May 22nd Update

Hope City Update – May 22, 2008

May is always a great month as flowers appear, trees shoot upward and we can enjoy the re-birth of the landscape in the Midwest. I was very excited as perennials that I planted last year, broke through the cold ground and grew toward the sunshine. I think God was reminding me again of the spiritual applications for our lives. We know that we have planted good seed, but sometimes in the dead of winter we wonder if life will ever spring forth again. Spring is a reminder of God’s timing, his plans and not ours, and that even the tough times are only for a season.

Our staff and our teams of volunteers are planting spiritual seeds in disaster areas that are changing the landscape forever. We are so thankful to be placed where we can shine the light of Jesus into dark, hurting places and touch lives for eternity. Thank you for being part of God’s plan for sowing and reaping.

Hope City volunteers have been busy working on a number of projects this week. Construction coordinators Monte and Kim Brenneman are hosting a team this week from Fellowship Missionary Church in Fort Wayne, led by Steve Binkley. They have endured the heat and humidity, (already 90 today in Gulfport), The team has been framing and sheeting at Orlanda Booker’s home.

They are laying block for Cheryl Henry, who has a nearly six foot foundation required for her home. That’s a whole bunch of cement block! Cheryl stopped by and talked with the team yesterday and just was so thankful for their work. Steve Binkley has been working at Brenda McDonald’s home, completing the final finish work. We are very close to having her ready to move in and she is eager! Lois Parker’s house is ready for cabinets and flooring. The team also installed windows and doors at Ira Rowell’s home. Among the construction projects, the team has visited sites along the coast and some team members even went “gigging” with Jed last night out the Gulf. They didn’t get any fish, just a few crabs for their effort.

Volunteer Coordinator Kevin Moss has spent the week in Mississippi working with the Fellowship team and helping to prep additional construction work for Monte.

Other big news for the week! Miss Samantha Brenneman is now a licensed driver in Mississippi. Her first solo effort this week was running to the post office for Kim!

Next week, Hope City will host a team from Inland Hills in Southern California.

A busy work week in Indiana as well. Kevin Cox led a work team in northwest Indiana to tear down a home destroyed this winter by floodwaters. Pray for direction as the homeowner works through the paperwork and the city determines whether the home can be rebuilt on that property.

Jeffrey Fater spent some time this week at the Central District Conference for the Missionary Church which was held at Woodburn Missionary Church. (That would be the Indiana church for the Brenneman family.) He also coordinated teams working in Nappanee on the homes being rebuilt following the tornado. Teams were painting and installing cabinets this week.

Thank you so much for investing your time, energy and financial gifts into the ministry of HCRN. Together, we can provide hope, help and healing in times of disaster.

Enjoy a great holiday weekend.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” John 11:25

Have a great week!