Quote from Forum Archives on October 9, 2005, 7:12 pm

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

Dear Hope Chest friends,

 

I received the following e-mail letter from Joan LaCelle, whose family runs a home school supply company called LaCelle Family Ministries.  Joan is also a longtime Hope Chest reader who has personally encouraged me by e-mail countless times when she knew I needed it.  

 

I'm always interested in Joan's newsletters, but when I got to the end of this one, I gasped.  The Sharon she is talking about is a dear lady that I've been corresponding with this year.  She is so sweet and gentle spirited, a godly bundle of Titus 2 and Proverbs 31 all rolled into one.  Sharon wrote me an encouraging letter (snail mail -- how rare!) just two weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit her home, and shared how she was trying to plant an English country garden in front of her home and teach her children home organization skills.  You might think she lives in a mansion.  She doesn't.  It's an old double wide trailer, and she has several children.  She was just trying to do what she could on a budget because, as she says, "I try to make our home a place of refuge where everyone feels warm and cozy."  Now, after the hurricanes, Sharon's heart extends even more than ever to the needy around her -- and she's got a practical plan to go with that heart.   So, my friends, please read Joan's and Sharon's letters below, and see what you can do.  

 

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

www.TheHopeChest.net

 

 

Dear Friends - 

     PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS NEWSLETTER. I promise it won’t be a waste of your time.  I am allowing a Homeschool mom from Mississippi to take the newsletter this month with a letter she wrote to me.  Sharon has been a dear friend of mine for years via mail. We’ve never met.  She doesn’t get our newsletter because they do not have internet access. I’ve appreciated the person that Sharon is.  When I read her letter I had just had to call her and see what was going on her world rattled by Hurricane Katrina.   Well, the Article this month is Sharon’s Letter to me.  It’s heartbreaking and it’s a wonderful opportunity also.

     I won’t take up any more of your time as I want to give Sharon an opportunity to share her heart and her project.  I think it’s safe to say we are living in very uncertain times – and the most important thing we can do is be right with God and get ready to meet Him when He comes soon. 
    God Bless you each,

Joan  and Rob and family.
www.lacellefamily.com

 

*********************************************************************

Dear Joan,
     The coast is totally destroyed. Houses are flattened, gutted or just gone.  Thousands of people are homeless and jobless. My husband’s job is gone, we don’t know when or if  they will rebuild. 

    So many are sleeping in churches, centers, in tents on church grounds, in tents next to what is left of their homes. Others live with family and friends. There are tent cities springing up all over.  Whole towns and neighborhoods are gone. So many people with nothing.  It just breaks your heart. An 80 year old lady in our church (one of the sweetest people you want to meet) lost everything. How do you start over at that age? My sister lost everything, my brother in law lost everything, church members, friends have lost everything.  They only have the clothes on their backs. You just can’t understand the devastation Katrina did, if you don’t see it.

    So many people are in need. If it wasn’t for all the churches that came in we wouldn’t have had relief for days. After the storm, there was no ice, water or food. The temps were 90 degree plus. I live in a rural area, if it wasn’t for churches bringing in food to smaller areas we wouldn’t have gotten food even longer than the coast.  What a blessing. They were serving hot meals, giving away food. (Joan’s Note: I believe she is speaking of the organization ACTSHELP -- Adventist Community Team Services -- which has been working in Purvis and Waveland).

    Food is still needed, with thousands without jobs, the only way to get food, cleaning supplies or personal needs is to get supplies from disaster relief (lines go on forever or go to a church that has supplies).  This is not a month or two month recovery, you are talking a year or longer. It’s bad here.

      We had a tree fall on one edge of our home and roof and ceiling damage. We still haven’t heard from our insurance (Allstate). I am not complaining, so many have lost much much more. We can cover our roof with a tarp and we will be all right. They call the coast the blue roof area, because just about everyone has a blue tarp on their roof.  

     I am writing you, because God has put it on my heart to try and help. I am trying to get together “House Warming Kits” (towels, pillows, sheets, pots, pans, silverware, or whatever you would need to move into a new home (or new tent). What a blessing it would be for a person to know that people care. What hope it would bring them.  We plan to deliver these kits to those who need them directly.

     Please pray about this. I am asking churches, businesses, neighbors etc to put together a kit, if each person donates one item, look how fast a kit would be filled!!!

