"Hoosiers Hearts to Gulf Homes"
Judy Champa - August 2006
Convention Delegate
Member of the Vestry
As some of you know, Keira
Sparrow and I are delegates to the Convention that is coming up in October.
This year’s mission project has been changed. For the last two years the project has been
“Mission: Back Home Again in Indiana”. This year a greater need has been identified and the
groundwork has been laid for “Hoosiers Hearts to Gulf Homes”.
As the convention planning committee was looking over things, they recognized the need for continued help to rebuild the Gulf Coast. This need no longer gets daily sound bites from local and national news and the sad truth is that “compassion fatigue” has set in. There are families there that need help more than ever. Many have found out that insurance and national help is minimal, if at all.
There will be a group leaving directly from the State Diocesan Convention i
n October. With
God’s help, I will be part of this group. My son, Adam will
be joining me. We will be
commissioned at the convention. Our group will then travel to a base camp named
Camp Coast
Care in Long Beach, Mississippi where we will work under the direction of the Episcopal Bishop
of Mississippi. We hope to fill a semi truck with products to take with us.
We are very excited about this trip and the opportunities it will provide for us. I would like to ask your prayers for us and everyone that will make this trip. There will probably be other things I will be asking of you in the future, but please keep us in your daily prayers as the people of the Gulf Coast are still in dire need and sometimes they just need someone to listen. I pray that I will be able to help and say the words God wants me to say.
More News on the Gulf Coast Trip. September 2006
As promised, here is a list of the items we need most. These will go to the Gulf Coast with us.
Bunk Beds
Other Beds, frames and mattresses
Night Stands/dressers
Cots
Air Conditioners
Oven Warmers
Large appliances, refrigerators, electric ovens, washers, dryers, and kitchen equipment.
Small appliances, all kinds are needed
A wet ceramic tile saw (large tray with slider)
A Dodge camper shell
An all-terrain golf cart
Air compressors (large and small)
Industrial storage tents
Dewalt 8 volt combo packs (cordless saws)
Industrial fans
A sheet rock lift
Used cars
Homemade items----Many of the people we will be interacting with have lost all their heirloom treasures. Treasured items that were important in their lives. As the Tidings writes, “the things that really helped make their house a home.” Again from the Tidings, “Some of the most treasured gifts we have received have been in the form of quilts which we presented to those who were feeling especially down and discouraged. It actually brings tears to people’s eyes to receive a handmade gift like this because homemade things represent personal care and attention.”
The things we are asking for don't have to be brand new, but at least in good condition. They will be helping to replace lost necessities and lost heirlooms.
We can always use financial gifts, both for the trip itself and for the people once we get there.
Please pray for us and for the people we will be with. And God will guide our hands, our hearts, and our words.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me and I will answer them if I can. My numbers are (home) 317-889-0948 and (cell) 317-506-5573.
Judy Champa
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Welcome to The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis Wednesday's Mailbag.
HOOSIER HEARTS TO GULF HOMES UPDATE Webmaster's note: Sunday morning, October 29, Judy Champa and her son Adam left Camp Coast Care and drove to Tennessee to meet her youngest son, Matthew. He and his family drove from North Carolina to be with his mother and brother. She will return to the Hoosier state on Thursday, November 2nd.
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Our
mission relief team has, indeed, made it to Camp Coast Care in
Mississippi and is now hard at work! Our semi-tractor trailer driver,
Ron Gamble, has also arrived, dropping off a large load of supplies at
Camp Coast Care yesterday and at St. Paul's, New Orleans, this morning.
The GREAT news is that, thanks to a last-minute donation of several
refrigerators, our truck was SO full we couldn't even load the items
waiting in the southern part of the diocese and will have to take those
on a return trip! There are many, many parishes and people to thank for
this blessed effort. Ron and Kathy Gamble and the people of Holy Family,
Fishers, arranged for the truck and Carter Express in Anderson donated
it. St. Paul's, Indianapolis, helped provide financial support for the
trucking expenses. St. Stephen's New Harmony---that little church with a
very big heart---offered a thousand dollar donation! Three other small
churches with a big commitment to mission also made critical financial
gifts---St. David's, Bean Blossom; St. George's, West Terre Haute; and
St. Thomas, Whiteland. Thanks also for wonderful donations from Gordon
and Christy Anderson and Richard and Margaret Diemer. Thanks also to the
MANY other parishes and individuals who brought items for the truck.
Trinity, Indianapolis, offered eleven handmade quilts for the effort---a
very special gift. Finally, please continue to pray for safe work and
travel for our mission team returning this weekend, with parishioners
from St. David's, Bean Blossom; St. Paul's, Evansville; St. George's,
West Terre Haute; St. Timothy's, Indianapolis; St. Paul's, New Albany;
Trinity, Bloomington; and St. Alban's, Indianapolis (with apologies for
inadvertently leaving Bean Blossom off the list last week!) The Camp
Coast Care volunteer coordinator sent a note to say how impressed he was
with the spirit of our volunteers and this diocese. Thanks be to God!
(And, yes, WHAT a great diocese!)