Missions: Louisiana

Blog 1: 07/16/2006

The mission trip will be a week long and the team will return Saturday, July 22. The trip will be in a city in rural Louisiana. Each student will be in leadership roles as they organize, clean out and repair homes. The week will be full of dirty hard work, mosquitoes, humid hot weather, and hopefully lots of fun and laughter.

Today (Saturday July 15) left the church at 12:30pm, check-in at LAX went fine. Their flight was supposed to leave from LAX at 4:00 pm, but did not leave until about 6:00 pm. Plane safely touched down at 10:00 pm. Staying in a hotel tonight (Sat night) and will be worshipping with a church Creekside has helped before financially following Katrina.

Monday the team will be working at the home of Jackie and Rodney in the Bayou town of Houma Louisiana. They have a 23 year old daughter named Hannah with special needs. Their home was hit by hurricanes Rita and Katrina. They just received access to a FEMA trailer LAST WEEK. This is a great opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of this family! Please pray for the team's relationship with them and that God would bless the work being done and multiply it like He did the loaves and fish.

There will be a celebration dinner Saturday evening July 29th at 6:00 at the church for all supporters of the trip to hear what God is doing, student testimonies, and to see pictures & video. Please RSVP to Patsy at the church office so we know how many to expect. 949-786-4849 or patsy@creeksideirvine.com.

Please continue praying for Sara and Ben, our Leader Treks team leaders in Louisiana.

Pray for Jeff as he was not feeling too well - he may be catching a cold/fever from his daughter, Aubrey, who is just about recovered.

Pray for good health for all, restful sleep, milder weather, no health concerns from mesquites, bugs, allergies, etc. close friendships and bond with group, the group would be a witness for Christ in all they do while on this trip.

The following are the members of the team:

• Jeff Myers
• Lisa Myers
• Karin Storm
• Steve Phillips
• Will Mullins
• Amanda Mullins
• Caytlin DeBooy
• Cortney Boswell
• Rob Mazzola
• Clint Mouawad
• Bryan Braun
• Matt Livezey
• Nick Howser
• James Earthman
• Tyler Phillips

Blog 2: 07/17/2006

"When they got off the plane last night, the heat/humidity hit them like a ton of bricks.

Stayed at a Hilton Sat night.

Journey Christian is where they worshipped today. They interviewed the pastor about the situation and how the relief is going (CCF gave over $25,000 to them last year). They also spent some time touring the New Orleans area and viewing the devastation that still exists before getting to the house they are staying at."

Blog 3: 07/17/2006

Jeff was pretty sick on Saturday, much better on Sunday. They visited Journey Christian Church Sunday, interviewed the pastor, who told them where to tour the devastation. This "tour" really affected the entire group, seeing that the areas just look abandoned.

Drove to Houma Sunday night, and are at the site with Sara and Ben, the Leadertreks leaders. Woke up this morning and met the family being helped, Rodney and Jackie. They have three kids, and one lives with them full-time (Hannah, who is 23 years old) due to health issues.

All started off at the worksite, which is Rodney and Jackie's home. Then they divided into two crews; one crew to go through a huge shed, which is a 30-ft area where the family shoved all of their belongings into that they wanted to originally salvage. This 1st crew almost got it cleaned out while the 2nd crew went to home depot to buy supplies to replace the siding. Most of the day was to do a lot of cleanup for them.

The home they are sleeping in about 40 minutes away from the ministry site. This home was damaged from the flood and was repaired - the family who owned it has donated it for the summer. Some bunk beds need to be built so Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the team will leave a small group there to do it. The home was so warm that Will bought them a new window air conditioner to replace the old air conditioner, which wasn't too powerful, and wasn't taking care of the whole house (plus there are fans in every room not helping a lot). There are three bedrooms and one bathroom for 17 people!

They saw an alligator in some nearby water, and are seeing all kinds of bugs that appear to be on steroids! Huge spiders and cockroaches. Maggots are everywhere under old things - they saw a bunch when lifting up an old box.

Otherwise, everyone did well, is healthy, pretty happy, and tired.

Prayer requests

• find creative ways to stay cool and to not get eaten by the mosquitoes
• stay healthy
• attitudes stay positive, which can be tough when hot all of the time

Blog 4: 07/19/2006

Putting additional side paneling on the house. Flooring was built too far out so they had to cut the flooring some so the side paneling will fit. This caused them to get the wrong size wood for the siding so they will have to go back on Wed for the right size.

Finished cleaning out the trailer on the side of the house that was flooded during the storm. Tons of mosquito nests.

Pastor Will and Steve installed the new A/C yesterday and then wanted to move the old one to the girl's room but it needed 220 so they had to switch the A/Cs - the new A/C is in the girl's bedroom. Lucky ladies!

They didn't get a chance to install the bunk-beds today.

All are`feeling pretty good, but a couple of people have a some bad bug bites. No sunburn. Staying hydrated. Getting enough sleep.

Rains every night, thunder and lighting every night.

Ben and Sara bought the food at the beginning of the week and they teams cook and clean-up. Fix sandwiches and put them in a cooler and bring them with them.

Bathrooms rules are don't put TP down the toilet. Whoever cooks and cleans breakfast showers in the evening; everyone else can shower with the outside house. Leaders can shower whenever they wish.

Prayer requests:

• weather needs to cool down as they are saying this is the hottest it will get during the summer
  
  
• that they will get a lot done and the family can move back into the house sooner
  
  
• Karin Storm is sick - getting headaches, sore throat, sinus problems
  
  
• Bryan Braun is also feeling like he's getting a cold (he sat next to Jeff on the plane)
  

Blog 5: 07/20/2006

Went to worksite today (7/19). They divided into four teams:

1st team was a baseboard team - measure, cut, sand, finish wood. Will nail it tomorrow after letting it dry.

2nd team was a siding team for the front of the house, which was black tar paper over insulation. Entire front of the house except a small part of the right front is done with the siding.

3rd team was a siding team for the back of the house. A lot of it got done and will finish it up tomorrow

4th team was the "dump team". Took all of the trash out of the trailer and the house that the family didn't want, and everything that had mold on it. Made two trips to take it to the dump, which was about 45 minutes away. They finished dumping everything they needed to dump.

Ate lunch with the family and played with Alisha (5) and Hannah (23). They also played with a little boy, Isaiah, about 5, and some neighborhood kids.

Bryan still isn't feeling well. Karin doing a little better, but is so-so. Will was sick but is feeling better.

They all miss home but they are there for a great reason and are having a great time.

Prayer requests

• for Bryan, Karin, and Will to get better
• to finish their work
• to get the site ready for the next team
• for all of the team to become leaders