September 24, 2017
This blog is from Catherine Botts a World Renew - Disaster Response Service (DRS) Volunteer - Serving in Martindale, Texas with a team of volunteers assisting with the reconstruction from two floods in 2015.
Good Morning! Dear family and friends,
The Lord placed it on my heart several months ago to come to the San Marcos, Texas area to serve. As stated above we are in Martindale, Texas. The Three Rivers Community Church is the site for World Renew reconstruction teams to live. It is a great facility. The projects that we work on are coordinated by the Blanco River Long Term Recovery Group.
We have three homes on our list to begin work on this week. It will be such a joy this week as the first two homes are within walking distance of the church. I have never had projects so close to the housing site before. Often we need to drive a half hour or more.
We had our first team meeting last night. The Lord's plan is always so much better than ours. He gathers people from all over the world (US and Canada) and he brings them together for his good. People who have the same heart to serve him. People who will become friends and are his disciples ready and willing to serve.
In my devotions this morning I read from Matthew 28: 18 - 19
"18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[b] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."
And from Acts 1: 8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We are here as disciples of Jesus, he will give us the power of the Holy Spirit to do his work while we serve for him in Martindale. Our prayer is that by sharing his love through our actions and our words that the families and the community see and feel Gods's love.
Please keep our team of 14 up in your prayers, and especially the families in the community. There are still 70 homes that need repairs from two years ago. Pray that we will be able to help complete one or two of the homes so that their lives will be able to return to a safer, healthier home.
Thank you!
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Needs Assessment - Albany, GA - Dougherty County
Serving - DRS: is a blog about serving with World Renew - Disaster Response Service in the areas of Rapid Response, Needs Assessment and Reconstruction. The blog is written by Catherine Botts, a volunteer.
Saturday, April 29, 2017 - 6:15 pm
Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thank you for your prayers this week! They are working!
People are coming to fill out applications with their Unmet Needs. We have 5 more days to gather information this coming week. We hope and pray that many more people will come into one of the two walk-in centers or open their doors to us when we are in their neighborhood.
As we have driven around the community we have seen progress but we can see so much more devastation. There is so much more work that needs to be done to help the families recover.
Please keep the Albany Relief & Recovery (Long Term Recovery Group) in your prayers as well as the city and county governments. The recovery will take a long time. We pray that they will be able to find the resources they need to help their community. Besides the homes, mobile homes and apartments that need so much work, the community has so many large trees and root balls that need to be cut and disposed of so people feel safe in their yards and neighborhoods.
Please continue to pray for more families to come see us. There were approximately 15,000 people in the two areas that were affected by the storm and tornado.
Link to Albany Herald article for Jan 2nd storm:
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/dougherty-county-declares-state-of-emergency-in-wake-of-powerful/article_105a76cb-fe6a-5879-bbb7-99acf968c25f.html
Link to Albany Herald article for Jan 22nd tornado:
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/storm-system-claims-lives-four-in-dougherty-county/article_9870b8ec-3995-502d-95fe-40532bb28f25.html
One of our devotions this week was from Isaiah 40: 25 - 31. The words were meant to be a comfort to God's people when they were released from captivity. Our prayer is that the words will comfort the families, that they will run and not grow weary as they walk this journey of recovery.
Thanks for your continued support for our team.
Catherine Botts
Saturday, April 29, 2017 - 6:15 pm
Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thank you for your prayers this week! They are working!
People are coming to fill out applications with their Unmet Needs. We have 5 more days to gather information this coming week. We hope and pray that many more people will come into one of the two walk-in centers or open their doors to us when we are in their neighborhood.
As we have driven around the community we have seen progress but we can see so much more devastation. There is so much more work that needs to be done to help the families recover.
Please keep the Albany Relief & Recovery (Long Term Recovery Group) in your prayers as well as the city and county governments. The recovery will take a long time. We pray that they will be able to find the resources they need to help their community. Besides the homes, mobile homes and apartments that need so much work, the community has so many large trees and root balls that need to be cut and disposed of so people feel safe in their yards and neighborhoods.
Please continue to pray for more families to come see us. There were approximately 15,000 people in the two areas that were affected by the storm and tornado.
