EEQ

Today’s question deals with serving as a couple, as a family. I wanted to give you a great example of a couple I know who have, as a couple and as a family, live to serve those in need. Here is a little bit of their story:

Debbie Perez and family were looking to help in a third world country. However a trip to New Orleans came up and they ventured off in February 2007 to build a playground. When she arrived in Louisiana Debbie realized she had found her “third world country” right here in the United States. The Gulf Coast has a long way to go in recovering from the Katrina disaster.

Debbie, her husband Mark and their 4 children.

In February of 2007 my family and 20 others from San Clemente, California went to Louisiana and we built a playground at Andrew Jackson school, (an old high school) which housed 2,200 kids. In July we were able to return with 21 new people to build a second playground at the first elementary school to open, J.F. Gauthier. This past August 35 of us built our third playground at Smith Elementary and we painted a mural at Gauthier. Our lives have been so affected by these trips. There is so much devastation that has left Louisiana so destroyed that it is heart wrenching. When we left Louisiana this August we knew we’d like to help again and it is our hope that we’ll be back to build one more playground at Joseph Davies Elementary.

Debbie and her daughter Delaney, working hard!

Our plan is to raise $70,000 for a fourth playground to be built sometime in 2009. This playground will be built at Joseph Davies Elementary School in St. Bernard Parish, and we’ll hopefully travel during our children’s summer vacation. Currently we are fundraising and we have about $37,000 in the bank. We do have sweatshirts for sale and we’re looking for grants. We are working with a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization called Kids Around the World. Their goal is to build hope by building playgrounds. All donations are tax deductible and checks can be sent to Kids directly or you can donate online and type for the Kids of Katrina in the box provided. Thank you for your time and I know that together we can bring more hope to Louisiana.

For the kids of Katrina,
The Perez Family (Mark, Debbie, Billy, Mary, Delaney, and Teddy)

You can read more about their story, and on how you can help their cause, here.

As a couple and a family, God is calling us to go out, two by two to serve those in need. Here are today’s questions:

1. What qualities do we, as a couple, have to share with others?

2. Are we on the same page about how we will serve? With money? With our time? Our talents?