A Charis Crisis Response team is getting way more excitement than they signed up for!

The team of seven – four from Western Reserve Grace (Macedonia, OH) and three from Cornerstone Church (York, PA) – has been serving this week with our partner church in Hampstead, North Carolina, where Hurricane Florence made landfall on September 14, 2018. The priority work assignments this early into hurricane response is “mudding-out” houses, which entails ripping out everything wet — all the contents of the house, flooring, drywall, sometimes even ceilings.

On Sunday evening they went to bed thinking that a tropical depression may be targeting their area later in the week, but overnight the storm grew to a Category 1 hurricane named Michael, and by now is predicted to be a Category 4 when it makes landfall today, Wednesday (Oct. 10) in the Florida panhandle. Hurricane Michael will move quickly up to Hampstead, NC, as a rain event, and should only take away one day from their ministry work week.

Please PRAY for:

• PROTECTION for the four members of our team who have chosen to ride out the storm in North Carolina, so they can finish out their workweek, and also for the Pennsylvania group as they travel home today after work (Wednesday).
• CONNECTION – These 7 team members have had amazing opportunities to connect with homeowners, and have been a fantastic witness in both word and deed. What if somehow owners get not just a cleaned up house as a result of this team’s hard work, but also a transformed life! Pray, pray, pray.
• REINFORCEMENTS – We have at least 30 more people coming down, but would love to have a few more teams. If you would like to join a team, OR if your church has a team or team members to send to fill out another team, please contact Barb Wooler at CrisisResponse@encompassworld.org  Weekend teams (Thursday-Saturday) are also welcome.

We will be serving with our partner church, Renovation Church of Hampstead, NC, until the end of November.

As floodwaters are still receding, the Charis Fellowship is engaged and moving in to help. Our goal is ten team deployments, and it looks like we will reach that goal because of the Lord’s goodness and an amazing fellowship that is always ready to serve!

Last weekend, Sandy Bell (Western Reserve Grace Church) and I traveled to Hampstead, North Carolina to meet our partner, Renovation Church, recommended to us by Kurt Miller, the former director of Grace Brethren North American Missions. Sandy and I were very impressed by Lenny and his team, not just in how organized their work was, but also with how missional they are being in their outreach. This is exactly the kind of partner we love to work with, partners who truly serve as only the Church can serve!

CONNECT TO HELP

GO 

We need your help! We are asking the Lord to use us to deploy at least 10 teams starting this weekend (October 6-13) and through to the end of November. So far the following churches have committed to pulling together teams: East Side Grace Brethren, Marysville Grace, Western Reserve Grace, Akron Bath, Penn Valley Church, and Cornerstone Church (York, PA).

Email Barb Wooler [mailto: bwooler@encompassworld.org] if you or your church would like to either JOIN or SEND a team.

GIVE   [encompassworldpartners.org storm-relief]

Dry wall, tools, building materials, and other things our teams will need costs money. We would be most grateful for help in funding these needs.

PRAY

Please pray that:

• God will raise up at least ten Charis Fellowship teams.
• God will use us to serve as only the Church can, meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

By Beth McCloskey & Barb Wooler

September has certainly lived up to its reputation as the peak of hurricane season! Last week, as the eastern U.S. prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Florence, Southeast Asia was bracing for Super Typhoon Mangkhut, which swept through the northern Philippines before striking Hong Kong and parts of China.

With wind speeds greater than 200 kph (125 mph), Typhoon Mangkhut (or Typhoon Ompong, as it is called in the Philippines) was equivalent to a category 5 hurricane; far stronger than the winds of Florence at landfall.

The Batac Grace Brethren Church and another church plant in Ilocos Norte are the only Charis global fellowship churches in the direct path of Typhoon Mangkhut. Many people in their church and community suffered damage to their homes and properties, but thankfully there was no loss of life.

Yesterday, we received this update from Pastor Rey Paz:

“Until now there is much suffering going on. The city government has said they hope to restore power by September 26^th if they can get the materials they need from Manila. Alma and I are sleeping outside because it is so hot, but the mosquitoes will not let you sleep well.

“According to the Servant Leaders, the three roofs at the back of the Church were blown off by the wind, also the back of the house of one of the brother’s house…the believers’ crops are gone now after the two typhoons – Josie from last month and Super Typhoon Mangkhut. There is no electricity and roads are not passable.”

As Pastor Rey reported, the storm brought great devastation. This is especially the case since it follows directly on the heels of Typhoon Josie. The combined damage has devastated the rice crop. More than 200,000 people were forced to seek shelter in evacuation shelters on Saturday, and the torrential winds knocked out power to over 430,000 homes. At the time of this writing, the death toll stands at over 60, but one local mayor fears the number will be well over 100 as a result of landslides and flooding.

Through your generous giving, last month we were able to help the Batac church and community after Hurricane Josie, but the major damage left in Mangkut’s wake, such as repairs to roofs of homes and also the Batac church building, is as yet unfunded. To give to this need, click here.

