Relief Team Trip Reports

The team left Thursday morning and returned on Saturday. Here are some of their reports sent back from the field by Asst. Pastor Darren Brock via his iPhone.


9/18 4:46PM

Arrived safely, while unloading, Jane from High Pointe, tripped over the caution tape, hit her head on concrete. Ambulance is here. Will update as I know more.

9/18 7:48PM
Jane fell, broke her arm, and is in a near bye hospital. Lots of families being served food tonight. Approx 300 for dinner.

Lots of ministry

First work day for the Calvary team starts at 8 am

Sched:
7:00. Breakfast
8:00. Devotions
8:30. Crew deployment
12:00. Lunch
1:00. Crew deployment
6:00. Dinner

We'll have 2 teams. Few staying at the camp to clean and serve. Several going to the fields for work

9/19 8:09AM
Everybody slept ok, we're preparing to go out to homes and do some work... Just kind of hangin now...power is on all around the church... Hopefully the church will get power today. La Habra is still here, Chino Hills is going home today, South Denver and Corpus are coming. More later....

9/19 12:22PM
Just got back from field. Removed trees from road ways in Alvin, covered roofs and garages in very hard hit areas. Over 300 requests in this area, we are able to service about a quarter of them... Having lunch now, will go back out around 1:30... Pray for us. Heard from Jane and Jack. Jane broke her elbow, they are back in Austin seeing some doctors. D


Home Base \ Feeding Area and a Night Worship Pic

Ike Relief Team Departs

This afternoon, we sent off the relief team. It was awesome to pray and send a team of 11 adults and a couple of kids to Houston. Charlie and Laura Goff are owners of Mr. Appliance and former members of Calvary Austin. They brought their mobile home and large trailer to transport the supplies to Houston. We had 3 churches represented - from Calvary Austin, Pastor Darren Brock, Marlena McConnell, Greg Alvarez, Chandra Lewis (sons James and Sean); from Calvary South Austin, Stella Smith; from High Pointe, Jack and Jane Gainder. Very cool! We had supplies dropped off from a variety of people and churches, that filled the trailer.

The team will be spending the next two nights at Calvary Houston in their make-shift dorms, and providing support to the teams there in a number of ways, as well as traveling out and providing help to homeowners in the area. Check out the photos on our site and on Calvary Houston's homepage. You can contribute to them from their site. At this point, that may be the most helpful thing we can do.

This website has some great photos and coverage, to help you understand the devastation better click here.

Update Posted by : Mike Hardcastle, Executive Pastor

First Houston run

We put the call out Monday and you responded!  Over about 24 hours, we collected enough non-perishable food, bottled water, and supplies to fill our 14-passenger van.  A team of three delivered those supplies to Calvary Houston last night.  They are still without power there but are feeding people twice a day with the help of a team from Calvary Chapel La Habra - Committed Relief - and Samaritan's Purse.  Yesterday alone they fed about 1,400 people.  We are still taking donations and are planning to send a team tomorrow to stay and volunteer through Saturday.  Here is the broadcast email that we sent Monday:

Calvary Austin is organizing to support Hurricane Ike victims in the South Houston \ Bay Area.  Our affiliate, Calvary Houston (www.calvaryh.org ) is positioned on the South side of Houston in the NASA area, and they are in immediate need.  They are receiving lots of calls for a variety of needs, ranging from physical needs to help clear debris and trees, repair roofs, and the like, to provisions for food and water.

Calvary Austin is gathering and delivering supplies, and will send a relief team down to assist later this week.  We want to extend the invitation to people (men & women) inside our church to contribute to this effort.  
•    You can contribute food or supplies by dropping them off at the church.
•    You can send volunteers that are able to travel and work in Houston for a few days later this week.
•    You can contribute financially at Calvary Houston’s site (above)

Please be praying for the victims, and relief teams.
 
If you are interested, please respond as soon as possible.

Food \ Supplies Delivery    
First Run Departing Tuesday 9/16 at 3pm from Calvary Austin

•    Delivery Times @ Calvary Austin

o    Monday until 8pm at the front door (drop off)
o    Tuesday until 3pm for first run, all other items will go in next run
o    Wednesday until 9pm
o    Thursday until 9am

•    Items Requested:

> Tarps/plastic coverings
> Chainsaws
> Gasoline cans/gas
> Generators
> Fan
> Bug spray
> Bibles
> AT&T wireless cards
> Refrigeration systems
> Bottled water
> Number 10 sized canned vegetables
> Beans
> Pasta
> Paper plates
> Napkins
> Plastic utensils
> Clam shells (to-go-style containers for food)

Relief Team
Send email to ike@calvaryaustin.com if you are interested and desire more communication or have questions.  Include your contact info (phone, email, name)

•    Departing Thursday Time (TBD) and staying Thurs and Fri nights, returning Saturday
•    Activities would range from distribution, assisting in moving items, repairs, general labor, clearing debris,      
       administrative, food prep\service, etc.
•    Both Men and Women are welcome and can be used
•    Would need to bring personal care items and bedding.  Would be sleeping at the church.  There is a men 
       and women’s area created for privacy.  May or may not have electricity.  Showers are available.
•    Can travel in church van or bring your own vehicle.

Thank You.

Hurricane Ike

The Statesman has a list of volunteer opportunities in the community (click here).

We are also in touch with Calvary Houston and, depending on their needs, may be sending a team to Friendswood to help.  If interested, please send an email to ike@calvaryaustin.com with your name, cell phone number, and a brief note about how you might be able to help.

Please also email us at the same address if you're willing to open your home to evacuees or if you have some time this week to assist us at the church office taking calls or running errands related to the relief effort.

***PLEASE NOTE*** If you emailed Sunday, September 14, before 3PM, please resend your information.

In transition

Sorry for lack of posts. Our website - including blogs, etc. - is in transition. Soon the site will be fully caffeinated again! In the meantime, find me on facebook.

Ives at Calvary this weekend

Ives, a modern rock band from No Cal, is leading worship all weekend at Calvary. Check out Ives' website. Click here for service times or here for directions. We're also starting the three-week series RE_think_fear. What are you afraid of?

Links

If you enjoyed Ronny Simon's presentation at Calvary Austin tonight, check out these links to a seminar he did for us in 2003.

• Lesson 1
• Lesson 2
• Lesson 3
• Lesson 4

To follow Calvary Austin's own Doug Van Pelt as he blogs from Uganda starting February 10, click here.

Ives will perform at Calvary Austin February 16-17. Check out their website here.