Gordy was a man from the church who decided to help his friends that were impacted from the tornado. He went to help, after he found out they lost everything. I had the opportunity to help them with some financial help, as well as some relief goods. They shared their story with me. Gods hand of safety was on them. Gordy called me later in tears thanking me for the help and support as well as the financial and resources. A southern man, brought to tears on the phone because of what God was able to do through the Church. It was a humbling trip, and I feel honored to be used by God to help his people in times of need.
We have been working with Destiny Foursquare Church to bring relief. Through the Church, we have been able to bring 3 semi truck loads, many truck loads, and local warehouse resources full of relief goods. With these resources, the church has been able to reach out to the community and bring hope during this time.
I was able to go down, and help. We have moved from large relief operations into adopting families now. Churches are now able to adopt a family for a year in need. supporting them financially, emotionally, spiritually. This is an area that no one else is looking into. This support is long term, and disciples them during this time. Support from a church body will then help them rebuild their lives.
We are honored to be helping Destiny Church reach out to Joplin.
I am in Ohio for the Foursquare National Convention. We are meeting and strategizing for the future on relief and compassion. I am planning a trip down to Joplin Thursday to help focus our efforts there. We have received so many questions and requests asking how they can help partner with them. To this date we have given out 4 semi truck loads, and 10$ to 10 families that lost everything they own in the tornadoes. We are looking ton the future of how we can continue and do more. We are also partnering with many organizations. Convoy of Hope has opened their warehouse to us and allowed us to come and load trucks to take out to the community. Citi Impact has given a semi. Someone cares has given a semi. A church from California Church on the Way has also sent disaster materials and teams.
Keep checking in for news and updates as we continue to respond to Joplin, Missouri.
RESTORATION FOURSQUARE CHURCH SPREADING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE TORNADOS THAT HIT ALABAMA APRIL 27TH
Although the barrage of tornadoes gave very little warning as they disrupted the lives of Alabamian’s on April 27, 2011, Restoration Foursquare Church in Madison, Alabama had a response that appeared by many to be divinely prepared.
Returning from Japan was difficult. As the media attention has lifted, and peoples attention has shifted from both the southern storms, and Japan, to other issues, I want to share the desperate need in Japan. On 3.11.2011 the Northeast (Tohoku) region of Japan was struck almost simultaneously the once-in-a- thousand-years combination of a 9.0M earthquake, followed by waves of tsunami reaching documented heights of as much as 78 feet and sweeping as far as six miles inland, massive conflagrations including the devastation of Kessennuma, Iwate (former population 73,000) as well as partial core meltdowns taking place in nuclear reactors in Fukushima and the liquefaction of the reclaimed land in the vicinity of Tokyo Disneyland. While many buildings—because of strict Japanese building codes—survived the initial earthquake, thousands of people were drowned and swept out to sea by these tsunami, and tens of thousands more have been left homeless, including thousands living in tent cities and cardboard lodgings in schools and government buildings converted into relief shelters, with additional tens of thousands unable to return to their homes, farms, boats and businesses because of the continuing radiation exposure hazard. At present there are more than 13,000 confirmed dead and over 12,000 reported missing, yet there are fears that the death toll will rise even higher as there were many places where none were left to file a missing person’s report.
Through the National Foursquare Church in Japan, as well as the 2 missionaries we have in the Sendai area, we were able to get many area shelters much needed food, water, vegetables, blankets, heaters, stoves, refrigerators, clothing, and other needed items. We are partnering with Foursquare churches in Japan and CRASH Japan (an interdenominational Christian relief organization based in Japan) to provide information, relief goods as well as lodging for short-term relief teams assisting on the ground. Our two-year plan for relief, compassion and church-planting is as follows: 1-3 mos: bring pastors and supervisors to the disaster area to create awareness and encourage vision-casting. 3-6 mos: send short-term teams to work in partnership with local believers and churches to shovel, clean and pray for local residents 7-12 mos: develop “second-timers” as leaders and sub-base locations in communities where our workers are welcomed. 13-18 mos: establish “houses of prayer” where volunteers are known to have stayed while helping local residents 19-24 mos: pioneer churches and hosting “celebration” services at base camp locations. • Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of God’s love for the Japanese. • Pray for wisdom, faith and favor as we attempt to show and tell Jesus in the most unreached areas of this nation that represents the world’s least-reached language group. • Pray for miracles of help, healing and hope to confirm God’s love for the Japanese. We continue to work towards helping more as the opportunities arise, and the Lord opens doors.
