Hillsboro Katrina Report - December 19

I haven’t been able to get to this much since I got here. Schedules are very flexible and one never knows what we may do next. I went to church at Gautier Presby this morning and got to meet a few people. They are a small congregation. Tonight they were having their church family Christmas party with a potluck. So I attended to give out the things I had taken along. Most of the youth were not there but will receive their cards sometime. Kevin had chosen Courtney to do a card and letter. She was quite touched as she also is a foster child. God moves in mysterious ways. Then I presented four music books to Martha who is their pianist/organist who had lost all her music, her piano and organ in Katrina. She came up to me with tears and hugged me. She was overwhelmed as the top book was her favorite. Wait until she gets the two boxes that are being shipped to them.

Modern Romance? The young volunteers from our camp on the right are showing the proper way to kiss these days while mucking and mudding houses, here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Did you know that Mississippi alone lost 65,000 homes in Katrina?

It was nice and sunny today but the last few days have been cold and it rained all day Sat. It limits activities outside. So three of us rearranged the tent with all the tools, etc and got them off the floor as they were sitting in water. Out tents do leak when it rains but we’re managing. We just keep everything off the floor. I have a tent by myself so that is nice.

That's me on the right, wearing my First Sergeant's stripes to tease Wes Carter from Salem's First Pres. He's the guy who said I should work here as the camp's administative manager, or "first sergeant". We now have a lovely small Christmas tree to help celebrate. We make a joyful noise each morning and evening when, during devotions, we sing the popular Christmas songs. It is hard not to think of lonely GIs all around the world, like us, celebrating Christmas in a tent.

I need more time to think and I have only limited time on the laptop so will try to update later. We have people from many states and they keep coming and going. Take care up there.