Tag Archives: relief

Apr 30 2010

Food for Yazoo City


Hurricanes make the national news on TV for about two or three days and then some sleazy political type, film star, or pro athlete captures the headlines. Meanwhile the recovery from a twister like the one that spun its way through Yazoo City, MS and further north of Jackson takes a long time.

At once, good hearted people of all stripes begin at once to see what they can do to help. Volunteers start driving in, linemen, and other tradesmen show up to do the work that only they can do. And, everyone of them needs a good hot meal each day.

Then there are the citizens whose homes left the county in a matter of a few seconds and they are left with nothing but memories of what home used to be and little hope for what home will be and all of them need at least one hot meal each day.

One of those volunteers who makes a radical difference is one Mike Baumgardner. Since Hurricane Ike, if a storm hits Mike is on the scene pronto! Carol and I met Mike in Galvaston. He  and some volunteers were serving hundreds of hot meals to anyone who needed them. In the humid summer heat, for hours every day they unloaded trucks, prepared, cooked, and boxed food and served it. And, that is exactly what he is doing now. He told me yesterday that he is serving about 300 meals per day and could do 1,000 if he had the funds.

Mike needs help in a big way!

Anyone who has been to the grocery store recently knows that food is not cheap. In addition to the cost of the food there is the expense of operating the motorhome/kitchen, running a generator, and…., well, you get the picture.

Only God knows how much of his own money Mike has spent feeding people over the past several months but he can’t do any more. On his website at http://disasterassistancecoc.com/index.html There is a PayPal button if you want to help this worthwhile ministry. Every dollar donated will be used to help feed the hungry.

Speaking of feeding the hungry, Mike’s associates are Evangelist Don Hudson and his wife Rosemary. Don delivers food and then gives the bread of life! Don seeks every opportunity to share Christ with those who are ready to listen. What a team! Who was it in the Bible that cared for the needs of body and soul? Hmm….Oh, that was Jesus!

Please help out if you can. Visit Disasterassistancecoc.com site and help feed the hungry in Yazoo City.

Carol and I are planning on driving over to help serve lunch on Saturday. Come by and say hi if you are in the area. Mike is set up and the corner of E. Broadway and Hwy 49 at an abandoned car dealership.

Thanks in advance for your prayers and support.

For Him,
Royce

Jan 14 2010

Haiti Relief – Urgent


All of us have seen the alarming images on the TV news and are aware of the magnitude of the earthquake in Haiti. Many are asking “How can I help?” or “Where can our church contribute?”

I strongly recommend WFR Relief Ministries for your Haiti giving. A reasonable question is “Why?” I am happy to tell you why.

WFR Relief has been responding to natural disasters globally since 1981. For almost 30 years if an event has been significant enough to make national news we have responded the best way possible using funds donated by churches of Christ and individuals. God has allowed us to be a conduit for literally tens of millions of dollars over these years to get help and hope to the hurting in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.

On thing that sets us apart from other relief groups is our relationships around the world. In Haiti for example, because of our long-standing relationships with men who are speakers through our World Radio ministry, we know local church leaders well. In addition to these contacts, Don Yelton, WFR Relief Director, personally knows missionaries and local ministers in every corner of the earth. Don has become known as “Mr. Relief” because of his extensive experience and expertise in relief work. We know where  funds are going and that every dollar will be administered by local church leaders to help their members and the member’s neighbors as funds make it possible.

This time tomorrow we will have two men on the ground in Port-au-Prince. WFR Relief and World Radio Team Leader Ben Adkins and one of our own who has become a missions guru of sorts, David Heath, will be there accessing urgent needs and encouraging our brothers and sisters that help is on the way.

Because WFR Relief is a local church ministry and is housed in our church building in West Monroe, LA our overhead in only a tiny fraction of most other charities. And, in addition, for most of our 30 year history Relief has had no more than one or two employees. This has enabled us to get more money to the needy than any other relief ministry I am aware of. We have also cultivated partnerships over time so that dollars can be multiplied when we need medical supplies and other goods. It is not uncommon for $1.00 to do the work of $3.00 because of these relationships.

It is our goal to as quickly as possible provide funds for urgent emergency needs for believers in Haiti and to engender hope as we do. Then long-term our hope is that we can assist with rebuilding housing and lives. We know that our obedience to God’s commands to care for the needy is a pathway for getting the good news of Christ Jesus our Lord to the masses. Relief is a wonderful ministry but it is not the end. It is rather the beginning of preparing for a harvest of souls for Christ to God’s eternal glory.

