Opportunity for Community

Click on the image below for the news about the Carrie Community Center.

Our team has been praying for an opportunity. Specifically an opportunity to help bring the greater Clear Creek area back into community. Some would say they wish it could be "the way it used to be."

Sometimes all we need to do is ask and watch Him provide. He provided us with an amazing chance to be part of restoring a place that houses and hosts all kind of community events and gatherings. The Carrie Community center is a place that had been flooded in 2022, partially repaired, then flooded again in January because of bursting frozen pipes.
 
We are partnering with one of the local Magistrates to repair this Community center, with the plan to get the community to come out. Click the link below to read the local newspaper article about the project.

Connections

God is truly moving here in KY. We are working with several homeowners who have been very traumatized by the events of last July. We would ask that you pray specifically for the Craig and Holly. They were 8 months away from paying off their home. They took pride in their property with beautiful flower beds and landscaping. They bred huskies and loved their dogs.

The night of the flood they had their family over playing cards and having a great time. They heard the rain. They check the level of the creek. They continued their card games. In a matter of 10-15 minutes water was at their door. Their neighbor called to them. He was running for a rope to help them get to safety, but when he got back their home was gone. All five of them rode in their home down the creek until they hit a bridge and the home shattered. They were tossed in different directions.

 Craig was suspended in a tree by his calf for hours, the force of the water ripping his clothes off of his body and pummeling him with debris. One helicopter attempted to rescue him and was unable. They had to leave him. Thankfully, the second helicopter was able to free him and take him to safety.

 Meanwhile, Holly was knocked unconscious and woke in the water. She was able to grab onto a tree and climb to safety. Unfortunately, while in that tree she suffered a heart attack. Amazingly enough and through God’s hand she survived and was rescued and treated.

 The family went 17 hours not knowing who was still alive and who had been lost. They were eventually reunited. This family has bought a single-wide used trailer and is trying to make needed repairs to make it usable. They are dealing with PTSD, depression, and anxiety on many levels. The cool thing is that Craig and Holly came to know Jesus about 3 months ago.

In September, we had a team at Craig & Holly’s who were continuing to finish up the repairs on their home. The team had many opportunities to talk with Bud and Sue. One of the conversations, Craig shared with a volunteer team member that while he was hanging in the tree, Psalm 23 kept being replayed in his mind. Craig learned this Psalm when he was a child at Camp Nathaniel, a Christian camp nearby and it was the only thing that kept going through his mind that night. As Craig continued to talk with the volunteer team member, the volunteer shared Psalm 100. The volunteer was able to encourage Craig that he is God’s child, that God loves him, and that God spared their lives for a reason.  

 In Holly’s own words spoken about a specific week she connected with some amazing women, “the guys were here this week to work, but the women were here for healing.” It is clear that we are here for more than construction. The lasting impact on their lives is hard to watch as they try to adjust to their new normal. Please pray for this family and for our staff and volunteers as we walk alongside them during this time. Please pray for opportunity to help them grow and understand the blessing of a relationship with the heavenly Father.

Trial by Fire

As we think of this past year and all that we have been through – good, bad and stressful. The thought that comes to mind is trial by fire. That may be prevalent in my mind because of the recent wildfire that threatened our area and our homes, but none the less I believe it is accurate. 
 
Eric and I came to Kentucky over a year ago to help set up the response here following the floods of July 2022. You all know that, of course. We hadn’t planned on this being our home for the next extended period of time. We hadn’t planned on being asked to lead this site. We hadn’t planned to step into a role we were not sure we could do. But God knew. He knew we would fall in love with this area and this community. He knew that we would be accepted and loved in return. 
 
This week’s brush with the fire got me thinking and comparing it to the past year of ministry in KY.

Noticeable Comparisons

 The Unexpected

We had no idea we were in for four days of fighting a fire. We sure weren’t prepared and weren’t sure what to do.

When Eric and I agreed to lead this site, we felt ill prepared. We had been in the ministry full time for about 2.5 years and involved with ReachGlobal Crisis Response for many year before that.  However, we had never run a site. We didn’t know all the ins and outs of being on site full-time much less leading the site.

The Reliance on Prayer

As the fire neared, we prayed. We put out a call to pray for our community as well. We prayed for our friends who were fighting the fire. We prayed for the forestry department and firefighters. We prayed for God to protect our homes. We prayed for wisdom to know how to prepare and to know when to evacuate if it became necessary.

Likewise, Eric and I prayed for God’s leading. We prayed for teammates to join us full-time. We prayed for wisdom. We prayed for direction. We prayed for discernment. Many of you joined us in these prayers.

The Waiting

As we watched the fire make its way down the mountain God provided people to advise us. The locals were definitely not as nervous as we were. They told us how to prepare should the fire come all the way to our homes. Our volunteer team literally pulled in the parking lot, got out of their vehicles and gathered rakes to move leaves away from our homes and the church.  The forestry service was in our area monitoring things. The fire department was here to help. Another local church was willing for us to head to their facility if we needed to evacuate the team.

