Bethel Baptist Church, Sharpsburg...

Rod Smith and I (Linda Butler) had the pleasure of representing our Church (Bethel Baptist Church, Sharpsburg, IL) on a mission trip to the Gautier-Biloxi Mississippi area.  The goal was to assist Habitiat for Humanity in their efforts to help provide new housing for people who had been waiting almost two years to rebuild after hurricane Katrina.  The experience for both of us was more than we gave.  We were two pieces of an elaborate plan.  I would go again in a heartbeat!  We met wonderful people from the area, as well as good people from all over the country who had volunteered.  They, like us, wanted to help, loved the Lord, and weren't afraid to say so.  We were Christ's hands and feet and it was our privilege to help.

Central Baptist Church, Springfield...

April 21-28, 2007, Central Baptist Church, Springfield, IL sponsored a work team to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Eight team members traveled to and stayed at Yankie Stadium, Biloxi, Ms where they worked in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity and Operation Home Delivery to build new homes for victims of hurricane Katrina. Seven team members from Central Baptist were: Jerry and Sheila Fite, Ross Hodel, George Tankersley, Angele Wandji, Faith and J. R. Heikes. Margery Wilcoxen from Cherry Hills Baptist Church was also a member of the team.

On Monday, April 23rd, all team members joined with a team from American Baptist Churches, Binghamton, NY to start construction on a "House in a Box" in Gautier, MS.  A "House in a Box" is partily constructed at other sites and transported to the home site to be assembled there. On Tuesday, Faith and Margery joined the three women from the New York team and they were assigned to finish-up work on a house in D'Iberville. They experienced the excitement and joy of working with the woman who was the owner and was soon to move into her new home.

From David Johanpeter of Mattoon First Baptist Church...

August 29, 2005 was the day I started my current job at Kirchner Building Center.   It was also the day hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  I was Team Leader for the ABMen Disaster Relief Team for Area IV and torn between wanting to take a few volunteers to help with the clean up after Katrina or staying with my first full time job since December 31, 2003.

While my body remained in Mattoon, my heart was with those teams that were able to go to Wiggins, Mississippi.

When I heard of the Baptist Blitz Build in Baton Rouge at the Great Rivers Region Missions Conference in January, my interest peaked.  Baton Rouge was where many displaced by Katrina fled.  Habitat for Humanity of Greater Baton Rouge is trying to build homes for many of those displaced families.  The goal of  the blitz was to build twelve homes in two weeks.

But, I had just taken my only paid vacation to go on a mission trip to Costa Rica.  How could I afford to ask for another week off so soon and at the end of April, the beginning of the busy season for a building supply retailer.  I struggled with the issue for several weeks until I heard a couple of local pastors express interest in going also. 

The deadline for registration was rapidly approaching and I plucked up my courage and asked for the week off, which was granted.   I completed and turned in my registration form and fee, to learn the pastors I thought were going could not.  Too late to back out now, not that I wanted to, but I would have loved working side by side with them. 

I teamed up with Pastor Jon Lobos from FBC Paris, Illinois and two ladies from his congregation for the trip.  We convoyed with John Stewart, his mother, and five others from his congregation in Arthur for the trip down to Baton Rouge on Monday, April 23rd, arriving in Baton Rouge between 9:30 – 10:00 that night.

We stayed at dormitories on the grounds of the Church of God in Christ near the Baton Rouge Airport.  There were two dormitory buildings and a large gymnasium, were breakfast was served at 7:00 a.m. by the Texas Baptist Men.  Lunch was prepared at their mobile kitchen set up in the parking lot at the dormitories but served at the job sites.

For some reason, I was assigned to the same houses as the Arthur group.  The Paris trio were at a house one street west.  Three houses were being built on our street and four on the other.  There were at least two other locations where houses were being built.

The work I did was not as important as being there and working with other Baptists, from Arthur, Champaign, Danville, St. Louis, the east coast, and Ontario, Canada toward a common goal of reaching out to others in need.  That is what Paul told the Corinthians “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.” 2 Cor. 8:14 (NIV).  That is what the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering is all about.

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