Back home in Oregon May 11

I arrived home Wed afternoon May 9. I had a very good flight and arrived early at each stop. I flew from New Orleans to Los Angeles to Portland. I ended up spending Tues night at Luling, LA which is a PDA village on the south edge of New Orleans. The worksite manager there had been a manager last April 06 so we had a good time visiting. There were no volunteers in the village this week. They are in the process of replacing all the pods due to a defect and building a new kitchen. An older couple are managing the village and no young adults.

I don't know when I may be going back to the Gulf coast so I'm open to the Lord's leading. I did tell the Red Cross I would be available for deployment for the summer and the storms have really started already this year. I'm feeling well and rested but this last week was not busy or stressful for me which may have helped.

Thanks to all who read my blog and supported me or encouraged me in serving our Lord. May the Lord bless you.
Phyllis

A wonderful day in church May 6

Today I was able to go to Gautier Presbyterian Church and it was special. I was able to borrow a car from BFS today as God had arranged that I could be there. People were excited to see me today as they all know me after spending several months attending church there. But as I went down the row to sit, a couple guys followed me. They had been in my village last Oct and they were a special group. There were 4 of them and of course they remembered my name but I didn't remember any of their names, only their faces. Getting hugs all around was so neat. They said they had talked about me last night, wondering where I was and what I was doing. They just arrived in the Gautier village last night from Washington Presbytery in PA. I think Jim Wright was the leader so how could I forget his name but after meeting dozens of new people each week, I can't remember all of them anymore.

It was emotional at the services this morning as the Pastor introduced me and said I had been the village manager last year and this spring they had prayed for me when I had my surgery. It was overwhelming and tears came. And I knew my heart was still down in MS. I don't know what I will be doing this year as I won't be going back to be a manager with PDA. I'm not sure about working with Compassion First/BFS but I know God has a plan for my life yet, whatever that is. God has blessed me in so many ways with all the people who have touched my life or that I have worked with.

Susan and George from church treated me to lunch today so it was nice to visit with them. They had managed volunteers at the Gautier church some last year so we could share stories. Gautier church does not host volunteers anymore but groups staying at the Gautier village attend services there usually. They really welcome all the volunteers, though as there are some nearly every week.

I will be returning to OR on Wed and back to the things I do there. God bless you and take care.

Phyllis

A shopping trip May 4

We had thunderstorms last night but I didn't hear the thunder well with the air conditioners going. It rained most of the night and has rained lightly all day today. So it is much cooler. One advantage about the air conditioning is waking up in the mornings and clothes or bedding aren't clammy or damp. Most evenings cool off but we have few windows and they don't open.

Today has been a good day. Salvation Army gives vouchers for the clients/homeowners to buy what is needed for their homes. Today one lady had a voucher for a small freezer and a refrigerator. Then there was a second voucher for a kitchen sink and 2 bathroom sinks. Her cupboards were installed today so it was ready for the sink. So the case manager and homeowner and I went to Lowe's to pick out the items. Previously they have gone online to pick out what they want and get average prices. The information is printed and a copy with a form sent to Salvation Army (or another agency) to receive a voucher. Then we go to the chosen store to make final decisions. It was exciting to be back at Lowe's as last year I spent many hours shopping for materials. This lady's house is getting close to being finished and she is so excited. When she moves back into her home, they do a dedication party.

The interesting thing about BFS work is that all the homes are within a few blocks of the village. Today I typed up a list of the completed homes - 13 so far - and many were on the same street. They had started out doing one block at a time but are branching out a little more. Relationships are built because many of the same people keep working with them like the case managers and the Americorp young people who are here for 6 months. Volunteers come and go but there is a core here for a long time.

Tonite the Beaverton people are all going out to eat and I've been invited to go with them. The group of 9 go home tomorrow plus 4 others from Portland. But a new group with Hopeforce came from Florida last night.

Love to all of you and take care.
Phyllis

Life in the village May 2

This is quite a village which is surrounded by a wire fence. There are security guards at the 3 gates so we can feel safe inside the fence but be outside. We're not to leave the village walking, alone or in a group, as this part of Biloxi is not deemed very safe. There is an asphalt track inside the stadium where people walk or run. I walked this afternoon for the first time in Biloxi as I've been sitting around too much. I'm not getting up at 5 - 6 am to go walking as some of my roommates do. There are 9 trailers in the compound where the long-term volunteers live on our half. The other half of the stadium is where the Habitat Virginia groups stay and are managed by someone else.