     Sincerely, Sharon

A NOTE FROM JOAN on this letter:

     I received Sharon’s letter via postal mail (she doesn’t have computer access) over the weekend and felt impressed to share it with everyone. I called Sharon and talked with her for over an hour about what is going on in her area.  It was amazing the things she shared. People are living in tents and next to what was once their homes.  There is basically NO economy in most of the areas around her.  People will not only be out of work – but they may not be able to go back to their employed work because many businesses will completely fold.  Insurance claims will not be an easy thing to deal with either. Most insurances are calling this a “flood” - so they won’t want to handle the claims. Even though, people lived in what was considered “no flood zone” and they lived 30 to 40 minutes from the coast.  But insurances are obviously going to be looking out for themselves.  The reason people in Sharon’s area took such a hard hit was because they were on the edge of the eyewall of the hurricane and the hurricane just sat in their area and dumped rain for 8 hours straight.  She shared about a family member’s house that flooded to the 3rd story.  If a home wasn’t structurally damaged (compared with others), but still had salt water enter the home – the residents cannot move back in because salt water can damage the electrical of the home. It amazed me that you would have salt water problems 30 to 40 minutes from the coast.  

    What I found interesting is that Sharon was a young girl when Hurricane Camille hit their area.  She said that Katrina was far worse.  She said you can’t imagine the devastation unless you are there.  The media focuses on the coast or on New Orleans. But the devastation is vast.

     I know that one of the religious organizations that have helped a lot in Mississippi is ACTS HELP (www.actshelp.org). They are based in Florida and they were one of the first on the scene. They have 3 stations they are working from in Mississippi to help the residents there.  They have been making, serving, and even distributing by car to remote areas about 2000 to 5000 meals 2 to 3 times a day.  What an amazing outreach.  It’s hard for me to fully grasp the situation – but these people had NO food.  There were no stores open, no food to buy.  If it wasn’t for the churches and religious outreach groups coming in these families would have had very little.    

      I shared Sharon’s letter with you to put the word out to as many others as I knew that could or might desire to help her with her project.   The reason she wants to do this is because these people have nothing now.  Many people lost everything.  Those that didn’t lose everything – lost most of what they had.   Sharon told me the story of a woman she met who had lost everything and Sharon asked this woman what she needed.  The woman replied “Honey, if I had a crockpot and pinto beans I’d be so happy.”   Well, I went out and bought a crockpot and filled it with Pinto Beans for this dear person.  

     I can’t solve the long term problems that these people are dealing with in Mississippi.  I can’t even solve probably any of their immediate needs.  But buying a crockpot and pinto beans was something that I could do – this simple, inexpensive gesture would give hope and help and supper to one family. And it made me a feel a small part of giving hope.  As Sharon shared what she wanted to do, I knew that others would want to be a part.  Maybe all someone can do is fill a small box with soap and a hand towel, or maybe a box with set of sheets (it doesn’t matter what size because these people are sleeping on air mattresses, sleeping bags, their front porch or the ground).  

     Please don’t feel obligated to help.  But if the Lord puts it on your heart to help Sharon with this overwhelming project, please do.  You are welcome to get your church or family involved.  Please feel free to share this information with other email groups or Christian organizations – to just get the word out.   Perhaps your family will spearhead filling one whole housewarming box with the things mentioned in Sharon’s letter.  Or maybe your church or Homeschool group would be willing to do a box or two.  Or perhaps you can just send a Towel or two with an encouraging book or letter.  Just let the Lord lead. 

     PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY ITEMS TO ME.  Send any items directly to Sharon.  I’ve known Sharon for several years and she is a very special lady.  I was touched by how she wanted to reach out to others instead of getting for herself.   Sharon suggested sending boxes by UPS Ground.  The Postal System is still having difficulty with packages in her area. UPS seems to be able to get in there and deliver right to her door.  Sharon will get each box to the appropriate person who is most in need.  I only wish I could go down there and help her personally with the project.  I can’t do that – but I can get the word out for those who want to help.

    Thanks for letting me share this and please feel free to share it in church this weekend, with other email groups, with your neighbors, family, friends, or home school groups. 

PLEASE SEND ALL ITEMS/BOXES DIRECTLY TO SHARON CAMERON:

Sharon Cameron
2309 Lloyds Lane

VanCleave, MS 39565-8222

Suggested items for a housewarming kit: towels, sheets, soap, pans, cooking/eating utensils, pillows, crockpot etc. It’s best to keep it simple – most of these people are living in less than ideal circumstances – they won’t have room for too many nonessentials – but if they have a way to make meals and have a clean towel and sheets – they will feel like there is a little hope.  Also, I think a short letter expressing your love, concern and prayers for the receiver would be nice too. Sharon told me that people will just cry – it’s so overwhelming to consider the work ahead of clearing the debris – just the fix the homes that can fixed or to tear down those that can’t.   Sharon also said something that really touched my heart “Joan, I hope people don’t forget about us”. 

Thanks again for letting me share and for being a small part in bringing hope to others.

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