The Holiday Letters for the Troops project is now ready! Click on "Send a Letter of Hope" on the menu to view and print a letter package. After polling the members of "Letter of Hope," we have narrowed the project to three options: a letter to a soldier in a combat area, a letter to a wounded soldier in a military hospital, and a letter to a family of a combat soldier. Please send your letters as soon as possible. Since it takes several weeks to get the combat letters overseas, the deadline for shipping the letters to the distribution points is the day before Thanksgiving!
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The Rev. David Crosby is the pastor of First Baptist Church New Orleans. He, his staff, and the members of the church have been working day and night to provide food, shelter, and care for the people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Not only are they the helpers, they are the affected. Many have lost their own homes as well. David, who is my former pastor, sent me an update on what it is like to live in New Orleans in the aftermath of the storm. The text of his report follows:
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 The "Letter of Hope" project was such a great success that many of you have asked what we could do to continue the concept into the holiday season. Many social service organizations will help the storm evacuees this season. Churches and other local groups are adopting most of the families to help them during the holidays. Their needs will be met. Our troops, however, may not get the attention they deserve because of the need to help the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
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Generation2B.com is collecting school supplies for schools in the Mississippi coastal area. With many school operating in temporary shelters and sharing classrooms with other districts, it is critical that these children have the basic tools for learning. If you want to help with important supplies to get the schools up and running, visit the website generation2b.com.
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In the middle of receiving an overwhelming response due to the publicity on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," something heartbreaking happened. A 12 year old storm evacuee in California sent an email asking for a "Letter of Hope" to be sent to her. Unfortunately, she did not leave an address and her email address was wrong.
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When the "Letter of Hope" project started a few weeks ago, I thought the majority of letters would come from individuals who just wanted a way to make a difference in the life of a storm evacuee. While we have had an overwhelming response from individuals, I am surprised at the number of churches, schools, and businesses that have adopted "Letter of Hope" as a group project. When I go to the post office, it is not unusual to find a large package full of letters from a group!
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 The 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes at Jefferson Elementary School in Temple, Texas presented me with a gift basket full of letters, pictures, and pens to give to the children in the local area who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The school adopted the "Letter of Hope" program as a group project. It was a blessing to see the bright shining faces of these young people as their teachers presented me with the basket at an assempbly Thursday morning, September 14. Their teachers told me how excited these children were to be able to help other child even if they did not know them. God bless them and those children that receive their special gifts!
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Gloria from London, England sent a "Letter of Hope" to show her support for a storm victim here in the US. Gloria commented to me, "I have been so excited about this project. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to make a difference in somone's life by encouraging them and sharing the love of God. Keep up the good work and I'm praying for you." I was thrilled to open the mail box and find a letter from so far away
among the other great "Letters of Hope" we have received. This just
shows you how powerful "word of email" can be.
I have included the text of her letter and a snapshot of the envelope:
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A friend of Jerry S. emailed me a poem that he wrote that gives us a window into the soul of someone who experienced Hurricane Katrina. I felt I had to share this with everyone, so here it is.
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