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Church of God Brethren,
It's difficult to grasp the pictures. Biloxi, Mississippi, completely destroyed; the Mississippi River pouring into New Orleans; dead bodies floating on the fetid waters; cries from desperate people stranded in their attics and on their rooftops, their homes flooded, their possessions destroyed; sons and daughters looking for their elderly parents, not knowing if they survived; widespread looting; murder and rapes in the Superdome.
"I don't think anybody can be prepared for the vastness of the destruction . . . You can look at a picture, but until you sit on that doorstep of a house that used to be, or stand by the rubble, you just can't imagine it," said President Bush during his visit to Biloxi.
Although the newscasters have focused their lens on New Orleans and Biloxi, Hurricane Katrina visited and damaged countless communities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Many brethren have been affected, not only from the Church of God Worldwide Ministries, but from the United Church of God, the Living Church of God and several others. As of Sept. 3, we still don't know their fate. Did they survive? Are their families intact? We don't know.
They need our help.
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"In America we do not abandon our fellow citizens in their hour of need," said President Bush. Thankfully, the federal government and the private sector are beginning to mobilize the largest relief effort in the history of the United States. There's little we can offer to the millions of people affected by Hurricane Katrina. But, at the very least, we can help our brethren. At this time of extreme need and despair, we need to set aside our organizational affiliations and help each other (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; John 17:21; Galatians 6:10). Therefore, the Church of God Worldwide Ministries has established an emergency relief fund under ministerial supervision. You can send donations, payable to the "Church of GodWM Hurricane Relief Fund," to Manis Samons (a minister in Florida) at: Manis Samons
P.O. Box 856 Newberry, FL 32669, USA Brethren needing assistance can call the Hurricane Relief Fund Because our ability to help is limited, we can offer assistance only to brethren in the Churches of God. We'll offer assistance to brethren without regard to church affiliation. Moreover, the Church of God Worldwide Ministries has been blessed with a large facility in Gretna, Louisiana. Because Gretna is located on higher ground, the damage should be minimal. If so, and after electricity and sewage have been restored, we are offering this facility as a refuge to brethren whose homes have been destroyed or are uninhabitable. We can offer meals and a safe and comfortable place to sleep. God expects us to help each other. In His eyes, we're members of His family, not members of the Church of God Worldwide Ministries, etc. Let's continue to pray and fast for the millions of people affected by this terrible hurricane, and for each other. |
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