God is good? all the time! And all the time? God is good!

Yesterday, the Mississippi Missionaries had several "reunions" of sorts! First of all, Barb, Ron and Tim shared the proclamation of the preached word with me. They offered their awakenings, insights and epiphanies to the glory of God before the congregation. Each spoke with heartfelt conviction and passion.

Barb spoke about God's absolute ability to work through human error to bring about a miracle. And that we find our deepest joy when we help each other. Tim reflected that we can participate in God's mission wherever we find ourselves, whether we are 90 feet or 900 miles from Trinity. Distance doesn't matter. Ron shared with us each of us belongs to the body of Christ and therefore we are called to serve our sisters and brothers in Christ.

Between the 8am and 10 am services, The Mississippi Missionaries hosted a forum on the work-trip. Approximately 75 people attended. A powerpoint presentation was shown highlighting the devastation of the area. There was good natured ribbing and compassionate sharing. Twenty-three people indicated interest in returning to Christus Victor in January 2007! About half went on our first trip!

The unforgettable moment of yesterday happened when I couldn't find my sermon! I praised God to the heavens when I found it. Hallelujah!

The Sweets, Nancy and Bill, open their hearts and home to the Mississippi Missionaries for a delectable brunch. The food was great and the company was fabulous. We shared pictures and traded anedoctal stories. It was a special time.


God is good? All the time! And all the time? God is good!

Stay On the Path. Don't Feed the Bears!!!

"Stay on the path. Don't feed the bears!"
This is one of my instructor's favorite sayings. It keeps her classes focused on the task at hand and encourages students to avoid distractions. Some of you have reported to me that you clicked onto "Next blog" only to find an unsavory blogspot. We have no control over this because blogger.com is a free service. This is a random occurrence. That gives me a measure of relief. However, to avoid offended sensibilities, "Stay on the path. Don't feed the bears and above do not click on "Next Blog." Please continue to visit and enjoy our blog. The Trinity Missionaries send new pictures each day.

God bless and keep you always,
Pastor Angela

High Couture T-Shirts from the House of Foreman

As a parting ritual each volunteer crew signs their t-shirt and the staff adds it to the living monument in Camp Victor's dining hall. It gives witness and testimony to the fact that there are so many who gave of themselves to the glory of God. Our "Walk the Talk" t-shirt designed for us by Sue Foreman proudly hangs among the other t-shirts of volunteer missionaries to Ocean Springs. Several of us model our t-shirts for the camera!

Pentecost Sunday, Incandescent Hope!

Pentecost Sunday, June 3rd at Bethel Lutheran. Afterwards, the sisters and brothers of Bethel Lutheran Church invited our "mob" for lunch. Tuna sandwiches and soup appeared as manna from heaven. The hospitality and fellowship was literally divine. It felt like the feeding of the 5000!

Re-building homes, re-building lives & building lasting friendships in Christ.

Walking the talk in paint!!!

There was a crew of enthusiastic painters! They offered themselves to the glory of God and as ministry in service to a Biloxi family. And you should have seen the determination to get the job done. They work up to the final hours before boarding the bus to return to Fort Wayne.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

Though mired in devastation, many people expressed Christ-centered hope. Hope so boundless, so radically persistent,that despite this "present darkness" it makes the soul say "The Lord is my portion." Story after story from residents of Ocean Springs and surrounding areas recounted acts of great courage and the miraculous. Miracles are events that inspire and awaken faith. In the midst of desolation and devastation, God has not abandoned the good people of Mississippi. Miracles are breaking forth all over the place. Pastor Gerry Bultman of Bethel Lutheran Church in Biloxi testifies to God's wonderous deeds--daily.

Ed, a long-term volunteer at Bethel shared one of many miracle stories. After losing everything, an elderly couple returned to the remains of their home to find Lutheran Disaster Relief volunteers cleaning up the debris and water damage. Clearly, they were in gripped by depression. The couple accepted an invitation to go with them to Bethel Lutheran Church for counseling. Once there, they intimated to the counselor it was their intent to take their lives in their home but instead they found the volunteers busy at work. Martin Luther taught that we're to be "little Christs" for one another. In this instance, such was the case. What follows is the true miracle. Later, LDR volunteers would find that one of them transposed the numbers of the address and thus cleaned the couples house. In other words, they cleaned the wrong house!

