When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then, it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:1-3

Praise be to God! As we watched the Gustav slam in to LA, we all prayed for the best and prepared for the worst. Out of God’s infinite mercy and compassion we were spared the brunt of the story and we pray for those west of New Orleans who were hit so hard.

Evacuation News: Things continue to go very smoothly.

• God has given us great leadership from the church. Unlike Katrina, the church has been able to take the lead in most areas. I praise God for how He has raised up leadership, especially men, over the last 3 years
• There are 6 churches and organizations that have played a role in hosting and caring for us.
• Our initial report is that there was minimal damage to our facilities and homes. We are cautiously optimistic but know that until we return we will not have the full picture. It seems as if even our house either didn’t get any or had very little water. Which is a miracle in itself!
• We have heard from Michael Franklin, the NO Police Officer from our congregation. He is fine and has been able to drive by many of our properties.

Now What?
Our calling and mission has not changed, we are returning and continuing.
Return – As of right now we have no idea when we will return. Mayor Nagin has said it will be in days. We await the all clear
After getting our homes (refrigerators –ohhh that smell, furniture et al) back in place we will then get our ministry properties ready and go back at what God has called us to do, to share the gospel with the Central City.

What Can You Do?

• Continue to pray (see request below)
• As we get information, we will determine if and when teams will be needed.
• Prayerfully consider a donation to help offset the costs of evacuating. We praise God for his provision through the churches and ministries here in Birmingham who have taken great care of us, but we do have expenses beyond our stay here that are straining our budget.
• Stay tuned to get updates.

Prayer Requests:

Praise God for:
o weakening of Gustav and the protection of the city.
o the initial good reports on our facilities and homes.
o his protection of Officer Michael Franklin and Fireman Denard Lewis (son of an evacuee)

Pray for:
o A speedy and safe return
o The emotional and spiritual well being of our people
o People who suffered in the storm


Thanks again for your prayers, encouragement and support. Feel free to drop a comment or words of encouragement in the comment link.