which will now serve as the education wing, with preschool two days a week, confirmation one evening and Sunday morning classes. Pastor Merlin has reduced his living quarters to a small bedroom, bath and office/study. He does still get kitchen privileges! The dining room will serve as the preschool room and he says next time we visit it will be painted a bright, primary color with an alphabet border. We didn't know licensing restrictions required that, but apparently in this situation they do. We told Pastor Merlin we thought he was very selfless in giving up his home and he just shrugged with a slight grin and said, "What choice do I have?" We'll see if he's still smiling in a few weeks after sharing his mornings with three-year-olds. Somehow I think he will!
Lunch at Montini Hall (St. Joseph Catholic) was an excellent offering by a church group from Preston, Minnesota. The church is hosting volunteer groups who prepare and serve 3 squares every day to 200-2000 people -- citizens, business people, utility and road repair workers, relief workers. Most power is back on and people were excitedly chatting about getting their cable, phones and Internet hooked back up so they are connected to the outside world again. The water is still contaminated; they are shutting down one well. There is an abundance of bottled water, though, so it's not a hassle. (And clothing -- have we learned nothing from Katrina???? Used clothing donations when no one polices what is donated are overly time consuming and yield little useful stuff, and aren't as necessary as people think... There were signs everywhere -- "We need help sorting clothing at TRW Center. No more donations. NO MORE!"
We also saw progress. The businesses are mudded and gutted, doors open, big fans running and a sign in each window: NEVER GIVE UP! We heard the Subway Sandwich shop will open next week and one of the bars had lit signs in the window -- WOW! We also saw our first piece of sheetrock being hauled into a home, although I would think it's still too damp.
Even with all the progress, people here are weary. Pastor Merlin said it's going to take a long time before anything approaches normal. Just a week on the job when the flood came, he's not sure what normal will be for him. He doesn't have office staff, and his key members had significant personal losses, so everything has fallen to him. He looked tired, and I think he's ready to be pastoring instead of meeting with furnace installers, electricians, insurance agents, building inspectors, day care license inspectors, etc.
After lunch, we prayed with Pastor Merlin. Sunday, Sept. 16 will be their first service in their building since the flood. We delivered a communion set donated by Redeemer to replace theirs that was destroyed. It will be a sweet reunion and we hope their day is blessed with joy that they are on the way to recovery.
We headed over to Stockton so the team could see Stockton, meet Pastor Krusemark and do a little work. We met Pastor Krusemark at the parsonage, and drove over to Betty and David's as I had heard Betty was asking about us.
When we stopped there two weeks ago, David had just gone on a bear hunting trip for a week (he'd paid for it long ago). We toured the house and I offered to send a team in to pull nails and move debris, but Betty didn't know if David would want that done. Last week, we moved the debris from the yard and hauled it to the curb but she still didn't know about the nails. There they were, hard at work in the yard, leveling the ground where the debris pile had been, pulling weeds. When I pulled up, she approached the van and when she recognized me she asked, "Where were you Saturday? You said you'd pull nails!" So, I dropped Dean, Mary and JoAnn with their crowbars and hammers, and Miriam and I went to check on a few other things. They got the nails done and convinced David to let them take out some (but not all) of the moldy beadboard insulation on the outside walls. Dean thinks they need to remove the firring strips and they definitely need a good power washing and sanitizing and I offered to send a team in Saturday, but Betty said she didn't think so. I'll send a team anyway so she doesn't come looking for me again. Funny! These two are definite passive, humble Minnesotans. She was also talking about the beautiful front garden that she had and how she didn't know how she'd ever get it back to its original beauty next spring. I'll have to add a May visit to Betty to my calendar!
We stopped in to talk with Pastor Krusemark, worked out a few details and learned about some of his members who still needed help. Twenty two families, or 50% of his members had significant damage.