I am reminded of the words of the prophet Jeremiah:

"The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall!
My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion, " says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." (Lamentations 3:19-24)

"Great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see. All that is needed thine hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me!"

Continue to pray for our sisters and brothers in Mississippi.

Shalom,

Pastor Angela

Reflections from the Mission Trip

I expected the Mississippi Mission Trip to be an arduous, head-clearing, work-filled trip, but its blessings went beyond all expectations. A few reflections follow.

- Getting to know so many Trinity members from other services! I now have new and treasured friendships with Nancy Graham and Vickie Meyers of the 8 a.m. service crowd as well as many others. (I'm from the "11 a.m. set.")

- Sharing desolations and consolations. Pastor Shannon led us in this ancient end-of-day meditation that asks us to share our highs and lows from the day. It was a holy and substantive end to full days.

- Witnessing amazing compassion and empathy. I was repeatedly and consistently witness to a depth of compassion and empathy that I have never seen before. I gained a new sense of what it meant to care for one's neighbors. A homeless man's remains from the hurricane were finally identified by the Biloxi Bethel Lutheran Church pastor last week; Pastor Shannon led us through a profound moment of grieving for a troubled life that would have a respectful end. Dr. Deb Schroeder, M.D. from Indianapolis who joined the Trinity group, discussed the haunting nightmares a Biloxi woman has from battling Katrina's waters for 10 hours.

- The laughter! Having a shared mission, hard work and a hot setting means you'd better be able to laugh to help yourself and your colleagues get through the day. We laughed a lot and thanked the Lord for the gift of humor. (You may want to ask Charlene Bloom about washing off primer from her face!)

- The outpouring of thanks from our Mississippi neighbors. Everyone thanked us. We would stop in a store and they would ask if we were volunteers and thanks us. It never stopped. One woman told our bus driver Don Emenhiser -- through tears of gratitude -- that "it was not the Red Cross and it was not FEMA that was getting so many through the devastation and rebuilding. It was the churches and the volunteers."

- The Herculean effort of it all. Camp Victor, named after Christus Victor Lutheran Church -- the original Lutheran Disaster Relief Headquarters --occupies a large former warehouse that includes around 250 barracks for volunteers, a gigantic warehouse for food and other relief material for the victims and another ample storage area for rebuilding supplies. It made me realize the organizational thought, effort, space and leadership it takes to run a long-term relief center.

- The commitment. The full-time team leaders at Lutheran Disaster Relief/Lutheran Social Services worked long hours and seemed to be indomitable. Other local volunteers saw long days as the norm and just kept charging ahead. Our crew chief, Ken, was a bright, mature 18-year-old construction genius, who managed 2-3 construction/rehab sites daily. When I asked him his normal work hours, he simply shrugged and said, "I work from 'can' to 'can't'!"

The witness. Living one's faith puts fuel in one's tank. While it's tiring, it's also recharging. You realize this is doing the work of the Lord in a new way. As Betty Okeson said at an evening devotion, "I think I've seen the face of God this week." It makes one rethink priorities. It becomes a powerful memory and a challenge to repeat it and renew its lessons daily. It makes one realize the awesome charge and reward in the Great Commandment to Love Our Neighbors. One realizes that this is the fulfillment of how God created us to live and do.

Blessings
Barb Wachtman

We're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

We're back home, a little tired, kind of weary but soul-satisfied. We rolled into Trinity's parking lot June 10th at about 12:30 pm, ahead of schedule. Thank you Don and Phil of Excellent Adventures.
In many ways, we have returned as different persons from the ones that loaded in Trinity's parking lot on the evening of Saturday, June 2nd. We went to Ocean Springs with an eye towards "doing good work," as one person observed. We have returned with servants' hearts ready to serve regardless of where we find ourselves. The stories of our brothers and sisters in the gulf coast region have transformed us in ways we can yet describe. Please continue to visit this blog, as there will be more reflections and certainly more pictures in the coming days.
Above is Sarah Long looking really happy to be home!

The REAL Warehouse

You've seen the pictures of Pastor Shannon's office which she jokingly referred to as "the warehouse." Take a look at what the real warehouse looks like!

