Mandeville, LA Outreach Brings Hope to the Gulf Coast
Fontainbleau State Park, located on the north shore of Lake Ponchatrain, was the ideal location for the residents of Mandeville, Covington, Abita Springs, Lacomb, and Slidell, Louisiana to come and find hope. Helping to do that were the three hundred and fifty volunteers from thirty five different churches and organizations who came together to make a difference, in a region still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Almost three hundred people were lined up early in the morning to take part in the outreach and a total of two thousand would pass through the welcome area by the end of the day.
Once the site opened, the first thing waiting for our guests was a classic New Orleans meal of red beans and rice. Over three thousand meals were served to both the guests and volunteers. Honored guests were also treated to free dental examinations and cleanings thanks to the mobile dental clinic from one of the partnering churches. Child immunizations and private health examinations were offered in another mobile medical unit on site. In the community services tent guests were able to sign up for reduced medical insurance provided by the state of Louisiana, as well as taking advantage of the services of the other community groups that were present.
The Haircut tent was full all day long as local stylists provided close to one hundred free haircuts and styles to the guests, as well as giving out free hair care products.
As always, the Kids Zone was filled with the sounds of children having a great time in the carnival area. Before entering the Kids Zone, over twenty five children asked for prayer after being part of a high energy, action packed ministry area.
All day long there was a steady line at the prayer tent as nearly one thousand eight hundred people asked for prayer. It was a powerful sight… volunteers spending time listening, encouraging, and praying with guests.
As the guests left the outreach they were treated to free bags of groceries and a clear demonstration of God’s love, proving that God still cares about the Gulf Coast.