Link to Albany Herald article for Jan 2nd storm:
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/dougherty-county-declares-state-of-emergency-in-wake-of-powerful/article_105a76cb-fe6a-5879-bbb7-99acf968c25f.html
Link to Albany Herald article for Jan 22nd tornado:
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/storm-system-claims-lives-four-in-dougherty-county/article_9870b8ec-3995-502d-95fe-40532bb28f25.html
One of our devotions this week was from Isaiah 40: 25 - 31. The words were meant to be a comfort to God's people when they were released from captivity. Our prayer is that the words will comfort the families, that they will run and not grow weary as they walk this journey of recovery.
Thanks for your continued support for our team.
Catherine Botts
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Needs Assessment - Dougherty County, GA
Good Afternoon! Pray Warriors,
Some of you may not know that I gone but now you do. I arrived in Albany, GA about an hour ago. I am a part of a World Renew Needs Assessment team of 17 people. The team represents 5 different states and Canada. We are here to assist the Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG) collect data regarding the needs of the families within Dougherty County from two storms in January.
The first storm came on January 2, 2017 which consisted of both straight line winds and rain. Many trees fell and homes were damaged both from the winds and fallen trees. Some residents were without power for 2 weeks.
As they were recovering from the January 2nd storm an F-3 tornado came through the community on January 22nd. The tornado damaged and destroyed many more homes. The community was devastated again. The faith community pulled together through both storms and provided over 100,000 volunteer hours during the storms to help with some of the needs.
At the request of the LTRG, World Renew was called in to help them gather data to see where are their families now. What is still needed. Will they have the resources to finish the work or will they need assistance. This information will give the LTRG what they need to seek more assistance to help families.
We will be in Dougherty County until the 6th of May.
Please pray for the community. They have been through so much. We pray that they will not be discouraged. We pray that they will come to the walk-in centers and/or open their doors as we come to their neighborhood.
May they understand that we are here to help. Help us to listen. Let us be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Thank you for your prayers!
Some of you may not know that I gone but now you do. I arrived in Albany, GA about an hour ago. I am a part of a World Renew Needs Assessment team of 17 people. The team represents 5 different states and Canada. We are here to assist the Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG) collect data regarding the needs of the families within Dougherty County from two storms in January.
The first storm came on January 2, 2017 which consisted of both straight line winds and rain. Many trees fell and homes were damaged both from the winds and fallen trees. Some residents were without power for 2 weeks.
As they were recovering from the January 2nd storm an F-3 tornado came through the community on January 22nd. The tornado damaged and destroyed many more homes. The community was devastated again. The faith community pulled together through both storms and provided over 100,000 volunteer hours during the storms to help with some of the needs.
At the request of the LTRG, World Renew was called in to help them gather data to see where are their families now. What is still needed. Will they have the resources to finish the work or will they need assistance. This information will give the LTRG what they need to seek more assistance to help families.
We will be in Dougherty County until the 6th of May.
Please pray for the community. They have been through so much. We pray that they will not be discouraged. We pray that they will come to the walk-in centers and/or open their doors as we come to their neighborhood.
May they understand that we are here to help. Help us to listen. Let us be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Thank you for your prayers!
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Crossroads ..... Joplin, MO Sunday, July 10th
Good Morning!
Our team would like to thank you for your prayers yesterday as we traveled to Joplin yesterday. The drive went well and we arrived safely. The students were great! The journey took 13 hours and they were amazing.
It is great to see how we are getting to know each other already and gelling as a team. Thank you Lord for your plan! For bringing us together. The reason we are here is because of you! You saw fit to choose us to be here, to work together and to be here for each other.
Last evening after we arrived at the Abundant Life Volunteer Village we watched a National Geographic video of what it was like on May 22, 2011. How moving it was to hear from the different people, to hear from their perspective.
The gentleman who showed us the video explained how it was for him that day. Where he and his wife were and how painful it was. He said it took a year and a half before he could watch the video. How painful it still must be. But in his voice I heard hope. Even on the day as he and his wife prayed while the tornado was around them. God did provide for them. Many lost their lives and many lost their homes. Some would ask where was God that day. But we know He was here, He was crying with them, He was sending their friends and neighbors who were affected to help each other. His Spirit was here.
I never believe in coincidence. I believe in God's plan. We are staying at the Abundant Life Volunteer Village. The devotional that I have been reading this year is titled "Abundant Life Day Book". My devotional yesterday was titled "I Am Worthy of Your Trust in the Worst Times."
What a reminder for me and for our team as we minister to Joplin. Part of our reason for coming to Joplin is to help with the physical needs of the people we will serve but also we are hear to listen to them and their stories.