In The House!

Two Dons (Caron and Emenhiser),Steve,Tim, Yalonda and even Pastor Shannon spent time working on a house in Biloxi. There was much to be done. They installed a tub and a shower. Did electrical work and dry-walling. Don Caron taught Pastor Shannon how to install light switches!

The Remains of a Bridge

This bridge once connected Ocean Springs to Biloxi. Now, it looks as though a capricious child swept his lego from a table. We approached the bridge with solemnity because some lost their lives at this place.

Bob Landis, Folk Muralist

Bob Landis created wonderful murals at Camp Victor. His paintings are scenes of Ocean Springs. Folks at Camp Victor well pleased and very appreciative of God's workings through him. Thanks Bob!

Today began simple enough...

Yalonda (a friend of Trinity) and I with a local volunteer Brian loaded a half of pallet of water in her car with the intent to visit a few FEMA trailer parks. Brian, who is a wall of a man, looked at us knowingly and said, "Ya'll be careful." He explained that the FEMA trailer parks can be unsavory places. We promised to be mindful of our context. He sent us away with the admonition, "If you're not back by three thirty, I will come looking for you!"

We made our way to a trailer park on Veteran's Highway in Biloxi. Trees are still bare, skinned of their bark. There is a fair bit of cognitive dissonance to see a naked tree in such a balmy place. A cemetery looked as though the ground hiccupped and grave markers where strewn about like litter. Skeletons of buildings dotted the landscape. Other buildings were in various stages of repair.

We turned off the street into the trailer park. It's really hot here and there isn't much movement but the trailers have eyes. We went to the central gathering place, a shelter in the middle of the park, and began putting water out on the picnic tables. Slowly people emerged from their tiny trailers and ask about the water. "Where did it come from?" "Who are you?" We tell them we are from Christus Victor Lutheran Disaster Response. It is amazing how this church has mobilized and organized us for God's work. Wherever we have gone people speak glowingly of Christus Victor.

We spoke with Kathryn who evacuated only to return to find her house, a hovel. We met a couple, Mr. & Mrs. Brown. Both of them are in their mid-eighties. How do you rebuild in the twilight years of your life? Still, they carry within them God's grace and even humor. In talking with Pastor Gerry Bultman of Bethel Lutheran Church of Biloxi, I learned there is a gentleman who lived on the margins of life and is in need of a burial. His remains have been unclaimed in morgue since the hurricanes until Pastor learned of him and now is in the process of raising money for a funeral. Sisters and brothers, that's when I lost it. I have been teary ever since. I have experienced a miniscule piece of what these folks on the frontlines encounter every day. The Trinity missionaries share the same sentiments. Pray for our sisters and brothers.

There is much pain here, sadness, suffering, and tears but the indomitable hope and trust that the risen Christ abides. The Trinity missionaries will have many experiences to share, please take a few moments to hear how God's grace continues to find expression and is not overcome by nihility. Today began simple enough but grows increasingly complicated but Christ the victor is present, indeed.

Pray for the healing of this place.

Pastor Angela

Fort Wayne Represents

Shane and newly adopted "Grandma" Charlene are Fort Wayne's latest and greatest rap stars...Busta Rhymes eat your heart out!

And now the real work begins...

For this reason we have come...we have come to heal the sick (Dr. Deb), repair the breach (Trinity's work crews) bind up the broken-hearted (by listening deeply) and be transformed.

Rise and Shine!

Rise and shine and give God the glory! Barb leads the assembly in a morning song!

Come Sunday Morning

Pastor Angela was the supply pastor for Pastor Gerry Bultman of Bethel Lutheran Church in Biloxi, Mississippi. Bethel is one of three outposts of Lutheran Disaster Relief. Again, we were invited to partake in the third sacrament of lunch. The hospitality was wonderful and they recieved us as they would recieve Christ.

A Praise Band, Too!

The Third Sacrament--A Potluck, Hot or Covered Dish (depends on what part of the country you're from)

This is what Lutherans do! We fellowship over a meal after Saturday night worship.

Our First Night at Camp Victor

First things first. Ms. Amy Bearson, Camp Victor Volunteer Coordinator conducts orientation.

