Ministry Potential

Driving through the city, it seems like all the homes in the city have been gutted, but appearances are deceiving. We continue to get a steady flow of calls into the church saying mostly the same thing, 'We got a flyer from a neighbor or someone in your church. It says you'll help for free. Is that really true?' Several hundred ministry contacts have resulted in just the first 6 weeks since Ike. We have those needing assistance come by the church to fill out an 'application', consisting of their essential contact information, but it gives us time to sit with them and hear their story. It also gets them familiar with the church facility. Vicki was one of those who called today. She came by the church shortly after she called. We were able listen and pray for her. Her story is becoming common. She tried to do it all on her own, but is weary. We pray that God will bring workers to help us serve her soon. Please pray with us.

Pictured to the left are teams from Hilltop and Bastrop Christian Churches, who served with us over the weekend. They helped a city employee work on gutting his dad's house. It had not been touched for a month. As the team was finishing work for the day, one team member felt compelled to share his testimony and after he did so, the home owner prayed for forgiveness and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus. Galveston Bible Church is beginning to mobilize the Body to begin to follow up on those God is bringing to them.


God is bringing many. In addition to the hundreds of home owner contacts, the church has been helping to care for the immediate needs in the community with a food dsitribution ministry. Several hundred more families have come to the church for this help, and the church members and volunteers will also be initiating follow-up with these families.

Teams from Hershey EFC, Cornerstone EFC and Coasthills Church arrived for this week. The Hershey team met Lisa today. Her home is shown here with a large tree. Lisa was very close to paying off her home when the storm hit. She now is on the verge of homelessness. She has been told that her home must be elevated 4 feet higher if she is going to rebuild it. She can get a loan to do this, but has no income. She had an interview for a promising new job on the day Ike hit. She is in a motel now, but will be forced to leave that the middle of next month. With no other opportunity apparent, her current plan is to move back into her now gutted shell of a house.

God has a house of many rooms prepared for her. Pray that we will be able to continue to walk through the door opened today, so that we can share hope and Christ'slove with Lisa. ml