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Meet a Volunteer: Doug

Doug Byrom has been a resident of Smithville, Texas for 15 years. He’s been serving with Mission U-Too for almost a year and because of his busy work schedule working in the oil industry he wasn’t able to serve outside of his church. He said “I would show up Sunday’s and do my thing, but I was wanting more.”

He heard about Mission U-Too from Larry White, the site coordinator at the Bastrop South site. Larry was grocery shopping for the weekly meal at Mission U-Too and Doug was behind Larry in the check out line. He asked Larry why he had so many burgers and buns and asked when the cookout was. It was a great opportunity for Larry to share with Doug the meaning behind the “cookout.” Doug mentioned that Mission U-Too has been the outlet he’s been looking for. He’s been wanting to get out into his community of 15 years, as he knew so little about the people of his community. He said “I used to be one of those who stayed inside the church building, and now I’m not.”

It’s people like Doug who catch the mission and vision of Mission U-Too and have a desire and a heart to impact his community. He’s interested in starting new sites and shares with his church about Mission U-Too to help unite the body.

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Bastrop County Clean Up

We need your help.

It has been a long tough few weeks in Bastrop County with the recent fires in Smithville and now flooding throughout Bastrop County for the second time this year. As a result there are many people displaced and in need of a helping hand to get back on their feet.

Mission U-Too has been out supporting our community by cooking nonstop since the fires broke out last month. But right now this community desperately needs volunteers that are willing to show up and let God use them in the first stage of clean up from these fires and floods.

Samaritan’s Purse is helping coordinate these efforts for our community, and now more than ever your help is needed to bring aid to many people lost and hurting.

Click the button below for more details and to sign up to help.

SIGN UP
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Fire & Flooding Relief Efforts

It’s been a tough month for the Central Texas area with the Hidden Pines fires near Smithville and the most recent flooding in the Austin area. Bastrop County has been hit three times this year alone with natural disasters that have left many people displaced and left to sort through the damage.

Now that the fires and floods have subsided the hard part begins. The cleanup. Several organizations are on the ground coordinating the actual cleanup, and Mission U-Too has been asked to serve food to the volunteers and families who lost their homes. Also as the news media covers the fires and flooding less and less, volunteers on the ground decreases, but the need stays the same.

 

Mission U-Too is committed to providing disaster relief efforts, first in our own communities and then to communities where we are called to go serve. Right now we are coordinating efforts in Smithville throughout the fire cleanup, Bastrop throughout the flood cleanup, and now in Onion Creek in southeast Austin to help with flooding relief efforts. And we need your help.

The most critical need is for donations. So far we have served over 7,000 meals and over the next few weeks we will serve many more. But in order to continue, we need your financial support to make sure we have enough food for anyone who comes for a meal. Donate today.

We also need volunteers to help us over the next few days in Onion Creek. We served there a couple years ago when this area was devastated by floods, and we were asked by the fire chief to come back and serve as this community struggles with round two of flooding. We will be out there all day Wednesday and Thursday this week and need volunteers to help cook, serve, and lend a listening ear.

If you are able to come out this week, please fill out this volunteer registration form so we can best coordinate these efforts.

Thank you for continuing to lift those affected by the fires and floods in your prayers. Cleanup is a long road and can be very difficult physically and emotionally for all of those involved. Thank you also for praying for Mission U-Too as we are sent out to these locations.

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Update: Bastrop County Fires

Since Thursday, Mission U-Too has served over 700 meals each day to victims, evacuees, volunteers, and first responders from the Hidden Pines Fire in Bastrop County.

Every day we have served breakfast, lunch, and dinner to anyone who needs a meal. We’ve also sent volunteers to deliver food to local hotels where evacuees and victims have been staying.

There are many hurting and anxious people who are unsure what to expect, not knowing if they lost their home or wondering if anything is salvageable from the fire damage. It is a confusing and difficult time, and our team has been there to lend a listening ear to anyone who needs it.

We plan to continue serving at the Smithville Rec Center through Wednesday, with the possibility of continuing to serve even more in the days following as well.

Right now donations are critical. When we first set up to serve we had much of the food donated from various local sources, but now Mission U-Too is completely covering all the food costs. And we don’t want to run out of food.

To give, simply make your donation today. Your financial support is greatly needed and appreciated.

