Gulf Relief Telethon

AlamogordoNews.com:
"Mike Oechsner’s seven years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission have taken him to parts of the world where horrendous catastrophes occur. He’s been to 17 countries to deal with disasters including Bosnia, Kosovo and earthquake-torn El Salvador.
“It completely changes your life. You can’t be the same,” he said.
With such experiences, Oechsner understands the challenges YWAM Mercy Works teams are facing in Mississippi where they are part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In addition to physical labor, members pray with those affected and provide grief counseling. Alamogordo Calvary Chapel Pastor Rick Kiscadon has described the situation as “an open wound” in need of an “antibiotic.”
As of a week ago, Mercy Works had sent nearly 50 people to Gulf Port, Miss. According to Oechsner, YWAM is committed for up to a year. By the end of that time he expects as many as 500 Mercy Works personnel to have participated.
“We’ve got more people that want to go, we just don’t have places to keep them,” Oechsner said.
Those there now are sleeping on such places as church floors.
“Keep us in your prayers that our teams would be safe, that our teams would be able to rejuvenate during the night time,” he said. “It’s a very draining situation, always surrounded by all the destruction.”
On Saturday, from 6 p.m. to midnight, Oechsner will participate in KVBA TV’s “Gulf Coast Relief Telethon” to raise funds for Mercy Works. His dad, KVBA General Manager Bill Oechsner, is the host. What Alamogordo and Otero County residents pledge that night will “go directly to buying supplies,” Mike Oechsner said, as well as pay to transport goods to survivors.
“We send truckloads of water and food with each of the teams,” he said. “When New Orleans opens up we’re going to expand in there.”"
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