Likewise, Eric and I prayed and waited. God provided so many staff, adjunct staff, and volunteer teams to come alongside us here in Kentucky. They filled the gap while we waited. They were and continue to be involved in our lives and ministry as well as in the community. And God brought Dave & Connie to join our team in January last year. He then brought Peter & Deb in March. 

The Joy

After days of watching and many ups and downs, the smoke was dissipating, and the fire appeared to be out. There was a relief and joy to know that our homes were fine. The church was fine. Our friends’ homes were safe. Praise God!

Likewise, we have had much to be grateful for and much joy to share. We are excited to see children in the church and to restart Sunday School hour. We love to see folks coming out to our community cookouts or dinners. We praise God for the relationships we have made in the community and with homeowners. We are excited for in-home Bible studies that have begun.

I’m sure the list could go on. We have much to thankful for this season and much to look forward to in the coming year. We are grateful for those of you who partner with us in the amazing opportunity that God has put in front of us. This time last year we were not sure this site would continue in January. We are thrilled to have a calendar filling up with amazing volunteers who believe in what we do and want to be part. God is SOOOO good!!

What did God show you this week?

Every Thursday night we have a sharing night with the teams that have been with us all week. This is an awesome time of sharing where they saw God show up, what God taught them, or anything that they learned from their week of serving.

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Integrity’s Youth & Young adults

Here is what some of the young people from Integrity Church shared with us of what God showed them during their week in Hazard, Kentucky:

“Okay so honestly this trip had me stresssed like about a month before, I was even considering not going because I thought I would be no help. I know nothing about building and construction and I didn’t want to ruin someone’s house, so it took a lot of prayer to get me to just stick it out and I’m SO UNBELIEVABLY GLAD I did! Day one going to Maxine and Kenneth’s house we ended up not having everything we needed to work so it gave me an opportunity to introduce myself to Brylee I think that’s exactly where God wanted me to be. I was able to show so much love and get soo close with her. She made me so happy but she also broke my heart. The more I got to know her the more layers of hurt(I saw) that weren’t only from the flood. That absolutely broke my heart because she is only seven and she’s already been through so much trauma and hurt I wish I coulda just taken it all away from her. I knew I couldn’t fix her all of her problems but just showing her the love of Jesus was enough because Jesus’s love IS enough! I’m never going to forget that family!” - Leah

“How we didn’t realize the impact of the flood until we got there so it really put it into perspective as we were driving and everything and i shared how that one day we got to drive with you(Eric) and you shared some stories that just displayed what really happened there. I learned about the importance of putting others before yourself but talking about listening and hearing others stories and allowing other people to speak and share because not everything is about you…” “It was so good just getting to serve especially at VBS, getting to know those children and seeing what they’ve gone through… EVEN BEFORE THE FLOOD and being able to be a light of Jesus to them was such a blessing. IT WAS SO GOOD! - Emily

”Hazard, Kentucky left me with much more than I came to it with. To see this community, to connect with the hearts, and serve them is an experience I will never forget and a mission I will never lose sight of. God worked through our hands & feet in the brokenness that was there structurally, emotionally, and spiritually and I know He planted many seeds in the hearts of His people. I feel honored that God gave me this unforgettable opportunity to serve His people, a person who often fails Him and humbled by the life I live compared to the people we served who still have joy in the Lord in their unimaginable circumstances. Their stories of the flood and all other layers of life touched me in ways I will never forget. God used them to do a great work in my own heart and I am forever thankful for it.” I know we left a piece of our servants hearts in Kentucky, but I pray we continue to prioritize using them together in our own communities and be the hands & feet of Jesus everyday. I am in awe of the dedication, hard work, patience and unity of all on our team. I was so blessed to serve alongside the people I so dearly love that God has gifted me with a heart of praise.” - Megan

Who’s next? Come join us and see what God has for you here in Hazard.

‘And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”’ Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Children in Crisis

“I ain’t been to my mamaw’s house for months, until that night. Then we spent 2 days in her attic.”

“Our school still doesn’t have floors.”

“My mamaw’s mom got in the water. My uncle and aunt tried to save her. They all died. We couldn’t find mamaw’s body.”

“My mom had to pack me out because the water was at my neck.”

“We used to ride bikes all summer - the creek took all our bikes.”

“My mom and dad were at work. We couldn’t get in touch with them for days.”

“All our trophies were washed away. (school trophy case)”

“There were things in the water that kept hitting us. Trees were floating past us.”

“I was ok. We just got a little water and mud in the laundry room. But my friends lost their house.”

“I used to practice gymnastic in my yard now it is full of broken glass and metal.”

