The Louisiana Conference is ready to welcome UMVIM teams to the clean-up from Hurricane Isaac.
Hurricane Isaac arrived on August 29, 2012 on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. And though Isaac did not bring about the amount of damage caused by Katrina, a reported 178,000 residences around the New Orleans area were hit. Hardest hit are many areas that were not usually in the flood prone areas.
As you know, volunteer teams provide both spiritual and physical support to those who are in need of friends. Volunteers bring the gift of God’s love as they swing hammers, gut homes, hang sheet rock while taking time to talk and laugh and hug those whose lives have been turned upside down. Your help can change lives and show the light of Christ in word and action.
We are currently organizing a team of case managers, a project manager, and a volunteer coordinator to oversee the work of response and repair. Several Early Response Teams have been hard at work following the storm. They will complete their initial response by September 30. The ongoing response phase will begin on October 1, 2012. We are now inviting our UMVIM friends to register to come to the Gulf Coast to help with this ongoing response. Every team must have a trained and certified UMVIM team leader.
Volunteer housing has been organized in five churches in close proximity to the worst hit areas. There will be cots, restrooms, kitchens, showers, and washers and dryers available for visiting groups. The case managers will be identifying those who need help the most, and the project manager will provide the guidance for the work to be done.
Please contact your UMVIM Conference Coordinator and volunteer today to serve on a disaster response team by visiting <http://www.la-umc.org/pages/detail/1761>
Photo: courtesy www.toledoblade.com - house flooded in New Orleans after Hurrance Isaac
