Missions with Don & Rosemary

Rosemary and I leave tomorrow heading south. We will be off line until we locate wherever we go. It looks like for a few day at least, that we will be in S.W. Fla. We have some real opportunities in evangelism there. We will be driving into the areas wherever we go. We are bringing two chain saws and may be able to help in cutting tree limbs and other debris. When we do this we always have an opportunity to give out a bible tract, engage in conversation, offer an invitation to attend the local church and sometime-- not always-- set up a bible study.
We want you to know that in your support of the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team, under the elders of the Somerset Church of Christ, that your are helping a great home missionary effort. Many people have been affected in a positive way thru the selfless efforts of so many volunteers. Many people have become christians in response to your efforts and support. "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." " When you go to where people are, you can take them where you are going." Good Night, Don

This is a picture of portable kitchen that your concern and care made possible. This kitchen has two 100lb. propane gas tanks and a 13000 watt generator pictured on the front of the trailer. Inside is walk in cooler of about 5x5'. There are two upright freezers, a grill & griddle that will cook about 100 hamburgers at a time. There is a large 4 burner gas stove and three dish washing sinks. At the rear of the kitchen as you can see on the back left are the serving windows. This portable kitchen allows us to go into areas where there is no funtioning kitchen and care for people. As people come to the window to receive their food, several of us on the evangelism team are getting their names and telephone number for further follow up. When we bring this trailer-kitchen in, we also will set up tables and chairs so that devastated people can sit down and eat. Other members of those involved in evangelism sit down with people and listen to their story. This often is very important to people who have recently suffered so much. These good folks get a chance to meet christians who care and as you know "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care and when you go to where people are you can take them where you are going. We expect that the gift of this kitchen trailer is going to greatly enhance our ability to reach people for the Lord. Thanks so much for your sacrificial donations to the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team under the Eldership of the Somerset Church of Christ. As you are making donations to these upcoming hurricane events, please know that your gifts are not being used to pay salaries, they are being used to help people. We as volunteers are thankful that we have this opportunity to serve. Would you like to be a volunteer? Give Mark a call. 937-308-0035. Beginning Wed. it may be a few days before we answer your email or get back to the blog as we will be traveling south, to be ready. Don

Roosevelt and Florita, not only dear friends of Rosemary and me, but great members of the church in Bayou La Batre. We spent many excellent hours in the study of God's word, with them while on our last mission trip.
Thanks for your emails, questions and encouragement. Good Night Don

Some of the many new members of the church in Bayou La Batre. Volunteers went in and helped the people after Katrina, taught them the bible and the congregation is about 40 today.
AS you probably know Tropical Storm Ernesto is bearing down on the Caribbean Islands and is forecast to grow in intensity and enter the gulf. We of the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team (DRT) cannot wait any longer. We saw the devastation last year and we want to try and be there even quicker than last year. It is rare that we ever mention or ask for anything, and we ask nothing for the volunteers now, but the people in the path of this storm may need a lot of help. We can put to good use your every expression of love and care. Please pray for those in the path of destruction and for all the volunteers who are giving their all to help. If you want to donate items please call Mark at 937-308-2259 or 937-308-0035, he or Laura can tell you what is needed and where to send them. We appreciate your love and concern in shipping your donated items. If you can volunteer, again call Mark and Laura. It can be dirty, hot sometimes dangerous work, but it can help so much.
WE CAN NOW GREATLY USE MONEY. Your donations of money helps immediately get food, cleaning supplies, household necessities and building materials very quickly in use to help. Through your efforts and sacrifice we not have a kitchen trailer in which we can provide up to 3 thousand meals per day in devastated areas. This one effort alone opens many doors of opportunity for many of our volunteers, with the local church, to set up bible studies and help lead many people to Jesus. There have been many, many new christians who were reached by helping people in the storms of last year. You saw an example in the above picture. Please, please send any amount---it will be used wisely--- to the
Somerset Church of Christ
Disaster Response Team
P.O.Box 247
314 North Market Street
Somerset, Ohio 43783
The moment you letter is opened at Somerset, the elders see that your donation is put to work. None of your donation goes for salaries. It goes to help people.
One more thing, Rosemary and I leave Wed. morn to go to affected areas. Please remember us in your prayers. Your brother, Don

Sorry there was no blog report last evening. Rosemary and I went to a football game in Nashville. Two of our grandsons, Donald C. Hudson III, ("Little Donnie" , 6'4'' 250lbs.) and Dallon, play for David Lipscomb School. "Little Donnie " is a senior and Dallon is in the 10th grade. Yes Grandmary and Papa are very proud of them. Got in way past our bed time. Lipscomb won 31-6.
Am sure you too are watching the weather and the tropical storm gathering. Mark and Laura, our director of the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team, has sent many of us an email telling us to be ready to move. Rosemary and I plan to leave here , Tenn., early Wed. morning heading south. Our updates may be a little spotty because of connections, but you may rest assured that volunteers will be at the ready with help.
Rosemary and I along with Neil and Thelma are going over to the Centerville area today to have lunch with Doug and Maxine. It is always wonderful when you have opportunity to fellowship with other christians. We are all in the Sojourners and always have opportunity to grow spiritually by being in each other's company. Plan to give you an update and pictures tonight when we get back for our outting. Some in the news media are now using the terms cat. 3 which can be a powerful storm, to describe the possibilities of "Ernesto" so lets remember to pray for those in the path of this storm. Don

