HisHands2go

ALABAMA AID- HANDS ON

2011-06-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

The staff of HisHands2Go ventured up to Hackleburg, AL, last week (5/23 - 5/27) to assist in the relief efforts. The devastation in Alabama resulted from a powerful tornado ripping through the town of Hackleburg and it's outlying areas. Homes were left in shambles- most resembling toothpicks tossed in piles by the roadside just waiting to be picked up and taken to the dump. The folks of Hackleburg found themselves without home, several without cars, without the convenience of a grocery store, and the burden of cleaning up the overwhelming mess.

After awful events- most often natural disasters- an amazing thing happens... people of all ages, races, and ethnicity pull together. They now have something in common and work together to clean up the mess, rebuild their homes, and care for each other by providing food, drink, and encouraging words. Food tents were set up all around the devastated area. We actually went to one for lunch everyday. Portalettes were easy to find, and construction workers drove tractors, skid loaders, and other vehicles around the town offering assistance where it is needed. I absolutely do not wish for disasters to occur, but I long for the raw atmosphere that follows a disaster. Love and kindness are genuine, and the grace, peace, and hand of God are undeniable and exposed. It's an amazing experience.

While volunteering in Alabama we worked alongside a special (especially to us) team of hard-working, mid-western volunteers from German Valley, IL. This team spent numerous hours, days, and weeks assisting the residents and churches of New Orleans in the rebuilding process after hurricane Katrina. The two teams combined to take apart a church building that the tornado ruined. The work was hard and resulted in many scrapes and bruises, but to be able to bless a pastor who is trying to hold the church together amidst personal loss as well was definitely worth it. Below are pictures of the devastation in Hackleburg and the work done on the church.

Please continue to pray for the folks of Hackleburg as well as those in Joplin, MO.

The church that we took apart.

Rich and Aaron on the roof.

Even the cooks came out to help!

The machine that deserves A LOT of credit for the clean up.

The master mind behind the machine, and his young assistant driver.

Hard worker!

Larry Swift- director of HH2G, and Dan Miller.

Rich, the slave-driver of the roof crew (I was on that crew :-) A wonderful person to work with!

The owners of the "salvage company."

My battle wound- I was kissed in the head by a steel beam.

The sanctuary of the church. Where angels trod.

The sanctuary when the clean up was finished.

ALABAMA AID

2011-05-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

You have all heard of and possibly seen the devastation that resulted from the tornadoes that swept through the south these past few weeks- with Alabama suffering the worst of the damage. New Orleans has received an incredible amount of assistance from folks around the country, and we look forward to repaying this kindness by assisting those affected by the storms in Alabama.

HisHands2Go will be sending a team from New Orleans 5/23 - 5/28/2011 to Alabama to lend our assistance and determine how we may be able to provide meaningful long-term aid. We look forward to connecting with a team from Crossroads Church , IL, that has volunteered through HH2G in New Orleans many, many times.

Please pray for us as we seek God's direction concerning HH2G's role in Alabama.

And DON'T FORGET that we remain active in hosting teams that continue to rebuild New Orleans. Stay tuned for further updates.

Planting Love and Harvesting Hope

2011-04-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

One of the privileges of working with HisHands2Go is to see the effects of the changes happening in people's hearts as a result of their experience rebuilding in New Orleans. Volunteers of various ages, races, cultures, and backgrounds are susceptible to this change. There's just something amazing that happens in a person when they've spent significant time- their own personal time- investing in another person. In the setting of HisHands2Go work, people are rebuilding homes for people who have lost much. They are loving them by hammering nails, tearing down rotting wood, and listening to the stories of the people they are assisting.

The Harvest Bible Chapel team from Illinois has returned for a 3rd year of working alongside HH2G. For several high-schoolers this was their 2nd or 3rd trip here. Though we do not see them between their trips, we see a change in they way they work, how they interact with the homeowners, their leadership with the other students. What a privilege we have.

The Harvest Bible Chapel team picked up the work where the IU team left off with Mr. Desoto "Bobby" Jackson and Mr. Cambell, and even started a new job- a demolition job! Right off of Canal St. a home was not only damaged by the hurricane, but nearly burned down completely. A large group of the students attacked the garage out back and cleared out the bushes and weeds on the property. I just love those kinds of jobs!