We also stopped at the city offices and got a job assignment for 100 Concordia Academy high schoolers who will be bused in to Stockton and/or Rushford for a service project. There are several cornfields and woods where the river of mud carried and dumped the contents of a couple of destroyed houses, patio furniture, toys, and a flattened barn. They will haul the debris out of the fields and woods and to the curb for pick up. It will make such a difference to those who live near the area, and for the farmer, who can then prepare his field for next spring!
Lots of progress here, too. 99-year-old Helen had a new foundation and the red "do not enter" sign has been removed from her front door. Several other houses had been jacked up and their collapsed basements were being repaired. A couple of homes have been demolished already and some yards had been cleaned, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Vi's been back to the city asking for help and we continue to wonder. You really need to see this place to understand -- It's big, and old, and overwhelming. The Southern Baptists have been there, and did some more demolition on the walls. Now she wants the floors pulled. Each of us does a little work and walks away, shaking our heads. It just doesn't look like progress, we're not sure if we helping, or hurting... But if it gives Vi hope, we'll all keep working on it a bit at a time.
We left Stockton to the rumble of thunder, clap of lightning, and a wary eye to the sky. Looked like a short, small rain. Thank God!!!!!!!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Day of Ups and Downs
Tuesday, September 11 -- Bill White, Ray Roemmich, Neal Nelson, Tim Ericson from First Presbyterian, Stillwater
Pastor Krusmark took us over to his house to survey work still needing to be done. We power washed his utility room, removed two door frames that were delaminating and replaced the ceiling in his bathroom.
We stopped at Steve's house to retrieve items left by Saturday's group. Steve is awaiting an evaluation to determine if his house needs a higher foundation so nothing could be done to his house until this was decided.
Vi of Vi’s Shop was there and we surveyed her place – the southern Baptists had done a lot, but after inspecting the place and noting the “uninhabitable enter at your own risk” sign I had to question the value of putting more labor into the place. I spent some time with Vi and suggested she really needed to find out from the inspector what possibilities were open to her – what could be done that would allow her to stay in the structure or was it beyond recovery. She was clinging to the idea that staying in her building was what she had to do. She has children in the area so there might be other ways to go.
[We went] over to Rich's place as he needed some appliances removed. We found Rich and his wife Lizzie literally throwing things out of the windows of a house trailer. They had both a home and the house trailer on the property. The house has already been gutted. We helped them get rid of a freezer, refrig, stove (which somehow still held quite a bit of water) plus other furniture and household goods. Richard stopped me at one point to tell me he had no idea what he was going to do. I think he said he had lived in Stockton for 24 years and had been through the ‘91 flood. He and Lizzie were living in the trailer and his son and family in the house. After hearing what a contractor said it would cost to rehab the house, he was wondering if he shouldn’t just walk away and start over.
He was very appreciative of our help and said if we were ever back down this way he would by us a beer. I said I should be buying him a beer. We both laughed and agree this probably wouldn’t be a good time to start drinking.
We left Stockton at about 2:00 agreeing that while we had been stymied in doing all that we might, we had done some good work, had had some good opportunities to connect and that the day had been very worthwhile. I think we all would like to do it again soon.
Bill White
Vicki's note: There was a bit more to Bill's Email to me that I edited. Bill and his crew went to many homes and found no one home. They discovered what we who work weekdays in Stockton are learning. In spite of homeowners' need and desire to get work done on their homes, as commuters to Winona and Rochester, the rest of life goes on. They have jobs, school and other commitments that get in the way of sitting around and waiting for volunteers. So, on our part, it takes a longer list and more perseverance to accomplish what we feel called to do. At the end of the day, Bill and company got Pastor Krusemark and his new bride closer to "normal" in their own home, offered Vi some yearned-for company even if they couldn't give her more hope that her building would be rebuilt, and gave Richard and Lizzie a hand with tasks they couldn't do alone and a listening heart to share Richard's burden. I'd say they accomplished much! Well done, good and faithful servants!
Pastor Krusmark took us over to his house to survey work still needing to be done. We power washed his utility room, removed two door frames that were delaminating and replaced the ceiling in his bathroom.