Today was a better day and I feel I helped accomplish some things. We go to the office about 8 am and leave 4 - 5 pm. Every Wed morning a rep from all the agencies working under East Biloxi meet to give updates of what's happening. 90% of the homes were under water in East Biloxi. This was about 3000 homes and only 425 have been finished for people to move back so there are many left to do. 69 homes are in process this week and 6 new homes under construction (rebuilds). BFS has about 15 in various stages while Samaritan Purse has about 30 homes. I learned there are other groups that I didn't mention yesterday such as Back Bay Mission of Biloxi, Hands On, Youthbuild and CWC. (I edited my blog from yesterday with more correct info.) We found out about a new grant for college youth which will help with expenses/transportation to come to MS and help. We also received a manual this morning with guidelines for remodels or rebuilds - the how's and why's, process, etc.

I'm working with Kris or Carol (who is head case manager). It's rather slow right now with no new applications but they figure there are still about 2500 homes out there needing assistance. People can get up to $20,000 from Oprah, up to $10,000 from Salvation Army so they apply to all the agencies to get enough if they didn't have insurance or MS Governor Grants or FEMA. We went to WalMart and Lowes this afternoon to get curtain rods for 12 windows and shelving for closets as this lady will soon be able to move into her home. I learning a lot about the process which is good.

Today was cooler and had been forecast for thunderstorms but now they say tonite or tomorrow but under the stadium is about the safest place to be in Biloxi for storms. There were funnel clouds spotted over western Biloxi. Just another day.

Take care and God's blessings on you.
Phyllis

A day May 1

I arrived in Biloxi Mon morning and am staying in the baseball stadium which was purchased by the Salvation Army a couple years ago. There are numerous agencies that stay here but I'm working with Compassion First/Beaverton Foursquare Church (BFS) which partners with several other organizations. All work is done under the direction of East Biloxi Coordination Relief and Recovery Center. Other agencies staying in the village include Hopeforce, Habitat Virginia (in bunk houses), many Americorp (young people staying in trailers). Project Teamwork manages the village and logistics such as place to stay, food, etc. A family of 4 is here for 2 years running the village and live in a trailer. Money can be gotten from Oprah, Salvation Army, Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, UMCOR (Methodist) and others but each have some different guidelines which makes it challenging at times. One agency gives a $500 microgrant to people for furnishings (household things) when they move in.

We stay in what had been the women's locker room which was divided into 3 rooms with bunk beds. Largest room is for BFS which sleeps 12 but there are only 5 of us this week. Showers and flush toilets are next to us so we don't have to go out into the hall which is really nice. Rooms have been constructed in the hallway with women at one end and men have their quarters at the other end. There is also another ladies restroom with more showers. It will accommodate quite a few people.


Tables go down the center of the hallway where the meals are served and eaten. Drinks and snacks are always available on the counter and the meals don't cost us anything while serving here. The food is actually cooked in the semi-trailer by the Salvation Army. Lunch is served under a big canopy for anyone needing a meal - all volunteers, locals, homeowners, etc. Breakfast is served at 7 am with quite a choice. A short devotion is at 7:45 before leaving for the job site and he is doing it from the "Purpose Driven Life" and we did part of day 11 today.


Last night I was invited to the Orange Grove PDA village in Gulfport. A group from MO were working on the grounds by BFS office and I was talking to them (in their PDA shirts) and they were cooking. I got to see several of the PDA staff people that I wanted to see plus 3 guys from WA that I had met last fall. They remembered me and so I ate with them.

Today has been slow as I'm reading stuff, educating myself as there isn't much going on right now. The case management process is very good. Helping people chose their furnishings is fun but challenging. BFS works on a home until it is mostly completed depending on the skills as they usually have many skilled volunteers here.

The wireless connection is in the laundry room which is where I am right now but that is okay as reception is bad in the stadium. But I don't care as long as I have access. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. Take care.

Phyllis

Sunday on the bayou April 29

I woke up to rather dense fog this morning. And I thought "this is just like OR or at home". But within 2 hours it was all gone and this afternoon is hot. 2 - 3 pm is the warm part of the day as the breezes come later and it is pleasant in the shade.

