Life Builders Work Camp Ministry, as well as many others, are wondering if next summer a work camp can be held to help people affected by the storm, Sandy. Natural disasters are an area which Life Builders Work Camps often will seek to help those affected. It has been one of the reasons many will attend our work camp ministry.
While there are many people who are in need, it is way too early to begin discussing about having work camp at any area that was affected. Sam spoke with a ministry today, and the person mentioned that today is the first day they could meet as a staff. Previously it had been too dangerous to travel. On top of all of this, there is also the shortage of gasoline.
As some may know from the news, FEMA and Red Cross hasn’t even gotten into some areas and really offered any assistance for basic survival a week later after the storm; and many still don’t have power. Once some of those details are taken care of, FEMA and other agencies (like VOAD’s which are made up of volunteers) are able to begin taking assessments of the affected areas. The areas affected, from the Delmarva Peninsula up to Connecticut, is a large area, with some really densely populated areas, like NYC. It will take a long time to do this work.
Once the assessments are done, there is then the waiting for checks from insurance agencies and federal government. All not happening quickly for various reasons. It could take some people nearly a year to be at a place where they are prepared for assistance.
Now, none of this is to say Life Builders has not made contacts and begun to look into the possibility of assisting the affected area. But it is going to take time for a lot of things to fall into place before serious discussions can be held about what help we can meet and where.
Since the affected area is so vast, there probably will be work still to be done in the summer of 2014 and 2015 (just as it had taken years to help those affected by Katrina).
We will post updates as any major progress is made. But in the mean time, the current planning is to help needy people in the Southeast corner of North Carolina. This is not definite either, and am waiting to find out if they were affected by Sandy in that region.
In the mean time, if you can, please help through other ways. Here are some places to start: Samaritan’s Purse www.samaritanspurse.org; Red Cross www.redcross.org; Recovers.org www.recovers.org/communities, or other agencies you know are seeking to provide assistance. {Please note, Christian Endeavor Mid-Atlantic, The Pennsylvania Christian Endeavor Union, Inc. or Live Builders – CE Work Camp Ministry supports the above organizations, they are provided as a resource.}
Category Archives: natural disaster relief
Life Builders Work Camp – Sunday-Wednesday (July 8-11, 2012)
Sunday
Groups arrived safely and timely. There were no issues for groups arriving at camp. This is the fullest week we have this summer. Nearly 180 people, plus staff and volunteers. A lot of work will get done with this group.
That evening’s Camp Gathering focused upon Being and Example in speech. This evening it was done through worship stations. Some of the stations included, writing words that have been said to you which are negative and then writing down words that you have said that were negative toward people – and then seek forgiveness for those people and for what was said; another one included the use of Jenga blocks – removing a block for different negative things said and then placing a block in the tower for positive things said, considering how one’s speech affects others.
After the Camp Gathering and some free time, it was time for lights out.
Monday
After breakfast and packing lunches, it was off to the work sites. Some of the work being done this day was helping a man rebuild his home, digging a ditch and putting in a drain pipe to help prevent water from entering the basement, finishing the tearing apart of a trailer, cleaning a gutter of a home, and building a pad so a homeowner’s washer could be higher. It was a nice day for work.
After returning to the housing facility people showered and cleaned up from the day. Then it was time for dinner.
After dinner it was time for the Camp Gathering. This week people from a group’s youth group are leading worship. The person who was going to lead it was not able to make it, so they are doing well on their own.
This evening’s spiritual focus was on Being and Example in life. The camp went to a cemetery and discussed about the way people live lives and how they impact people. This week, interestingly, a person shared about how he has his cemetery stone already since his wife passed away. Also, another person, shared that his career is working on making tomb stones. These helped to give a different perspective on the topic.
Tuesday
The morning was a typical morning, meaning that after breakfast and packing lunches it was off to the work sites. Some of the jobs were completed on Monday, so there were some changes in jobs. Some of the sites included scraping then painting the outside of a two story home that lies close to a lake and was impacted by the flooding, tearing down and repairing a fence, taking out a porch and replacing it, cleaning brush that has been allowed to grow up around a home, as well as continue a drywall installation job from the other week.