I trust you will consider WFR Relief for your Haiti giving. Please pray for Ben and David as they travel and for the ministry team back at home.

Agape’

Royce

Oct 6 2009

Helping the Hurting…


This letter from Don Yelton, Director of WFR Relief lays out an urgent need for funds to help those in far away places who desperately need our help.

Dear Friends: Cyclone Ketsana has killed nearly 700 people and left tens of thousands homeless or living tempo-rarily on their rooftops in the Philippine Islands, where there are some 600 churches of Christ.
At almost the same time a huge Tsunami caused by a massive earthquake hit America Samoa, where there are two churches of Christ. So far, 200 deaths have been reported but none among church members. Help is urgently needed in both countries.

We have been in contact with local gospel preachers who have radio programs sponsored by our sister ministry, World Radio. In the city of Manila alone there are at least 20 congregations where many Christians and their neighbors are suffering. Two long time missionaries in the PhiIippines, Bob Buchannan and Ken Wilkey, are using their own working funds to get emergency aid to some of the most devastated Christians in their communities. Funds are urgently needed to provide food, water, and medical supplies, as well as temporary shelter when possible. Christians there are praying that God will rescue them. It is our hope to be part of the answer to their prayers.

At this writing, two major earthquakes have just struck Indonesia, and hundreds are dead. We are contacting missionaries to determine the needs and will put any information we find on our web site. We will work with them to help as God enables us to do so.

The recent flooding in Georgia has caused much damage and we have received requests for help from churches there. As much as we would like to help, our emergency reserve funds have been expended.

There is also a serious ongoing drought in Kenya, East Africa where funds to purchase food for hungry Christians are critically needed.

Our last letter to you to appeal for funds was over a year ago. We have, however, continued to receive many requests for help. We have been able to answer a few of these. But now our funds have been depleted, along with our emergency reserve fund. Right now we are faced with several urgent needs at the same time, and we are asking for your help.

 Your contribution may be designated for a specific need/area, or to the general fund of “2009 Storms and Disasters.” To send a contribution TODAY, and for current disaster reports, please go to our web site at http://wfrchurch.org/relief.

Checks may be sent to: White’s Ferry Rd. Church of Christ Relief Ministry 3201 N. 7th St., West Monroe, LA 71291, (ph. 318.396.6000)

 For over 30 years we have been blessed and amazed by your generous response to help your broth-ers and sisters around the world when their lives have been forever changed by a disaster. Please pray for them and for this ministry as we, with your help, provide them with the most basic needs of food, water, shelter and medical care. By doing this, we are able to give them the most precious gifts of all – the assurance that they are loved by God through His people and that there is indeed HOPE for the future. May God bless you. 

Don Don Yelton, Director WFR Relief Ministry                                                               
Email: donyelton@wfrchurch.org

“If you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light rises in the darkness and your night shines like the noonday.”
(Isaiah 58:10)

This letter is being mailed to about 10,000 churches of Christ and to many individual contributors. Please pray and consider supporting this worthy act of love.

for Jesus,
Royce

 

 

 

 

May 18 2009

Mission Church Needs Air Conditioning


new_roof_0208The Hemley Road Church of Christ in Bayou La Batre, Alabama desperately needs air conditioning for their church building. They are growing, (about 20 baptisms this year), had 80 for worship last Sunday, and are cooled by one large fan. The heat on the bayou by Mobile Bay is a muggy, wet heat and almost unbearable in the hottest months of summer.

This church has no means of getting air conditioning except by praying, trusting, and telling friends of their needs. (All biblical) Can you help? Do you have an A/C company? Do you have a friend or church member who does? Will you ask them to consider this project? Or, can you give a gift toward the $12k needed?

Any gift can be directed to either the Whites Ferry Rd church in West Monroe, or the El Campo church in El Campo, Texas. Either address is very easy to find by “googling” the name. Just designate your gift to “Bayou La Batre” or “Hemley Rd” and of course it is tax deductible.

Daphne German said to me recently in a phone call, “We either need air conditioning or a hundred funeral home fans!”. Daphne lives in a rent house on the church property with only one small window unit in one bedroom. Can you imagine cooking and other activities in the other rooms?

Please, please pray, please ask, please help.

Royce

***UPDATE*** God has provided the necessary funds to install one unit for the main building. One is still needed for the house and of course utility bills will increase sharpley once the large unit is installed and put to use. They still need help! Praise God for His faithfulness to provide every need.