Thanks Harvest! Ya'll did an awesome job this week and we look forward to seeing you next year!

Good Ole' Midwesterners

2011-04-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

The Midwestern folks of America are known for their hard-work ethic and generosity towards their neighbors. You can imagine how excited we were to host a team of 48 people from Indiana University! This team combined of guys and girls from IU worked efficiently to complete several jobs, and to bring a few other jobs close to completion- working for homeowners such as Mr. Campbell and Mr. Desoto "Bobby" Jackson, and the rehab center Teen Challenge.

We at HH2G enjoy facilitating a memorable experience for the volunteers that work alongside us. One of the ways we do this is to encourage trips to other parts of the city that they are not rebuilding in, partake in beignets and chicory coffee at the famous Cafe du Monde, and of course get a taste of the authentic cajun food that southern Louisiana is known for. The IU team fortunately joined us in the month of March, smack dab in the middle of crawfish season! Before this team left New Orleans they were treated to a shrimp boil in the bywater, and the next day we provided them boiled crawfish- yum!

Thanks to the IU team for their hard-work, you've completely raised the bar to the other Midwesterners coming down to the Crescent City!

SPRING BREAK 2011 kick-off

2011-03-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

University of Central Florida shipped a team over to New Orleans the second week of March- consisting of many volunteers who had never been to NOLA before. They spent the week painting for a Mr. Campbell (who treated them to yummy lunch food everyday- luckies!), and for Teen Challenge of New Orleans. They were joined by a team from Pennsylvania- a group of gentlemen with one lady among them. The Penn. team focused on a roofing job. They found (as volunteers here in NOLA often do) that as they peeled back the layers of roof, they discovered more and more rotting wood and needed repairs. They were up for the job though.

In addition to hard work, these teams enjoyed experiencing the multiple cultural facets of the city- from the ninth ward to the French Quarter and Uptown. The excitement of being in New Orleans was at least doubled- as they came during the week of Mardi Gras! Parades were running night and day and the streets were filled with party-goers. An exciting time to be in the city.

Thanks so much to these two teams who kicked-off our spring break!

Thoughts for Pondering

2011-03-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

The flood of volunteers that typically overtakes the city of New Orleans during spring break has not disappointed in 2011. As I drive down the road I see multiple homes being restored and rebuilt by the generosity, sweat, and love of volunteers. The home across the street from my office had volunteers working inside and outside last week. When I passed them on Friday they were cheering and clapping- no doubt celebrating the accomplishment of bringing a home-owner much much closer to being back in their home. Not just their house... their home. Maybe they were the ones to put the finishing touches on the house and were handing the keys over to the homeowner. Now that is definitely something to celebrate. I wonder who that homeowner is. I'm sure they have a story to tell- everyone does you know. Not just stories about their experience through hurricane Katrina, but about their lives before and after. I hope the volunteers were able to hear those stories. They may have rebuilt a home, but they have made an impact on more than just the hurricane aftermath chapter of the homeowner's life. The effects of their kindness will carry on through the rest of the homeowner's life.

Krewe de Kansas- Sept. 2010

2010-10-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

The guys of Family Life Assembly of God (Pittsburgh, KS) brought with them cooler air and lots of sunshine when they joined HH2G for a week in September. Veterans of the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, this team of 5 jumped right into the work. We utilized the carpentry skills amongst the group by assigning them to build a ramp for Mrs. Julia Brown. Julia travels in a wheel chair, so the guys worked on her deck and added a ramp for ease of access to her home.

The Kansas team was also able to reconnect with a homeowner they blessed in the summer of 2009. Steamboat Willie, a New Orleans dixieland jazz musician, always wanted a back deck, and this team delivered. Our staff is continually amazed by the connections that form between the volunteers and the homeowners they work with.

Grace Church of Chapel Hill (NC)- AUG 2010

2010-08-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

Grace Church brought a wonderful mixture of volunteers to HH2G... There were young and old alike, and a few FAMILIES! Serving others together as a family can be an awesome experience. It can create strong memories and bonds that remain throughout a lifetime. It was a great experience to host such a team!

Half of the crew from Grace Church finished up several projects at Mr. Desoto Bobby Jackson's home, both inside and outside of the house. The team was privileged to experience the act of handing over the keys of the house to the homeowner, Mr. Jackson.

