From Pastor Don Young

Greetings friends and partners in the ministry: 
     I know, I know, it’s been too long since our last update. I have been so encouraged by the amounts of phone calls, emails, and notes, all saying in essence, “Hey Pastor Don, have you forgotten us, we need to know what’s going on in Mississippi? We still want to help, our people are praying, we are still with you.” 
     The main reason I haven’t written an update, is simply because I have been waiting to announce the birth of a new baby, our first church in Waveland. We thought after nine months, we would be able to start a church from the many contacts of people that we have helped. In reality we can, we just are waiting upon God for the right Pastoral Couple to take on the challenge and opportunity. 
     As you know we started this ministry nine months ago with Pastor Rick Long of Christian Life Church in Orange Beach, Alabama. Since then we have interviewed several possible Pastoral Candidates to continue the ministry and relief efforts on the Gulf Coast. We were very close to having a couple come and take over, but at the last moment, they felt directed to remain where they were serving. 
     We have a few more options to look at through the month of June, and then we are faced with a critical decision. Both Pastor Rick and I feel that for the growth and strength of the relief effort a local church must either take over or a new one started. We cannot continue to run things from 3 hours away. The people need to be shepherded and taught along with rebuilding their homes. 
     That doesn’t mean we won’t continue to give advice and spiritual council. Neither does it mean that we wouldn’t raise needed funds and seek volunteers. It just means the leadership and day to day decisions would be made from the Local group as they grown and not from us, Alabamians three hours away. 
     Art and Pat Baruffi, along with their team, have done a great job in gathering the people together for Bible Study and Prayer. I asked Art to write up some nuggets that I will share with you in a moment. Before that, please pray for the following:

     

  • That God will lead us to the right couple to begin a Church plant in the Bay St. Louis and Waveland Mississippi area. 
  • That God would continue to supply the needed funds to run the operations. It costs the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund tens of thousands of dollars per week to pay for the food, general operations and lease the building. 
  • That God would continue to send volunteers to help in this rebuilding phase. 
  • That God would give clear direction to our current leadership team as they plan for the future.

 
Here are a few nuggets from Art Baruffi’s report. 
     We currently have 400 outstanding work orders from people in the area that need help in rebuilding their homes.

     

  • We are averaging about 50 volunteers per week, down from the 90-100 that we had in the past. However the months of June, July and August look good. 
     
    The People 
  • Getting people back into their homes quickly is a major concern of Camp Katrina. FEMA housing will not withstand any kind of high winds, let alone a major storm. Since there are only about 20% of the people back in their homes, there seems to be a high cause for fear. One of the local doctors, who attend our Bible Study, confirms that he is treating many cases of depression. One of the exciting things that has become evident in recent months is the number of people that attribute their “return to normalcy” to the Christian Organizations that continue to serve the community at large. 
     
    The Ministry 
  • The ministry to the local people has grown in recent months. We do not work on Sundays, but rather go out into the communities visiting the families that we have served or will serve that week. We invite them to our Wednesday evening family night open house. We provide ice cream and casual conversation. If they continue to show interest they are invited to the Friday night Bible Study. 22 have attended or are now attending this study. 
     
    Testimonies 
  • We are seeing God do “above and beyond that which we could ask or think.” We needed 32 six-inch cement blocks to finish an opening in a home. Six-inch cement blocks are very difficult to find. One of the guys checked out a lumberyard and asked for six-inch cement blocks. He was told, “We don’t have any. There are none on the inventory, we don’t carry them.” Our mason found the six-inch blocks in the back of the warehouse. When approached by the mason of this discovery, the clerk insisted that they didn’t carry six-inch blocks. The mason said he needed 32 of those six-inch blocks that the store didn’t carry. The mason went back and counted the six-inch blocks. Yes, you are right, there were exactly 32 of those six-inch cement blocks that no one new existed. God knows what He is doing! 
  • Asa, an older man who had no way of finishing his damaged home until a group of volunteers from Camp Katrina showed up, gave him renewed hope. He testified later that not only did he get his house repaired, but he found Jesus. 
  • Skip was led to the Lord through an encounter with Paul and Barbara from New Jersey. Not only did he get house cleaned, but his life also. He tells friends that he wouldn’t trade what he now has, for everything he lost in the storm. 
  • Charlotte who never attended a Bible Study anywhere before, testified after her second week, that “it felt like Jesus was knocking at the door of her heart and He wanted to come in.” She discovered Revelation 3:20 that night and realized that He really was tugging at her heart and that He did desire to come in! 
  • Don and Sue discovered a new passion for Christ since the storm. They fell into the trap of the” good life” and left God out of their plans. Since the storm, they have a renewed vision of what God wants to do in them and are inviting neighbors to the Friday Study. 
  • Mature believers, Gene and Mai add great depth to our group. Gene has cancer and his powerful yet gentle testimony has impacted many.

 
     Well we could go on, but I just wanted to catch you up on some powerful answers to Prayer. Thanks so much for your continued support. Some of you have asked about Miss Helen, our 85 year old African American blind woman. She lost her leg in surgery due to illness and is basically in need of 24/7 care. We are about to complete the repairs on the rental home owned by her niece. When that is finished, Miss Helen will stay with them until their new home in Pass Christian is completed. We are going to help them build a room that is handicapped assessable so that Miss Helen will be cared for during her remaining days. Continue to pray for the family. 
     Again, blessings on you all. I promise to get a report out to you much quicker next time. We are sensing that God wants to do something extraordinary during this next phase and we are excited. 
 
     In His Joy, 
 
     Pastor Don Young 
     Genesis Church 
     3100 S. McKenzie St. 
     Foley, AL 36535

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