RAVEN UPDATE

10/06/05

The City is starting to "come alive" as the traffic begins to build and many make their way into hard hit areas for the very first time. Here in Jefferson Parish (West New Orleans) there are businesses (especially restaurants) opening on a daily basis (and filling up rapidly as many have no way to prepare meals in their damaged homes).

The streets are still strewn with trash, discarded furniture and flood soaked sheetrock, yet the main roads have been largely cleared of all unsightly debris.

Orleans Parish (New Orleans proper) is a different story though. The once bustling Central Business District is now only abuzz with clean up crews and utility workers--there are virtually no "residence" there. Why would they be? There is just simply not much in place for them there-especially in light of the fact that most of their homes have suffered major flood and wind damage.

We are in the process of relocating the distribution center from the 2701 Transcontinental location to 2001 Airline Highway (this is where we hold our annual Mardi Gras Outreach). This joint effort by Celebration Church, the PRC, Christ in Action, and RAVEN Ministries is doing an amazing job of supplying food, clothing and ministry to thousands each week. The new location will provide us with a closer proximity to the City and provide an easy access to those coming with needs as well.

Last night we had a great time of ministry. We had friends from Hope Chapel (Santa Rosa, Calf) assisting with the praise and worship and the Spirit of the Lord was sweet in our midst. During the ministry time, the Lord Jesus gave me several words regarding some of those in attendance and we saw the mercy and compassion of God truly minister to those that were called out.

One young woman came forward and gave here life to Jesus. She had come to help with the relief effort and instead it was JESUS who brought the ULTIMATE relief to her!

This morning Terry Shuff (RAVEN Indiana) and I hit the streets of the City early. By 7:30 AM we were downtomn and on the streets looking for opprotunities to establish the GOSPEL FOUNDATION in people's lives. We went to a devestated housing complex and ministered at length to a man who had been caught in the flood. He, his wife and two young children had to wade through 5ft flood waters to get to safety.

We prayed and ministered to him as he returned to see if he could salvage anything from his home.

We later went to Bourbon St and walked along areas where we have seen hundreds come to Jesus on our regular "Raven Soul Patrols." We stopped and spoke to a homeless many and shared Jesus with him as well as afew others who had gotten out early as well.

We returned to our "camp" and took about 30 more volunteers to the Lafitte Housing Projects and surrounding areas. My team stopped and ministered to a man who worked for the Louisiana Housing Authority and he wept as we prayed and ministered to him.

We also walked by the Winn-DIxie grocery store that was shown beeing looted on television and by a friends such "Big Easy Church" which was largely destroyed by the hurricane and subsequent vandalism.

LAter in the morning we ministered deliverance to "Miss Tayor" who had battled mental illness and drug addiction. You could just see the chains breaking as we continued to press into and minister to this woman who had long lived in the projects.

Teams went out again this afternnon and distributed food boxes to the needy in the Kenner area.