GREAT JOB TO ALL TEAMS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO WORKED ON MR. DESOTO BOBBY JACKSON'S HOME!!! There is no way that the full amount of gratitude for your hard work could be expressed. Know that you participated not only in rebuilding a home, but in deeply touching someone's life with the love of Jesus.

The other half of the team worked at the home of Pastor Green. HH2G did most of the rebuilding of Pastor Green's home, and returned to continue the work. The team painted the outside of the house, as well as laid tile in the house, complete with a small mosaic :)

First Presbyterian Church (CA)- JULY 2010

2010-08-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

After a year off from HH2G, First Presbyterian Church returned to New Orleans with fond memories of their previous visit, and an eagerness to make more memories this visit. It's wonderful to welcome familiar faces back to HH2G- and we were privileged to do so with this crew, right down to a young lady who experienced her first trip to New Orleans back in 2007!

The crew of First Pres. worked hard to return Mr. Desoto Bobby Jackson's home to a functional state. With skilled workers to lead and non-skilled workers to fill in where necessary this team accomplished much! This crew accomplished so much that the next team was able to finish most of the work left in Mr. Jackson's home!

To the team members of First Presbyterian of Santa Rosa (you know who you are ;), it's always a pleasure to host and work with you. We look forward to seeing you all again!

St. Vivian Church (OH) - JULY 2010

2010-08-24T13:23:00.001-07:00

"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention," so says Kahlil Gibran. St. Vivian Church faithfully commits acts of kindness and compassion by sending teams twice a year, and has graced our presence with teams a total of 6 times! That's right, folks... 6 times! The past 2 summers Jeanne Shaefer has headed up a team of young volunteers from the St. Vivian youth group. This year was no different. Upon arrival, HH2G staff gladly welcomed several familiar faces as well as a few new team members.

The beautiful thing about this team is that regardless of who is on the team, they perform whatever tasks are asked of them, and they do it with infectious joy and love... I've even heard of them serenading the homeowners as they work!

This July the St. Vivian crew scraped, primed, and painted the home of Frank and Nikki Brown (picture of home before painting is above). This team pressed hard to finish the painting job, and succeeded! Check out the action shots above...

Sweet Summer Fun

2010-08-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

(Ahem)...After a rather long reprieve from blogging, HisHands2Go is back in action with updates on our summer happenings. We've had some extremely hard-working teams, sweet fellowship, and wonderful experiences with the homeowners. Check out the next few postings for specifics on the teams we were blessed to work with, and the homeowners they were privileged to work for!

Much love to ya,

HisHands2Go

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!

2010-05-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

HisHands2Go has been assisting homeowner Desoto "Bobby" Jackson with his home for roughly 2 1/2 months now. Mr. Jackson, an elderly gentleman, has been doing much of the work of rebuilding his home himself since 2005. HH2G staff made contact with him soon after the hurricane, and reconnected with him this winter (2010). Mr. Jackson was only expecting to have a little help, so he was thrilled when HH2G offered him much more: we've made a goal of finishing the work on Bobby's home, and seeing him move back into it, preferably by the end of 2010. Most HH2G volunteers that have come down since January have been priviledged to assist Bobby with his home, and have carried away wonderful memories of working with and for this man. Though much has been accomplished, there is still much to do, and now the work is to a point that it requires some skilled workers... but of course we ALWAYS welcome the unskilled as well :) Here are the tasks we are seeking to accomplish:

SKILLED
1) Sanding & refinishing hardwood floors
2) Finish carpentry work

UNSKILLED
1) Scraping & painting
2) Drywall hanging
3) Mudding, taping, sanding drywall

Please consider taking a week of your time to come down and work on Mr. Jackson's home. For more information or to book a trip, visit http://www.hishands2go.com/, email teams@hishands2go.com, or call (504) 302-0788. We look forward to seeing you!

Harvest Bible Chapel (IL) - March 2010

2010-04-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

When HH2G first hosted Harvest Bible Chapel, the team was over 100 people strong. The church facilities were brimming over with all the energy that 95 high schoolers possess. The students and chaperones arrived, a tremendous amount of work was accomplished, lives were deepened spiritually, and some residents of New Orleans were much much closer to a reconstructed home... the week went beautifully!

