Relief effort updates

BT is continuing a Hands On approach with the Hurricane victims of both Katrina and Rita.  We currently have a team of volunteers in Gretna who are helping with the clearing away of debris and setting up medical clinics and helping with the food distribution there.

 

On a local note:  we are using our on site Food Bank as a distribution point for any families who have been evacuated from their home.  If you would like to volunteer with the Food Bank, please call Irene Luna @ 648-0173.

 

We have been asked to help with providing furniture for 40 families who are going to be housed at the Rio Grande Children's Home.  We are in need of:

 

40 Dressers

40 Dining room tables w/4 chairs

40 sofas

40 side chairs

40 TV's

 

We ask that these items be in excellent or new condition.  Monetary donations for these items will also be accepted.  For additional information, please contact Eddie Luna @ 648-0153.

Hurricane Katrina prayer update

September 5, 2005

Today a team of seven BT men left McAllen for New Orleans to help with emergency relief. (See Photo) Team leader Trevor Carpenter along with Jerry Guerra are both trained first responders. Dr. Matthew Johnson, M.D. of the “Family Health Center of Mission” will provide emergency health care to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Zeke Lopez, Kenny Ingram, Danny Guzmon and Jeremy Gill will work in building and electrical to prepare a center in Gretna, a suburb of New Orleans. The center is an AOG Bible School that will be used for feeding (soup kitchen), medical area and housing base for the police officers and men and women servicing the New Orleans area. BT will be working in this center for the next weeks and perhaps months to minister to the needs of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The team will report to BT next weekend, September 10-11. If you desire to volunteer as a medical worker, electrical worker, building and food service worker, please contact the church office. (956-686-5296) or email Pastor Trevor at Trevor@btmcallen.com

 

 

 

Hurricane Katrina prayer update

I just talked to Laura Gutierrez who lives in north McAllen. She has 17-24 family members who are on the road now to McAllen from their destroyed homes and lives in New Orleans, LA. They need a place to live. They only have the clothes they are wearing. They lost everything but their lives in Hurricane Katrina. They need food, shelter and lots of tender, loving care. They will need jobs. They are well educated, professional people who are ready to work and rebuild their lives. If you can help please notify Pastor Trevor Carpenter who is coordinating our relief work. He will have a "Hurricane Katrina" table set up in the front foyer of BT during all the services this weekend. Pray for Laura's family. She is a precious young woman who is heart broken and overwhelmed with the task at hand. Let's help her help her family. God bless you BT as you respond during this emergency.

In His grip of grace,
Pastor Rex

 

 

Hurricane Katrina: A Call to Action

Hurricane Katrina: A Call to Action

Hurricane Katrina: A call to action

September 1, 2005

As we watch the images of people waving white flags from the housetops of New Orleans and hear the sobs of anguish coming from husbands, wives, and children who have lost their loved ones, questions flood our minds as the waters flood the streets of New Orleans.

• Is this God’s judgment?
• Is God calling America to repentance?
• Are these the end times?
• Will economic disaster follow this natural catastrophe?
• Is this a call for us to demonstrate God’s love and compassion?
• Is God in control, does He really care?

We search our hearts. We look to God, the blessed controller of all things. Out of the eye of this terrible hurricane we find God’s heart of peace and pain. He loves us with an everlasting love. He cares for us with a tender shepherd’s heart. He draws us to Himself with cords of unfailing love. In wrath He remembers mercy. We stand silenced before a holy, sovereign and righteous God. He is just. He is good. He is merciful. He is God.

Jesus is God’s answer to all the above questions and any others our minds might imagine. He has demonstrated His love for us by giving us His one and only Son. I love the promise of Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Jesus is God’s answer to everything.

Our BT family will respond to this crisis in three ways:

First, we will pray. Pray for the victims along the gulf coast. Pray for the rescue efforts and the relief workers that are pouring into the area with food, water, medical care and shelter for the thousands of homeless. Pray for the people of Houston as they house thousands at the Astrodome. Pray for our North America Mission Board and the relief efforts that have already begun. (WWW.NAMB.NET) Pray for the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Operation Blessing and other churches and relief organizations that are helping with this emergency. Pray for local, state and federal efforts to be well organized, coordinated and highly effective.

Second, we will give. This weekend during all our services you will have an opportunity to give. We will set up a fund that will be sent each week to support this vast relief effort. 100% of the money you give will go directly to “hands on” ministry in the name of Jesus along the gulf coast.

Third, we will go. Pastor Trevor will be at a table in the front foyer these next several weeks with information for those who would like to be personally involved in this work. We will prepare and send out work-teams once we have assessed the needs.

May God bless us as we rise up and move into action!

Pastor Rex

 

 

 

Hurricane Katrina

Americans outside Louisiana and Mississippi who thought the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina had failed to affect their lives are in for a series of nasty shocks.

The aftermath of the disaster that flooded most of New Orleans and left hundreds, perhaps thousands dead is now expected to hit important sectors of the US economy.

Experts believe the impact will be short-lived and will not tip the country into recession. Growth of 3.5% to 4% is still expected this year.

But while the effects last, consumers face further big hikes in gasoline prices, shortages in the supermarkets and the prospect of bankruptcies in the airline industry.