The latest: Our team of 70 volunteers is mobilizing to be in Baton Rouge by Thursday. The advance team just left. 17 volunteers are working under Michael Paul to identify families to match up with the 270 families who have volunteered to be hosts.

Michael Paul writes from Baton Rouge:

I have just returned from the Istrouma Baptist Church, a center with several hundred evacuees. Horribly sad but a great ministry opportunity. I met and prayed with many.

There was a group from L. A. publicly recruiting for 300 evacuees to fly out tonight. They were asking for the peoples’ FEMA number (what’s this?) and most evacuees were afraid they would manipulate their money from them somehow.

There are just over a dozen Red Cross shelters and about that many more independent shelters (pretty much all of which are churches). I have a list of all of the shelters that were open today. New ones open each day. There is definitely no shortage of evacuees. There is definitely much that can be done.

Many folks may be reluctant to leave Louisiana. People here are very committed to this state, and especially the New Orleans area. The Cajun culture is very tight. Many in the worst hit areas (St. Bernard Parish and lower Jefferson Parish) are Cajuns and Creoles and very few will leave LA.

I am believing huge things from a huge God. Our church attendance this morning was about 25% larger than normal. Worship was deep and very tearful for most. Our interim pastor lost everything -- he is a professor at the seminary in New Orleans. The families I am hosting went into the suburbs today to check their houses. They took pictures of the mess. It is bad. They saw dead bodies floating in the water.

Steve Wallace writes:

Here's a little tidbit that indicates the level of humane, moral and spiritual health that is beginning to rise in this situation. Yesterday during an open share time, one of our elders -- a man whose company is a major international construction/development firm -- shared that many of the emergency commercial real estate space needs were being addressed in an astonishing way. Baton Rouge-area businesses are opening their offices so that their New Orleans competitors have space to operate and stay in business. "Bring your people in here. We'll make space, so you can make a living." Law firms. Accounting firms. Developers. Medical professionals. Amazing.

Ben Messner reports from Gainesville:

“Janeen and I spent three days last week ministering to the evacuees who came to Atlanta. It’s clear to us that God has called us to this ministry. We arrive in Baton Rouge this afternoon and will get right to work.”

Please pray for these people as they lead our ministry efforts on the ground in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
 

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News from the Field: Katrina Update: (9/4/05)
News from the Field: Baton Rouge, LA (9/2/05)
AIM Report: Helping Katrina Refugees in Atlanta