I attended services again at the 1st Presb Church of Bayou Blue. This church reminds me of the small rural type church I grew up in back in SD. They have 7 or 8 in their choir and they sing just a hymn every Sun, nothing fancy. I was the only volunteer there as everyone else in the village left today. There is a small group arriving tonite, however. They do a big spread for fellowship time - have sandwiches; many desserts like brownies, cake, cupcakes, etc; soft drinks; little smokies; etc. 2 or 3 ladies are responsible for the food each Sunday and it rotates but others bring food, too. Years ago they started out with just donuts or cookies but expanded. Then I attended the adult Sunday School class and we talked about the villages, volunteers coming, PDA, etc. I could share information that they weren't aware of. They think our living accomodations are pretty bad but I tried to reassure them that the volunteers thought the villages were great. Clark and family (an older couple) took me to their house afterwards for lunch, then brought me back to the village mid-afternoon.

I got to visit with Rev Chris and her husband (also the pastor) and learned more about what happened after Katrina hit. They were hardly affected here by Katrina but busloads came from New Orleans afterwards. This was the closest operating hospital, had thousands in shelters, people's homes. The dead on the buses (who died on trip down) were dumped in the ditches and someone picked them up and took them to the morgue. Pastor Chris started a pastoral care support system at the morgue as people came to identify the bodies if they could. She thought 35 bodies are still unidentified here. Hurricane Rita hit this area but it was worse farther south in the bayous. This church has done a lot to help others but are still very grateful for volunteers that come. I really enjoyed this church (kinda like HPC).

It's the people you meet that make these trips special. Thur evening Kevin a local homeowner whose mother was helped by PDA volunteers cooked a southern meal and he has been doing this every week for a year now. This time he made chicken and sausage gumbo with rice. We also had a green salad and garlic bread. PDA furnishes the food and he cooks it at the village. Family members or close friends bring desserts so that was a special evening. They shared their story and mingled with the volunteers. Rick and Louise (76 and 71) from AZ were a neat couple who really worked hard and worked well together. They looked out for each other which was special. They mudded and sanded a couple small rooms, painted ceilings and she was on the metal scaffold the last day. Then there was Shirley (77), also from AZ, who painted ceilings 5 days from a scaffold. What energy at their age. They worked on the center being built in the village where Andrea and I helped on some days. I got little jobs as I wasn't always there - like wash the windows, inside and out, plus scrapped the paint globs and mudding globs off the concrete to get it smooth for the floor to be put in.

Raccoons are a nuisance here so everything edible must be locked up. They managed to get a tin with tea bags open and destroy them. Every morning would be a different thing as one morning they managed to get their claws into the plastic tub with cereal and tear a couple bags open. Another day they grabbed 2 loaves of bread from the dining area where we made our lunches and were dragging them off. Andrea found them. But they don't have a problem with ants like I did in MS.

I hope you went to the House of the Lord to worship today. Each day he gives us is special. Take care and lots of love.

Phyllis

Final day at the work site Apr 27

Today was the final day at Nicolle's house. The gift cards for a total of $950 were used to purchase 7 windows for the 3 bedrooms and were installed yesterday. We also purchased 2 storm doors for another house that part of the group worked on. Nicolle was so appreciative of every thing that she fixed a seafood meal (deep-fried oysters, shrimp, catfish, shrimp wrapped in bacon) with red beans and rice for us. Andrea and I had stayed back at the village but someone came after us at noon so I could get some pictures and participate in the meal. Nicolle took vacation this week so she could be there and wanted to learn how to do drywall. Andrea and I are standing by one of the windows. The next picture shows Steve from LaGrande doing the finishing on the front of the house. This really shows how the house was raised.



Last night was almost cold when we went to bed. We really snuggled down into our sleeping bags. Some even had to get extra blankets. Today stayed mostly overcast all day so wasn't too bad. Weather has been pleasant all week so at lunch time those that work at the village sit in a circle under a big tree and visit while eating. About Tues they realized the base of the tree was surrounded by poison ivy and some did not know what it looked like. We were far enough away, I guess, as no one got into it.

Andrea and I both stayed at the village and helped paint at the center. Houma village is located on Elks property and Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery in Missouri contracted to build the center with a kitchen, pantry, large dining room, restrooms (indoor plumbing) that PDA will use until it is no longer needed for recovery. Dick from MO is the contractor for the project as that Presbytery raised $150,000 for materials. Building is 25 x 100 ft, very simple. It was started last fall and has gone slower than expected and is under budget. The labor is done by volunteers. Dick goes home periodically but stays in a trailer here for periods of time as groups from MO come to work. Often groups from other areas work on it, too as several different people helped this week. It is hoped to be finished by June 1 as no one will be working on it for 2 weeks. Some one has been hired to do the flooring Tues and Wed as it is all painted, trim done for windows and doors, etc.

Blessings to all of you. Phyllis