Mississippi Mission Trip

Memoirs of a Crew Chief

2008-04-21T20:31:00.003-04:00

Mrs. Coleman’s house

Crew: Ron Blackburn, Trent Johnson, Beth Kulow, Katie Parks, & Bill Shanebrook.

Additional people who helped from other crews: Deanna Davis, Molly Kulow, Emily Walters, & Charles Parks.

Comments: All I can say to start is we were surprised and shocked to see the condition of the Mrs. Coleman’s house. We all believed it would be best for the residents (6 total living in a small three bedroom house) if they could stay somewhere else as the whole house needed to be gutted. The outside of the house was in reasonably good condition with recently installed roofing. It was installed in 1½ days by 4 college girls. For the most part, the damage done by Katrina was the roof and subsequent water damage to the ceiling and walls in the back bedrooms. Our assignment (three teams) was to fix two bedrooms that had water damage and the bathroom that had considerable damage (not caused by Katrina).

Our first day there we went to all the projects to understand the problems and start putting a list together for materials and tools (It never fails that the list is only the beginning and different tools and supplies are identified every day).

The second day (Sunday) we attended Christus Victor Lutheran Church. It was a very nice service and sermon. In the afternoon we toured New Orleans and some of the coastal area between New Orleans and Ocean Springs. Things are improving but have a long way to go.

The next several days were spent on the project. First was demo work. We started taking off a little to see if we could salvage drywall etc. Bottom line we took the walls and ceiling down to the studs and found mold, 5 mice and cockroaches. The floor was taken down to the first layer of sub-floor. All electrical outlets and switches in the bedrooms needed replacing. I cannot do justice describing all the work put in by everyone to get the room’s gutted, dry walled, new flooring installed, and walls and ceiling painted in 5 days. We worked 8 to 12 hour days and felt rewarded by every hour. We watched Katie Parks swing a sledge hammer during demo, Beth Kulow’s great leadership in organizing the trip, all the younger crew learning to operate power equipment (some with training wheels, right Emily), to Deanna (sometimes called Judy by mistake) and Bill running in and out to help get the laminate flooring cut to the right dimensions. Note: We made sure every night that the floor was clean and cleared to allow the residence to set up their air mattress for that night.

Tim Gibson’s team and Steve DeWitt’s team worked mainly on the bathroom. However, everyone helped from time to time. Because of the major damage in the bathroom, a portion of the wall was taken out to allow new floor joists to be put in. The old ones were rotted and sagging. The reason for the damage was not Katrina. It appears the sewer line was plugged all the way to the street and someone before us got the bright idea to open the clean out trap below the bathroom. Needless to say there was quite a mess below the house with all the drains dumping onto the ground under the bathroom and back bedroom. Don’t know how long this was there, but the smell and damage were beyond belief. Emily and Molly worked on digging a trench in the back, but only a small amount of sludge would drain. The rest was neutralized with lime pellets and shoveled out in wheelbarrows so plumbing and floor joists could be installed. Because of the damage our crew could not get the bathroom done in the 5 days. However, plumbing was 90% done, floor joists installed from outside wall through the hallway, new inside wall was installed and dry walled, hallway floor re-installed.

We left the house in much better condition than when we got there. A special award should go to Tim Gibson who stood in the middle of all the sludge to get the bathroom as far along as we did. The only comment is I would not sit next to him in church for at least a couple more weeks. We made him change his clothes every night when leaving the worksite.

There were so many things that made the trip special. However, they are too numerous to mention. Lastly, we were all saddened by the loss of John Okeson and our prayers go out to the family and especially our fellow worker Betty Okeson.

Ron Blackburn
Crew Chief

Work Notes and Reflection

2008-04-21T20:28:00.002-04:00

The home that we were assigned was one where multiple family members had lost there homes and had been forced to share the surviving home of their parents/grand-parents. What had started as 3 families in a 2 bedroom home and Camp Victor had just finished adding 2 more bedrooms on to the home a couple months ago. This home had received damage from to the storm to part of it’s roof and in turn water damage to the living and 2 original bedrooms. With the new roof in place, our job was to make the 2 original bedrooms more livable and finish the bathroom.

