The troops arrived early yesterday morning to a dimly-lit building. Candles and a propane lantern provided the light, while we organized a list of people who might need help. We started with the widows and elderly, and moved on to those who had the most damage. By 7:00 we had about 20 names and phone numbers listed on a dry-erase board, then we began making phone calls. Yes, we woke a few of them up, but they were delighted to hear that help was on the way.

We quickly split into four different teams. Two large teams loaded up chainsaws and lawn tools, and headed out to help our friends in need. One smaller team organized generators to rotate between families who were out of power. Each family would use the generator for a few hours to keep their refrigerators and freezers cold, and then we would pick up the generator and move it to another family for a few hours. The fourth team stayed at VGR to begin the long process of cleaning up the property.

In all, we were able to visit about 15 houses yesterday. Most had yards full of debris, with fallen trees and limbs everywhere. The teams were well equipped with chainsaws and plenty of manpower. By the second house, we had our system in order. The sawyers would cut the trees and limbs into six-foot sections, while the rest of us would carry the logs to the street where they would be picked up by the city workers. After the trees were cut into manageable pieces and hauled over to the roadside, we raked up the smaller debris and disposed of that before heading to the next house. We were even able to fix a leaky radiator hose and put together a gas grill for an elderly sister while we were out.

While most of the crews were visiting houses in Jeffersonville, the crew at the VGR property was tackling some of the biggest trees. The giant hackberry, the beautiful towering monarch that stood just north of the building, was the first project because it was blocking the back driveway. It was not long before the tree was reduced to a few large stumps and hauled away. The team also managed to clear a few of the large cherry and birch trees before the day ended. This morning, one crew will be out rotating generators and clearing debris, while the rest of the VGR staff will be working on the property. Business will again be closed, but we now have electricity and the phones are working.

We are happy to confirm that we have not received any reports of injuries among believers in Jeffersonville. Over the course of the day, we also heard some outstanding testimonies, which we are looking forward to posting in the days to come.

The day ended with the crews standing on the back dock of the VGR building. Brother Joseph called us together for a word of prayer, before we retired for the evening. “Lord Jesus, we count it an honor to serve your Bride...” We were all tired and sore from the long day, but those words struck deep into our hearts. What greater honor could we have than serving the Bride of Christ?