Come to Louisiana!
Volunteers from Anglican churches partnered with Catholics and Lutherans to bring supplies to those in need after Hurricane Ida.
“Jesus came to serve; we are now his hands and feet.” – Stephen Haynsworth, Director, Servant’s Heart Disaster Relief
New Orleans, LA
Many of us have forgotten about Hurricane Ida, a category 4+ storm that hit New Orleans in August of 2021. The crises in Afghanistan and Kentucky, and now the war in Ukraine, have meant more urgent headlines in our inbox.
However, all this time, a dedicated group of volunteers from the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast has been quietly serving their neighbors with food and other basic supplies. We’ve reported on their activities before. Now they are ready to host volunteers to the area to help with rebuilding efforts.
It seems surprising that it takes a long time until conditions on the ground allow volunteer work crew teams to begin. But as Stephen Haynsworth has noted, a lot of basic infrastructure must be in place before work on local homes can begin. Stephen is the Director of Servant’s Heart Disaster Relief, a group in Charleston, SC, that mobilizes church volunteers to serve communities affected by disaster.
Now, Servant’s Heart Disaster Relief is partnering with ARDF to bring volunteers to our friends in Louisiana. We are looking for teams of 6-12 people, team leaders with construction experience, age 18+, caring, and willing to work and learn. (We can support youth groups ages 14+ with approved youth leaders). If you are interested, you can sign up to receive more information on our website.
“The monetary response has been great after these disasters. We can now respond in person. To have volunteers come and help after everyone else has left is moving for families who are still struggling. Jesus came to serve; we are now his hands and feet.” Stephen Haynsworth
All of this stems from a pilot program of the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast (DWGC). Dean Tommy Lamb from St. Timothy’s Anglican Church in Spring, TX has convened a group of volunteers across the diocese. Based on their experience delivering aid after hurricanes Harvey, Delta, and Laura, this group wants to create on-ramps for others, and bring disaster relief in a coordinated way to those who need it most.
To this end, these folks have been strategizing how to provide resources and training for Anglicans in the region, all while operationally providing tangible assistance to those affected by Hurricane Ida.
While resources are important, training is crucial! The North American Lutheran Church has a dedicated Disaster Relief Coordinator, Mary Bates. We have partnered with Mary on a number of occasions. Now she is coming to train the folks from DWGC and ARDF.
We are excited to bring this customized training to Anglicans. Tommy describes this training as a chance to hone the framework for Anglican disaster response, creating something scalable that can be replicated by folks across the ACNA. We are so excited to work alongside these dedicated servants.
Meanwhile, anyone can join a work crew. Join us in praying that the Lord would bring the right people with open hearts and the right set of skills to Louisiana.
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