Hurricane Katrina Recovery Jan 10

This may be my last blog for a while or until I go to MS again but I don't have any dates yet. There are many stories to tell about one's time there. Helping in Katrina recovery affected the volunteers as much or more than the families who live there. It has for me and I left my heart there in MS. I will be going back a couple times in the next year if all works out. On Christmas Day I finally saw a newspaper for the first time since Dec 14 and it had several articles of what the churches across this nation are going. The churches are doing the majority of the recovery effort and working together to accomplish this goal. I was so impressed by the thankfulness of the people for anything and for every volunteer who comes, even if we haven't done much for them.

One story is of a mother and son who stayed in their home and got on top of the washer and dryer as the water to that height and stopped. Mother couldn't swim and was scared of the water so she wouldn't let her son get off the appliances after the water started to recede. She was so pleased to see sheetrock being put on her walls that she was coming to sleep on the floor in her house for a night anyway.

Another family - mother, father and child - stayed in their home until water was up to their necks. They couldn't open the doors to get out so finally broke a window. Sitting there was an empty flat bottom boat. They got in and went to a house with a 2nd story where they stayed until both families were rescued. They knew that God had provided that boat for them as no one has claimed it and they still have it.

An elderly couple lost everything on the first floor. As crews came in to work they would stay in their upstairs bedroom and not mingle with anyone. They had some medical issues, were depressed, overwhelmed by it that they weren't coping well. She had a relative in ICU at this time also. But 2 of the groups working at their house had a pastor so he ministered to them, took them to ICU, prayed with them. When I saw them, they were mixing with the people and even got a tour of the camp where we stayed. Once a room had walls, they started to realize it would be a house again which was a turning point for them.

There were families who came to volunteer and serve in MS instead of having Christmas or exchanging gifts. They took that money to come to MS and use it there. There was a man with 2 early teenage sons who drove 11 hours from SC to deliver a bunch of toys, etc which the boys wanted to do. The next morning they turned around and went home again. That's a long trip for such dedication. Then we had a mother and a son come the week before Christmas who needed a miracle. She was struggling as this would be their first Christmas without her oldest child. Her husband and other children encouraged her to go, start new traditions for their family. She was going home on Dec 25 with a song in her heart again and purpose in life which pleased the rest of the family. A couple college kids figured that one could just give money, that there was no need to actually go to MS. But he was talked into coming down to volunteer and he went home a totally changed person. All people going there come back as changed people and want to go again in coming months to volunteer again.
What touched me was the resilency and thankfulness of the local people. I never heard anyone complain. They just thanked any and every volunteer regardless if you helped them or not. They would go weeks between groups coming to do another task on their home but they could wait. Someone else needed help more than they did. It was just overwhelming so hopefully you now understand why my heart is still in MS.

God's blessings on all of you who read this, supported me in whatever way, and allowed me the priviledge of serving when some of you could not.

Phyllis

Back in Oregon Jan 6

I returned back to Oregon Wed evening Jan 4. It was good to come home to a bed instead of an army cot and indoor plumbing. I had a good flight but it seems long coming from Atlanta. On my way to the airport in Gulfport, we went thru a section of Keesler Air Force Base which has closed but the quarters were really damaged, a lot of trees on the homes.

I wanted to give you an accounting of the money everyone contributed to Katrina recovery efforts.
$100 to D'lberville Free Medical Clinic - for volunteers and locals
$100 to Sunny who provides free meals for about 25 families a day
$375 for giftcards to the children at Gautier Presby Church
$1486 for sheetrock, water heater, supplies, etc to several families
$700 in giftcards given to camp manager to give to families needing assistance yet
$925 for purchases of extension ladder, shop vac, plumbing supplies to hook up sinks at camp, plywood to make platforms, tools that groups would need on the job site, supplies for office, etc
$400 for my airfare and meals

thank you all for your generous gifts as it really blessed and overwhelmed me. I thank you for your prayers as I stayed well, slept as well there as at home. And I really did have a good time working with the volunteers who came from many states and the families needing our assistance. They never complained but were so thankful for everything we did, even if they waited weeks for jobs to be completed. They are resilient people and most of them trusted in the Lord for whatever.

