As we move into the spring of 2014, many of us will be very thankful to see this winter come to an end…. What a year it’s been! Snow and cold have broken records, making the operation of the DRS northern sites a real challenge. But as we always say…the Lord is in control! We go where He wants us to go!

Those of you who have been on construction assignments recently in Ocean County, New Jersey; High River, Alberta; or even Hyde County, North Carolina, know that water pipes froze several times from the unusual cold. Or, if you’ve been on needs assessment teams in Boulder or Weld County, Colorado; Essex County, New Jersey; or in Connecticut–thank you! We really appreciate your willingness to brave the winter climate to serve with DRS! Thanks also to Becky and Shirley in the office, as well as volunteer Nancy Groothuis, who have taken on the challenge of recruiting the volunteers needed to fill our teams. It’s not an easy task!

If you are a current volunteer, you should have received my letter last month about the trends in disaster geography. We will continue to investigate possible options for southern sites for next year but with what we know at this point, our winter construction sites will be mostly in cold climates. So please pray, and mark your calendars for time slots next winter when you can serve…in a beautiful snowy location! The mountains and ocean communities can be wonderful in the winter, and our work during that time of year will always be indoors, out of the elements. Thanks for planning ahead!

Last year the synods of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) signed an agreement to work together in North American disaster ministry. We have been welcoming RCA volunteers into the DRS family for quite a few years, but this formal agreement now sets the stage for DRS to become THE program of the two denominations–which will give us the ability to bring help to even more families and communities that suffer from disaster. A joint meeting is being planned for April when we will develop plans and set goals.

Please be in prayer about that meeting: pray for wisdom as we seek to bring honor to the Lord and develop ways to help more communities by working together rather than going it alone. It’s a good thing, and I’m very optimistic about where it will take us.

In His Service,

Bill Adams
Director
World Renew Disaster Response Services

P.S. If you have not volunteered with us before (either by yourself, with a spouse, or with a church group) but would like to, please let us know! Email [email protected] or call 800-848-5818.