Lakeshore Report from Pastor Mitch, 1/7/2013

May I first give praise and honor to our blessed Lord Jesus for His great mercy and
grace to save us from our sins and to put us into His kingdom to serve Him.

Larry Springer is usually the one who writes this blog each day onsite. We are
missing him greatly this year and do pray for his swift recovery from shoulder
surgery. We did receive a wonderful letter from him which I hope that you can read.

Last year Larry felt that the Lakeshore Baptist Church was turning the corner from
recovery to rebuilding. This year that rebuilding will begin with the laying of the
foundation this week. The church had pilings driven just before we arrived. Today
our the carpenters and cement guys are hard at work digging footers for a cement
pour later on in the week. It is exciting to say the least.

Laszlo Pasztor is the only one on this year’s crew who was on the 2006 recon
mission and every Katrina Lakeshore Project since then. Tim Bill and the church
from Delhi Hills, Cincinnati, Ohio have been coming since 2007 which makes this
their eight Lakeshore Project. Last year we had 150 or so from 23 churches. This
year we have 110 from 29 churches. Though we are fewer in number, we have
fewer projects this year. The Lord knows what we need to get the job done.

Those jobs this year are three in number. Sheri Axsom is again heading up the team
of girls working at the distribution center known community wide as the Mercy
House. The MH is a mission of Lakeshore Baptist Church serving those who are still
trying to recover from the storm.

Secondly, a half-finished house was donated to the Lakeshore Baptist Church. It
has been lying dormant for four years and its wiring was stolen. Our goal is to get
it wired, insulated, and sheet rocked before we leave so that the wiring cannot be
stolen again. Laborers are working hard on that today. Please pray for the two
inspections we will have to pass.

Last and certainly not least, we are beginning on the foundation concrete pours
this week. A tremor went over my heart when I saw the workers digging around
the pilings and the heavy equipment operators rolling across the leveled soil
trucked in to make the grade consistent. The Lakeshore Baptist Church with
accompanying help from workers around the country has rebuilt over 140 homes in
the community. This now is the year to seek to rebuild the church building. May the
Lord Jesus greatly bless the work and build up all the saints at the LBC through the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mitch Axsom
Assistant to Larry Springer