December 27-30 we will be bringing young people to the Gulf Coast to assist in clean-up from Hurricane Katrina. This will be the “True Meaning of Christmas” for many young people. We have already had some Christmas presents donated that can be given out by the students. This camp will feature work projects all day long with a speaker and music group at night. If you are interested in being involved, call one of the Katrina Leadership Team and reserve some space.

At the same time, the Southern Region will still conduct our annual Gatlinburg 39 in the Smokey Mountains. Kevin Flannagan will give leadership to this year’s event, since Brad Holt of MS Gulf Coast is overwhelmed with everything in his world. Contact E. Alabama YFC and talk with Kevin if you are interested in bringing a group.

More details will come soon on both events!

Contact any of us on the Katrina Relief Team:
Danny Sartin, National Field Director, Communication and Reporting, 901-351-2996
Paul Nurmi, National Katrina Relief Coordinator, Logistics of work groups and housing, 228.234.3700 (Katrina Hotline)
Jerry Wheeler, Assistant to Paul Nurmi, If Paul is not available, 313-320-3374
Virginia Nurmi or Julie Fagerlie, Work sites and assignments, 228.234.3700
Brad Holt, Executive Director of Ms Gulf Coast, encouragement and offers of help, 228-365-0932
Robert Storey, Executive Director of New Orleans, encouragement and offers of help, 504-578-831

In the New Orleans area, YFC has teamed up with School of Urban Missions, Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team in efforts to help hurting people. We have ridden with the Rapid Response Team through neighborhoods where we have stopped and prayed with individuals as they saw the destruction in their homes. We are doing needs assessments in several areas and giving work requests to SUM and Samaritan’s Purse to saw up trees, tarp roofs, and pull out wet carpet.

Area Pastors asked Robert Storey to administer the distribution of 200 mobile homes that Samaritan’s Purse is buying for 8 area churches to house displaced people in. Most of these trailers will be on church properties where the churches will minister to the displaced individuals.

Although our staff has been going onto campuses, today we held our first Campus Life meeting at one of our middle schools. Students are slowly trickling in, with most schools well below 50% of normal attendance. Many people don’t have jobs or places to live. We will be doing a round of Assembly programs very soon for most of the middle schools and several elementary schools.

We had our second week of Detention Center Ministry today. We only have 8 kids in the jail, but we had good Bible studies with them tonight. These kids were evacuated twice, once for Katrina and the second time for Rita.

God is an awesome God and people are tender to hear the Gospel. We are seeing that everywhere we go.

Here is an update from New Orleans.

I had the privilege of meeting Franklin Graham today in a small meeting of pastors, civic leaders and police officers. Each pastor was given time to share how their churches fared in the storm and what they were doing towards rebuilding our area.

The New Orleans police Captain that has given us access to New Orleans shared his heart about the days after the storm. He talked about how alone he felt during the first 6 days. There was no help from anywhere. Then he said the Church showed up and started feeding officers and praying with and for them. He stated that while the police are first responders, they are also victims. He still hasn’t had time to fix his house, which is molded from top to bottom. He talked about the financial strain that many police officers are under as well. He gave us a cop’s perspective on the events.

Franklin Graham listened intently and then made some commitments to us. Through Samaritan’s Purse he is sending our churches trailers to house people, work crews to fix people’s homes beginning with the police, and trucks of supplies. He is also working to get some cash in the hands of the police. School of Urban Missions president Anthony Freeman shared with Franklin that he believed our city was ripe for a Gospel presentation event soon. Franklin committed to do a Crusade here in December or January, or maybe closer to Mardi Gras of this year. This is not going to be their typical 1 1/2 year of planning time for Crusades, but it will be awesome! We believe that thousands of people are going to give their lives to Christ because of this tragedy. One more example that what the enemy means for our destruction, God turns into something good that brings Him Glory!

Kirk was raised in the "project", given alcohol as a baby, introduced to sex by his father at 9 and was headed for destruction. He met Angie (YFC staff) and began attending Campus Life eventually givng his life to Christ. The change has been both a process and significant.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Kirk borrowed an abandoned boat and saved more than 40 people by wading through the polluted water in New Orleans picking them up and pulling them to safety. I have no doubt that if he had not met Jesus through YFC, he would have been one of the looters shooting up the town. Instead, he is an unsung hero. After some time in a San Antonio Hospital from being in the water, he is alright and will be relocating to that area where he has been accepted into a prep school.

God does indeed work Miracles!

A Polk County Florida group arrived Saturday and went right to work cleaning and organizing around here. This was a big job since our 2 previous groups had to leave in such a hurry because of Hurricane Rita. They have done a tremendous job - also you will see pictures of the temporary showers they built for use here. They brought a team of 30 people 1/2 of which helped with counseling and 1/2 with work sites.

