Funding Needs and Updates

We needed $160,000 to purchase these three buildings and will likely spend another $100,000 over the next two to three years rebuilding them.  Carrollton, an inner-city church ourselves, is still recovering and rebuilding. We simply do not have this kind of money.

Yet, our Elders stepped out in faith and took on this work in a dark and difficult part of New Orleans.  By the world's standards this must seem pretty foolish, but then again, Christianity as a whole seems pretty foolish to the world.   

When it was time to close on the purchase we had firm commitments for $60,000 leaving us $100,000 short.  We stepped out again and signed the papers, went into the hole and took ownership. If you or your church's mission budget has any room for a one time contribution, we could use your help kickstarting this work.

As of March 8th, we received commitments for another $25,000 which only leaves us $75,000 in the hole. God is good!

As of 3/14/08

We are reroofed, rewired, and pretty much replumbed. The building has 1875 square feet, lots of windows, and will seat roughly 100-125 people.  Know any good A/C folks? That's all that stands between us and sheetrocking. And, we already have the sheetrock donated...We'll post the specs for the HVAC system if someone is interested in helping purchase/install it.

March Update: 

We are reroofed thanks to Shane and Tim who are pictured here on the roof.

This is an "action" shot of a banker actually working (fine gentleman in the shorts on the right).  The fruits of their labors are seen to the left.  We're ready to paint.

We'll get to the house next door (our future classrooms) as soon as another roofer volunteers to come down.  That one will need to be stripped down and redecked before we can roof so it will be a bigger job timewise.  It's about 30 squares of shingles, is steeper and needs to be done by a professional to keep folks from being injured.  We can't do too much on the inside until we get it dryed in. But, with the help of a great crew from ACU and two churches in Abilene we did get it gutted.

That's "barge board" on the ceilings and walls. 

For a more thorough update and history of the work click HERE.

Rewiring

God Provides through the hands of his children.  We were blessed with an electrician, two of his helpers and a youth minister (all in one big pickup truck).  Driving all night, they hit the ground running at 9 a.m. and rewired the building free of charge in two days.  Fueled on cajun food and loaded up with fresh sea food, they headed back home to Arkansas.  Mark and Forrest, "Thank you" doesn't go far enough.

Shoring Up

The little church building is sagging quite a bit in places.  If you know anyone with expertise and equipment to level a pier and beam floor, have we got an opportunity for you!  Right now it's an uphill walk to the bapistry which makes for wonderful sermon illustrations.