We also need more volunteers to serve. If you are able to volunteer, please fill out the volunteer form below and let us know what times you are available. That way we will be able to better schedule and serve our community well in the following days.

And, of course, continue to pray for the victims and evacuees as they struggle to make sense of everything, for the volunteers as they serve the community, and for protection and wisdom for the first responders as they fight this fire.

Thank you so much for the outpouring of support you have already shown, we really couldn’t be doing what we are doing without you.

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Bastrop County Fires: We Need Your Help

Update: It’s been a few days since we have been serving, and we could still use your help.

As the governor declares Bastrop County in a state of disaster, the Mission U-Too team is setting up to serve in one of their very own communities. This is our home and these are our neighbors, and we can’t think of any place we’d rather be serving right now, especially because this isn’t the first time we have done this right here in Bastrop County.

Right now we are setting up at the northeast corner of the Smithville Recreation Center serving food to first responders. Our plan is to be out here as long as we are needed, serving food and lending a listening ear to anyone who needs it. But in order to serve well, we need your help!

Here are some ways you can help serve first responders, evacuees, and victims of the 2015 Bastrop County fire.

Donations – We need your financial support to cover costs of food and other expenses for our team while we serve. Since we plan to be here into next week we definitely could use your support. Make a donation today.

Volunteer – Not only do we need your financial support, we need people to help serve. We are looking for people to help cook food and volunteers to deliver the food to those who need it, especially those with larger vehicles like SUVs or vans. Either just show up at the Smithville Recreation Center located at 106 Royston St, Smithville, TX 78957 or contact Jason Bray at 214.236.4446 or Jonah Beyer at 512.988.8365 if you have any questions about volunteering.

Prayer – Pray, pray, pray…we need you to pray for the firefighters and other first responders for their safety as they battle the fire, that there is minimum damage to homes and businesses, as well as for the families either evacuated or victims of the fire. Also pray for Mission U-Too and the leadership that God would use us to share His love.

Thank you for sharing and for your support through donations, volunteering, and prayer, we appreciate all of you who support what God is doing through Mission U-Too!

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New Children’s Ministry in Bastrop

We love seeing God speak vision and calling through people who serve at Mission U-Too. A few months ago one of our dedicated volunteers, Carol Palermo, felt led to start a weekly children’s ministry at our Bastrop North community, and so she did.

Carol started serving alongside Mission U-Too in July 2014 and has experienced quite a transformation. This past May, she caught a vision to start reaching the children during our weekly meetings.

 

Carol said, “God has placed on my heart to do a children’s ministry within Mission U-too who serves the local community by feeding people not only physically, but spiritually also. With a goal, to continue to share the love of Christ with the kiddos who come to Mission U-too and to try and give them Hope in Christ like never before. Opening their hearts to his love and showing them a love from their peers that could only say Jesus is the light within them.” 

It’s only been a few months, but this ministry is making a big impact. In July three of our kids prayed and accepted Christ. We love seeing God move in our communities!

This children’s ministry continues to serve and bless the kids at the Bastrop North site and we’d love for you to get involved. Simply contact the site coordinator for more information or just show up on a Sunday to serve.

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Prayer Request: Michele & Adrian

by Christine Farquhar, Mission U-Too Bastrop North Site Coordinator

We are reaching out to the Mission U-Too community and asking for prayer for this Bastrop couple.

Michele has a rare form of brain cancer. About four months ago she had the tumor removed from her brain. Unfortunately, during this intensive surgery she had a stroke. Because of this she lost her speech and the ability to walk.

Michele’s husband, Adrian, has diligently served Michele for the past couple months, but he is struggling with depression and their difficult situation. And understandably so. He also has not been able to work because his wife needs full time care. They are currently homeless and have been staying in a hotel room, but are needing to find a permanent residence very soon. Adrian is also struggling with making right decisions. He said, “I continue to come every week because it’s the only positive influence I have.” I asked him this past week how his walk with Jesus is, and he replied that some days it’s good and others not so much.

Please pray for both Michele and Adrian, as she continues rehabilitation and as they seek out permanent housing. At Mission U-Too this past week she cried and cried with me as I held her in my arms and prayed for her. Pray for encouragement and that they would draw close to God during this difficult situation.

