Nine of Saint John’s Heseders will be traveling to New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 1 to work at Camp Restore for one week. This mission was established by LCMS in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Camp Restore’s mission is to restore “Faith, Home and Community in New Orleans.”

We will be working on construction projects to help residents rebuild their homes and churches. Some of us will also work on community projects such as working in nursing homes or schools or helping to restore the ecosystem in environmental projects.

Camp Restore is run primarily on donations from the faith community. The Heseders will be bringing monetary donations as well as taking some items with us by plane and in the Gardners’ van.

For the Tool Room: Because these items are so large, Sue would prefer cash donations so that we can purchase them in New Orleans. Thanks!

• 2-cycle gas-powered portable generator
• Commercial lawn mower
• Fat Max Utility Bar (for straightening 2x4s)
• Hitachi gas air compressor
• Lumber Loc
• Paslode framing nailer & cartridges
• Paper and Cleaning Products:
• Ziploc bag (gallon and quart size)
• Bleach table cleaner (food grade)
• Dinner napkins
• Hand cleaner
• Hand sanitizer
• Paper towels
• Plastic dinnerware
• Toilet paper

We will be collecting items and monetary offerings from anyone who can help during the last two weeks of May. We appreciate your prayers for God’s guidance and safety during our week in New Orleans. We wish you were going with us!

“Hesed” is a Hebrew word that means “kindness”, “mercy”, “loyalty”, “loving-kindness” or “steadfastness.” It’s the way God intends us to live together—a “love your neighbor as yourself”, active, selfless, sacrificial, caring-for-one-another brand of living contradictory to our fallen natures. The “Heseders” are continually looking to work together to share some small measure of God’s extraordinary love. Won’t you join us?