SHORT-TERM MISSIONS &
DISASTER RESPONSE

It’s been forty-two days since six-and-a-half feet ravaged the church building of Neon Reformed OPC. Even though much has been accomplished, there is still much more to do. The Lord hears your prayers and is strengthening the community in Neon, even in this disaster! The church building has been mucked out, power-washed, sanitized, dried and now has drywall installed. In the six weeks since the flood, over fifty volunteers from eleven states have come to get us to this point. The Lord has been very gracious.

New Church Rebuilding Coordinator Has Been Found

With the focus changing to rebuilding at the church, Art Allen, a contractor and deacon at Shiloh OPC, Raleigh, NC has graciously agreed to coordinate the rebuild effort at the church. Art has been serving in Neon since last week and is impressed with the progress thus far.

Mercy Coordinator Needed

In addition to this concentrated effort to restore worship by rebuilding the church building, Neon Reformed OPC desires to reach out into this impoverished community to help the many who do not have the means to remove debris and mud from their homes. We are searching for someone, preferably a deacon, to serve as a mercy coordinator, to build relationships with the families of the community, joining the needs with the abilities of the volunteers, all while pointing them to the true source of all good gifts.

Restoring Pastor Jay Bennett’s Library

The flood water spared no items it touched, including the books in the first-floor library of Pastor Bennett. In an effort to replace the books, we have recruited a volunteer to coordinate book donations. Enrique Huezo, member of Shiloh OPC, Raleigh, NC, has agreed to serve as our book donations coordinator. To see the list of books Jay still needs, check out this website. If you need more information, contact Enrique, bookdonations@opc.org.

Update on the Work

At the church, the drywall is up, and the taping and mudding are complete. Next up is painting, carpentry and flooring, as well as cabinetry for the bathrooms. Now that the project has shifted to the rebuild, more skilled volunteer labor is needed in addition to general helpers. Many of our upcoming weeks do not yet have volunteers confirmed, so please consider serving the Lord in this way.

The Local Church

Pastor Jay Bennett and his wife, Andrea are working tirelessly to lead his family, congregation, and community through this disaster. Andrea serves as hospitality coordinator, making sure there are enough beds for each volunteer. We are so thankful for the service of the muck out coordinator, Reuben Long, as well as his sister, Helen, who worked a long, hard month, moving mud and debris out of the church and other places in the community.

Prayer and Praise

Praise

• that a permanent site coordinator has been identified and is on the ground in Neon!

• for the relationship we enjoy with MNA (PCA) and the help that they have provided in lending much needed equipment

• for the many generous donations to the Neon Flood Fund have brought us over $233,000. thus far.

• for the over 50 volunteers that have come to serve

• that the streets in Neon have been cleaned, showing signs of much needed improvement

• for the regular, behind the scenes work of the Neon Oversight Committee

• for the Body of Christ, working together to serve Neon

• for the group of pastors who donated toward the purchase of a Logos book subscription for Pastor Bennett

Prayer

• for a Mercy Coordinator to be identified

• for progress to be made without material or volunteer shortages

• for the service of His Church to be a light to the community and point to Christ

• for safety for the volunteers

• that through this effort, the Lord would be glorified

Keep up with the effort in Neon by visiting the OPC Disaster Response website: OPCDisasterResponse.org. If you or your church would like to contribute toward this effort, visit give.opc.org. If you would like to volunteer, contact volunteer coordinator, Jane Robinson: KentuckyVolunteers@opc.org or go to OPCDisasterResponse.org and click on “Go!”