Southeast Tornadoes
Recently I returned from Japan, and 2 days later sent to the southeastern States effected by recent storms. We were able to assist in Georgia and Alabama. With most of our efforts being focused in the Huntsville area of Alabama. Through a local Foursquare Church, Restoration Church, we were able to distribute over 5 tons of life saving goods to people in need. The tornadoes that hit Alabama reached over 130 miles long and 1 mile wide of homes and businesses. Destroying everything in its path as it touched down.
Through the local church, we opened a distribution center in the church, created a warehouse in the community room, and began feeding upwards of 1500 people a day breakfast lunch and dinner as long as the power was out.
Through this we have been given an inroad to the community that the Church has never had in the past. People are open and willing to the Church Family, and see them reaching out to help.
We are continuing now to reach out to those who dont have insurance, clean, and provide emotional care to those starting to pick up and rebuild their lives. Please pray for the continued work in the effected area of the southeast.
So back from Haiti, and now headed to Japan on Monday to assess the needs, and see how we can partner more with our on the ground partners CRASH who are a Japan based disaster relief organization that has been responding to disasters for years in Japan. The Foursquare has been partnering with them over the years, and we have an open door with them. So were continuing that relationship, and looking for more options to improve that partnership, and possibility to bring specialized teams and individuals into Japan to help rebuild from the damage. I will be traveling with a structural engineer, the area missionary for Japan, a videographer, and myself. We will be visiting for 5 days, and meeting with National Leaders, CRASH leaders, pastors, missionaries, and visiting CRASH base camps, headquarters, and Japanese camps where CRASH is ministering. We will be seeing everything from the beginning to end, from storage containers, to distributions. We are really blessed by the partnership, and pray that we continue to have favor with them, the Japanese government, and the National Leadership.
Keep checking in for updates on Japan, and what Relief and Compassion is doing.
Blessings
The Isenharts
Jordyn and I returned Sunday from a very good trip to Haiti. This was our first trip together as a married couple. It was great to be able to minister along side my spouse and see all that God has in store for us both. I loved seeing Jordyn work in her gifts and had the privilege to serve side by side. She has a great gifting and calling to meet people’s physical needs, and God’s hand of blessing was evident on her as she moved and worked. It was great to see my wife serve the Haitian people by treating tons of skin conditions, sanitation problems, and emergency situations. We had the opportunity to participate in lots of very effective and much needed projects. The team that we brought was from Pacific Lutheran University and were excited to serve and jump in wherever and whenever needed.
We were able to serve the community throughout the week with 2 worship concerts. During these, we werr able to reach out the the community that Foursquare Haiti has been working with.
We were able to be a part of continued work being done on the National Church property as well by helping sort over 1 million seeds that were donated. Our team also got to help with the food distribution of manna packs that contain rice, soy protein and many other nutrients. We were able to supply over 400 families in a matter of hours with food packs.
The team diligently completed painting for the Pastoral Housing that will house pastors from around the nation of Haiti as they come to the National Church for ministry training. Before, pastors were unable to come to leadership training because they didn’t have anywhere to stay, eat, and couldn’t afford to stay in hotels. Now they have very nice rooms and amenities to use as they come to learn about pastorship and serving the Lord.
On the national property the Haiti-based team is getting many self-sustainable projects going that they plan to use on all the other 8 church locations in the future. Some of these projects are a chicken coop to raise chickens for both meat and eggs, Tilapia farming, a water well that provides free, clean water to the community, and a hydroponic garden. A lot of these projects are in the beginning stages, but there is a vast amount of work being put in to make sure these projects are successful. It was very exciting to see some simple ideas that could be used to teach the Haitians how to raise their own food that would keep them in good health.
We were also able to give $4500 towards the orphan ministry in Haiti. With 2 Foursquare orphanages now running, and partnerships with 2 others, the needs are great to be able to take care of these children properly, and give them much needed love and attention.
Great week of ministry and relationships.
Chad & Jordyn
We are headed back to Haiti. This time my wife and I will he leading a team of young people from Puget Sound Christian Center. A team of young people focusing on serving in many capacities, including worship, orphanages, water projects, and wherever they can. We are honored and excited to be apart of this team, and look forward to all that will be done in and through us.
To Support by Regular Mail:
Make checks payable to:
Puget Sound Christian Center
4020 S. 56th St. Suite 210
Tacoma, WA 98409
*Attach a note: "for Chad & Jordyn"