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Cyndi’s Story

At Mission U-Too our mission is simply to feed people both physically and spiritually. Christ called us to meet our neighbor’s physical needs by providing a meal for them each week. Even more, He called us to share the message of Christ.

The burger is just the method, but the real change happens when people experience the love of Christ.

Cyndi

Meet Cyndi

“We are the Sutton Family. My name is Cyndi and I have four girls and two adopted daughters. I was born and raised in Bastrop. I lived a good life growing up until my late teens. I was running with the wrong crowd and got caught up in things I shouldn’t have and then got pregnant. I am a single mom on Disability Social Security because of going blind and I have migraines from the optic nerve pressure. We live paycheck to paycheck. I was downtown Bastrop and saw “free burger” signs and stopped, and have been coming back for the last three years. Mission U-Too is like a second family to me. I come for the fellowship, listen to the message when able, and for the food. It’s comforting knowing that I can get a free meal Monday nights and not have to worry about cooking. If we’re around we attend the other Bastrop site on Sundays as well. I am getting my family back into church and always tell people “God doesn’t give you anymore that you can’t handle, so just trust in Him.”

feedtheneed-final2014-tiltWith your help, Mission U-Too will continue to feed the need and provide a safe place where people can receive a hot meal each week and be accepted as they are. Even further, your gift of $25, $50, or $100 will impact more lives with the gospel.

Thank you for giving today, and making a difference in the lives of in the lives of families like Cyndi’s!

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Dwight’s Story

At Mission U-Too our mission is simply to feed people both physically and spiritually. Christ called us to meet our neighbor’s physical needs by providing a meal for them each week. Even more, He called us to share the message of Christ.

The burger is just the method, but the real change happens when people experience the love of Christ.

Dwight

Meet Dwight

“My name is Dwight. I was born and raised in Bastrop County. Both of my parents are deceased and I am under the caregiver of my Aunt. I have a learning disorder, but find comfort in Jesus Christ. When I started to come to Mission U-Too I was shy and only spoke to those I knew. I started to come every Monday to the Bastrop location and found purpose in my life. I love to make friendships and laugh. I’ve never met a stranger in my life and now I serve at the Smithville location every Thursday night. I feel loved by those I serve, and those who I serve with. In fact, everyone is “my buddy.” I like to pray during prayer time after serving in Smithville, and will one day like to lead one of the bible study messages.”

feedtheneed-final2014-tiltWith your help, Mission U-Too will continue to feed the need and provide a safe place where people can receive a hot meal each week and be accepted as they are. Even further, your gift of $25, $50, or $100 will impact more lives with the gospel.

Thank you for giving today, and making a difference in the lives of people like Dwight!

[cro_button no=”DONATE NOW” col=”6″ addr=”https://feedtheneed.org/irene/”]

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Irene’s Story

At Mission U-Too our mission is simply to feed people both physically and spiritually. Christ called us to meet our neighbor’s physical needs by providing a meal for them each week. Even more, He called us to share the message of Christ.

The burger is just the method, but the real change happens when people experience the love of Christ.

Irene

Meet Irene

“I am Irene and from Austin Texas. I was born in Florida and raised in Austin. These are my boys, Joaquin and Jonathan and they have Down Syndrome. My boys can be a challenge and they know that I can pick up the phone at anytime and call you guys for help. I have two other children and 8 grandkids. My grandkids saw Mission U-Too cooking out and ever since then I’ve been coming. Money is tight for our family so this has been a blessing. My boys were shy when they started coming and now they serve the community. “I don’t know who would take the time to feed so many people every week: cold, rain or shine, but you are always here.” “You have given me a lot of faith. If it wasn’t for you guys, I don’t know where I would be. You made me believe in God and have faith.” I have seen a lot of good changes at the Bastrop North location. There used to be a lot of fights and police around all the time. Ever since Mission U-Too started coming out here there hasn’t been a lot of fights. I am thankful for what you do and know where to come when I need prayer.”

feedtheneed-final2014-tiltWith your help, Mission U-Too will continue to feed the need and provide a safe place where people can receive a hot meal each week and be accepted as they are. Even further, your gift of $25, $50, or $100 will impact more lives with the gospel.

Thank you for giving today, and making a difference in the lives of families like Irene’s!

[cro_button no=”DONATE NOW” col=”6″ addr=”https://feedtheneed.org/irene/”]

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