Ecumenical Blitz Build begins in New Orleans.

Brethren Disaster Ministries and Church of the Brethren volunteers are participating in an ecumenical Blitz Build currently taking place in New Orleans to rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Brethren Disaster Ministries is providing 15 volunteers per week for all four weeks of the project.

The Blitz Build is sponsored by Church World Service (CWS) with the participation of 10 Christian denominations, working with the local New Orleans longterm recovery organization Crescent Alliance Recovery Effort. Volunteers began work on April 20 in the community of Little Woods, which is described as a historic lakefront community in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. The project will repair or rebuild 12 homes during the four weeks from April 19-May 16.

During the first morning orientation, more than 125 volunteers gathered from the 10 Christian denominations, including the Church of the Brethren, according to Brethren Disaster Ministries coordinator Jane Yount. The Blitz Build is gathering the diverse volunteers under the themes, "Working as One," and "Rebuilding Homes, Reclaiming Hope." To kick off the event, volunteers each hammered a single nail into a common board to represent their participation in the project.

Go to www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=serve_brethren_disaster_ministries_updates and click on the Blitz Build link for a photo album by Matthew Hackworth of CWS.

Source: 4/22/2009 Newsline