Hopefully we will be able to give them hope? God has not forgotten them, He has sent so many before us and He has sent us. We would not be here if it was not for the Lord working in our lives. We are here to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
In the devotional for yesterday the author reminded me that "My great blessing to you is that no matter what happens, even when the worst happens, you have the knowledge and confidence that you belong to a God who can be trusted with even this. Eventhough you don't know what I am doing, you can believe that I know what I'm doing. Even though you may not understand how anything good can come out of what your're experiencing, you can believe that I understand how I am using all of this for your good.
This is a good reminder for each of us as we journey through life.
As a team our devotional for today is focusing on "Worship Only God".
Please pray for us as we learn more about why we should Worship Only God, and as we Woship this morning with the Abundant Life Church Family, as we go out with the lead construction manager to find out how and where we will serve. Pray for the families that we will be serving that we may be a blessing to them.
Thank you for your prayers!
If you have any questions about World Renew please visit the World Renew - Disaster Response Service web page from the link on my web page. Servingdrs.blogspot.com
Our team would like to thank you for your prayers yesterday as we traveled to Joplin yesterday. The drive went well and we arrived safely. The students were great! The journey took 13 hours and they were amazing.
It is great to see how we are getting to know each other already and gelling as a team. Thank you Lord for your plan! For bringing us together. The reason we are here is because of you! You saw fit to choose us to be here, to work together and to be here for each other.
Last evening after we arrived at the Abundant Life Volunteer Village we watched a National Geographic video of what it was like on May 22, 2011. How moving it was to hear from the different people, to hear from their perspective.
The gentleman who showed us the video explained how it was for him that day. Where he and his wife were and how painful it was. He said it took a year and a half before he could watch the video. How painful it still must be. But in his voice I heard hope. Even on the day as he and his wife prayed while the tornado was around them. God did provide for them. Many lost their lives and many lost their homes. Some would ask where was God that day. But we know He was here, He was crying with them, He was sending their friends and neighbors who were affected to help each other. His Spirit was here.
I never believe in coincidence. I believe in God's plan. We are staying at the Abundant Life Volunteer Village. The devotional that I have been reading this year is titled "Abundant Life Day Book". My devotional yesterday was titled "I Am Worthy of Your Trust in the Worst Times."
What a reminder for me and for our team as we minister to Joplin. Part of our reason for coming to Joplin is to help with the physical needs of the people we will serve but also we are hear to listen to them and their stories.
Hopefully we will be able to give them hope? God has not forgotten them, He has sent so many before us and He has sent us. We would not be here if it was not for the Lord working in our lives. We are here to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
In the devotional for yesterday the author reminded me that "My great blessing to you is that no matter what happens, even when the worst happens, you have the knowledge and confidence that you belong to a God who can be trusted with even this. Eventhough you don't know what I am doing, you can believe that I know what I'm doing. Even though you may not understand how anything good can come out of what your're experiencing, you can believe that I understand how I am using all of this for your good.
This is a good reminder for each of us as we journey through life.
As a team our devotional for today is focusing on "Worship Only God".
Please pray for us as we learn more about why we should Worship Only God, and as we Woship this morning with the Abundant Life Church Family, as we go out with the lead construction manager to find out how and where we will serve. Pray for the families that we will be serving that we may be a blessing to them.
Thank you for your prayers!
If you have any questions about World Renew please visit the World Renew - Disaster Response Service web page from the link on my web page. Servingdrs.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Crossroads -- Joplin, MO
Good Afternoon!
For the next week I will have the privilege of serving along side the Crossroads youth group, their leaders and several adults from Corinth Reformed Church. This will be the first joint mission trip for Corinth with World Renew in Grand Rapids. World Renew and Abundant Life located in Joplin, MO have been partners sending mission trips before.
Our missions pastor and youth leaders began to talk about the possibility of coordinating a trip about a year ago. It is so exciting to be able to join the 14 crossroad youth and the 9 adults to serve along side the Joplin Community.
Five years ago this past May 22nd an EF5 tornado struck Joplin. There were 158 lives lost, 1150 people were injured, winds were over 200 mile per hour, and as of this year about 2.95 billion in damages have been spent. With such a catastrophic tornado there are still many people who are still not back in their home. It takes a long time to rebuild a community.
Saturday morning we will begin our journey to Joplin, MO. Please pray for us as we travel that all will go well, that we will have time to get to know each other, that we will be safe.