After orientation, we worshipped at Christus Victor Lutheran Church, were the Rev. Judy Klusman serves as interim pastor. They worship using setting five of With One Voice. It was a spirited service and God's presence was palpable.

We're on our way! Er...almost.

Arlin and Tim drove mini-vans to Mississippi to carry our offering of goods for our sisters and brothers in Ocean Spring. They were besieged by a flat tire en route. Undaunted, they fixed the flat and kept rolling!

Finally, A Few Pictures!

Dear Family of Trinity and Friends,
Finally, here are a few pictures coming your way. We had hoped to post pictures much earlier but the wireless access point at Camp Victor had its share of challenges. Speaking of challenges, they abound but with God's help, this place is nothing short of miraculous.
We live in a rehabilitated factory formerly known in this community as the Swingster Building. It was once home to a fabric factory. Now there is a distribution center, volunteer sleeping quarters, a warehouse, volunteer coordinators' offices along with myriad functions.
We are the first inhabitants of Camp Victor. Several members of the Trinity group have installed carpet there. Bob Landis has brought joy to the place by painting wonderful murals down the hallways of former landmarks around town. We have been bountifully blessed through the collective narrative of God's people here.

If This Is Tuesday We Must Be In Mississippi

Another great day for the TELC mission trip. Worked in the Distribution Center again today. There is so much work to be done in so many different ways. One of the great things (actually there are just too many to list them all) are all the people we meet and work with each day. Ours lives are intertwined for a short time in service for God. The staff of Christus Victor Lutheran Disaster Response are dedicated servants with the goal of helping people return to some semblance of normalcy. I can say that my life has been enriched merely by this short association.
Blessings from Ocean Springs. Bob <><

P.S. There are so many "Bob"s down here. The fellow we worked with the last two days is Big Bob and he is a big fellow - both in stature and in heart. He is a handyman from Michigan who came down with his church group last November and is still here. He said that the last two years of his life (after finding his Lord and Savior) were simply training for this bigger job that God had in store for him.

Terrific Tuesday!

Dear Trinity Family,
Wow...what a day! Tim Gibson, Steve DeWitt, Ron Caron, Yalonda Naylor and I did electrical work in a family's home. I learned to install outlets. Watch out Rick! Afterwards, we swept debris from the yard. (Heavy sigh), It was painful to see what was among the trash, an old shoe, television parts, broken glass and a lot of broken dreams. There was hope, however, imbedded in the trunk of a large tree was a sea shell--a sign of hope, a sign of our baptismal promise.
Peace,
Pastor Angela

Greetings from Mississippi!

This is Barb Wachtman posting for Pastor Shannon ....

We've had two days of work, we're tired, a little weary and ecstatic.

A snapshot of the first full day for many (but not all!) Trinity members and friends looks like this.

Rise and shine at 5:45 for 6 a.m. breakfast! Assignments given at 7 and off to our various posts by 7:30.

By the time we returned around 5 p.m., we had prepared a kitchen floor for tile, sanded drywall, spackled 5 ceilings, moved two truckloads of equipment from Christus Victor Lutheran to the warehouse-turned-relief center site, sorted and filled bags at the distribution center, distributed food and other goods to area residents coming to the center ("A story in every car!" as Betty Okeson said), assisted at a mental health and medical clinics, applied primer to five rooms and painted another two of the rooms.

And that was just Monday.

On Sunday, many of us traveled to Biloxi to worship with Pastor Shannon, as she led services at Bethel Lutheran Church. She did us proud as she told her listeners that the Holy Spirit, on this Pentecost Day, is active in us all."

Then a crew of nine cleaned Christus Victor classrooms Sunday afternoon, while others worked at the distribution center at the Camp Victor AKA: our lodging, warehouse, kitchen, disaster relief center.

It is now 10:15, and lights are going out!

Blessings and appreciation for your support.
Barb Wachtman and Nancy Sweet and the Trinity gang!

PS: Peter Gibson and Shane Vining

Ok, so Shane and I were outside throwing the baseball around and two attractive young southern women flauntered by so I, the genius, decided to throw the ball in front of them to prompt their stopping to converse with us. To make a long story short, it didn't work... it went like this. The ball hit the curb bounced off rolled into the street and they didn't even stop. Tomorrow will be more successful.

By Peter Gibson who failed