We stopped at Steve's house to retrieve items left by Saturday's group. Steve is awaiting an evaluation to determine if his house needs a higher foundation so nothing could be done to his house until this was decided.
Vi of Vi’s Shop was there and we surveyed her place – the southern Baptists had done a lot, but after inspecting the place and noting the “uninhabitable enter at your own risk” sign I had to question the value of putting more labor into the place. I spent some time with Vi and suggested she really needed to find out from the inspector what possibilities were open to her – what could be done that would allow her to stay in the structure or was it beyond recovery. She was clinging to the idea that staying in her building was what she had to do. She has children in the area so there might be other ways to go.
[We went] over to Rich's place as he needed some appliances removed. We found Rich and his wife Lizzie literally throwing things out of the windows of a house trailer. They had both a home and the house trailer on the property. The house has already been gutted. We helped them get rid of a freezer, refrig, stove (which somehow still held quite a bit of water) plus other furniture and household goods. Richard stopped me at one point to tell me he had no idea what he was going to do. I think he said he had lived in Stockton for 24 years and had been through the ‘91 flood. He and Lizzie were living in the trailer and his son and family in the house. After hearing what a contractor said it would cost to rehab the house, he was wondering if he shouldn’t just walk away and start over.
He was very appreciative of our help and said if we were ever back down this way he would by us a beer. I said I should be buying him a beer. We both laughed and agree this probably wouldn’t be a good time to start drinking.
We left Stockton at about 2:00 agreeing that while we had been stymied in doing all that we might, we had done some good work, had had some good opportunities to connect and that the day had been very worthwhile. I think we all would like to do it again soon.
Bill White
Vicki's note: There was a bit more to Bill's Email to me that I edited. Bill and his crew went to many homes and found no one home. They discovered what we who work weekdays in Stockton are learning. In spite of homeowners' need and desire to get work done on their homes, as commuters to Winona and Rochester, the rest of life goes on. They have jobs, school and other commitments that get in the way of sitting around and waiting for volunteers. So, on our part, it takes a longer list and more perseverance to accomplish what we feel called to do. At the end of the day, Bill and company got Pastor Krusemark and his new bride closer to "normal" in their own home, offered Vi some yearned-for company even if they couldn't give her more hope that her building would be rebuilt, and gave Richard and Lizzie a hand with tasks they couldn't do alone and a listening heart to share Richard's burden. I'd say they accomplished much! Well done, good and faithful servants!
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Missions accomplished and a couple of good stories!
The Saturday team this week tore into town and tore into a long laundry list of work! Led by Tim Bredahl, 19 team members from Mt. Olive Anoka, Bethel St. Paul, First Presbyterian Stillwater and Woodbury Lutheran tackled several unfinished jobs and started a few more.
They were able to finish mudding Marian's basement and got that pesky washer/dryer unit out. We'll have to go back and power wash the basement this week.
They finished gutting a house someone else had started (walls, kitchen, bathrooms, and insulation), and finished removing the ceiling and floors in Robin's house, which our team started last Saturday. Robin, who had water on the main floor, had an amazing story -- Facing no place to live for a long time, she was given a trailer this week! So, she can stay in her driveway while work continues on her house.
The team also pulled carpet and moved furniture and equipment at a restaurant next door to Vi's Antiques on Main. The owner hopes to open back up. A group of Southern Baptists from Texas were tackling Vi's building at the same time.
And the Minnesota Lutherans did GREAT things for Steve and his fiance, who had water on both levels of their house. They removed all inside stud walls with the exception of a load-bearing wall so they could pull up the floor underneath. Some of the team worked on the outside, where they were approached by 10 students from Winona State University who asked to help. In talking with the students as they worked together to remove damaged shrubs and fences and try to even out the mud-flooded ground, they learned one of them is Jim Byzstrycki, a member of Woodbury Lutheran (yeah Jim!). They had a great time getting to know the young people and appreciated their energy in completing work on Steve's property.
Another week of miraculous stories and hard work. We hope to have some pictures up soon; check back!
We have teams heading out Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday this week. Sign up online to join us!