Our prayer guide for the first few days Bible reading is from Phillippians 2: 2 - 5. "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
Please pray for us as we travel: that we will gel as a team, that we will see His purpose for our trip. That we will be able to share encouragement, unity, comfort, love, tenderness, compassion, joy, and purpose to the families we serve and to each other.
May we remember that Christ is the reason we are going to serve and that we are going to lift up the families and the community leaders who have been working for the last five years. Please pray that each person we come in contact with with see the love of Christ through our words and our actions.
If you feel so inclined please check our the World Renew - Disaster Response Link on the side of my blog or go to: http://www.worldrenew.net/domestic-disaster-0
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
For the next week I will have the privilege of serving along side the Crossroads youth group, their leaders and several adults from Corinth Reformed Church. This will be the first joint mission trip for Corinth with World Renew in Grand Rapids. World Renew and Abundant Life located in Joplin, MO have been partners sending mission trips before.
Our missions pastor and youth leaders began to talk about the possibility of coordinating a trip about a year ago. It is so exciting to be able to join the 14 crossroad youth and the 9 adults to serve along side the Joplin Community.
Five years ago this past May 22nd an EF5 tornado struck Joplin. There were 158 lives lost, 1150 people were injured, winds were over 200 mile per hour, and as of this year about 2.95 billion in damages have been spent. With such a catastrophic tornado there are still many people who are still not back in their home. It takes a long time to rebuild a community.
Saturday morning we will begin our journey to Joplin, MO. Please pray for us as we travel that all will go well, that we will have time to get to know each other, that we will be safe.
Our prayer guide for the first few days Bible reading is from Phillippians 2: 2 - 5. "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
Please pray for us as we travel: that we will gel as a team, that we will see His purpose for our trip. That we will be able to share encouragement, unity, comfort, love, tenderness, compassion, joy, and purpose to the families we serve and to each other.
May we remember that Christ is the reason we are going to serve and that we are going to lift up the families and the community leaders who have been working for the last five years. Please pray that each person we come in contact with with see the love of Christ through our words and our actions.
If you feel so inclined please check our the World Renew - Disaster Response Link on the side of my blog or go to: http://www.worldrenew.net/domestic-disaster-0
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Friday, Day 9 of our Serving in Franklinton, LA
Good Evening!
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Every day we serve in Louisiana we are reminded of God's faithfulness to us and especially to the families we are serving. We see it in the look of relief in their faces as we arrive. They smile because help has come. The task is so overwhelming! They do not know where to begin and what is safe for them to keep.
When we begin each day at a home we start with prayer for the family, that as they make decisions about their home and belongings they will feel it they are the right choices, we pray for safety for all of us and for them as they begin the process of starting to rebuild their home and their life.
Today as we began to take the furniture, clothing, kitchen and bathrooms items out of the house and put them in a pile a verse came to mind.
It is from Matthew 6: 19 - 21: "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be."
I realize that the treasures of the families are not being moth eaten but with the river water after 29 days there are many items that are rusty and there is so much mold. It has helped me to put in perspective what is really important in life.
As I took out extra sets of sheets and towels, it made me think how many sets do I really need at home? I think I will begin to look at how I may bless other people and/or organizations with the things I truly do not need. I want to make sure that my treasures are for heaven.
Please keep our team and the families in your prayers. Tomorrow, Saturday is our last day of work here. We plan to begin our travels home on Sunday after church (about 9:30 Central time). If all goes well with the weather, we should be home late Monday night.
Here are a couple of photos from today:
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Every day we serve in Louisiana we are reminded of God's faithfulness to us and especially to the families we are serving. We see it in the look of relief in their faces as we arrive. They smile because help has come. The task is so overwhelming! They do not know where to begin and what is safe for them to keep.
When we begin each day at a home we start with prayer for the family, that as they make decisions about their home and belongings they will feel it they are the right choices, we pray for safety for all of us and for them as they begin the process of starting to rebuild their home and their life.
Today as we began to take the furniture, clothing, kitchen and bathrooms items out of the house and put them in a pile a verse came to mind.
It is from Matthew 6: 19 - 21: "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be."
I realize that the treasures of the families are not being moth eaten but with the river water after 29 days there are many items that are rusty and there is so much mold. It has helped me to put in perspective what is really important in life.
As I took out extra sets of sheets and towels, it made me think how many sets do I really need at home? I think I will begin to look at how I may bless other people and/or organizations with the things I truly do not need. I want to make sure that my treasures are for heaven.
