New Church in New York City

Hey All,
I just got back from an urban plunge into New York City with Kensington church. We were there for 3 days looking into our involvement into starting a new church there. I found the people to be extremely friendly and helpful. We got to pass out about 100 Meals-On-Wheels to shut-in people and we were able to give them some of the 'Never Give Up' bookmarks. One of our team reported later..."You would have thought that we had given them $100 when they got the bookmark." It was true. The ones I handed one to, seemed to light up once we started to talk to them, whether it was a shut-in waiting for a meal, or just someone going home on the subway after work. We had hoped that the bookmarks would give them something that lasted longer than a meal, or a kind word, to remind them that other people care about them too!

I am still undecided about what God wants me to do next. With so many things to do around the World, it is hard to decide. My next project is to finish the ceramic tile job I am doing here now and the electrical repairs that I have on my list and get ready for my 3 month trip to Malawi, Africa in February. My Canon camera died on the trip to NYC and I cannot go to AFRICA without a camera, so I must decide whether to fix the old 4 MP camera that took the Never Give Up photo, or look into getting a new one. They are so expensive and I only have $500 of the $4,000 needed so far for Africa. God knows what we need before we do and I am sure HE will provide.

I have contacted Extreme Response and told them that I would be interested in knowing what other calls they get for help from around the world. It seems unreasonably slow to respond to disasters like Katrina and the Sunami in Indonesia, weeks, or months after the disasters. There must be a way to start helping right a way and I would like to be part of a team that could do that. One question keeps haunting me about Katrina... We knew it was coming long before it arrived. We knew what kinds of damage these hurricanes can produce. Why didn't we have 18 wheelers loaded with plywood, food, water, and blankets, etc. ready to go the day after the storm passed instead of weeks or months later? DUH?!? Do you think we might be hit with another hurricane in the near future? Are we any more prepared now than we were then? It doesn't seem like it, but then they don't actually consult me on those matters either. It just seems we could do a better job. When disaster hits...people need food, water, shelter... NOW, Today, not in a couple weeks when we can get the paperwork done! What if that had been you, or me down there in the middle of that mess? What would we have wanted someone to do?

It has been suggested that I start a foundation for people that are ready to give up. I have no clue as to how to go about this, or if it is the right thing to do at this time. Maybe just supporting a foundation that already exists is the way to go, but so many people fall through the cracks.

Just some thoughts... what do you think? ~Steve