Mission

Building relationships. Sharing Christ.
Pawhuska Journal-Capital
Article by: Robert Smith
August 28, 2019 edition
Shared with permission from Robert
OK MDS Building in Avant
As we have been reading in the August and September newsletters Avant, OK is the current work site. Work, led by Bill Mast is in full swing recovering from the flood waters of this spring.
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As we saw last month, the first project was getting volunteers a place to stay. This house, owned by the Avant Public School, was flooded. OK MDS was offered this house to stay in and use as long as they are in Avant in turn for rebuilding the house. A great job was done by different volunteers. I would invite you to read the above newspaper article for more information.
The second project to be worked on was this house for an elderly couple. Flooring and sheet rock was replaced, painting, and kitchen cabinets installed.
Pouring of Stem Wall
Friday, October 11 found many hands on deck preparing forms and pouring a four foot high stem wall on the third project site (the footer and been poured earlier). Floor joists will span the wall and the house will be rebuilt on top. The height is necessary to get the new house out of the danger of further flood waters.
Bird's eye view of the setting of forms
Forms set in place
Thanks to Jordan Miller from Newton, KS (Contractor) for coming and providing the forms
2:42 pm the truck was there
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Completed!
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Thank You for providing an electrical source, extra place to sleep, and the use of your kitchen.
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Volunteers/Trainees



Meet our volunteers/trainees who are with Bill Mast for eight weeks. Bill: "They are a wonderful bunch of volunteers who are willing to work hard". Uriah, Katrina, and Gideon will be in Avant for a total of eight weeks, ending about the end of November. WATCH a short video of them introducing themselves. Video compiled and edited by Uriah.
Uriah Sauder - VA
Katrina Burkholder - PA
Gideon Schmidt - Germany
Oklahoma MDS October 2019 Update
From Jay Blough
Currently OK MDS is working on a metal roof to be installed in Haileyville, OK. The roof was damaged in the spring tornadoes. The job is funded by Catholic Charities. A work team from Coalgate will do the installation as soon as material is ordered.

A group has been working in Strang, OK to raise a doublewide mobile home. As soon as it is raised, new skirting and interior repairs need to be completed.

We still have three unfinished jobs in the Cookson area. Two involve sheetrock and one involves installing soffit. The yards also need to be cleaned from shingle debris from the November 2018 tornado.

We have been working with VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) to identify a long term bi-national project in Oklahoma. Moffat, Webbers Fall and Avant could be considered if twenty or more projects can be funded for repairs or new builds. This depends on the case management and LTRC (Long Term Recovery Committee) of Oklahoma VOAD.

Upcoming Date to Remember:
MCC Sale in Enid, OK: November 1-2, 2019
MDS Region III Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN: November 8-9, 2019
MDS All Units Annual Meeting in Goshen, IN: February 7-8, 2020

Thank you to all and blessings to all who serve MDS with labor, prayers and financial support.
Jay Blough
President Co-Chair
OK MDS

Special Thanks
Thanks to Uriah Sauder and Gideon Schmidt for contributing several pictures.
Contact Information (Oklahoma MDS Board)
J ay Blough - (405) 412 - 4414
Matt Jackson - (580) 515 - 4456
Rudy Chupp - (918) 630 - 2483
Dave Gerbrandt - (580) 214 - 0999
Bill Mast - (405) 590 - 7747