They were able to finish mudding Marian's basement and got that pesky washer/dryer unit out. We'll have to go back and power wash the basement this week.
They finished gutting a house someone else had started (walls, kitchen, bathrooms, and insulation), and finished removing the ceiling and floors in Robin's house, which our team started last Saturday. Robin, who had water on the main floor, had an amazing story -- Facing no place to live for a long time, she was given a trailer this week! So, she can stay in her driveway while work continues on her house.
The team also pulled carpet and moved furniture and equipment at a restaurant next door to Vi's Antiques on Main. The owner hopes to open back up. A group of Southern Baptists from Texas were tackling Vi's building at the same time.
And the Minnesota Lutherans did GREAT things for Steve and his fiance, who had water on both levels of their house. They removed all inside stud walls with the exception of a load-bearing wall so they could pull up the floor underneath. Some of the team worked on the outside, where they were approached by 10 students from Winona State University who asked to help. In talking with the students as they worked together to remove damaged shrubs and fences and try to even out the mud-flooded ground, they learned one of them is Jim Byzstrycki, a member of Woodbury Lutheran (yeah Jim!). They had a great time getting to know the young people and appreciated their energy in completing work on Steve's property.
Another week of miraculous stories and hard work. We hope to have some pictures up soon; check back!
We have teams heading out Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday this week. Sign up online to join us!
More mud!!!
Seven of us worked in Stockton Wednesday. We helped Marvin remove the contents of his house and pulled carpet from one room and gutted his garage. Marvin mercifully had no basement -- For that we were very glad as he had about 2 1/2 feet water on the first floor. He was on the computer when he heard rushing water. In the lightning flash outside his window, he saw a river of water rushing through the cornfield in his backyard and against his house. He climbed onto his bed, where he sat and watched the water rise by the light of a dim flashlight. The water came in at 11 p.m., he was rescued by hovercraft at 5 a.m.
We also helped Darlene power wash and sanitize her mother's garage and contents. They still have several inches of mud, a ruined washer/dryer, water heater and furnace in the basement, but without power and running water (we ran a hose from the neighbor's to get in the garage), it's a tough job on the narrow stairs. Darlene is a very sweet woman trying to take care of her mother Marian, who at 90 has every intention of returning to her home. If the power isn't on Saturday, perhaps we can bring in a generator.
Lastly, we went to Betty and David's where we moved a bunch of debris that had been sitting in a mud soaked front yard to the curb so the city would haul it. Free hauling is coming to an end so time is of the essence!
With 90 degree heat and humidity, we were grateful several members of our team needed to get home for evening events, so we let the guys admire each others' sweat stains and called it a day about 3:30.
We also helped Darlene power wash and sanitize her mother's garage and contents. They still have several inches of mud, a ruined washer/dryer, water heater and furnace in the basement, but without power and running water (we ran a hose from the neighbor's to get in the garage), it's a tough job on the narrow stairs. Darlene is a very sweet woman trying to take care of her mother Marian, who at 90 has every intention of returning to her home. If the power isn't on Saturday, perhaps we can bring in a generator.
Lastly, we went to Betty and David's where we moved a bunch of debris that had been sitting in a mud soaked front yard to the curb so the city would haul it. Free hauling is coming to an end so time is of the essence!
With 90 degree heat and humidity, we were grateful several members of our team needed to get home for evening events, so we let the guys admire each others' sweat stains and called it a day about 3:30.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Donations
People have been calling me asking about donations.
Until we are done with rebuilding, there is little need for things to replace that which is lost. When that happens many individuals and three country churches will need kitchen stuff -- appliances, small electric appliances like coffee pots, griddles, roasters and crock pots, plastic and wood utensils (which have to be thrown away because of contamination risks), plastic storage containers, coffee servers and water pitchers. We could use someone to organize an LCMS women's kitchen shower!
Until then, the needs are rebuilding -- gift cards from Menards (which is the closest lumber store), Home Depot and Lowes are really good. Send your cards to Woodbury Lutheran, attn. Vicki Strong, or send cards or checks to President Seitz' office at district synod headquarters in Burnsville. Specify "SE Minnesota flood relief."
