Where has the year gone?

We have a great year of opportunity and a great year of exciting projects in 2007! Now we have a new year staring us in the face, and I believe we can have an ever greater year in 2008. Some of our bright moments included a comedy night with Adam Christing, it rained cats and dogs and we still had over 700 people in the building for the event.
Facing the Giants and Flywheel were two great movie events and lots of popcorm and coffee filled our guests and members who watched these family movies.
Our two outdoor events, Back to School Bash and Harvest Festival aka Trunk or Treat were wonderful atteneded by the community and our own members.
Our Holdiay food baskets helped hundreds of individuals in dozens of families.
Our newest outreach effort, a book titled, "People of the Park" has been given out to hundreds of individuals city wide. It is a book that demonstrates the power of Jesus to help and heal us through the hurts that the world tosses our way. The book is offered to anyone who wants one free of charge, no shipping or handling. In the book seven of our members tell their story of redemption through adversity.
The Response Team Trips to San Diego were bright moments for Christ. Several families were lifted up by the working hands of the people of Davis Park. Our hands represented the savior who has given so much to all of us.
Thanks to all who have made our outreach possible.
I will write about the coming opportunities later.

Buddy

Merry Christmas. . .

I hope all is well with you as you read this message. I would like to go to San Diego one more time but I am unsure of the need at this time. I will contact the folks at Barrett Junction and see what is happening there. I may need to survey the work area there to make an informed decision. Keep this in your prayers.

I am into my second day on call as an MPD Chaplain. I am praying for a quiet holiday week. I pray for our police officers to be kept safe during this time.

I am thankful we were able to go to San Diego this year and look forward to the opportunities presented in the coming year.

Buddy Gray

Interview with Shelley. . .

Sorry to wait so long to post this but I wanted to use it in my sermon today.

Shelley helps us understand the importance of Disaster Relief work. Disaster Relief allows Christians to be the hands and feet for God in this world and bring His love and care to the world.

San Diego Wildfires Relief 2007 Volunteers

Rincon Video

This is an ad hoc interview with Debbie, the owner of the property we were working on. Debbie is working on getting through this life event and our hope is that through the efforts of Hilltop and Davis park Community Response Team we have been able to bring the light of Jesus to her life. Seeing her daughters face light up made my heart warm on a cold day. Watching Debbie's spirit's raise over the couple of days we were there was powerful. Thank you God for letting us work for you in this world!

More Rincon Goatshed pics

David Martin on the fence post crew along with Zack Newman and Jordynne Newman.
Corky teaching the crew how to set a fence post without concrete.
Debbie's family, Corky and I talking about life after the fire for the family.
Debbie and her children.Debbie saw the rainbow as a sign of hope for her family. The were touched by us helping them and the rainbow seemed to add another dimension to it for her.

Rincon Reservation Project Pictures

Jordynne having fun.
Jordynne and Lanae posing for the camera.
A photo of the group and Christie in a sink hole.

Brett and Jordynne goofing off!

Jordynne really was a hard working, all kidding aside!


I am beaten down by the work and a cold. I will save more pictures and comments for later.

Buddy

On the Blog Again. . .

We stopped for church at the Hilltop CofC in El Segundo,CA, LA area. Next we went to lunch in Malibu at Jack in the Box. It is crazy to think of all the places to eat in Malibu and we ate where we did. After church I was standing talking to friends from past relief work, when I noticed something cool. Hilltop is a mobile church, all the chairs have to be packed up and moved. Our teens without any direction from Aaron or I were helping take the chairs down. Again it is so nice to have teens like we have had on the trip.

We have enjoyed it all. More pics tomorrow.

Buddy Gray

Blogging on the Road Home. . . .

Last night I slept well except for the noise of Brett and Aaron getting sick in the middle of the night. Exhaustion tooks its toll on Aaron, he could not warm up last night and then his body decided not to except the steak he had for supper. Brett felt bad but looks ok the morning, Aaron is doing ok and driving, I am riding with him in case he becomes fatigued. Right now we are on the 405 coming up on the 605.

I will blog more later . . .


Buddy Gray

Job Complete/ Coming Home in the Morning!

The Rincon job was completed today at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon. Today was a day of misfires, I forgot tools that were job critical, the propane bottle would not let the propane flow for the camp chef stove. We finally microwaved the two gallons of Dinty Moore Beef stew. No one complained about the hot stew. The weather was cold and rainy with wind. We could see it snowing on the mountain about 3000 feet above us.

The teens were incredible, again. Point them in the direction of a task, give them a little instruction and they would take off. The girls used power tools today. They had one word for it, awesome!

We spent more time with the family today. The fire has taken much of the joy of their life away. Right now the tribal council is putting them up at a casino hotel. It is hard for me to imagine, one day life is rolling your way, the next your life is upside down, instead of living out in rural setting you live in a high rise hotel.

Debbie and I talking about life after the fire. . .
I asked Debbie what it meant to her for us to come and build the two small structures, her comment was that it had renewed her faith somewhat to see people come in from so far off and help her family. Her youngest daughter, 6 years old, lost two pygmy goats in the fire. She had vowed not to have pets again. Today while we were talking to her she is excited to see a new home for the goats she will be purchasing in the future. One of our Davis Park members donated money to replace some of the goats lost in the fire. These goats cost between 200-300 dollars. In a few days the child will be able to have her own goats to take care of again.

