In March 2008, 161 West Road, many years home for Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, became LINC Mission Center (LMC). LINC Houston moved their offices to their new home, sharing office space with Beautiful Savior and Centro Familiar Cristiano. The new campus, with its gym and classrooms, would allow for the additional support personnel, missionary training, community outreach, and better accessibility for groups partnering with LINC for urban ministry training. Little did we know, as we settled into our new home, that it would also provide housing for volunteers who could respond immediately to the needs presented by Hurricane Ike, a place from which to distribute food and water to families left homeless, and room to store the generous donations of household goods and furniture which poured in from around the country. We did not foresee that we would be expanding our staff to include all aspects of disaster relief: case workers, construction crews, managers of volunteer groups, blue tarp installers, and a grant writer to help fund relief efforts. 

      God has blesssed LINC with resources - dollars, supplies, and personnel - so that the mission of LINC – planting groups of new believers - can continue through the restoration process. Through it all, LINC Houston missionaries and caseworkers recognized the ongoing, overwhelming need families had. In anticipation of a bleak Christmas for many, LINC staff asked local congregations and individuals for donations of new toys that could be distributed through the missionaries’ Christmas celebrations and in personal home visits. When it became apparent that need was greater than donations, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans made funds available through their Disaster Response fund which made it possible for the additional gifts to be purchased. In the week just prior to Christmas, volunteers took time out from their own preparations to shop and wrap gifts. Over 2, 600 toys and gift cards were handed out. Again, thank God for a gym where tables could be arranged to separate gifts by age and gender so that the missionary leaders could “shop” for the families in their communities. God’s blessing of a large campus became very apparent when LINC Houston partnered with The Houston Food Bank, as a designated POD (Point of Distribution. Hundreds of families whose homes were damaged and who were without electricity for days were provided food, water, and ice. People arrived early and waited in line for hours to receive these basic necessities.