Blessings to all of you who have a heart to give.
Until we are done with rebuilding, there is little need for things to replace that which is lost. When that happens many individuals and three country churches will need kitchen stuff -- appliances, small electric appliances like coffee pots, griddles, roasters and crock pots, plastic and wood utensils (which have to be thrown away because of contamination risks), plastic storage containers, coffee servers and water pitchers. We could use someone to organize an LCMS women's kitchen shower!
Until then, the needs are rebuilding -- gift cards from Menards (which is the closest lumber store), Home Depot and Lowes are really good. Send your cards to Woodbury Lutheran, attn. Vicki Strong, or send cards or checks to President Seitz' office at district synod headquarters in Burnsville. Specify "SE Minnesota flood relief."
Blessings to all of you who have a heart to give.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
"Thank you. I had a wonderful time."
That's what I heard over and over again when I got to church this morning. No, I didn't throw a party and forget to invite you! More like God threw a party and you didn't answer his invitation.
Well, not really a party-party, but a day of celebrating all the talents we have as children of the Great Creator, as people served flood victims in Rushford and Stockton. One team of 12, from Woodbury Lutheran, Mt Olive Anoka, and students from Concordia University, went to Rushford where they helped tear down 3 condemned homes belonging to 3 generations of one family, hauling everything they could to the curb so the family would not have to pay so much for a demolition company to haul their lost homes away. They worked side-by-side with volunteers from the community and by 2:00 p.m. they were back in Stockton to offer help to the rest of our teams. Three homes demolished in a morning. Seems almost unreal, doesn't it? I think it was Dave Frost who said it was like working in an ant hill.
Several dozen people from Woodbury Lutheran, Our Savior Excelsior and Our Savior Eyota were in Stockton, doing such a variety of jobs it makes my head spin! Thanks to Julie Runge, who served as administrator for the day and Tim Wolfgram, who handled the worksite supervision; they kept everyone busy and on task. It was a good day. People helped clean out basements, haul appliances, install a furnace in the parsonage for Grace Lutheran, move the contents of Vi's antique store to a garage so they could begin the task of tearing out the store's damaged walls, helping Helen and Margo with Helen's house (still...), listening to stories of survival and loss, praying with homeowners, packing backpacks donated by Woodbury Christian Cupboard (left over from their backpack distribution) for the church to distribute to kids in town, haul dividers out of the lower level of the church, remove a demolished deck... Oh, I'm sure I've forgotten many things!
The workers came to church this morning, greeting each other with very soft hugs (lots of sore muscles!) and big grins, and eager to share with others their experience. Over and over, we heard, "It was a good day, a very, very good day." To God be the glory that even with sore muscles and hearts that ache for our friends in southeastern Minnesota, we can still declare it a very good day!
My answering machine just picked up a call and it's a worker from yesterday asking if we're going again tomorrow. I'm game! How about you?
Well, not really a party-party, but a day of celebrating all the talents we have as children of the Great Creator, as people served flood victims in Rushford and Stockton. One team of 12, from Woodbury Lutheran, Mt Olive Anoka, and students from Concordia University, went to Rushford where they helped tear down 3 condemned homes belonging to 3 generations of one family, hauling everything they could to the curb so the family would not have to pay so much for a demolition company to haul their lost homes away. They worked side-by-side with volunteers from the community and by 2:00 p.m. they were back in Stockton to offer help to the rest of our teams. Three homes demolished in a morning. Seems almost unreal, doesn't it? I think it was Dave Frost who said it was like working in an ant hill.
