Tornado Crisis Fund

On February 29, 2012, a tornado tore through Powersite, Missouri causing devastating damage.

The home of Kevin Craig was destroyed. And as half of that house served as the offices of Vine & Fig Tree, Inc., the home of Vine & Fig Tree was lost, too.

Kevin’s mother, Marybeth, age 86, suffered a serious head injury when the ceiling collapsed on her. She has not recovered well. The injury accelerated dementia and her frail body is now sustained by a feeding tube. Kevin is her 24-hour a day caregiver, with scheduled (and unscheduled) duties every 2 hours, interrupting sleep and all charitable fundraising efforts to continue the Vine & Fig Tree ministry.

Now, nearly one year after the tornado, the reconstruction of the Powersite home and Vine & Fig Tree offices are nearing completion, but not yet finished. Progress has been made as quickly as possible. But, in a widespread disaster area, resources are limited and demand is high even for things like heavy equipment and dumpsters. So, demolition and debris removal took three months before actual reconstruction could commence.

Insurance provided for temporary housing expenses for one year. The year has elapsed. The Craigs and Vine & Fig Tree, Inc. do not have the financial means to pay for everything. Rent, the mortgage on the property under construction, the additional medical expenses for Marybeth's care . . . even with homeowner's and health insurance, the costs of tornado damages and injuries are very overwhelming.

The disaster may prove an opportunity: The home is being rebuilt as a duplex which can be leased or sold as an income producing property for the benefit of the Craigs and Vine & Fig Tree, IF AND WHEN IT IS FINISHED.

This opportunity may yet turn into tragedy: The Craigs must keep the mortgage paid or risk losing the newly rebuilt property to foreclosure. Temporary housing rent and utilities must be paid for the Craigs to have a place to live until their home is ready for lease or sale. Marybeth will continue to need medical care, skilled nursing, bathing assistance, medicines, diapers and many other costs that insurance does not cover. Insurance payments are delayed in the backlog of claims paperwork that the carrier is handling in the wake of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast. Dozens of telephone calls, emails and letters seem to fall on deaf ears.

Kevin was thinking he and his mother could live in the former home of Marybeth's parents, until we received an email from a cousin:

I do not think you have any idea that the ranch house is uninhabitable. Two summers ago, I took showers either in town or at the park. The shower flows at a trickle and drains even slower. The toilet is suspect and to live there would mean a new septic system. The pipes to the clothes washer will not work. The roof leaks in many places. The rats have many homes inside including the beds. Finally, right now we are paying over 100 $ a month just to keep the temperature at 35 degrees. You would be better to rent something than to try to pay a heating or cooling bill at that house. Last summer I did not spend any nights at the ranch house, and of course we have not repaired anything in two summers. To drag your mother and brother to that pit is a sin.

That's why were asking for your help during this time of urgent need. Your generous and tax-deductible donations to Vine & Fig Tree, Inc. will be used to help real people in real distress in the wake of a real disaster. And, Lord willing, the ministry of Vine & Fig Tree will live on -- when Kevin is no longer needed as 24-hour caregiver for his Mom and she has a new home in heaven.

Please mail your tax-deductible donation check to:

Vine & Fig Tree, Inc.
PO Box 179,
Powersite, MO 65731

Alternatively, you can use PayPal to safely transfer funds.

Thank you for your understanding and generosity.

Your prayers will be enormously appreciated.