Locals leaving; Team arriving

Many of us, prior to Katrina were observers of the approaching storm, watching on the news … shocked but yet removed from it.  Now, after serving families over the past few years, many relationships have been formed and strengthened.

Please pray for these families in particular ……

Lynn and Russel in MS  - They had not evacuated because the hotels were all booked. They are so scared.  They barely survived Katrina on their roof with their 8 year old granddaughter.  They have just decided to leave and we pray that will do so in time to be out of harm’s way.

Keith has been told that all civilians MUST evacuate and is relocating to Baton Rouge.

Also a Pastor friend, Kim Voisin, in Houma, LA has decided to stay as they are a designated shelter.  Their area is forecast to receive 15 feet of water as they are center to projected landfall.  Please pray that the Lord hides them in the shadow of His wings so they can be a blessing to others.

And please pray for the team on the road now heading to Enterprise, AL.  We pray for a hedge of protection around them and for the wisdom of the Lord to guide and direct them.

URGENT PRAYER NEEDED NOW

Read this update and then please consider to cut and paste the URL and email it to everyone you know who will stand in prayer in this hour.

As Hurricane Gustav intensifies (currently now a category 4 hurricane) our prayers need to intensify.  As we continue to pray for the hand of God to intervene, we also need to gird up in prayer those who are in various stages of readiness to respond.

• pray for JD & Toni and their leadership team for wisdom regarding the dispersing of manpower and resources
• pray for a readiness amongst willing volunteers to quickly respond to the needs as they arise
• pray for the Lord to bring each resident to safety
• pray for the windows of heaven to open up and God to pour out the necessary resources
• pray for Keith, an IMPACT staff associate, who has been serving in St. Bernard Parish the past year.  He is working with Homeland Security managing communications from inside NOLA.  He believes God wants him to stay.  Pray for his safety and that he’ll be used mightily.

KEEP CHECKING BACK TO THIS LINK FOR CURRENT UPDATES.

THANK YOU FOR STANDING TOGETHER WITH US IN PRAYER.

Emily in Lake Charles, LA

Lake Charles is a ghost town right now there are almost no businesses open and no food places. There is no fast food restaurants open due to no food and no workers. There will be a mandatory evacuation of Lake charles @ 12 tomorrow due to the evacuations else where in the state …
 
It is pretty scary just thinking about what we came back to last time when it was just a high category 3 .. this may be a 5 by the time it hits the gulf coast.
 
How do you pray it hits somewhere else? I have heard many people say I hope it hits somewhere else.. how can you say that since you know how it feels to come home to not have a home!!
 
Trying to get the things that mean something into a car truck suv or trailer is like trying to choose which child to leave behind. Looking back at your home knowing that it may be the last time you see it ever is probably one of the hardest things I will have to do when I do actually leave here.
 
Watching our town as it shuts down, I think back to RITA and what had just happened in New Orleans and the panic that struck people then I think Thank God people are taking the warnings and leaving. People who have never left during a hurricane are saying things like I stayed last time I will NEVER stay again.
 
We could look at it as a vacation but the dread that looms over us as we think about all we left behind, keeps us from enjoying the time away. What will we come back to and how long will it take to actually get back in to check on our stuff. This is a day of why did I move to Louisiana to begin with and will I come back this time.
 
I look ahead to all the people who are ready to move in as soon as it hits. All the volunteers who are saying right now … as soon as it hits we will be ready all the preperations going on all across the country in anticipation of where it is coming and where it will actually hit. And I thank God for His people
 
This Gustav … this hurricane with winds up to 150 miles an hour and a span of 100 miles … where will it come ashore and where will it hit. Who will come back to nothing and who will come back to very little and still others who will choose to not come back.
 
I know that prayers are going up as fast as I can write this begging God to either stop it or slow it down. what will happen to the people of Louisiana … what will happen to Louisiana. No matter what God decides and no matter what happens. The people of Lake Charles will come back we will rebuild and we will rebuild with a vengance. Our people will come together and we wil help neighbors we will help those next door and we will start over again.
 
My prayer is that it weakens or even disipates before it hits land again. Cuba or what is left of it, those people are definately in my prayers …..
 
Those who have left are in my prayers and the sanity of the Governor is in my prayers .. I could not imagine being him right now..
 
Let the Glory of the Lord shine through the dark clouds ….
 
In His service,
Emily