Floods, fires, mudslides, and other disasters have struck around the world so it's easy to forget that about Katrina and assume everything is back together here in New Orleans. For us we're close, but the work is not finished.
Before Pictures:
The images below were taken in late September 2005 after the authorities finally allowed us to access the building. It had soaked in several feet of water for almost three weeks. You can still see water standing in the hallway on the 29th of September.
Main Hallway. Kitchen on the left, offices on the right, and classrooms all the way down. This was the first time we were able to get into the building.
We are in a marathon of recovery and rebuilding
Come walk with us on this most amazing journey God has given us the opportunity to take. From the devastation of Katrina to the rebirth of a city and a family of God's children we are walking and working together for the glory of God.
December 2009
One Last Push
On December 13th our members and Friends of Carrollton gave sacrificially and donated almost $38,000 in a special contribution to cover the cost of replacing the windows. With a total cost of $60,000, the Elders have stepped out in faith and let the contract to replace the windows taking the difference out of our dwindling Operating Reserve. During the next 3 weeks we received an additional $8,000 putting us within $14,000 of our goal. We let the contract in faith that God will provide.
November 2009
Kitchen, classrooms, and even a shower room for visiting volunteers have all been finished. The last of the work remaining deals with the rusted out and broken windows, and what will be future offices (middle picture below). While we are functional, we're not finished. In particular the original windows need to be completely replaced ($50,000) but funding has dried up and this just isn't a job for volunteers.
July 2009
Last month we had our first fellowship dinner since Katrina in the "fellowship room." After all, family should eat together...
It's not finished, but the lights come on and the A/C works and that was close enough as we approach 4 years of recovery and rebuilding. Drama camp used this space for everything from lunch to PE when it rained
November 2008
We signed the contracts for the kitchen hood and the roof so we can finally get the building dried in and our inside work won't be damaged. We passed our rough-in plumbing inspection and can begin on finishing the electrical rough-in The hood is almost finished as is the roof.
July 29, 2008
Below on the left is a picture of our future fellowship area from 2007. We have cleaned it up a bit, opened it up and, as of July 29th finally begun installing a new airconditioning system.
Our bathrooms are beginning to take shape too. It's a little harder to see because of the walls, but that is a good thing. The before picture is on the left and the "after" picture is on the right.
We are putting together some final budgets and letting contracts for the large items that can't be done by unskilled volunteers. We know we do not have enough money to finish the building especially with the funds invested in God's Kingdom in Hollygrove. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to begin raising funds to finish repairing the damage Katrina did. The reason we are short is found in the paragraph below and in Why Plant Hollygrove.
A day late and a dollar short
After over a year and a half of exhausting relief work for our members and community, Carrollton started the reconstruction process of our facilities to meet the growing ministry needs and opportunities in the MidCity area of New Orleans. Like many inner-city churches, our annual budgets over the years were always tight and when we had to choose between operations and compassion, we deferred spending on our building and helped the folks around us. Flood insurance was one of many items that fell by the wayside to bring ends closer to meeting each year.
We did that again after Katrina. If you donated money for "relief," that's where it went--helping hurting people, not into our building.
However, now that it's time to rebuild, the funds and volunteers have dried up.
We will rebuild and we are confident that God will provide in His time. If you can help with funds, or a few skilled electricians and plumbers, please contact us at the Office email.
In December, with the help of men from Village Church of Christ in Arkansas, we framed in new kitchen walls adding 3 feet to the kitchen. That's a new walk-in pantry on the left and a small office for KidCity/children's ministry on the right.
View of the Kitchen in November. The appliances look kind of lonely sitting in there all alone.
Same hallway as you see on the left. Window units cool the classrooms temporarily. It was kind of hot this summer.