Several dozen people from Woodbury Lutheran, Our Savior Excelsior and Our Savior Eyota were in Stockton, doing such a variety of jobs it makes my head spin! Thanks to Julie Runge, who served as administrator for the day and Tim Wolfgram, who handled the worksite supervision; they kept everyone busy and on task. It was a good day. People helped clean out basements, haul appliances, install a furnace in the parsonage for Grace Lutheran, move the contents of Vi's antique store to a garage so they could begin the task of tearing out the store's damaged walls, helping Helen and Margo with Helen's house (still...), listening to stories of survival and loss, praying with homeowners, packing backpacks donated by Woodbury Christian Cupboard (left over from their backpack distribution) for the church to distribute to kids in town, haul dividers out of the lower level of the church, remove a demolished deck... Oh, I'm sure I've forgotten many things!
The workers came to church this morning, greeting each other with very soft hugs (lots of sore muscles!) and big grins, and eager to share with others their experience. Over and over, we heard, "It was a good day, a very, very good day." To God be the glory that even with sore muscles and hearts that ache for our friends in southeastern Minnesota, we can still declare it a very good day!
My answering machine just picked up a call and it's a worker from yesterday asking if we're going again tomorrow. I'm game! How about you?
Saturday, September 1, 2007
More help!
Five members of Bethlehem Lutheran in St. Paul, including their pastors, spent Wednesday, August 29 in Stockton. They continued the work done by the last team, including spending more time on Helen's house and doing another mold remediation in the parsonage.
I (Vicki) spent the day visiting church families with Pastor Krusemark to get to know the congregation a little better and to find out who else needs help. Among the people I met was Betty, who witnessed the death of two people in the swollen flood waters just across the road from her house and I spent a little more time with Helen and Margo.
On Friday, August 31, two electricians who are members of Our Savior Excelsior worked in the parsonage and church. They will return next week to, hopefully, get the parsonage electricity back to where Pastor Krusemark and his wife will be able to move back in.
If you're getting the idea this is a cooperative effort made up of many church bodies and many people, you are so right. Isn't it great when God is able to break down our reserve and put us to work with brothers and sisters to his glory? We have also been talking to Our Savior Eyota, Bethel St. Paul, Concordia University, Risen Christ, Mt. Olive Anoka and Our Savior Rosemount and I anticipate we will see others from these congregations join us in the very near future.
I (Vicki) spent the day visiting church families with Pastor Krusemark to get to know the congregation a little better and to find out who else needs help. Among the people I met was Betty, who witnessed the death of two people in the swollen flood waters just across the road from her house and I spent a little more time with Helen and Margo.
On Friday, August 31, two electricians who are members of Our Savior Excelsior worked in the parsonage and church. They will return next week to, hopefully, get the parsonage electricity back to where Pastor Krusemark and his wife will be able to move back in.
If you're getting the idea this is a cooperative effort made up of many church bodies and many people, you are so right. Isn't it great when God is able to break down our reserve and put us to work with brothers and sisters to his glory? We have also been talking to Our Savior Eyota, Bethel St. Paul, Concordia University, Risen Christ, Mt. Olive Anoka and Our Savior Rosemount and I anticipate we will see others from these congregations join us in the very near future.
Called To Serve
Our first of what will decidedly be many teams provided relief in flood damaged southern Minnesota, on Saturday, August 24. There were 21 volunteers, most from Woodbury Lutheran, and others who had worked with our Katrina Teams and their families who went to Stocktown, about 2 hours south of the Twin Cities.
We are serving Grace Lutheran Church. The church, with a membership of under 150 and worship attendance of about 50 is the only church in this town of 672. The lower level of the church, which holds the fellowship hall, kitchen and is used for Sunday School, was hit by the recent floods. The parsonage, home for newly ordained and newly installed Pastor Jesse Krusemark and his new bride Liz, also had many feet of water in the lower level.
We spent the day getting to know Pastor Krusemark and the church president Mark Potter, cleaning out the parsonage and stripping parsonage and church basement to the stud walls and bare floor. We also worked in the home of Helen, a very sweet woman we would guess to be in her 80s, who had several inches of thick black mud in her basement and her garage, along with 100 years of family belongings. We threw many wooden items, and are trying to salvage most of her tools and equipment, plus her dishes and glassware. We worked alongside her daughter Margo, who also had significant damage to the lower level of her home and 10 family vehicles (she has 7 sons between ages 10 and 26!).
