Getting the Band Back Together
We conducted a Sheds of Hope (SOH) kit building ‘tune-up’ July 10-14 at the MNA John Browne Family Disaster Response Center in Dallas TX. The purpose of the event was to reactivate the depot as a regional build site for SOH kits. Although the depot is full of a flurry of activity every week, it hasn’t been utilized to build SOH kits since John Browne’s faith became sight in 2020. The depot’s original purpose was to provide a secure temporary location in the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex for local congregations to build SOH kits before we marshaled them to Houston TX after historic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey crushed the city. But after the Houston response local leadership asked us to not abandon the ‘temporary’ site, but rather expand it as a regional depot. Go here to learn the history of the MNA John Browne Family Disaster Response Center.
The training was hosted by MNA Disaster Response Specialist Mark Becker, and Associate Specialist Rick Lenz who also serves as the Campus Manager. The training was led by DE Dick Forrester and a team from Lake Oconee PCA in Eatonton GA. Most of the participants came from congregations in the Dallas/Ft Worth area, but representatives from Plains PCA in Zachary LA also made the journey to take part in the refresher event. The Plains team has been regularly building SOH since their own community was flooded in 2016 when they saw firsthand the blessing that SOH are for displaced homeowners.
After our lovely coworker John Browne’s passing in early 2020 and the subsequent arrival of the pandemic, we mothballed large-scale SOH production at the facility while ramping up production at other locations in GA, TN, and LA. But our goal all along was to reactivate SOH production in Dallas; when the time was right we would get the band back together! But first, we wanted to finish the campus renovation and dedicate it to God’s Glory. First things first!!!
We have been working hard to standardize the production of SOH across the network of kit builders. Plans have been fine-tuned, materials lists perfected, assembly practices systematized, suppliers identified, stacking, shrink-wrapping, storage, and transportation fine-tuned, etc. In addition, we are working to implement a system to track each SOH from the day the first screw is driven all the way through the day it is assembled on a survivors property. This development, once operational, will make it much easier for the local PCA congregation to provide follow-up with the shed recipient.
The recent ‘tune-up’ was a wonderful time to gather together those who had formally built many SOH along with those who has never built a single SOH, and those who have been working with us to keep the ministry running strong and improve it even during the pandemic.
Seventeen individuals participated in the tune-up, which was a good number that insured each participant was able to receive one-on-one attention from the trainers. Four Sheds of HOPE were constructed during the event, bringing the inventory of sheds at the depot to 26 ready-to-ship, the greatest number we have ever had in Dallas!
Going forward the depot will be hosting quarterly SOH builds. We will reveal the dates for the next events soon, we invite your participation. Mission to North America Disaster Response has placed more than 70 Sheds of HOPE since last fall and 1,822 since we began this important work. At todays prices for materials that is an investment of more that $3,600,000, not a small number. If you would like to give a financial gift to help us to help more people, please contact Sherry Lanier at slanier@pcanet.org. To know how you can get involved with Sheds of HOPE please contact Steve Britton at sbritton@pcanet.org.
Sheds of HOPE 
Wonderful story and what a great mission. To God be the Glory for bringing this group together to expand this ministry. Thank you for sharing this detailed story. Sheds just don’t appear. It takes resources and commitment from Christians. Thanks be to God.