The goal of the Missions Team is:
To be a church in mission and minsitry around the world.
The Missions Team supports several outreach events throughout the year, whether locally, in the U.S., or out of the country.
In 2004 a group travelled to Atmore, AL right after Hurricane Ivan passed through and helped remove trees and debris to the street for the Corps of Engineers to pick up. in 2005 anther team returned to repair roofs on six houses. You can see some pictures of this trip in our Photo Album.
In June, 2005 a group travelled to Juarez, Mexico to build a home for a family in three and a half days. They suffered in blistering heat but nearly set a record for teamwork and efficiency. All of the members of the team were deeply touched by the families there and the people at Casas por Cristo and they have some amazing stories to share. We have pictures from the trip posted in our Photo Album.
In April, 2006 we sent our first team to Biloxi, MS to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery. The team worked on several houses but most of the time was spent with one homeowner, Nate Robinson. Nate's spirit, positive outlook, and gratefulness won us over and we were all blessed to meet him. Nate showed us how to gracefully accept the humbling power and energy of God without losing hope that He is always there for us.
In February, 2007 we returned to the coast, this time to Gulfport, MS. With a larger team we were able to work on more houses. This time we really connected with the Hesters. This family (with three small children) had to move into a FEMA trailer because of mold in their home. 18 months after the storm the only repairs they had been able to complete on their home were to the roof. We tore out wall board and insulation in two rooms and were able to replace it while we were there. Hopefully other teams will be able to do the same in the rest of the house over time because the mold was pervasive. They did not have a place to store any of their furniture or belongings so the house will have to be repaired one or two rooms at a time.
In the case of the Hester family, we were blessed by being able to bring hope to their situation. After so long with little or no progress it seemed they were giving up. With God's help we were able to share His love with them, boost their spirits, build their confidence, and restore their hope. The kids were especially memorable and we hope for the best for whole family.
Later in 2007 we made three trips to Americus, GA to help with rebuilding efforts after the tornadoes devastated much of their community. These trips we one day each so we worked fairly small jobs but the community in Americus is very well organized and they are determined to get back on their feet. They set up a non-profit group that combines the efforts of governement, businesses, and charitable organizations to rebuild the community. It is wonderful to see these groups all working together and it is very efficient an effective. We got to meet groups from other denominations doing similar work each time we visited Americus.
In 2008 we sent another team to Juarez, Mexico with Casas por Cristo. This time we drove there and back! Despite about 25 hours on the road we completed the house in two and a half days. It was a great trip and we hope to maintain a relationship with the Casas por Cristo folks. You can see an entertaining video of our trip and we hope to have pictures posted soon. The video cannot do justice to the dedication ceremony where we turned the new house over to the family. Their gratitude and appreciation will never be forgotten.
While we were on the Mexico trip some tornadoes hit Roberta, GA - just 30 minutes South of Barnesville. A couple of weeks later more tornades hit downtown Atlanta. We are tied in with United Methodist Disaster Response efforts through the North Georgia Conference. You can always get updated information about disaster response activities at their web site.
For details about upcoming mission events or to learn about on-going local mission efforts contact the church at 770-358-1494 or cglass80@gmail.com.
We are actively working Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts and anticipate continuing to work them for several years to come. We are grateful for the help and assistance of the Mississippi Annual Conference in planning, organizing, and coordinating our trips. If you are interested in a trip for your group check out their Disaster Response Center web page. For more details about our Hurricane Katrina relief efforts see our Katrina Relief page.
Last Update: 31 March, 2008
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