At least 35 Charis churches are located in the impact zone of Hurricane Florence, which is slated to make landfall on Friday, September 14^th. Encompass Crisis Response and Charis Fellowship are standing ready to help with preparations for her arrival or in the aftermath.

We ask your help to resource this response with:

• Prayer – even as we know God can redeem good out of anything, please pray with us that this hurricane will divert and die out at sea. Pray as well for all in harm’s way, especially for our Charis family of churches in the impact zone.
• Money donations to purchase gift cards, building materials, food/water, etc.  Give here. 
• Teams and workers – it is too early to tell what and where the needs will be, but we need people standing in the wings ready to deploy to help with clean up and repairs.

Contact Barb Wooler with questions or to sign up to receive Hurricane Florence updates.

This is a John Piper-like Don’t-Waste-Your-Life appeal to twenty and thirty-somethings seeking an amazing way to invest two years.

OR this could also be a great second-career opportunity for folks ready for a new adventure. If this describes you or someone you know, OR if you just want to find out about a new opportunity Encompass is hatching up, read on.

This past weekend, Jennifer Christenberry and I traveled to Birmingham, England’s second largest city. We went there not just to taste some of the many spices of the east, although we certainly did that. Nor did we go just to connect with amazing Encompass workers, which we also did. We went to see firsthand a program called “Speaking Allowed”, being hosted by Bill Kiddoo, and most recently also by Jason & Crystal Horner.

First some background.

Bill and Becky Kiddoo moved to the UK in the mid-80s where they found a city filled with immigrants and other displaced people in need of help – filling out forms, getting driver’s licenses, and just basically figuring how to live in a new country. But of all their needs, the greatest was that of learning the language of the UK. Enter Speaking Allowed clubs.

SPEAKING ALLOWED
Speaking Allowed is a fun space where non-English speakers can come to learn English and Encompass staffer Jennifer Christenberry and I wanted to see it in action. So we traveled to Birmingham to do just that. We were joined there by JoEllen, who is seeking to help some of the one-million immigrants and refugees in Germany.

INSTANT ENGAGEMENT
Though we were only able to be there for a weekend, it was long enough to realize the incredible need for this type of help, and the ease with which English-speakers could arrive and get to work almost immediately!

These clubs pull together men and women from all over the world – India, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan – and teaches them how to converse in English. Participants are from all levels of English proficiency, from people who just need practice using what they know to others who know almost no English. Whatever their proficiency, all are highly motivated to learn because they know that their success living and working in their new country depends on their mastery of the language.

THE PLAN: BIRMINGHAM HOPE TEAM
Encompass is looking for English-speakers willing to join what Encompass is calling a Hope Team, which for 24 months will serve non-English speakers in Birmingham, England.

Qualifications:

1. able to speak English
2. loves God and people
3. enjoys working in a team
4. ready for a life-changing adventure that will alter the immediate and God-willing even eternal futures of displaced people in England

Hard to imagine a better way to live and serve abroad using skills you already have to make a difference!

Be among the first to sign up for a 2-week exploratory team Encompass just announced being planned for June of 2019!

Learn more:

• About our experience in Birmingham
  – email Jennifer Christenberry or me, Barb Wooler
• Hope Teams, see this article.
• Videos about Birmingham Hope Teams

Bobby and Elaine’s story reminds us of how fragile life is and just how God uses us to meet each other’s needs.

In 2015, Bobby, a man in his 50’s, suffered a brain stem stroke that left him paralyzed. In one day he lost the ability to move his body. Barely two years later, just as Bobby and his wife Elaine were settling into life’s “new normal,” Hurricane Harvey took away what was left of the life they had built together. Words do not begin to capture the depths of their sense of loss and desperate need, yet somehow their faith in God and sweet spirit never wavered.

By the time the flood waters receded, teams were showing up asking how they could help, and Bobby and Elaine gratefully accepted. This is where one of those volunteers, Dwayne Moyer, enters the picture.

A tile contractor by trade, Dwayne was part of a team assembled and deployed jointly by three Charis Fellowship churches in December 2017 – Ashland Grace (OH), Penn Valley Church (PA), and Grace Church at Willow Valley (PA). From the first announcement at church of a team going to serve in post-Harvey Houston, Dwayne was all in. As a skilled tiler, there was plenty of work for Dwayne to do. During that first one-week team, Dwayne completed four bathrooms. It was during that first visit that he heard and was touched by Bobby and Elaine’s story.

The next few months offered two more opportunities for Dwayne to return to use his skills to serve more Houston families, including Bobby and Elaine. In January, Dwayne “popped down” to Houston for a quick but intense weekend of tiling Bobby and Elaine’s bathroom and making it wheelchair accessible. In April he returned again to Houston, and this time he had the joy of seeing the fruits of his and others’ labor when, finally, Bobby and Elaine were able to move back into their home.

What would cause a man like Dwayne Moyer to return to Houston three times in less than six months? In his words, “I’ve been so blessed. It’s a blessing to be able to share your time and talents with others who aren’t as fortunate. It’s a blessing to us to be able to do that.”

