Mediapolis and Oakville, Iowa

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Mediapolis and Oakville, Iowa
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We will travel 14 hours, 870 miles, from Camp
Hill to Mediapolis, Iowa. We will stay overnight
at a Best Western motel in Dayton, Ohio, going to
and from the disaster area.
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Brief Schedule, getting there

• The group will leave 3040 Market Street at 7 AM
  on Sat. morning. Meals while in transit will
  be your responsibility. Try to be there at 630
  to load luggage.
• We will stay overnight at the Best Western,
  Dayton, Ohio, , two to a room.
• Breakfast on Sunday is complimentary at the
  motel.
• We should arrive in Mediapolis in mid-afternoon.
  They will provide a home made ice cream
  reception upon our arrival.
• A late afternoon church service will be conducted
  at our host church, First Presbyterian.
• Following the Service, a light dinner will be
  provided. After that, we will be introduced to
  our host families and we will be taken to our
  respective homes for the evening.

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Mediapolis, where we will stay, is about 15 miles
southwest of Oakville, where we will work.
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Our hosts, and project coordinators, are at the
First Presbyterian Church.
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While in Mediapolis, we will stay in the homes of
residents of the town. They will provide a
bedroom. After the work day, showers will be
taken at the local school (not in the private
homes). If you stay at a home outside the town,
the homeowner will get you to and from a main
collection point. The First Presbyterian Church
will hold evening congregate meals and evening
devotions.
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Our hosts, the First Presbyterian Church, is at
801 Middle Street.
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Oakville, a village of 400 people, was under 10
feet of water after a levee of the Iowa River was
breached..
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The Patriot-News, Thursday, June 19, 2008
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The work environment

• We have been asked to muck out homes, pump water
  out of basements, sanitize all areas, and begin
  the reconstruction
• Because of the contamination, all workers will be
  issued Environmental suits (Tyvek), knee high
  barn boots, rubber gloves and face masks.
• Some of the townspeople have asked to accompany
  us so they, too, can help neighbors.
• Local transportation to work sites will be
  provided by the townspeople.

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Personal things to take

• One suitcase and one back pack or gym bag. As in
  the past, fill the gym bag with a change of
  clothes for the overnight stay in the motel.
• Pack personal towels and face cloths. The
  homeowner will provide clean sheets for the
  week. No sleeping bags needed.
• When there, the gym bag will be filled each day
  with clean clothes so that you can change
  following your shower before the evening meal.
• Bibles, cameras, and journals.
• Clothes that might be thrown away at the end of
  the week.
• One rain jacket, just in case.

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Tools to take

• We will provide safety clothing. You can take
• Tool belt, Utility knife, pliers, screwdrivers,
  adjustable wrenches, hammer, crow bar
• Leather gloves, latex work gloves (1 pair per day
  for lining your other gloves), eye protection,
  hand sanitizer, sun screen, deet insect spray
• Hard soled work shoes. If given barn boots, have
  a pair of sneakers to wear inside the boots.

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What you will be expected to do

• To Listen to the stories
• To console
• To join in prayer
• To encourage
• To aid in the healing process
• To do Justice, to love mercy
• Andto walk humbly with God

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What you are not expected to do

• To evangelizeyour actions will speak to your
  Christian commitment
• To tell your story
• To belittle or berate because the victims have
  not begun to help themselves.
• To show arrogance, superiority or Unchristian
  attitudes or behavior.

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At the end of each day

• The four local churches have joined together to
  provide the daily bag lunches and the evening
  meals.
• There will be a short Devotion period following
  the meal and a time for sharing and fellowship.
• The locals who worked with us that day will join
  with us in the meal.
• On the last evening, the homeowners where we have
  worked will also join us for a farewell meal.

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One final comment

• Your host families not only have provided you a
  place to sleep in their home, they will also have
  provided you with transportation, your
  breakfasts, and, most likely, the meals you eat
  for lunch and dinner.
• EACH VOLUNTEER IS RECOMMENDED TO TAKE A THANK YOU
  PRESENT FOR YOUR HOST FAMILYHERSHEYS
  CHOCOLATE, PRODUCTS MADE IN PA., OR SOMETHING YOU
  MADE JUST FOR THEM.

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Your personal faith journey

• This week will be intense. You will meet people
  who have suffered greatly. You will meet angels,
  both on the bus and at the site.
• You will make lasting friendships of your host
  families. You will forever be changed by this
  deep, spiritual and emotional journey.
• LET YOUR HEART BE OPEN TO NEW EXPRESSIONS OF THE
  GOOD NEWS!

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Our Schedule

• Sat., Aug 23 to Sunday, Aug. 31
• Sat., Sept. 20 to Sunday, Sept. 28
• Sat., Oct. 11 to Sunday, Oct. 19
• Cost is 250 per volunteer, which includes
  transportation, motels, local housing and meals
  at the disaster site.