This March (2010), HH2G was privileged to host the Harvest Bible Chapel Cyrstal Lake campus again. We welcomed back many familiar faces, and got acquainted with many new ones. The volunteers split into 2 teams:

The first crew worked on the home of Mr. DeSoto "Bobby" Jackson. Half of the team hung sheetrock inside the home, while the other half scraped, primed, and painted the outside of Mr. Jackson's home. The amount of work that this team accomplished in a week is incredible! Mr. Jackson still needs mudding, taping and sanding, and painting done on the inside of his home, but he will be back in his home very soon.

The second team worked on the home of Mrs. Banks. The team worked their muscles doing some demolition work in the home, as well as completely reroofing the house!

First Baptist Woodway (TX) - MAR 2010

2010-03-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

HisHands2Go enjoys hosting a variety of age groups, ranging from junior high to senior citizens. The diverse age groups offer differing levels of energy and, of course, maturity. In our experience, the high school age brings a vast amount of energy to the experience in New Orleans, and the crew of First Baptist Woodway is a prime example of that…

Youth Pastor Bob Johns brought his crew from Waco, TX, to New Orleans 2 years ago to gut out a home and brush walls with mold remediation chemical. This year they returned with a new goal ahead of them- tearing down an entire house! This may seem to be a formidable task for a group of young people, but they handled it with a lot of hard work and team work; completely dismantling the fallen structure and diminishing it to 2.5 dumpsters in about 2 days. The crew then moved on to tearing down a garage for Mr. Desoto “Bobby” Jackson, and pulling up tile flooring in another home. This team accomplished an impressive amount of work in the span of 3 days, and was a joy to be around during their visit. Thanks for coming back to NOLA for another round of hard work- it’s appreciated by many people!

2010-03-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Waaaaay back in the year 2008, Sobie Serpe fearlessly led a crew of (somewhat) unskilled workers through the process of replacing the roof on a church building severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. This church building by the name of Spirit of Praise was destined to become a light in the community of the 9th Ward of New Orleans. Post Katrina, Spirit of Praise was no longer able to function as a church and the building was given to another entity to be used in whatever way the Lord directed. Now, two years later, the roof is in need of some touch-up repairs, and the wheels of Elan Ministries are turning to establish a community garden at Spirit of Praise, with plans for more programs and activities to develop. And who should be called upon to help us move forward in these endeavors? (da da da daaaaaaa) Sobie Serpe and his crew.

Sobie and the Williams Family and friends spent another week with HH2G this March. Not only did they repair the roof of the church, but also installed the drain pipes to harvest rain water for the future garden. In addition to the work on Spirit of Praise, the crew worked on the home of Mr. Desoto “Bobby” Jackson, who happens to be a lover of gardening himself. The team was able to line Desoto’s entire home with plastic lining, which prepared it for insulation and sheetrock. After the team left, I spoke with Desoto about his home, and he voiced (without my prompting :) how hard-working these team members were, and how much he appreciated their assistance. We at HH2G agree with Mr. Jackson, and would like to go further in thanking the New Covenant team for journeying again to New Orleans. Your presence here has brought both encouragement and joy to those you worked for. Thanks again!

Valley of Peace (MN) - FEB & MAR 2010

2010-03-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

Valley of Peace Lutheran Church hails from the Minneapolis area of Minnesota. Though not new to New Orleans, they were new guests of HH2G. One of several teams we've had from Minnesota, they brought their unique accents and wonderful work ethics to the south. Team leader Tim Hepner put together a three week stint for his volunteers; most team members stayed for a week, while a few others settled in for a two week streak of sheetrocking, mudding/taping, sanding, painting, roof repairing, floor tiling, among other jobs. They worked on the homes belonging to Ms. Rosie Stevens, Brian Berteaux, Albert Franklin, and Ms. Julia Brown.

Tim recruited volunteers from Valley of Peace church, his family, friends and neighbors, and folks who joined the crew without knowing anyone on the teams! As their hosts, it was wonderful to witness the relationships that developed among strangers that were working together for the common goal of helping those who were in need of assistance. Thanks to the eclectic crew from Minnesota for all of the work you accomplished in your time here, for the laughs we shared, and the joy you brought to some New Orleans folks whose lives have been enhanced by your presence and work.

