Samaritan's Purse is on the Ground in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa - WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP - http://spvolunteernetwork.org/getting-started.aspx

Gang -

Samaritan's Purse is on the ground today in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa and will need volunteers for weeks and months to come - great organization and great leader in Franklin Graham who visited Tuscaloosa today - Click HERE for a video about Pleasant Grove where more than 50% of the 2600 homes there were completely destroyed.

Click HERE to sign up and volunteer - I suggest either signing up and driving there - if you want to volunteer, or just go to one of the 2 main Samaritan's Purse locations -

BIRMINGHAM/BESSEMER
Garywood Assembly of God
2730 Allison Bonnett Memorial
Bessemer, AL 35023-1843
(205) 744-4366

TUSCALOOSA
First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa
721 Greensboro Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401-1881
(205) 366-4406


Another great thing about this group is they have lots of experience with these missions AND they adhere to both a Statement of Faith and a Statement of Practice -

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Statement of Faith

Samaritan’s Purse bases its ministry on the following:

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. II Timothy 3:15-17.

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6.

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. John 1:1-4; Matthew 1:23; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-4 & 4:15; Acts 1:11 & 2:22-24; I Corinthians 15:3-4.

We believe that, for the salvation of lost and sinful man, repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. Titus 3:4-7; Luke 24:46-47; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit whose indwelling enables the Christian to live a godly life. Galatians 5:16-18; Romans 8:9. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation and eternal punishment. Revelation 20:11-15; I Corinthians 15:51-57.

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Statement of Practice

The commitment of Samaritan’s Purse is “to serve and not be served.” Serving on the field means your agreement to the following:

I am willing to set aside personal preferences, habits, and schedule in the interest of others to fulfill the ministry of the project to which I am assigned and to seek to win people of faith in Jesus Christ.

I understand there are variations in practice and understanding of Scripture in some areas of doctrine, Christian living, and witness. In serving Samaritan’s Purse, I will abide by the standards of the projects to which I am assigned in all areas, including dress, alcohol, drug, and tobacco and to be sensitive to cultural, regional, and church expectations and standards.

In cooperation with the project setting, I seek to provide excellence in service and to present Jesus Christ as Lord.

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Individual Volunteer & Team Registration

Volunteers should be prepared for manual labor to include home repair, construction and/or clean up. Volunteers must be 14 years or older. For volunteers who are 14 & 15 they must serve alongside their parent or legal guardian. For volunteers 16 & 17, they may serve with an adult chaperone, however they must bring the volunteer waiver signed by their parent/legal guardian and notarized.

What do they need help with? Click HERE to sign up.

Debris Clean-Up & Mudouts; Placing Tarps on Roofs; Chainsaw Work; Cooking; Job Layout & Planning; Carpentry - Rough; Carpentry - Finish; Plumbing - Copper & Plastic; Water Well Installation & Repair; Water Pump Installation & Repair; Septic System Installation; Electrical - Rough; Electrical - Finish; HVAC Installation & Repair; Drywall - Hang; Drywall - Finish; Concrete - Flatwork & Foundation; Concrete Block Laying; Roofing - Shingle & Metal; Landscaping; Welding - Gas & Stick; Machine Operation - Bobcat, Backhoe, etc.; Arborist; General Mechanical Work; Flooring / Carpet Installation; CDL Driving if you have a license

NOTE: Any information in this post from Samaritan's Purse is for informational purposes only for disaster relief and is not for any gain and all credit for their work whether in print or on their website is given to the same.

Information on assisting to help in the Pratt City area tornado relief -

DIRECTIONS TO THE OLD SCOTT SCHOOL

JUST OFF OF HIGHWAY 78 NEAR PRATT CITY

TO HELP PASTOR ERIC HARRIS OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH

1. Exit Interstate 65 on Finley Boulevard and head towards Highway 78 (or you can exit I-20/59 at Arkadelphia and keep going straight on Highway 78 rather than having to turn right as indicated below).
2. Turn right onto Hwy 78 and pass the Alabama Department of Public Safety Building on the right.
3. Keep going through approximately 2 red lights and turn left where the police officers are directing traffic right on highway 78. You will see a crosswalk that goes over Highway 78.
4. If they stop you, let them know that you are coming to meet Pastor Eric Harris or Pastor White to help with disaster relief.
5. You will then pass by the old school on your left and you turn left where the officers are directing traffic and the drop-off point is back in the back and you can park and walk to the drop-off point to begin working. Just tell anyone you see that you are there to work with Pastor Eric Harris or Pastor White.

NOTE – IF YOU GET LOST, STOP AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE OLD SCOTT SCHOOL WHERE THE DISASTER RELIEF IS BEING ORGANIZED BY PASTOR ERIC HARRIS WITH HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

NOTE – THE MAP ABOVE IS NOT TO THE SCOTT SCHOOL BUT IS TO HOLY TRINITY CHURCH JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM THE SCOTT SCHOOL – IF YOU GET LOST YOU CAN ALWAYS GO THERE AND THEY WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE PROPER LOCATION – Holy Trinity Church - 1010 16th Ave West, Thomas Birmingham AL 35204.