During the restoration process, we replaced a section the ceiling and insulation in the one bedroom and a section of floor in the other bedroom. One thing that we could have done without was the fleas and thousands of small Cockroaches (and a few large) that we encountered while performing repairs and cleanup. 2 and a half cans of Cockroach spray later made the area bearable for the team to work. I was proud of Alysse and Kristine as they didn’t like the bugs, but they did what needed to be done anyway.After completing the repairs and cleanup (dead Cockroaches included), we repainted the ceiling, installed new carpet, and installed new doors in both bedrooms. Many thanks to Trent, Bob Cook and Don Conkle for “pop-corning ” the ceiling and the carpet work. We also were able to get a water heater closet in the bathroom dry-walled and ready for paint. The owner and her family were very happy with the carpet and the other work that we had done for them.

Charles Hornaday and crew

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflections of the trip

It has been two weeks since returning from Ocean Springs, which has given me time to reflect on the experiences that we had during the trip. This trip was much different for me than the trip a year ago, last January.
It was a time of sadness due to seeing the devastation that still remains and the living conditions that some of the remaining residents endure. But even through all of this devastation and you can see hope in the lives of many that we encountered and helped.
All 3 families that were living in the home that my crew worked on were living at the poverty level prior to the storm. 2 of the families lost everything and were forced to move in with their mother/grandmother. Even though it is a crowded living situation, they happy and content, because they have each other and their God. They said that they felt blessed that they have their lives and by the sharing of the gifts that volunteers have bestowed on them. One of the passages I saw in the home was written by Paul in Philippians (4:11), “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am”. This family, as were many others that we encountered, are living testimony to Paul’s words. For me personally, I feel that they have given me more than I gave to them.

Charles

One More Letter

2008-04-03T21:11:00.001-04:00

Greetings from the Gulf Shore! We are having a great time here. There is much to do, and many needy families. We have found that even nearly two years after the "Storm", the major problems here come with the many families that can't move away. Mom, dad, brother, sister; all have moved in together because their homes have been destroyed. This has put pressure on their homes and families. The people in charge of Camp Victor have told us that only about 20% of the homes in Mississippi have been rebuilt.
We have been working on a man's home, who is over 80 years old, and a veteran of WWII and the Ocean Springs police department. He rode out the storm and has many roof leaks. We have found and repaired them, and are working on the ceilings. We have painted the house and repaired a few doors. Tom. the homeowner, is a crabber, and his daughter came on Monday and made us crab cakes to die for. Tom and his dog Ozzie have been great hosts, and we will miss his smile and great sense of humor when we leave.
We have two young ladies working with us, Mary Ellen and Shelby. They have been great helpers, and have been covered in paint at the end of each day. Our crew also had Betty as a member, until this morning when she found out her son was very sick, and she needed to return home. We have all prayed for her safe return, and for her son. Peter joined us today and helped with the painting and repairing wood trim. The many cards from Resurrection have come in handy. We needed many different items for the house: paint, trim, all kinds of things.
Thank you for all the help and prayers. Keep them up!

~Don, Bucky, and Bob~

Another Letter!

2008-04-03T21:05:00.002-04:00

Working in the distribution center today, we found many highs. People were so grateful as we wheeled out bags of groceries and put them in their cars. We exchanged stories of "The Storm", and there were also hugs and wishes of blessing for and from them. Tomorrow we go shopping with the gift cards given by people from home to put some much needed items on the shelves of the distribution center. Every day and hour we see God's work down here. We have an awesome God!

~Karen, Sondra, Bob and Alice~

A Note From the Nurses

2008-04-03T20:52:00.002-04:00

Gayle and I have been working in a free clinic in Biloxi that started right after Katrina came through. The pace there is steady. Miss Judy works in the clinic 10-14 hour days, 6 days/week. She's been working this pace the past 2 years.
Drug companies will not donate any medicines, so the pharmacy is filled by donations both monetary and pharmeceutical from doctors and nurses around the country. The clinic is un entirely by volunteers. The doctors are retirees donating their time, and the nurses come from around the country to volunteer.
Even though the people we see are sick, they remain so polite and appreciative about everything. Somehow they still manage to smile. One sad thing we learned today is that for up to two years after "the storm", children watched the weather channel more than their normal shows. Another sad thing we learned is that people here really want to work, but there are no jobs. These people are just amazing!
Mississippi is a great place to be.

~Stephanie Y.

The Blog

2008-04-03T20:47:00.002-04:00

Due to a very weak server, the internet down here has been on and off all week. Check the blog periodically, because I might be able to get on every now and then and give some updates. I should have more pictures up very soon, possibly by friday morning.
~Aaron Witters~

Thank You WELCA

2008-04-01T22:35:00.003-04:00

It was truly an act of God that WELCA specifically appointed their collections for baby products. As we found out today, there is a dire need for baby products seeing as how there are currently none in the distribution center. What an amazing show of God's will working in and throughout our lives.

