Samaritan’s Purse – Hurricane Ida Disaster Relief

Hello! Currently, I am overseas with my squad in Costa Rica. I would love to share about this experience, but first I want to share about our time in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 We went to New Orleans for two weeks to work with Samaritan’s Purse. Samaritan’s Purse is a natural disaster relief program that travels around the country and world to help after disasters have hit. Louisiana had been hit by a bad flood called hurricane Ida.

Here is a link to more about the hurricane if you would like to know:

https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2021-hurricane-ida-facts

We came in to help the process of restoration in homes that were damaged from the storms. We would travel from house to house on their list. In a lot of houses, it looked like tearing down what needed to be rebuilt. Since it was a flood, a lot of the drywall would get moldy or soggy and need to be replaced. We came in and cut out what was not good anymore, so that others could come in to smoothly rebuild. This process of tearing down so that these homes could be rebuilt saves homeowners thousands of dollars in repair! 

We were able to bring hope. To bring people here in the states greater hope, and to be able to share with them a hope that is eternal. A hope in an inheritance that never spoils or fades. We met wonderful people. People who held great joy in the midst of their broken homes. People who bought us lunch in their generosity despite the hard circumstances. People that were able to see the love of Jesus in young adults who were giving their time to serve. To drop all other things in life, and say I am here to serve you. 

Also, it was amazing to interact and work with the other volunteers at the program. A lot of the workers are retired, traveling around and serving in their freedom. We were functioning as the body of Christ, from many generations. We, as young adults, were able to encourage them in the generation coming up that is living for Jesus, and their love to us was an encouragement as well.

God is doing great things! Not just overseas on missions, or at Samaritan’s Purse, but also in your hometown. He is moving! In the same ways with these houses, sometimes we have to tear down to rebuild in our own lives. To let God’s love wash over us. To open and prepare the space for God to clean us of what is not ours to have, while in return giving us something so much greater. To let go of things of this world, and give Him the space to rebuild us with eternal treasures. As we give Him the space, we will see Him move. 

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you”

John 15:1-4 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoke to you. Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me”

Praise be to the Lord for the lives this program has impacted and will continue to impact. Here are some pictures from the experience!