Watching from afar

Each night as the ReachGlobal Crisis Response Colorado assessment team posts their pictures and updates their blogs I am blown away by the devastation in one of the most beautiful places in the USA. The picture below is what used to be main street in Glen Haven, CO.

Rivers and creeks have literally been rerouted and are now running through homes, main streets and even under a church in Lyons.  Yes, you read that right! The River Church of Lyons, CO now has a river running directly underneath it.  But this church, with half of it’s congregation sheltered in Longmont and half camped out in Lyons, is in the midst of formulating a plan with the ReachGlobal Crisis Response team of how they can be a light in the midst of all the devastation to those from the community!  They are asking how they can help their neighbor’s family who lost a loved one in the floods and how they can help with mud removal and winterization of neighboring homes before the snow flies.

Many of the congregants of the 5 EFCA churches that the assessment team have major damage to their homes, yet they are excited to be able help their neighbors and show the love of Christ to those in need.  The body of Christ is at work in these communities.

But here is the reality of our ReachGlobal Crisis Response team.  There are not enough staff people to go around. With sites running in New Orleans, New Jersey, New York and Haiti and teams scheduled to arrive from now until Thanksgiving in these locations, staff is needed to facilitate these volunteer teams. Someone needs to be there to arrange the work to be done, get materials, building permits and tools arranged.  To host and feed them all and to help them understand that they need to put down the hammer or shovel and spend time with the homeowner or a neighbor and listen to their stories.  Adding another location has spread our team thin.

If you are considering donating to a disaster relief agency in response to the flooding in Colorado, please consider doing a monthly support gift.  Monthly gifts will get us into the field to be able to share the love of Christ in times of need following crisis and add two more workers for the kingdom to the ReachGlobal Crisis Response Team.  Go to the “Ways to Partner With Us” page for giving options.