Jesus Our Help

Gail and I enjoyed a real vacation in May (see highlights here), but since we’ve returned our attention has once again focused on our work with Crisis Response, and we’re looking forward to that being mostly full time this summer. Your prayers and support are needed and deeply appreciated.

Last week Gail flew to Ft. Myers, Florida to help out with some staffing needs and to take some training to become a trainer for the Prepare program which Crisis Response offers to churches who want to be ready for crisis.

This week Gail is going (with Katrina) to Greenfield, Iowa to help initiate a Trauma Bible Study in the wake of the devastating tornado that hit the town in late May. The local Evangelical Free Church is hoping for a hundred storm victims to attend the initial study. This is about ten times more people than the study has typically been used with. Pray that Kat and Gail will be guided by the Holy Spirit as they adjust the material for this group and their particular circumstances.

Next Sunday, Gail and I are going to Minneapolis to attend “New Staff Orientation.” Of course Gail has been on staff for years, and I’m coming up on a year myself, so this required course is coming a little late. But we’re looking forward to the time with ReachGlobal staff and missionaries who are going to places around the world. At the end of the week we’ll be doing the Prepare training at a church in Minnesota that wants to be ready to respond to crisis, whether locally or across the country.

In July, Lord willing, we’ll be packing up Phoebe and heading back to Ft. Myers, where we will work with the two-year-old response to Hurricane Ian. There is still plenty of work to be done there, and plenty of relationships to build, but we’ll also have our eyes on the tropical weather maps. As you have almost certainly heard, the forecast is for a very active tropical weather season, and we’ll be prepared to respond to the next hurricane that impacts the U.S. coastline. We pray that no one will be devastated by such a storm, but we’re planning our summer as if they will.

In between Minneapolis and Ft. Myers we’ve got a short but much anticipated time with family planned. The entire DeGray clan will be gathering in Coldspring, Texas for the 4th of July weekend. This will be the first time we’ve all been together in years, and we’re excited for the opportunity.

Well, much more could be said, but this is already too long. I’ll close by saying again that we covet your prayers and your support. Trips like the ones we’ve got this summer dig deep into our Crisis Response travel fund, so ongoing support remains essential. Please pray for God’s provision. If you know anyone who would like to receive this newsletter, refer them to jesusourhelp.com where they can catch up on our ministry and sign up for future updates. If you would like to support our ministry financially, visit Giving: Bob and Gail DeGray.