Just an update on our tornado relief efforts here at First Wesleyan, Tuscaloosa:

Since FEMA has come to town it seems everything is changing quickly.  Hopefully all of the changes will be for the better.

Here at First Wesleyan the Lord seems to have closed down our Distribution Center.  Last week, very unexpectedly, we received a call from the Salvation Army (we have really been working closely with this organization).

They wanted to set up a new Distribution Center in Jasper, Alabama but they had NO supplies with which to establish the center.  They said they would take everything we had and begin a new work in an area that had not yet received much help.  Tuscaloosa has received a lot of help, yet we still have a long way to go.  We were thrilled to help the Salvation Army establish a new work in an area that was virtually without help.  We emptied our entire Distribution Center (our Gym was completely filled with supplies) and sent everything to Jasper.  In the meantime, FEMA was encouraging all the churches to close their relief work and establish several very large operations under the direction of the Salvation Army and Tuscaloosa Temporary Emergency Services.  This would provide large central locations that individuals could visit in order to receive help.  I pray this turns out to be a better plan than many small distribution centers.

We are continuing to operate a clothing warehouse for individual families to receive gently used clothing. 

As of yet, we have NOT begun to receive work teams, as people continue to deal with insurance companies and FEMA with regard to property settlements.

A tremendous amount of clean-up is going on under the direction of FEMA.

I received numerous offers of help from our Impacto Family.  Since we at First Wesleyan have closed our Distribution Center and work efforts are progressing under the leadership of other organizations, we are no longer receiving help here at First Wesleyan.  Very soon, I will have information regarding how individuals may go about volunteering to help with FEMA, the Salvation Army, and Temporary Emergency Services.  We would love to have individuals come to Tuscaloosa and volunteer.  For our Impacto Family, we will volunteer to work along side them, if they are interested in coming in the very near future.

Please express our appreciation to those who have volunteered to come help.  Praise God for their willingness to help others in need. 

There is still much to be done in Tuscaloosa, so please come help vey soon.

We love you all.

Pastor John