I will do one more blog with some of the stories of the people or events. Blessings to you.
Phyllis

New Years Eve at Gautier Dec 31,2005

I had dinner with Wes and Joan Carter of Salem at camp last night as I invited them to see it. We had a nice visit. A big thank you to Wes who found the power cord to the printer/copier as the Gautier church so we are now functioning and operational. We hadn't been able to use it since we opened our camp at the new site on Mon. (Wes, is this enough of a word about you?)

The week has gone fast as numerous groups have come and gone. We had a group of 11 for 4 days from 1st Presby of Belmont NC; a group of 8 for 4 days from Eighty Four PA; a family of 5 for 2 days from Charlotte, NC; 4 men (2 electricians) for 2 days from Greenville, TN (their 2nd trip); 7 people for 6 days from Loysville, PA. This group had Arlene who took over being the camp cook and served our 1st meal Tues evening. She came in Mon, set up and organized the kitchen area and the meals were delicious. We have a hot breakfast and a hot dinner each day. Everyone receives a sack lunch in the morning as they leave for their job site. But she left early this morning so we're hoping someone will show up next week that may like to cook or we go to plan B. Most groups drive and bring many of their tools, etc with them.

There are still 2 groups in camp for New Year's weekend. One is a team of 17 from 4th Presby of Chicago IL who had a plumber and electrician which are critical needs down here. The last group is 34 HS and college age youth with 3 adults from Hamilton, Ontario,Canada. John and Hilda (the neatest couple) are liaisons to PDA from CRWRC(Christian Reformed World Relief Committee). I was so excited to meet them as they also work with Reformed Church of America which was my background for many years in SD. In fact they are both Dutch but there was an instant connection even though I am German. Hilda has helped me in the office for 3 days as we set up and reoganized it a couple times.

We've had great weather but the last 2 mornings were a layer a fog and heavy dew which made me feel just like home (in OR). It has stayed wet for hours in the mornings but beautiful sunshine in the afterno0ns and everyone was loving it, especially the Canadians. This morning the cattle came up to the fence and some just looked at me. As I took a step towards them, they'd back up one step. There are also 4 horses which is another benefit of being out in the cow pasture.

Tonite before dinner we're dedicating our camp and naming it "Camp E'yall" with the Canadian and southern influence. Then all the Canadian youth are going to another church to meet with the rest of the Canadians down here (a total of 120). But the rest of us (20) in camp will have a worship service around a bonfire.

Next week starts 2006 with one group arriving Mon and another on Wed so the cycle starts all over. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you.

Phyllis

Gautier site Jan 2, 2006

I just realized that my blog from Dec 31 wasn't out there yet so these are out of order. Wes was to add some pictures but he still can.

We've had a very windy warm day but no fog this morning so not so damp. The last couple days the humidity is so high that our clothes feel damp when we put them on in the morning. The floors in our huts are wet. But we had a lot of rain yesterday afternoon and last night so many of the huts had water in them.

This morning at 6 am a group left to go back to Chicago. We (Lori and I) always pray with the groups as they are ready to leave. A part of us goes with each group that leaves. Some people impact us more than others but they all touch us in some way. Most of the people when they leave have a few tears, don't want to go home, wish they could stay. Some of these people will be back in a few months, just like me. I guess once this work gets into your blood, it stays there. I have done things in 2005 that I never dreamed about. So on New Years Eve as we were sharing in our group, I wondered what the Lord has in store for me next year. New Years Eve was the most different one I've had but was so neat as we sat around the camp fire. We had communion and each person shared something about this experience in MS. (There were 2 pastors in the groups.) Life is good. Wed will be my turn to be emotional as I leave here after 3 weeks.

Blessings to you, Phyllis