“I saved my dog, but my cat died in the closet.”

“I heard people screaming.”

“We lost it all. We live in a trailer with a crappy generator. (family of 9) It is really hot!”

“I woke up and it was really dark, and I couldn’t find my mom and dad.”

“I heard water rushing. Things were hitting the house.”

“My neighbor’s house isn’t there anymore.”

 “My house was ok, but my brother’s house went down the creek.”

These are just a few of the things I heard last week as we worked at Camp Noah. We were working with kids aged 6-11. To have experienced what they did at such a young age hit me hard. I think going in I was hoping for a VBS type feel. Kids having fun and doing projects. Games and music, etc. But it was very different. I wanted to share a few take aways from my weeks some amazing kids.

Day 1 – You are special - This was very much a get to know you day. We talked about things that make us alike and things that make us different. It could be interest we have, favorite colors, etc. This was a fun day. Very light. We emphasized that we are all special because God made us special. It was a good introduction.

 Day 2 – Story day - This was a very emotional day. We worked on storyboards. Each child drew their story or wrote their story. The majority of our time was spent listening and asking questions in small groups. We encountered kids who lost everything and are in new houses or still in temporary housing. We talked to kids struggling with why their friend lost so much and they didn’t. We listened to fears expressed because of what they experienced. We talked about senses. What did you see, hear, smell? This helped them tell their stories.

 One of the coolest things was that we had Crisis Response K-9s with us. Each child got to have the dog sit with them as they share their storyboard with us. Kids who didn’t want to share hugged, laid against, or just patted the dog and opened up about what they experienced. We had all but 2 children willing to share their story with everyone. It was one of the quietest times of the week. They respected each other and remained quiet as each had a turn to share.

Here are few of their story boards:

Day 3 – Emotions/ Feelings – This was another hard day. We talked a lot about memories. What do we miss about life before the flood. We worked on make a brick to build a wall of memories honoring people lost during the flood or memories that we had of things that are very different now. I wish I had some pictures of these bricks. Some contained a loved one’s name or picture. Some were pictures of pets lost in the water. Some were pictures of friend that no longer live next door. Some were family homes or activities that will never happen again in the same way.

Talking through these brought with it a lot of emotions. We talked about some coping techniques and what to do when panic, fear, or anxiety overwhelms us. We also talked about things we are thankful for, the first of which is the memories we have. It was also overwhelming to hear these precious kids remember and share thanks.

“I am thankful that my pets were safe.”

“I am thankful for the cat that we found in our house after the flood. We adopted him.”

“I am thankful for our new house.”  

“I am thankful God is with us. He saved us in the flood.”

Day 4 – Looking forward with hope – This day focused on a few things. Where do they see good things happening in their community? What talents do we each have and how can we use them to help our family, friends, and community? They have observed people helping each other. They have watched their parents help neighbor and help the community rebuild. They made new friends in their new neighborhood. They have brought and loved new pets in their homes. They have stories of people helping their families as well.

This is one small group’s observations of their community rebuild together. One mom mentioned to our Camp leader that her girls were in much bright moods. They were not complaining as much and they were more positive. So cool!

Day 5 – Wrap up and look to the future – We revisited our talents and thought about what we could use for our future. We talked about steps to move toward our goals. We had a number of police officer and first responders as well as nurses and armed service members. So, we talked about our current choices and how to reach our goals. We also had a couple very special surprises. The community has come alongside our kids and each child went home with a backpack full of school supplies, new shoes, a Walmart gift card, and new bike!! That sure meant a lot to our kids and it was beautiful to see the community bless the kids after all they have been through. 

A Story of Desperation

When we get a call for help at a particular address, we go out and do an assessment to see what they need. Then our amazing construction manager (Dave) puts together drawings and a materials list and an estimate of cost.  This is also our first opportunity to start healing conversations (aka trauma care) with the family. We get to hear some amazing stories of tragedy, survival, and resilience. 

We recently met a family that shared this story with us:

Craig and his family have lived on Clear Creek for many years and was just months away from paying off their home. On the night of July 27th this family was in their home with their daughter, their son, and his fiancé, playing cards. They could hear the rain but weren’t concerned because water never made it to their house. Over the next few hours, as it continued to rain, they realized the water was rising. Before long it was just outside the house. They quickly got their vehicles to higher ground and came back to the house to get some other important papers and items. In just that short time the water had risen so quickly they could not get out. The neighbor from up the hill offered to help them and ran to get a rope trying to get everyone to safety. When the neighbor returned with the rope, he couldn’t get it to them because the water had risen to a point that it was not possible.

What happened next was horrific. The home was lifted off its foundation and taken down the creek with all 5 people in it. They floated down the creek until it a hit bridge and shattered. The family was scattered and landed in areas along the creek - except for one. Dad was still in a piece of the home, and he traveled another 500 yards down the creek. Craig doesn’t remember how, but he ended up in a tree with his calf caught in the crook.