Dwayne and his teammates went to Houston to be the hands and feet of Jesus, offering hope to families who suffered great tragedy. PRAISE GOD for the privilege our teams have had of being part of God’s provision for this dear couple, and for the blessing and transformation experienced by folks on both sides of this need.

Article was written by Beth McKlosky

In December 2017, Rick Sames and the crisis response team he pulled together from Penn Valley Church (Telford, PA) traveled to Houston where they met the rest of their team – some from Ashland Grace (Ohio) and some from Grace Church at Willow Valley (PA). Their goal was to be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus to homeowners who from whom Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters had taken so much.

The team was greeted by neighborhoods still devastated, looking like ghost towns. With so many houses still uninhabitable, homeowners were forced to live in other places, returning to continue repairs on their homes after their workday or on weekends. So when homeowners were approached by a large team offering to help, some happily handed over their house keys and gave the team full run of their homes!

Sadly, scammers learned to take advantage of this trust, which factors into this story of “Mr. P.”

MR P

Mr. P is a Vietnam War veteran whom the team offered to help. Knowing of the scammers, he was leery of the team, but his desperation for help forced him to accept their offer. As the team worked, they realized he was always watching, observing their every move.

For two days, the team poured into Mr. P. They brought him lunch, shared about the Bible verses they wrote as a testimony on an interior wall joist in his home, gave him his own Bible, and prayed for and with him. Slowly his suspicions weakened and he started opening up and becoming more friendly.

THE STORY CONTINUES

Four months later, some team members from Penn Valley Church returned to Houston and took time to revisit the neighborhood where Mr. P lived. When Mr. P saw them, he rushed out to greet them, excited to show them the progress that had been made on his home and get caught up. The team was delighted to learn that Mr. P and another neighbor have started attending a Bible study in which they are reading through The Case for Christ with a pastor. Team members from Penn Valley and Ashland keep in touch with Mr. P and continue to pray for him and invest in his life.

Mr. P couldn’t imagine why people would come all the way from Pennsylvania, on their own dime just to help people like him. He wasn’t used to this kind of selfless love. In the end, the team gave Mr. P far more than just help on his house; they gave him the gift of the gospel in word and deed. What better gift can we offer people in times of crisis?

According to FEMA, post-tornado relief efforts since the 12+ tornadoes disaster struck July 19 are three weeks ahead of schedule due to the amazing response of the community pulling together to serve. But there’s still a lot of work to be done, and crews are on the ground re-assessing the situation as we enter the next phase of recovery.

Encompass Crisis Response is excited to come alongside quite a few churches in Iowa and other areas to pull together a team that will serve in this next phase of recovery during the week of September 8-15.

SKILLS NEEDED
While we can use a few people who know how to swing a hammer, as the recovery effort transitions into the rebuilding stage, the need is increasingly for skilled workers. This means that each team should have at least two or three highly skilled people (see list below) and the rest of the team able to “swing a hammer”.

Skills needed would include:

• Carpentry
• Electrical skills
• Drywall installation
• Roofing
• Trauma mitigation (could use 2-3 people)
• etc.

If you are interested in learning more, please email Barb at crisisresponse@encompassworld.org .

In the meantime, let’s pray in advance for the homeowners that God will send us to serve.

One of the beauties of being part of a “tribe” is knowing that we are not alone in times of need. Last year we had the joy of serving alongside sister churches in Florida, who were cleaning up after Hurricane Irma.

Today it is our sister church in Garwin, Iowa, who could use some help serving their community in the middle of recovering from a tornado.

Are you in the region and are willing to join a relief team? Please contact us at crisisresponse@encompassworld.org and we will reply soon with more information.

WE LOVED CONNECTING WITH YOU during ACCESS Conference 2018! 

Each year people from Charis Fellowship churches all around North America come together to celebrate as a family all that God has done and is doing in and through our “Tribe” – here and throughout the world.

This year Encompass Crisis Response’s display featured our responses to three hurricane and one earthquake. It also provided toos and services we offer to equip the Church to reach out and serve during crises.

Crisis Response Display for Conference 2018

The four themes featured in the display were:
1) Equip
2)Connect
3) Imagine
4) Mobilize

Included in Equipping and Mobilization sections are:

• Short-term Team Leader/Shepherd Training (November 2018) and Trauma Healing (date to be determined)
• Coffee Clutch Discipleship, a 30-minute Bible study to be enjoyed with your group in your favorite local café using the devotional 30
• Days to a More Resilient Faith
• “Lemons” – an 8-session Kids resiliency curriculum including videos and activities (available in early 2019)
• 10 Get-Ready Steps

Enjoy the display video! (5 minutes)

If you’re not here at the ACCESS Conference venue in Fremont, Ohio, no worries! The display and materials will be appearing in many churches in the months to come. To make sure your Church, Sunday School, Adult Bible Fellowship, or Small Group is included in the 2018-19 schedule, email Barb at crisisresponse@encompasscrisisresponse.org.