Those of us who worked with Katrina Hope are struck by the similarities, stories of floating refrigerators and rooms left in utter chaos, the mudouts and gutting homes by ripping sheetrock (perhaps my favorite job; especially in Minnesota where cockroaches are smaller and less prevalent). The haphazard way some homes were rendered uninhabitable and others next door had little damage. And familiar stories of survival, and death. We heard about the people who were plucked off their roof after their house washed away and got hung up on railroad tracks. Had the house continued, it was headed for heavy woods, where it would surely have broken up. We talked to a young man who put his wife and four-year-old son in their car and tried to drive away from their home. As they put life jackets on, he realized he had not grabbed a life jacket for himself, but a rain poncho. It was well after dark when they headed out Highway 23. Suddenly the car ahead of them was carried away by the floodwaters. Two people went to their death in the rushing current. They abandoned their car and were picked up by boats in the area. The family who climbed higher and higher, eventually kicking a hole into the attic to escape the rising water. Even Pastor Krusemark was rescued by boat from his front step. Loss of life was small in this little town, mercifully, but more than 100 homes were damaged, several destroyed.
We have no way of knowing why God saves some and lets others die, why some lose their possessions and others get off easy. We don't know why so many in this little town have to suffer. We only know that our God is a great, loving God who has called us to serve wherever there is need. And so, another journey continues (albeit a much shorter journey than the road to Mississippi!). This one again takes us into a community of strangers, to work side-by-side with homeowners we will come to know as friends.
I can't wait to see what God will work through us this time!
We are serving Grace Lutheran Church. The church, with a membership of under 150 and worship attendance of about 50 is the only church in this town of 672. The lower level of the church, which holds the fellowship hall, kitchen and is used for Sunday School, was hit by the recent floods. The parsonage, home for newly ordained and newly installed Pastor Jesse Krusemark and his new bride Liz, also had many feet of water in the lower level.
We spent the day getting to know Pastor Krusemark and the church president Mark Potter, cleaning out the parsonage and stripping parsonage and church basement to the stud walls and bare floor. We also worked in the home of Helen, a very sweet woman we would guess to be in her 80s, who had several inches of thick black mud in her basement and her garage, along with 100 years of family belongings. We threw many wooden items, and are trying to salvage most of her tools and equipment, plus her dishes and glassware. We worked alongside her daughter Margo, who also had significant damage to the lower level of her home and 10 family vehicles (she has 7 sons between ages 10 and 26!).
Those of us who worked with Katrina Hope are struck by the similarities, stories of floating refrigerators and rooms left in utter chaos, the mudouts and gutting homes by ripping sheetrock (perhaps my favorite job; especially in Minnesota where cockroaches are smaller and less prevalent). The haphazard way some homes were rendered uninhabitable and others next door had little damage. And familiar stories of survival, and death. We heard about the people who were plucked off their roof after their house washed away and got hung up on railroad tracks. Had the house continued, it was headed for heavy woods, where it would surely have broken up. We talked to a young man who put his wife and four-year-old son in their car and tried to drive away from their home. As they put life jackets on, he realized he had not grabbed a life jacket for himself, but a rain poncho. It was well after dark when they headed out Highway 23. Suddenly the car ahead of them was carried away by the floodwaters. Two people went to their death in the rushing current. They abandoned their car and were picked up by boats in the area. The family who climbed higher and higher, eventually kicking a hole into the attic to escape the rising water. Even Pastor Krusemark was rescued by boat from his front step. Loss of life was small in this little town, mercifully, but more than 100 homes were damaged, several destroyed.
We have no way of knowing why God saves some and lets others die, why some lose their possessions and others get off easy. We don't know why so many in this little town have to suffer. We only know that our God is a great, loving God who has called us to serve wherever there is need. And so, another journey continues (albeit a much shorter journey than the road to Mississippi!). This one again takes us into a community of strangers, to work side-by-side with homeowners we will come to know as friends.
I can't wait to see what God will work through us this time!
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