Please keep our team and the families in your prayers. Tomorrow, Saturday is our last day of work here. We plan to begin our travels home on Sunday after church (about 9:30 Central time). If all goes well with the weather, we should be home late Monday night.
Here are a couple of photos from today:
Monday, April 4, 2016
Update from Franklinton, LA - Monday, April 4th - Catherine Botts
Good Evening!
Sorry I have not written to you since last week. We have been busy. We began last Wednesday morning and worked each day through Saturday. We took a day of rest on Sunday and began a new work week today.
So far we have completed 4 homes; a 5th home has been gutted and just needs to have the "Shockwave" treatment for the mold. A team of two of us will do that sometime tomorrow.
In the morning the whole team will begin a 6th home in Franklinton.
The number of volunteers has been amazing which is helping to complete the homes especially in the Franklinton area. Last week it was great to see the number of high school students that came out to help while on their Spring break. They really pitched in and accomplished so much.
Bogolusa is not too far from Franklinton and has more homes which need to be completed so we will begin working there most likely from Wednesday through Saturday and stay in Franklinton.
Today is day 25 since the flood occurred. We are so thankful for the families whose needs are being met. As of today there have been applications for 345 homes filed. Of that 289 homes have been completed and 56 remain. Of the 56 remaining homes 13 are in Franklinton and 43 are in Bogolusa.
When I say homes have been completed I should explain that this does not mean that people are back in their homes. It means that the Rapid Response teams have come in to muck out their homes and take care of sanitizing them in preparation of how to proceed from here. This is when insurance companies, FEMA and local Long Term Recovery Organizations decide how needs will be met and money distributed.
Based on the number of applications FEMA will decide if they will help, as well as other sources. Once this is done then families will figure out how they will be able to proceed. There is still the long reconstruction process which will take months.
Please pray for the families which are still displaced.
Please pray for all of the volunteers who are working in so many capacities. The church we are housed in is preparing meals for us each day, giving us food to pack for lunch, providing showers, laundry and so much more. We appreciate them so much!
Please pray for the World Renew - Rapid Response Team and our families at home. We are thankful for their willingness to support us while we are here.
Please pray for our safety as we work six days this week. Our hearts are willing but our bodies are not used to the physical and emotional toil.
We know by the people we have met and are serving that we are exactly where God wants us. We are so thankful that He sent each one of our seven team members. We are working well together and we see each day why we are all here.
Jeremiah 29: 11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Here are some photos of today's completed house.
Sorry I have not written to you since last week. We have been busy. We began last Wednesday morning and worked each day through Saturday. We took a day of rest on Sunday and began a new work week today.
So far we have completed 4 homes; a 5th home has been gutted and just needs to have the "Shockwave" treatment for the mold. A team of two of us will do that sometime tomorrow.
In the morning the whole team will begin a 6th home in Franklinton.
The number of volunteers has been amazing which is helping to complete the homes especially in the Franklinton area. Last week it was great to see the number of high school students that came out to help while on their Spring break. They really pitched in and accomplished so much.
Bogolusa is not too far from Franklinton and has more homes which need to be completed so we will begin working there most likely from Wednesday through Saturday and stay in Franklinton.
Today is day 25 since the flood occurred. We are so thankful for the families whose needs are being met. As of today there have been applications for 345 homes filed. Of that 289 homes have been completed and 56 remain. Of the 56 remaining homes 13 are in Franklinton and 43 are in Bogolusa.
When I say homes have been completed I should explain that this does not mean that people are back in their homes. It means that the Rapid Response teams have come in to muck out their homes and take care of sanitizing them in preparation of how to proceed from here. This is when insurance companies, FEMA and local Long Term Recovery Organizations decide how needs will be met and money distributed.
Based on the number of applications FEMA will decide if they will help, as well as other sources. Once this is done then families will figure out how they will be able to proceed. There is still the long reconstruction process which will take months.
Please pray for the families which are still displaced.
Please pray for all of the volunteers who are working in so many capacities. The church we are housed in is preparing meals for us each day, giving us food to pack for lunch, providing showers, laundry and so much more. We appreciate them so much!
Please pray for the World Renew - Rapid Response Team and our families at home. We are thankful for their willingness to support us while we are here.
Please pray for our safety as we work six days this week. Our hearts are willing but our bodies are not used to the physical and emotional toil.
We know by the people we have met and are serving that we are exactly where God wants us. We are so thankful that He sent each one of our seven team members. We are working well together and we see each day why we are all here.
Jeremiah 29: 11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Here are some photos of today's completed house.
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