2010-03-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a busy few weeks this has been! HisHands2Go has facilitated around 75 people in the last 4 weeks- some staying for multiple weeks at a time. With teams from Minnesota, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut (the FIRST team from that state to stay with HH2G!), the months of February and March have proven to be rich in diversity of accents, personalities, volunteer skills, taste in food :), and experiences. Now with a two week reprieve, we are catching up on office work, and gearing up for the next team of 60 from Illinois!

When teams are present at the HH2G facilities, there is never a shortage of things to do... but we wouldn't have it any other way! Already this year- only 3 months into 2010 - HH2G has welcomed more teams than the total amount of teams we had in 2009. Hallelujah! God continues to touch the hearts of people who respond by coming down to give a week (or more) of their time. Our staff counts it a wonderful privilege to serve the volunteers so that they can in turn serve the residents of New Orleans effectively and efficiently.

If you haven't been down to New Orleans yet this year- give us a call and book a trip... and spread the word to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc! We'd love to have you join us in serving the people of New Orleans!

2010-02-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

WHO DAT!!!! Saints win SuperBowl 44!!! This team has done much for the city of New Orleans to uplift it economically, to assist in the redevelopment process, and has boosted morale higher than it has been in many years. HH2G is proud to be a citizen of the WHO DAT nation! Geaux Saints!

St. Vivian Church (OH) - Jan 2010

2010-02-08T12:49:00.000-08:00

HisHands2Go gladly welcomed back St. Vivian Church for their 5th trip to New Orleans. A joyful group by nature, this team is known by the HH2G staff and homeowners for their encouraging (and always humurous) banter, their "choir" performances while working in the homes, and their willingness to do whatever jobs are put in front of them. This year St. Vivian worked primarily with homeowner Brian Berteaux. The team assisted Brian with mudding and sanding, texturing and painting, and readying another property of Brian's for rental... amongst numerous other odd jobs. To the crew of St. Vivian, you bring such joy to the people of New Orleans- thanks so much for your support and hard work. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Crossroads (IL) - JAN 2010

2010-01-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while life takes a turn for the worst, such as a hurricane destroying the better part of a city... but it seems like God always sends someone along to offer encouragement and support in even the toughest situations of life. The team from Crossroads Community Church can certainly be described as those who lift others up when they need it most. Crossroads responded to the need of volunteer workers very shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, and have continued to lend their many hands in the rebuilding effort, with their most recent trip being a 2 week stint to close out 2009 and welcome in 2010 with HH2G. They poured a whopping 2600 man hours into homes and buildings in desperate need of repair. In winter of 2009 they completely sheetrocked two homes, and this year they accomplished no less! To our dear friends in Illinois, words cannot express what a blessing you are to the people of New Orleans, and to those of us at HisHands2Go. Thank you so very much for your support and encouragement.

Common Unity Missions Outfitters Group (IN) - JAN 2010

2010-01-04T13:49:00.001-08:00

The Mission Outfitters Group of Common Unity Church Ministries joined HH2G for an action-packed week of roofing, mudding & taping, floor waxing and much much more. This dynamic group was a combination of members from several churches in NE Indiana, headed . Though they arrived as individuals, they departed a team. When you mix team leaders who are intent on uniting followers of Jesus with team members who are willing to undertake whatever tasks they are given, an immense amount of work can be accomplished and numerous lives are touched. To the IN team: You not only accomplished a large amount of work, but you've left a lasting impact on our community. Thank you for serving the people of New Orleans!

UPDATE: Mr. Isaac Green

2009-11-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Isaac is currently living in Shreveport, LA with plans to return to New Orleans with the rest of his family soon. His daughter is living in the house in New Orleans East, and he regularly comes to New Orleans to maintain the property. The house is holding up wonderfully. He reported that he even has a new fence up, and only needs to finish adjusting the gate! The only tasks left for him to do are to install his gutter system, and replace a few bricks that were damaged during the rebuilding process. Isaac repeatedly expressed his gratitude for all of the hard work that the volunteers put into his home- thanks to those of you who touched this man's life!

2009-10-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Emma and Edward Richards lived in this home with their 2 granddaughters before Hurricane Katrina drove them out. They have been residing in Baton Rouge in a small apartment with various family members. This is an elderly couple, and the husband is in a wheelchair. They nearly lost their son in the hurricane, but their daughter was able to find him when they were allowed back in the city (a really cool story! J) Their daughter has been living in a trailer behind the home in order to keep her job in New Orleans. The whole scenario has been a stress on the family, but they are resilient and continue to find their hope and joy in the Lord.

