Bayshore Baptist Church Update: [Archive]

Neverenough

09-07-2005, 01:25 AM

Bayshore Red Cross Shelter Update

September 7th, 2005

Today was another good day. We had a great time having a fish-fry this evening for our guests. Today, we were able to process 30 more people off site. One family got an apartment locally, one other family unit left for North Carolina to start all over, and late this evening, three men are going back to Jefferson Parish to secure their properties and will return after their mission is accomplished.

By the way, you can see some pictures by clicking here - look closely - Mont is in one of the them! (I don't think it is him on the 16th pic .... grin)

We also had 5 new guests today - and again were told we may be getting some more tomorrow. We hear this everyday - but it rarely materializes. Tonight we have 65 in our Shelter. We have set up a Beauty Parlor in the Shelter. We took children to school this morning and will have more enrolling tomorrow. One of the High School coaches came by the shelter tonight to check on a boy that enrolled in the School today. School teachers have dropped by and met children before they enrolled just to ease the transition. Speaks well of LaPorte ISD. Speaks very well of the Teachers.

At this point, we have everything that we need at the Shelter. In the next few days, depending on traffic flow and shelter capacities, we will be able to determine when our efforts will come to an end. Let me encourage to you to stop by if you have the chance and spend some time with them. Evenings after 6 are the best - but we have lights out at 9:00pm to help our School Children - but leave the game room open till 11:00. Then it is time to wind the night down.

This morning, I received an email I would like to share with you. It touched my heart - and am sure that it will touch yours.

Bro. Mark,

I wanted to write to you this morning to tell you how grateful I am to the church for opening its doors to the people of Louisiana affected by
Katrina. Like most everyone else I have been watching the news coverage of the storm, and feeling overwhelmed I asked God to give me direction
as to how I could most effectively help. After Sunday morning services, the Lord opened a door for me to begin a conversation with a young
woman from Louisiana who was staying at the church with her family. For some odd reason I felt an instant connection with her, and I spent Sunday
and some of Monday visiting with her and her children. Whenever I got ready to leave her yesterday, a scripture came to me that I clung desperately
to whenever I was going through a very difficult divorce a few years back. My mother repeatedly reminded me of 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 a hope and a future."

After sharing this with her she began crying and she said something that left an impression that I will never forget. She said that she felt God
had sent me to her with a message of hope, encouragement and understanding. What she does not understand is what a blessing that she
was to me, and how blessed I felt that God would allow me the opportunity to be the one to share that message.

I also wanted extend heartfelt gratitude to you and your family and to tell you that you are all in my prayers. Having grown up in a
minister's home, I understand the sacrifice and the strain that can come from carrying out day to day pastoral duties. The additional
responsibilities must seem overwhelming at times. My husband and I are grateful to you and your family and to the calling that you are so faithful to.
Just helping people ... it is just that simple. Mark

Here is a link to some pictures.
http://www.bayshorebc.org/photos34.htm