Thursday, May 31, 2007

Here is our Church!





Hi Everyone. I am sorry it has been a while but we did not have any Internet service here for a while. However, we got it fixed today so I am back up and running. We have a team in from California and one of the men is a computer wiz and he fixed every thing. His name is Buster so everyone pray for a special blessing for him. He was suppose to have heart surgery but he told his doctor he was coming to New Orleans first. Isn't that awesome! He knew God wanted him here first. We are expecting a full healing for Buster so everyone who reads this take a moment and pray for his full recovery. In Jesus name it is done!

We have another group of teens who have come for a week to help also. They are wonderful. They work hard and are such a great group of teens. There is 14 males and 2 females and 4 youth leaders. We are very proud of them. We have two places where we house teams that come in. There are 2 locations where we house volunteers. The place in New Orleans East used to be the church. After the storm the entire congregation was gone. The church building in the 9th ward opened up and Pastor Teresa moved operations there. The building at East has been transformed for the volunteers, bunk beds, full kitchen, 2 showers and all. The church in the 9th has an upstairs area that has also been transformed for volunteers. No longer are there church offices. Instead there are more bunk beds with a full kitchen in the downstairs area.
Everything changed with the storm. Everyone changed after the storm. And things are still changing by the day. Churches everywhere have transformed the space they have to help others. Some are just doing everything they can to have church again! Without the volunteers neither would be possible!
Both of our locations have the option of having 3 meals a day prepared for them (at a small cost) or they can use the facilities and prepare for themselves. We have both and both work, according to the teams needs and preparations.

One of our family members here with us Susan has taken some pictures of the church we have service in and she has shared them with me so here is the church for all to see. The church has come a long way. The inside of the church itself shows you that the pews are long gone and we sit on chairs for services. The floors are also still concrete and the block walls lasted through the 11 feet of water that stood inside the building for over 3 weeks! The church organ was destroyed but the altar area made it. Pastor Teresa had taken photo immediately after the flood waters were pumped out and it just simply takes your breath away! The thickness of the mud alone is a sight unlike anything I have ever seen! They have come a long way and yet still have a long way to go. These pictures is the way it looks now. I do have pictures that show what it use to look like and will try to get them on the site at a later date. I love our Pastor and you would love her too, She has such a loving heart for everyone.
Well there is so much more to tell you but I will give more info in a couple of days so keep praying for us and we will pray for you.

I just wanted to say also that now anyone that would like to support us can do so and it is tax deductible. Yes tax deductible! All you do is write your donation out to: "Saint Luke Assembly of God" and in the note section put "Donation is for Allen & Dovie McDow." Address: 2201 Franklin Avenue., New Orleans, LA 70117

Thank you so very much for all you support and remember we love you........ Allen and Dovie.

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