Well, back home now...as you may know, I went as a part of the Calvary Chapel Foley (AL) team to do whatever needed to be done in the kitchen. I took some pictures, below, ended up being the "Coffee Guy" and the "Internet Guy" while helping to move tons of supplies when I could as well. I had hoped to find time, if I was allowed since our primary duty was to man the kitchen, to make a trip over to the Vets Home in Asheville. The opportunity never presented itself, not for lack of trying since every one I talked to I asked if either I could go with them one day or if they could make a stop and gather some intel for me. Needless to say it wasn't meant to happen but at the time this seriously distressed me. I had prayed since Helene hit the area to be able and go and help people in the Ashville area, specifically VETs, and was excited to find out Calvary Chapel Foley was sending a team. I knew our mission was to do whatever the Calvary Chapel Asheville/Mills River leaders asked us to do, which I was 100% supportive of, but there was time on the Sun/Mon to be able to get out and see things. However, it was not a priority to anyone but me. I feel as a result that I failed the Veterans in Asheville and the surrounding area. I wish I had just gone by myself but circumstances had prevented me going alone. I did however, get to make a 10 mile hike west of the Calvary Chapel Asheville/Mills River Church to Brevard area upon leaving. I do not know whether I will be able to go back and see the Veterans in the area but there is still so much left to do, recovery will take months and perhaps years. In the end, God was present there. You could see Him in the people who were there to help in all the various ways. He was there in the middle of the conversations between strangers, both from those on the teams and those who were being helped. It didn't matter where people were from, what they were doing, the color of their skin, their politics, etc., you could see and feel the presence of God. It was a blessing despite the reason for being there, disaster. I think, I believe, it was a blessing for the people suffering from various levels of impact on their lives as well. The Gospel was shared, people loved others as Jesus loved us, and in the end that is all that matters.
Pictures as you scroll:
#1- mudslide on road (cleaned up) on way to deliver specific aid to a older woman alone by herself. Never did locate based on info given but it was an interesting ride up the backside of one mountain 10 miles southwest of the church...
#2 - Calvary Chapel Asheville/Mills River Pastor Billy....
#3 - Owner of HoleMole, Scott Bascon, located on Wardlow & Orange in Long Beach, CA area...
#4 - Calvary Chapel Foley (CCF) team working the kitchen duties for breakfast...
#5 - Mike from CCF cooking eggs and smirking for breakfast...
#6 - A shot of the inside area of Calvary Chapel Asheville/Mills River of supplies for people when they come in to get some assistance...
#7 - Various team members from around the country here to help people enjoying a breakfast meal before going out to move debris and deliver supplies... #8 - Jerry, from CCF, manning the dinner serving line!
#9 - Jim, from CCF, just being the boss (Big Daddy)... #10 - Jerry, from CCF, another dinner serving the teams...
#11 - A little time out for a CCF team devotional...
#12 - Another angle of the the inside supplies area...
#13 - A picture of the entrance area of supplies after the majority was moved inside or to other storage areas...it was 10 times messier...lol...
#14 - moving deliveries to another truck to go out and deliver, as well as unloading of the larger truck...
#15 - another individual bringing a trailer load of supplies to be distributed...
#16 - CCF cooking team running another dinner line!
#17 - Calvary Chapel Lockhart and USMC Brother...His family owned Uncle Bills restaurant and he also used to work with McDonnell/Boeing...
#18 - Big Daddy Tom from California Calvary Chapel La Habra (Team leader)
#19 - One pallet of water weighs approximately 8k lbs!! Try pulling one of this up a small hill into the supply staging area...it took two people pushing and me pulling...almost pulled a hammy...I could feel it...
#20 - here is the pre #13 picture... #21 - Another Dinner, another team going through the line! #22 - Every morning there is a meeting of all the teams and someone conducts a devotional...
#23 - Bob, the originally "Big Daddy" was the individual our team came to help in the kitchen duties...he had been working several days, if not a week plus, pretty much on his own, running the kitchen and feeding the teams...He is the middle guy serving! #24 - this one made my day! the husband & wife in the middle are from Germany from an area in what used to be Eastern Germany, where he is a Pastor of a church. All of a sudden, I hear people speaking German! I was immediately transported back to Germany! So I got to talk to them a bit and found out they just happened to be in the states, a trip planned well before the Helene hurricane. It was a wonderful moment! The young lady on the right, maybe 20 yrs old, was the individual running the interior distribution, and she is an awesome Child of God. To hear her talk to people that came in for assistance, her praying with people, her interaction in general was a blessing to be sure! Her name is Bethany! Oh, and she plays the guitar and has a awesome singing voice!
#25 - Last picture... Look at those faces...Mr. Serious, Mr. Happy, Mrs. Joyful and Grumpy (lol)... Mrs. Joyful name is Chris, she was part of the CA team...
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