Mark Goldfuss Report - Louisiana Rebuilding Needs

 
Sunday September 20, 2020

    ROOF DESTRUCTION

Dear Bro Jan,

Here are the pictures from Sulphur Louisiana and our trip.  We primarily helped two churches.  Grace Baptist with Pastor Arvin Harrell and Calvary Baptist with Pastor Steve Avera.  We were able to help Pastor Steve at his house with putting back up some siding and removing the church gutters that were still in good shape for the roofers to come in and tare off the shingles and replace them.  We help three of his members 1) take down a tree and replace here porch steps  (pictures shown) 2) take down widow maker limbs,(pictures) replace porch columns and rehang a mail box, 3) cut down 5 trees that had the tops of the trees just hanging. 

We were able to stay at Pastor Harrells and he had a large tree go through his back porch roof.  Huge hole in the roof (pictures) so we were able to take off his whole back porch (pictures) and tarp everything back in (pictures).  He has a member that needs a tree cut up but it’s a fairly dangerous job. The tree limb is as big as most trees and is still leaning on the tree.  If someone has some heavy equipment it would be a safer and much easier job.

We did make one more stop at Vincent Baptist church and talked with in-term Pastor Brad McKelvey (picture).  In the picture he needs a crew to gut out the sanctuary.  He has power and accommodations at the church with places to sleep (bringing your own air mattresses ) and a kitchen and showers    He can house 12-15 probably.  He has a roofing crew coming from Houston And they are bringing the crew and Materials to fix their roofs (picture). 

There are plenty of needs( some of the other random pictures)  but I will say that it may still be a bit early for construction crews.  Insurance adjusters have not done or gotten back with the people yet.   When we were there we only saw 2 roofs being reroofed.  Most people still waiting on money.  I would say in the next 2 weeks most of those details will be worked out and people will have money for their materials.  As far as Sheetrock crews, they are probably a month or more  out yet for anything like that to happen.  Hope this helps.  There is plenty of people that just plain need help cleaning up and what not.  They won’t turn down the help. 

We certainly enjoyed our time there and wish we could have stayed longer. 

Thank you for the opportunity to help serve others.

Mark Goldfuss