Kreps Tornado Relief Efforts

FROM THE FRONT LINES OF THE DEVASTATION

Dear Friends, Family & Colleagues:

“This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other." John 13:35

PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO MIGHT BE WILLING TO HELP.

If you want to help get supplies to the front lines, now is your chance. Many people want to help but they don’t know exactly what to do. The purpose of this post is to tell you what you can do today to help.

I spent Friday afternoon delivering a trailer full of supplies and other items to the hardest hit area up highway 78 near Pratt City and surrounding areas. This morning (Saturday) I spent delivering more supplies on the ground and driving through neighborhoods (as you can see in the attached picture) providing basic life necessities (water, food, etc) to those in need.

Doris, our nanny, lived in the area near Pratt City/Forestdale and I have attached a picture of her house which was completely destroyed. It is ONLY by the Grace of God that she is still alive today and that I was able to put my hands on her this morning and hug her and tell her how much I love her. Only a short time before her house was destroyed with she and her mother huddled in the hall in a small pocket of room God prepared for them, Doris was with us taking care of our beloved Jay and Forrest.

There are many, many good people on the ground working there and all over the State of Alabama and other states impacted by these storms. Pastor White and Pastor Eric Harris of local churches are on the ground near Pratt City doing God’s work showing these people how much they are loved. That is what they need most today and for the coming weeks and months. I have asked the questions to the people on the ground what they need most and the list is below – Friday afternoon we had lots of water and supplies and toiletries but we needed zip lock and other small bags to package the items in – this morning we were able to deliver close to 10,000 bags to the relief command center where all of the items are being sorted and distributed.

I met up with and had a great conversation this morning with Birmingham Police Chief A. C. Roper. My question to him was “what do you need the most right now for your officers and other personnel and what can I provide you with in the future that will help you and your officers that are here on the ground.” Those officers and other emergency personnel have to be fed and hydrated 24/7 and most are working double shifts and this will likely go on for weeks, if not months. I have included the list below.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US HELP THEM

FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS/EMERGENCY PERSONNEL: Gatorade (20 oz and smaller bottles), Powerade (20 oz and smaller bottles), Propel Water, Coke, Diet Coke, Mt. Dew, Dr. Pepper, hand-sanitizer (small containers that fit in their pocket), energy bars, power bars, etc.

FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE TORNADOS

Items Needed – URGENT NEED RIGHT NOW – baby food, baby formula, diapers, wipes, Wet Ones, plastic bags to be used to assemble care packages.

Bottled Water; Gatorade/Powerade; Non-Perishable Snacks and Food Items; Diapers; Baby Wipes; Baby Formula; Socks; Shoes; Tooth Brush; Tooth Paste; Towels; Paper Towels; Bath Soap; Deodorant; Hand Soap; Comb/Brush; Wet Wipes; Hand Sanitizer; Bandages; Aspirin; Tylenol; Medical Tape; Sterile Gauze; Antiseptic Wipes; Antibiotic Cream; Blankets; Wal-Mart Gift Cards any amount - $10, $15, $20, $25, etc.

If you don’t have time to purchase the items and you still want to help, please see instructions below to donate via paypal, cash or gift cards and we will be glad to purchase the items for you and deliver them to the hardest hit areas. All of these people out there need our love now more than ever and it is amazing how far a little will go.

DONATE ITEMS – DELIVER TO THIS ADDRESS AND PLACE IN THE TRAILER IN THE DRIVEWAY OR NEAR THE FRONT PORCH

991 Cobble Creek Drive (Carrie’s parents’ house)

Hoover, AL

Directions: Columbiana Road – Turn onto Tyler Road; Cobble Creek up the hill from Columbiana approx. 1.5 miles on the right; 991 is the 4^th or 5^th house on the right.

DROP OFF ITEMS/CHECKS/CASH/GIFT CARDS AT MY OFFICE DURING THE WEEK (9am to 4pm);

Kreps Law Firm, LLC - 502 Montgomery Highway, Suite 202, directly across from Vestavia Hills City Hall. Place them in the foyer or up the side stairs to the right of the front door.

MAIL CHECKS TO THE OFFICE TO BE USED TO PURCHASE ITEMS:

Payable to Carrie Kreps or Joseph Kreps

Kreps Law Firm, LLC

502 Montgomery Highway, Suite 202

Birmingham, AL 35216

DONATE VIA PAYPAL

Donate money via Paypal to be used to purchase items –

Go to www.paypal.com and send donations to carriekreps@bellsouth.net . Every single penny (AND MORE) will be used to help these people on the ground TODAY!

Thank you for anything that you can do to help us help them. Even 10 bottles of Gatorade will help or a donation of $20.

If you want to help on the ground, please email me back or call me or send me a text message and I can put you to work with the people on the ground assisting with relief and helping people sort through their belongings and their destroyed houses – THIS NEED IS IMMEDIATE BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSE TO RAIN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. I have attached directions on how to get there and all you have to do is show up and ask to see Pastor White or Pastor Eric Harris and everyone knows them and they will put you to work.

Thank you.

In Him,