Sunday Community United Methodist Church from central Florida arrived with 15 people also to help with counseling and work projects. (Both of these groups are from the area of Florida that was hit by multiple hurricanes last year - so they come with experience.)

A semi load of school supplies also came in Sunday which our counselors took to the schools with them. Kids who received them were VERY thankful. More schools open tomorrow and again we will be there to help and hand-out back packs full of supplies.

Jerry and I visited a place in Biloxi called "Loaves and Fishes" - you will see pictures. We had a request to help them and today we have a crew there. This area was hit hard and was a poor area to begin with. Loaves and Fishes was a small soup kitchen. The water line on the walls = 9 feet! The building seems sound and there is only 1 section with mold. Our crews are going in to help clean it out to hopefully bring a little speck of hope in a community full of devastation and hopelessness. It may very well be bulldozed with the rest of the neighborhood in time. But these people need something to look hopeful, and somewhere to gather. They are literally living in rubble - have no electricity, unsafe water, and very little resources. Pictures I took yesterday will be in the next album and we will continue to take pictures of the ongoing project. Who knows what God may do there!

Another crew is right down the road at the house of a 78 year old widowed school teachers house, she broke down yesterday with our counselors. She is still living in her leaking house that had 5 feet of water in it and is now infested with black mold. She has not been able to move anything out herself and has no family to help. We have a great experienced crew there at this moment to help her with her needs.

Jerry and I are heading to a church today that also needs a lot of help. The pastor, his parents and family have been doing as much as they can themselves. However, they can't even find a wheelbarrow to use. We are going to take them a wheelbarrow today and assess how our teams may be able to help them.

All together our teams have completed >50 jobs for people from cleaning up yard debris, cutting up downed trees, and tarping roofs to totally "gutting" houses (down to the wooden studs). We have another 50+ projects to be done and the calls keep coming.

That's just a little glimse of what it is we're doing - thanks for your prayers. Close Article

I talked with Brad Holt (Gulf Coast YFC) this morning and things are getting better. Food and water Supply needs are currently met on the Gulf Coast. YFC is not allowed to distribute for the community because the YFC office is located in a quarantine zone. They are aggressively seeking school supplies to provide for students who return to school in two weeks. Brad is also desirous of getting YFC staff to be present in schools for assistance in grief counseling. Jerry Wheeler and Paul Nurmi have arrived to assist Brad. The biggest concern for the this chapter is the $25,000 monthly operation fund needs. Income is going to take a major hit. We need to work to keep these staff in place ministering. Secondly, Brad needs work teams to help throughout the community. Scott Shives brought in a semi-trailer of supplies over the weekend. God has been gracious.

Robert Storey (New Orleans or Crescent City YFC) is still in Texas. He hopes to return home tomorrow on a business pass to get some supplies and belongings. This chapter is currently inoperative. No income, no home, etc.

Gary Maze (Jackson YFC) is heavily involved in refugee centers around Jackson. Here is the city that can use and store food and water supplies.

All of these chapters can use operating funds. We need to keep staff employed to serve in their communities. Any checks can be sent to the YFC Southern Region "Gulf Coast Assistance Fund" at P.O. Box 34028 Bartlett, TN 38184-0028. Or you can send it to YFC USA designated in the same manner.

Keep praying and consider how you can get involved. Danny Close Article

Over the past ten days it has become clear to me that in order to appropriately and efficiently respond to the devastation associated with hurricane Katrina, we needed a coordinator through which we could funnel communication, need, and response. As I thought and prayed about this decision, a name sprang to mind, and shortly afterward a confirming “yes.” I’m pleased to announce that Paul Nurmi has agreed to be the coordinator for the hurricane Katrina relief effort for YFC/USA.

Paul will come along side Danny Sartin, our Southern States NFD, and the many others who are already mobilized to support and assist the recovery process. My appreciation to Royal Benjamin for his willingness to release Paul from his role with World Outreach to support this effort for the next year.

I’ve attached a press release that will be placed in the newspaper in Paul’s community this coming weekend. I would encourage you to modify it and use it in your local news channels as well. This is a powerful moment to serve, and I’m humbled and honored to see the way God is using the YFC family to make a difference.

Pray for Paul and Virginia. Thank them. Encourage and support them. I certainly will.

Many of you have asked about the impact and the response of our YFC family to the tragic and historic events related to hurricane Katrina. As you would expect, all across our nation our folks are rolling up their sleeves. There will be no community unaffected by this pain, and YFC will be involved. To pray. To love. To comfort. To serve. To go. To stay. To respond?not just this week, but for years to come.

Bless you. May the Lord give you wisdom and strength as each of us responds to this call. Close Article