The other family members found the edge of the creek and were rescued by helicopter. They escaped with minor injuries - physically. While Craig was in the tree, water rushed past him tearing off his clothes. He told me that he was crying out loud, “Just shoot me! Just shoot me!” because he was in so much pain and suffering from hypothermia. He was finally rescued but his family members didn’t know if he had survived.

Craig’s wife was frantically searching and asking if anyone had seen her husband. She gave a description but could not recollect what he was wearing. Thankfully, her description allowed them to be reunited. They lost their home and a beloved pet, but they were alive Unfortunately, all that happened to this family continues to shape their lives. They are working through the trauma they experienced day by day. They have purchased a used singlewide trailer and are working to fix it up to live in. Each day is a reminder, and the rainy days are the worse. Pray for Craig and his family as they continue to tell their story and process the terrifying event of that July night. Pray for our teams as we come alongside them in this journey.

People over Projects

In our ministry, we tell every person that comes to serve with us, "people over projects". We are so much more than a construction ministry.
Pictured here are a couple we have been serving over the past couple of months and Kirk, one of our volunteers. Maxine & Kenneth are two wonderful people that we have grown to know and love. Here is their story:

Pastor Darcy and I went out one day in October to visit people who live in the Clear creek area to see how they were doing and if they needed any help. We had the opportunity to hear their flood story and God’s faithfulness during that scary night. As the waters rose they began getting water inside their home. Concerned for their vehicles, Kenneth went outside to move his truck. Kenneth who is disabled due to a stroke was getting into his truck when the rushing water took his feet out from under him. Praise God he had the strength to grab the onto the “oh poop” handle with his good arm. And praise God his neighbor was watching and was able to get there quickly to help get him back into his home. Maxine will still sit out on the porch in heavy rain to watch the creek.

Unfortunately, their home sustained quite a bit a damage. On our second trip out to visit Kenneth and Maxine, we really wanted to see how we could help. But as we have heard from so many here in Kentucky, Maxine told us they were fine and that there were other people worse off. We also found out that Maxine had been dealing with asthma and bronchial pneumonia. So, we prayed with them and visited a little longer. In our conversation we were told that one room still hadn’t gotten cleaned out, which was there bedroom, where carpet was still laying on the floor since the flood. I asked Maxine, if it was wet and she said they just kept their shoes on. If they had their shoes off, it was damp.

So, we mentioned that perhaps she is dealing with asthma complications and the pneumonia because the carpet was probably holding mold in it. I asked her if we come and take care of her bedroom so that they didn’t have to sleep in a room with damp carpet. She agreed to let us come and work on her bedroom and we continue to help her in other parts of their home as well. The relation built has been such a blessing to me. I, so much enjoy the fellowship with this amazing family. I am inspired by their faith in the Lord and their love for each other. Our volunteers see it too. Maxine is always baking for us and has even quietly snuck some KFC into our trucks before we leave. Sneaky sneaky! :)

This is a family that we often go and visit even when we are not working at their house. Our hope is to continue to encourage them and love on them. But you know God. He blesses us with their friendship as well. So yes, there is lots of work to be done. But God gives us people to love as well.

Just walk away

Lost Creek Free church was completely engulfed in the flood waters on July 28, 2022. Pastor Dave drives fuel trucks and shepherds this church part time. Lost Creek Free Church has been a part of his life for a long time. He sat under the teaching of the previous pastor who had been there for 54 years! When our team met Pastor Dave, he was broken and exasperated with the situation of his church. As Dave looked at the damage to his church, he wasn't sure what to do. Dave spent many days, lawyers visits, county office visits trying to figure out if he could rebuild this church.Finally, he was told he had to walk away from the church.

Recently, I was taking a team on a tour of the areas we are working in and stopped by Lost Creek Free Church. Imagine my surprise when we pulled up to the church and Samaritans Purse was there gutting the building! I introduced myself to the team and we shared with them about Crisis Response. It was a really neat opportunity to talk with this team and share what Christ was doing in the community as we work together with the common goal of share Christ with hurting people. And it was a huge blessing to have the building cleaned out. Before we left both the team from Samaritans Purse and our Crisis Response team prayed together for Lost Creek Free Church, for the communities, and for each of our teams. It was awesome!

I was checking in on Pastor Dave to see how he was doing and if he had found someplace to build the church. I was surprised to hear that they were in the process of rebuilding the original church that had been flooded. Pastor Dave was so excited and thanking God that he could be back in their building. As of today, they are full steam ahead and have electric going in. We are hoping to be available to help them do some drywall and other projects. Please be in prayer for this church. Pray for Pastor Dave - for strength, health, and for others to support him as they rebuild. Pray for the congregation - this is a heavy emotional and financial strain for them.