This picture was taken inside of our rig at Bayou La Batre. To my left is April, to my right is her husband Joe, seated is nick. This study is the culmination of some five hours of study. With these new christians, we studied the Old Testament from the creation all the way to the crucifixion of Jesus. After that we studied Jesus shed blood sacrifice for our sins and our spiritual contact when we faithfully undergo baptism. Then living and worshipping God as the New Testament teaches. These young christians and this young church are deeply interested in the study of God's word and reaching out to others with the gospel of Christ. They are a very loving dedicated congregation of God's people. Don

What a wonderful mission we had at Bayou le Batre, just south of Mobile, Ala. A few weeks ago, the director of the disaster Response Team, Mark, asked Rosemary and me to go down and work with a new congregation in Bayou le Batre. Last fall when Katrina hit, this area was just devastated. Many, many volunteers began work there such as feeding people, helping them clean out their homes, passing out bible tracts, giving out bibles and telling them about the Lord and His church. This congregation is a direct outcome of these efforts. Rosemary and I had some 14 bible studies lasting from 1 hour to 3 hours working on "first principles" with these new precious brethren. They are so eager to learn. "When can we have the next study?" " When will you and Rosemary be back?" These brethren do not have a building but can meet on Sun. morn in the Odd Fellows Hall. On Sun. eve. and Wed. eve., they meet in some of the members houses. There are about 40 in attendance on Sun. The Churches of Christ disaster Response Team under the Eldership of the Somerset Church of Christ in Somerset, Oh. not only goes into disaster struck areas with food, supplies, building equipment but we also go in to help the local church, if there is one grow. We give out tracts, bibles. set up bible studies and teach people about the Lord. This congregation with which we worked is just and example of some the important efforts that so many of you are helping make possible.. We know that Our Father is aware of our efforts. Heb.6:10 We do appreciate the help the church at Howell, where I preach when we are home, gave us in making our work most profitable. We have a number of pictures and plan to develop them and have them for you tomorrow. Don

A rather exciting mission has become available to Rosemary and me with the DRT. In the gulf region many people have been helped by the volunteers and this a has opened the door for much bible teaching. Many people have obeyed the gospel and their is a great need for teaching these new converts as well as reaching out to still many more. This disaster Response team has asked us to lead this effort. We leave for Mobile in the morning. We're planning to have a series of home bible studies to help "ground"new christians in the faith. Thanks so much for the hard work of the volunteers for helping make this possible. By the way just called a contact in the gulf region. I've not met the people but they said they are looking forward to our reading the bible and praying with them.
I heard a rather interesting conversation just last week between my brother Paul and an elder in the Church. I think it bears repeating. Paul said when you give a dollar to the Disaster Response Team to help people you actually get $3 dollars in value. The question was how so? Paul said the volunteer pays his or her own way there to work taking no money for travel, and buys their own food taking no money for food. My brother said donating to the Disaster Response is a great deal. I thought that was a keen observation by one who had volunteered and could see first hand how donations were used. Because of travel we will be "down" a day or two, but look forward to being back with you and let you know of some of the great things you are helping make possible. Thank you Don

Before houses can be repaired from flood damage, such as these houses in New York, much of the contents ruined by the flood waters has to be carried out of the house. Carpets, furniture personal belongings and a lot more, often ruined. Sometime these volunteers mean so much to those who suffered devastation by just listening and praying with them. It is such a privilege to be able to serve God by helping our fellow man thru the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team (DRT). Oh Yes. One more thing we will be leaving on a mission with the DRT Wed. rather than tomorrow. We are looking forward to being involved in helping thru the DRT. More tomorrow about this up coming misssion. Don

As you can clearly see from the ruined furnishings taken from flooded houses in New York State, there was plenty of work for the voluteers. If you have opportunity and would like to work in this effort, go the the DRT. web site at www.churchesofchrist.org and contact our director Mark and he can help you. As christians help in devastations such as this it really can open the doors for bible study. Received an excellent article by David Sargent of the Creekwood Church of Christ. May I suggest you go to their web site at www.creekwoodcc.org and get his article "Pardoned" Can hardly wait until tomorrow. It looks like a wonderful opportunity for personal evangelism is going to be opened to us by the efforts of the volunteers. Just as soon as it is confirmed it will be on the blog. "Stay Tuned" Don

A picture of some of the volunteers working with the church in Endwell, NY. They are there helping people who suffered from the recent floods. How long it may last, I do not know, but it was good to hear at our last report that Tropical Storm Chris has weakened.. I hope it stays weakening. Rosemary and I voted today. My brother Paul, many of you remember him helping last year in Mobile, and his wife Marie just came in for a few days. They are here for Decoration Day at Wright's cemetery this Sat.
A new policy will be to inform all about once a week of the new material on the blog. We still plan to update it everyday. Don

Hope to get some more information on tomorrow, but no blog tonight. Just got in from bible study. Don

Appreciate so much e mails and of course questions. You may be wondering how you or the congregation can get in touch with the Sojourners or the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team. If you are aware of a congregation of the Church of Christ, that can be helped by the volunteer work of the Sojourners, such as VBS, working on a christian school or camp, inviting and trying to set up bible studies, various forms of labor as well as other work, just contact the Sojourners. You can call the office at 903-935 -5742, email us at office@sojourning.org go to the web site for more information about our work at www.sojourning.org. You may also ask another sojourner to help you in this. Rosemary and I would be happy to help. 931-698-3150. Before long sojourns for next year will be scheduled so it would be good to get information and send your request shortly. We are aware that this is the season for hurricanes and that problems from last years storms still exist. If the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team (DRT) can be of assistance to you, please call our Director Mark Cremeans at 937-308-0035, go to our web site at www.churchesofchristdrt.org Again, if Rosemary and I can be of help in any way please email us at dhudson@mcis.us or call us at 931-698-3150. It's 9:30pm. Good Night. Don