Gustav Update

We've been re-routed to Baton Rouge, LA for disaster relief.

Here is the press release we released yesterday,

MATTOON: Local men from First Assembly in Mattoon will be heading to Louisiana Tuesday morning to help as first responders to Gulf communities affected by Hurricane Gustav.

“We have a rare opportunity to leave at a moment’s notice and join first-responder relief efforts to help people who have been tragically affected by this hurricane,” said Travis Spencer, staff pastor at First Assembly in Mattoon.

Five men from the church will be traveling in an RV to join Convoy of Hope disaster relief personnel in the coastal area of Louisiana.

Convoy of Hope is considered a “first responder” organization in disaster relief. A fleet of trucks loaded with water and supplies, along with a Mobile Command Center departed for the region Sunday evening.

Convoy of Hope president Hal Donaldson said the organization is prepared to meet the basic needs of tens of thousands of Gulf residents if it becomes necessary.

“Our trained personnel, corporate sponsors, church partners, and individual donors will once again link arms to meet the needs of a significant number of people, just like we did following Katrina and many other disasters,” Donaldson said.

Spencer said First Assembly financially partners with Convoy of Hope, but has never been able to physically join them in disaster efforts. This time, they didn’t want to miss the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the relief efforts.

Groups joining in on the efforts have provide their own transportation, sleeping arrangements and food with our any dependence on electricity or water supply.

“We had access to an RV, so me made some calls and put together a small team of guys to go help people in need,” Spencer said. “We believe God cares about people in need, so we should care, too.”

The team plans on being on site for about three days to help with distribution of water, food, and supplies during the first few days after Hurricane Gustav’s landfall.

PRESS RELEASE
Me and Evan Courtney will update as often as we can.