After dinner it was time for this evenings Camp Gathering. Again there was a video from the day and songs of praise and worship. The spiritual focus time was on Being an Example of Love. This time included the use of stations again. One of the stations was a time of considering what items do we love more than God. People were to create a symbol of that idol out of play doh. After a scripture reading, the people were to demolish their creation to symbolize destroying the idol that was blocking them from loving God.
After the Camp Gathering and some free time it was now time for Lights Out.
Wednesday
The morning started differently. After breakfast, a Camp Gathering was held. For the spiritual focus aspect a time of Lectio Divina, or Spiritual Reading, was done in smaller groups.
After this, it was off to work sites. Some of the work today was cleaning brush from another home, pumping out water from a basement that was still there since the flooding in September, painting the foundation of a home and moving a mound of dirt from the back of a person’s home.
Work was done till about noon. The groups then had the rest of the day off to enjoy and relax. Some of the groups went to Hershey Park, another group went to Coleman Park, and another group went to Gretna Glen.
Watch videos of the week at www.youtube.com/theworkcamppeople
View pictures of the week at www.http://bit.ly/NVgbLI
Life Builders Work Camp – Thursday-Friday (June 28-29, 2012)
Thursday
After a restful night after an afternoon and evening of fun, it was back to the work sites after breakfast. One of the tasks for the day was pulling out supports on a trailer so the roof would come down. This was accomplished safely with no injuries. Praise God.
Another job was preparing an area for cement to be poured. The homeowner wanted a small patio area and walk behind their home. One of the issues they deal with is a natural swail develops when there is a heavy rain. The hope is to change the flow of the swail. Putting in a cement walk is hoped to stop the swail from forming.
At another site, they were putting up drywall on the walls and ceiling of a home. While at another place people were still insulating and sealing a basement. The homeowner of this place appreciated the gardens the group created for her and her flowers.
After showering, and having dinner, it was time for the Camp Gathering Time. Local residents were invited to this evening gathering. Some residents shared, while weeping, about the help provided to them and deep appreciation held by them.
Friday
It was the last morning of work camp. Before breakfast was served, many were packing their belongings and loading them onto their vehicles for their trip back home.
After breakfast, it was time for groups to help clean up the school and prepare it for the next group. There was cleaning of the shower/locker rooms, sweeping hallways and sleeping rooms, and cleaning the eating area of the cafeteria as some of the items the needed to be done. All groups were finished with the cleaning, and packed ready to go by 9:00 AM.
It was a great week. A lot of items were accomplished and lives had been changed. Praise be to God for the great week of ministry in Pine Grove & Tremont, PA areas.
++++++++
A local newspaper reporter came and interviewed some of the people working, a homeowner, the work coordinator for the week, and the local coordinator for work. To read the article click here.
++++++++
Watch videos of the week at www.youtube.com/theworkcamppeople
View pictures of the week at http://bit.ly/MC2wDV.
Life Builders Work Camp – Sunday-Wednesday (June 24-27, 2012)
Sunday
Sunday afternoon the groups for the week of June 24 – 29 arrived at Pine Grove Middle School to set up their housing for the week of ministry. There were emptying out of luggage from vehicles, suitcases rolled down halls, air mattresses blown up, pictures taken, and learning the layout of the building.
Groups went out for dinner after setting up their rooms. This was followed by a leaders meeting, to orient the leaders to various details about the school, the week, and how the work camp will function for the week. At the end of the introduction information, groups received their work assignments for the next day.
At 8:00 pm the whole group came together for the Camp Gathering Time. As the previous week, the spiritual focus was “being an example in speech.” Worship stations were available for the group to take part in focusing on various aspects of a person’s speech.
By 10:30 pm groups were settling into their new sleeping arrangements for the week.