This is Debbie and her two daughters looking at a completed "kid pen". In the background is the completed goatshed.

Thanks to everyone for praying for us. Thanks to all who contributed money to our Community Response Team. Thanks for letting us be the hands of Jesus and God on the Rincon Indian Reservation.

Tomorrow is a travel day. I will post more pictures and comments on Monday. If you visit the site please make a comment. It will be appreciated. . . .

Buddy Gray

Pics form Rincon

What a great project for the kids to learn how to build a barn. We are working on two small structures, one a goat shed, the other a "kid"pen.


Debbie is the home owner, she and her husband had been living in andbuilding their house for three years before it was totally destroyed. These are Debbie's children who were out at the site today
The rainbow was on the mountain behind us. What a great sign of Hope!

We could get a few more people in this area if we tried!

Pictures of some of the hardest working teenagers I have ever seen.

Tomorrow weather permitting we will finish the project.

Buddy Gray

Trip Two Update. . .

We met the homeowners today and it was a sad feeling to walk their site and the most level place on the lot was where the house formerly sat. The teens are awesome. . . No wasted effort, lots of hard work and a lot of laughs. We were able to get the foundation of the buildings we are building completed today, and we have 21 one holes to knock out tomorrow in addition to putting the sides and roofs on the buildings. Parents if your kids are here stick your chest out and be proud. They gave a great effort today.

I will post pictures later.


Buddy

The Teenagers Made it Safely

The Teenagers made it in safely last night at 2:00 a.m. They are up and eating breakfast. Soon we will head out to the Rincon Indian Reservation to build a barn in the rain. I gotta go eat breakfast.

Buddy

Ramona at last. . .

WE FINALLY MADE IT! We pulled in a little after 8:30p.m. and ate supper then made it into the camp at 9:15 pm after having a fine meal at Moma Rosa's Italian Restauraunt. It was a great meal.

The rest of the group is still traveling they will be in later, much later. Pray for there safety.

My bunk beckons me to it. I cannot wait for tomorrow's adventures.

Buddy

Blogging on the road . . .

Max is behind the wheel, Christie is in the back seat with Brian and I have shotgun. We are 131 miles into a 430 mile trip. It's foggy and cool. It is like this throughout the state today. We are watching the weather, hoping the weather pattern will break so we won't be completely miserable as we work.

David Martin has not missed a day of school in the last eight years, tomorrow he is going to break his streak by coming with us to do relief work. Six others have chosen to miss school to come with us. Lanae Kuensinger hs rescheduled her finals at JC to come on the trip. We have a bunch of Good Hearted people that want the message of Christ to go forward.

Thanks to those who donated to the cause. Your money makes it all possible. A special thank you to the Lakewood congregtion, they have providing funding for this trip also.


Bakersfield is 72 miles away and its 11:45 am.

I will check back in later.

Buddy Gray

San Diego Trip is ready to roll . . .

The load trailer takes off tommorrow at 9:00 a.m. We have14 going on this trip and it should be an exciting trip. We havc seven adults and seven teenagers. We are greenlighted to the goat farm to build a goat shed. Additionally, we will do some fence repairs, our intent is to help rebuild this family's living (income) so they can find life(Christ). Pray for as we travel tomorrow. Pray for good weather and for God to bless this work.

Buddy Gray

San Diego Fire Relief just two days away . . . .

The team total has finally solidified at 13. Six adults(if you count Aaron and Lanae as adults)and seven teenagers. Looks like a chance of rain for the weekend both here and there. If you are going on the trip bring rain gear. We are for sure re-building a goat farm on the Indian Reservation. Other than on the freeway this will by a first trip to a reservation for me. I cannot wait to get to work.

The current plan will be for Max, Christi and I to leave Modesto on Thursday morning after I drop Matthew off at school. It's his birthday and I want to wish him a happy birthday before leaving. That afternoon the rest of the group will leave around 5:00 p.m.

Pray that the rains come slowly in the south so that they will not have to deal with any mudslide issues. If there are any changes I will post more info. If you are on the team going south this week please be at the meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. We have paper work to finish and critical information to give to you.

For more information on the affected Indian Reservations go to this link.

http://www.disasternews.net/news/article.php?articleid=3542

Buddy

San Diego Trip Countdown

The number of the people going on the trip is still in flux, we are going to have over a dozen people on the trip. It is starting to look like a building work this time. A woman on a local indian reservation lost her goat shelter in the firestorm along with a lot of goats. This was her main source of income. Additionally, she lost her manufactured home during the firestorm. Most likely we will assist her in re-establishing her goat farm. We will help her build sheds and put up fending to keep the goats in the area they are supposed to be in. Should be an intersting work to say the least.
I look forward to working with our youth on this trip. It will be the first time we have included youth on a relief project. Pray for us and them to have patience with each other. I can't wait to be around our youth for a couple of days, I know it will be refreshing.

Pray us as we piece this trip together.

Buddy Gray