Two winters ago volunteers from Minnesota reroofed the house, tore up the floor, leveled it, and re-laid the floor, and they reinforced some of the walls. After finishing all of that, one of the volunteer’s fathers designed a layout for the house that would accommodate Edward’s wheelchair, and they framed the house. Since then the exterior siding has been re-installed and various teams have hung the drywall. The drywall currently needs finishing and mudding.

The Goal: Get the Richards in their house before summer of 2010. You can make a difference!!!

Wouldn't you like to know...?

2009-08-26T11:29:00.001-07:00

Oftentimes volunteers will ask an HH2G staff member what we do when teams aren't volunteering with us... and the staff member will begin to rattle off a list of not-so-fascinating tasks that usually loses the attention of the asker, or surprises them because the answer was different than what they expected. I'm sure that there are plenty of you who continue to wonder what we do in our spare time, so I though I'd offer a little explanation:

When we aren't riding motorcycles, taking Tango lessons, or traveling the world, we are holding office hours and progressing the work of community development that HH2G is a part of. Many of you have heard of the Spirit of Praise building that houses some of our equipment- this building has the destiny of a community center: with after-school tutoring, summer youth camp, a community garden, and events for the elderly people and folks of all ages to come together as a community (we like to dream about how this will look 5 years from now). In addition to this development, HH2G staff spends much of their time getting the word out about the work still to be done in NOLA. We have an extremely limited advertising budget, so we have limited ways of spreading the news. This is where you come in... PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! Or if you have any advertising suggestions, please feel free to pass them on to us! I think we can all agree that we'd like to see the residents of New Orleans thriving after suffering so much devastation... so please join us in encouraging folks to come down to work with HH2G!

St. Vivian Church 8.3 - 8.7.09

2009-08-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

St. Vivian Church youth group of Cincinnati, OH. HH2G enjoys the privilege of working with St. Vivian two times a year: the adults during the winter, and the youth in the summer! This summer part of the St. Vivian team carried on the work at the Clouet house by mudding and taping the drywall, and finished up the week with a demolition job. The other half of the team furthered the work on Brian Berteaux's home.

Meadow Creek Four Square Church 7.13 - 7.20.09

2009-08-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

Meadow Creek Four Square Church of Issaquah, WA. Many of these folks ventured down after Hurricane Katrina to assist with the clean up, and now they have returned with the intention of rebuilding! We appreciate their willingness to serve in whatever capacity is needed.

Family Life A/G 7.13 - 7.17.09

2009-08-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

Family Life A/G of Pittsburgh, KA. These men returned for a second visit to HH2G, and this time put their skills to use building a back porch for one of the well-known musicians of New Orleans- Steamboat Willie. We appreciate all of the long hours and hard work that these guys give!

North Highland A/G 7.13-7.17.09

2009-08-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

North Highland A/G Middle School youth group... what a crew! They brought so much energy to the city, and spent it all rebuilding homes, sharing their faith, worshiping, and of course- laughing.

Silver Creek Reformed Church 7.27-7.31.09

2009-08-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Silver Creek Reformed Church youth group from German Valley, IL. Their week basically consisted of hanging sheetrock, busting up some bathtubs, and hilarious quotes. We will remember how they worked hard and brought two homeowners much closer to being back into their homes... but the most memorable aspect of this team was their excitement during worship!

Teams in Action July 2009

2009-07-21T11:39:00.001-07:00

Georgia, Kansas, Washington, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana... volunteers from these states collaborated with HH2G through the month of July to rebuild the homes of several families and individuals. Teams from Georgia, Washington and Kansas were the first to arrive, followed by Illinois and Indiana, and Ohio finished up the month. With a mixture of ages (the youngest being middle school), the stories and experiences will vary, but the goal remains united.
Several teams worked on the same project over the 3 week period, and each team picked up where the previous team left the work. Through this sort of team work HH2G can focus on getting a single homeowner through the entire process of rebuilding their home and moving back into it. Thanks so much to each volunteer that spent a week with HH2G spreading hope and love to the people of New Orleans. We hope to see you again!