Monday
After breakfast, it was off to the work sites. Some of the work sites included the following: removing a railroad tie from a creek, sealing a basement, preparing a room for painting, beginning to install drywall, building wall forms at a new build, and removing items from a basement that the homeowner wanted taken out so insulation could be installed and sealant applied.
The Camp Gathering Time this evening included a field trip. After a time of announcements, and watching the video for the day, it was time for the field trip. The field trip was to a cemetery in Pine Grove. At the cemetery there was a time of singing songs of Praise and Worship to God, sharing of God Sightings, and then the focus on “being an example in…life.”
Each person was to do a rubbing of a cemetery stone. After that there was a discussion about the most important part of the rubbing, which is the dash, which represents a person’s life. The question for people to contemplate upon at the end of the time was: how are you going to be an example in your life?
When the time was done, it was free time for groups to relax and enjoy the few hours before bed.
Tuesday
It was off to the work sites again after breakfast. Some of the work continued to be done included installing drywall, painting a few rooms, clearing trees from a yard, tearing down a trailer, and painting a garage.
During the day the local paper, Republican Herald, sent a reporter to gather information about what was happening in the community of Tremont, PA. She interviewed various workers, the homeowner, and people helping to organize the volunteers. To view the article go here.
Monday and Tuesday have been days with great weather; temperatures in the mid-80’s, with a slight wind, and low humidity.
The Camp Gathering Time this evening focused on love. There were various stations that focused on love for others, how people are abused, and God’s unending love.
Wednesday
After breakfast, the Camp Gathering Time was held. This time the focus was on faith. An ancient spiritual practice of Lectio Divina was done in groups.
Then it was off to the work sites for a few hours. Some of the work tackled on this day includes putting up tyvek paper over the newly installed insulation under a house, painting a porch, completing putting walls upon on a home, putting insulation on basement walls and placing sealant on the walls.
After lunch, it was time for some rest and enjoyment of the day. It was a nice break after two days of hard work, and before working another day.
Watch videos of the week at www.youtube.com/theworkcamppeople
View pictures of the week at http://bit.ly/MC2wDV.
Life Builders Work Camp – Thursday–Friday (6/21-22, 2012)
Thursday
On Thursday morning a reporter from a local paper, the Citizen Herald, came to gather information for an article on what was the group was doing to benefit people in Klingerstown. She spoke with the group members, took pictures of the work and of the group.
For lunch, the group met a local resident at a park and ate. It was a great time enjoying having lunch outside at a park.
That afternoon, a swing set was purchased by the group for a resident. Part of the afternoon was spent trying to put it together. There were a lot of pieces to find and organize before attempting to build the set for the two boys at the home.
After supper, at that Evening’s Gathering Time, at least 30 people from the community attended a time of celebration of the work and relationships which were built during the week. Some residents stood up and gave testimonies about their week and how the appreciation they had for the group coming to their community.
An ice cream social was then held for people to socialize and enjoy last few moments together.
Friday
Following breakfast, it was time to focus on the task of cleaning the church and packing up various Life Builders’ items to be moved to the location for the following week, which is in Pine Grove, PA.
The week was a great one; one of building new relationships, strengthening current ones, helping many people affected by flooding, assisting in various jobs for local residents, and giving hope to people.
A local newspaper reporter came and did a story on the group. Read the article here.
Watch videos of the week at www.youtube.com/theworkcamppeople
View pictures of the week at www.http://bit.ly/NVgbLI
Life Builders Work Camp – Monday–Wednesday (6/17-20, 2012)
Sunday
The group arrived after traveling around the area for a bit trying to find Klingerstown. After unloading and setting up their sleeping area for the week, the work coordinators went to look at the work sites for Monday, as others settled in more. Supper was served at the housing facility, because there are not many restaurants close to the church, which is the housing facility for the week.
In the early evening the whole group gathered for some directions about the week, and then spent some time in singing songs of worship. A video was shown about the natural disaster that occurred in Klingerstown this past September. Following that the group was given introductions to that evenings worship stations. The focus of the worship stations was on Speech. One of the stations people were to part of James 3 and then depict one of the word pictures in a drawing, made with paint, markers, or crayons.
