April 4, 2009

  • Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

    IDES has now finished the building and rebuilding project here in Slidell and Pearlington. We will be leaving for Kempton, IN with most of the equipment on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  As our time ends here we’re filled with mixed emotions.  We’re sad at having to say goodbye to so many who are now our family and knowing there is still so much rebuilding that needs to be done.  We’re excited to see what God has in store for the new Pearlington Christian Church and the lives of those He has blessed through the work. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.
       To those who survived Katrina:  Thank you for allowing us to become a part of your lives, for allowing us to become a part of your family, for laughing and crying with us through the good and the bad. God’s love brought us together.
       To our volunteers:  Over the past three and a half years we had over 4000 volunteers.  You did everything from mucking out houses, gutting, roofing, building new homes all while fighting the heat, the gnats and mosquitoes. Thank you for allowing God to use you in such extraordinary ways. You were such an unbelievable blessing to all those you met. 
       To the Christian Church of Slidell:  Thank you for so graciously allowing us to use your building to be our home. Thanks you for all your love and support.

     To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.  Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your work, for allowing us to be your hands and your feet. 
      


     

April 3, 2009

  •   A great way to end the week and our time here in the Gulf! 
    We gathered today at the boat dock in Pearlington where Greg Hazelwood was baptized in the Pearl River. Please keep Greg in your prayers as he begins his new life in Christ.
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  •  Our team this week was High Point Church of Christ, Clinton, Ohio.  They were able to finish up the last of the projects and help with the packing so we’ll be ready to pull out next week.  We had the dedication of Bucky and Dora’s house this morning.  Their house was a rebuild and one of the few houses that remained in Pearlington after Katirna.
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March 28, 2009

  • This past week our team was from Loveland Christian Church, Loveland, Ohio and First Christian Church, Brazil, IN.  We were able to dedicate Greg Hazelwood’s house on Friday. Greg’s house was started by another organization that was unable to finish it, due to the lack of funding and volunteers.  IDES was able to finish where the other organization stopped. Thanks guys for a great week.
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March 20, 2009

  • Today we dedicated house #36. This is the last new house IDES will be building in the Gulf.  The money to build this house was donated by Markle Church of Christ and their “One More House” campaign.  You can check their web site to learn more about this project, http://www.onemorehome.org  The house belongs to Bob Davis and his son, PR.  Bob will be going to Houston Sunday and having surgery Monday to remove cancer that was found about four weeks ago.  Please pray for Bob, that the surgery and follow-up treatment will be successful.
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  • This week our teams are from Pitt State University, Pittsburgh, KS and Markle Church of Christ, Markle, IN.  The shirts came down from the wall of the fellowship hall and a fresh coat of paint went up. Things are starting to look different around here!   Work was done at Bucky’s, Bob’s and the Church building in Pearlington.
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March 16, 2009

  • March 8th-14th our team was from the Christian Student Fellowship at Indiana State University.  They worked on Bucky’s house and the Pearlington Church building.  On Wednesday they went door to door distributing announcements concerning the new church.  Thanks so much guys for spending your Spring Break with us!
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March 10, 2009

  • March 1st-6th we had a group from Calumet Street Christian Church, Centralia, IL.  They stayed busy working at Greg’s, Bucky’s and on the Pearlington Christian Church building (formally known as the Base Camp).  Greg’s is a house that another organization started and wasn’t able to finish.  Bucky’s house is a rebuild.  The church building is being prepared for the minister to have a place to live and a place for the church to have services.  Services are planning to begin March 22nd at 6:00 in the evening.  Please keep the new church plant in your prayers.
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February 27, 2009

  • This week our teams are from the Church of Christ at Manor Woods, Rockville, MD and the First Church of Christ, Bluffton, IN ( Kit’s family!). They have been working on house #36 here in Slidell and in Pearlington at Greg’s, Bucky’s and the base camp.  In addition to all the work accomplished this week we also reached a milestone for our project here in the gulf.  House #35 was dedicated and the keys given to Rita Barnes.  This is the last of the new houses being built in Pearlington.  God has been and continues to be a mighty God!  Thirty-five houses build by all volunteers in 30 months! 
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February 13, 2009

  • Over the past two weeks we were blessed to have a great group from Eastern North Carolina. This group was made up of people from seven different churches who together have formed the Eastern North Carolina DART Team.  They do service projects in their own area as well as working with us.  Thanks so much guys for a great couple of weeks!
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