Friday, August 7, 2009

Oak Grove Church, Drasco, Arkansas, August 2009


This was Oak Grove Youth Group's first visit to Power of Prayer Ministries and it was their first trip to the Gulf Coast. They really didn't know what to expect, knowing it was 4 years since Katrina.

Much to their surprise there is still much destruction as Waveland was center of ground zero of the storm. Trees are still left standing dead in their places by the thousands. Slabs still remain where houses once stood. And for the most part land is empty of residents who decided not to return leaving ugly overgrown shrubs and weeds where there once were beautiful manicured lawns. Our streets are still torn up from all of the heavy equipment and pot holes are tearing up our vehicles daily little by little. Our beach is also being reworked and much of it is torn up right now as well. So all in all, Waveland is still not a very desirable place.

But what is here are the lonely, the oppressed, the depressed and the lost. A mission-minded person's paradise. And this week, that's just what these young people were interested in doing, administering God's love, grace, mercy, and hope. They did this through loving acts of kindness shown by mowing, moving, cleaning, planting, painting and staining.

They also performed an amazing skit at Davis grocery in the Bayside community. They all sang and played praise music on the "cement stage" where they also painted 5 beautiful paintings depicting Jesus death on the cross for our sins. Make sure to check out the pictures on Flicker! They rented 2 large spacewalks, one obstacle course and one jumper with obstacles inside. The children from the community enjoyed these as well.

Thank you to Oak Grove Church. We hope to see you again some day.