Shortly after that is was time for bed.
Monday
After breakfast, it was off to work. Some of the work tackled was cleaning out a back building that was not touched since the flooding. Most of the items in there went into a dumpster. Once it was cleaned out, the area was pressure washed to get rid of the dried mud.
Another site was helping to move some wood from the back of a garage, which the homeowner couldn’t do because of a bad back. The wood was then burned. In addition, there was cleaning out a trailer and pressure washing it also.
At another site, there was cleaning out of a garage/barn and putting it into a dumpster.
After supper that evening there was a time of Camp Gathering. Again we were lead in songs of worship focusing on that evening’s theme of setting an example in Life. The experiential worship that evening was going to a cemetery and doing a rubbing of the date of the tomb stone.
After the Camp Gathering, people played games, jammed on their instruments or just socialized till bed time.
Tuesday
After breakfast it was back to work sites. There was some filling of a dumpster they couldn’t put in the previous day, as well as continuing to clean out a garage/barn, since they were in the same situation with a filled dumpster. Also at that site work was being done on replacing much of the front porch.
Some work was also done at a park, helping it to recover from the flooding of a nearby creek.
That evening, after supper, it was Camp Gathering Time. The focus of the evening was Love. So some songs were song about God’s love and then worship stations focusing on love. One station, that impacted people a lot, dealt with loving people who are oppressed, abused, down trodden, etc. It was difficult for people to deal with the realization of what people will do to other people.
There was then an attempt at a Dairy Queen run. By the time they arrived, the DQ was closed. So they went to the McD’s drive through, and then shopping for a few things in Wal-Mart.
Wednesday
Because the day is a half day of work, so groups can do something enjoyable in the area in the afternoon, Camp Gathering Time was done in the morning, with the focus being on Faith. A time of Lectio Divina or Divine Reading was done with the passage from Hebrews 11.
Following that it was off to work. The morning was spent working at the park and at a person’s home still pressure washing items. And at another person’s home who needed her back walk cleared.
After taking showers, and eating lunch, it was off to Knoebels.
Watch videos of the week at www.youtube.com/theworkcamppeople
View pictures of the week at www.http://bit.ly/NVgbLI
2012 Summer Work Camp Location – 11/10/11 update
The first two weeks of the 2012 Life Builders Summer Youth Work Camp will be in Concord, North Carolina. This location has been set for a few months now. The main focus will be poverty relief in the area.
Now, the other three weeks, work is being done to secure a location which is focused on natural disaster relief. Contacts have been made with people in North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Nothing can be announced with any of these states. The issues that are arising involve waiting on FEMA to make some decisions, local people are not fully set for people to come and help, or they are checking to see what might be their situation by next summer.
So, work is being done. Hope to announce a location by the end of 2011, if not earlier. As promised, the location will be within a days drive from Harrisburg, PA.
One final note. The last week, July 15, may fill up soon. If that is the week you would like to attend, be sure to reserve your week soon. And now you can do so on-line. Go to http://bit.ly/tlHvgX to register your group for your week of choice.
Seeking to help people affected by Hurricane Irene
Life Builders Work Camp Ministry wants to help people who were affected by Hurricane Irene. The problem with pursuing an area that was/is affected fora work camp site for next summer is that there are still people and areas being impacted, as well as many areas are not set up yet to plan for next summer.
We are monitoring news reports from the affected areas, from NC to VT. It may take a few months for areas to become organized to receive volunteers. In addition, it is tough to know what situation an area will be in by next summer.
With all of this, the intention is to help people affected by Hurricane Irene, and secure a location as soon as possible.
If you desire to have your youth ministry assist people affected by Hurricane Irene, go to the 2012 Life Builders Work Camp site to get more information and reserve a space for your group (www.theworkcamppeople.org/summer2012).
Life Builders' Blog 