Sympathies

2008-04-01T22:26:00.005-04:00

Our prayers and sympathies go out to the Okeson family. Betty Okeson was woken early this morning with an urgent message that her son John was ill. John passed into our Father's house Tuesday night. We extend all our love and pray that our Father embrace the Okesons in His loving arms and grant the family strength and peace as they struggle through this most difficult time.

Pictures!

2008-03-31T20:13:00.007-04:00

Pastor Buck shows off the best catch of the day

Shelby Nichter and Katie Parks show off Fort Wayne's Vera Bradley collection arrives in Ocean Springs

Peter Gibson makes a new friend at the Art Museum in New Orleans

New Orleans Extravaganza!

2008-03-30T22:45:00.005-04:00

The group at Jackson Square in New Orleans.

Awesome times abound in N'awlins when 22 of the Trinity group decided to spend the day in the French Quarter. We split into three groups and went our separate ways for the afternoon, and later met up at Jackson Square. Each group went to a different location for lunch and shopping adventures. Beignets (or French donuts covered in powdered sugar) were the favorite treat of the day. Those members who chose not to go to N'awlins went on a very successful fishing trip.

Back to Camp Victor

2008-03-29T22:53:00.003-04:00

As you are all aware, Trinity has sent another group of volunteers down to Mississippi in order to help the community with Katrina relief efforts. People who have traveled here before have seen how much the community has improved each time they have come back. It brings hope for the future, and lets us know we can make a difference in other people's lives.

"Ahas" for the day:
1. A map in the main hallway shows places where other volunteers have come from. We were surprised to see that not only Americans, but also people from countries such as Sri Lanka, Korea, and England have traveled across the world to serve the same purpose we have.
2. Spring will come, as it has here.
3. Volunteers of all ages came together to have a great time dancing, talking, and eating at the best BBQ shed this side of the Mississippi, "The Shed".

Below, we have uploaded some pictures from Day 1:

One of the "Mud Hens"

2007-01-03T21:58:00.000-04:00

Ann is but one of the mud hens--just let her tell you the story!

Jane and Lois in the Distribution Center

2007-01-03T21:54:00.000-04:00

Volunteers Jane and Lois dutifully sort clothes in the distribution center in preparation for Katrina survivors.

Look at those shirts!

2007-01-03T21:49:00.000-04:00

These shirts are blinding! But we never got lost. People stopped us on the street to inquire about them.

We posed for this group picture on Sunday after worship. Then we went on a tour of Ocean Springs and surrounding areas.

Greeting the New Year

2007-01-02T10:09:00.000-04:00

After arriving on Saturday, December 30, 2006, unfurling ourselves, selecting a bunk or cot and getting the general lay of the neighborhood, we begin to wonder (some aloud), "What is there for us to do?" Or, "How can we be of service?" This was the holiday weekend and admittedly things were slow moving for this eager bunch to worship God through service.

On Sunday, December 31st we had a full day. After worshiping at Christus Victor, we returned to Camp Victor to take a group picture in our vibrant shirts. Then we took a tour of the Ocean Springs and surrounding areas. Progress is incremental because of the magnitude of the damage. In 1969 Hurricane Camille hit the gulf-coast region sweeping away 6,000 homes. Katrina destroyed 68,000 homes!

Later that evening, we had an early New Year's Celebration in the dining hall, complete with noise-makers and party hats provided by our friend Dottie of Trinity, Terre Haute. We cut our merrymaking short to attend "Watch Night Service" at Macedonia Baptist Church which was around the corner from Camp Victor. Watch Night Service is a staple in historically African-American congregations. The Emancipation Proclamation took effect January 1, 1862. Many African-Americans gathered in churches to greet the New Year in prayer and thanksgiving to the God who delivered the children of Israel; to the God continues to decisively act in history and freed them. Today, Watch Night Service is a time to remember the distant past but also reflect on God's activity in one's life over the course of the year prior. During the service members and friends alike are invited to share in a heartfelt and personal way. The Rev. Dr. Trotter and congregation extended one of the hardiest welcomes many of us had ever experience!

Monday, morning we were set serve!

We're here! We're here! We're so here!

2006-12-31T08:46:00.000-04:00

Thanks to our wonderful drivers of Excellent Adventures, Phil and Don! We left Trinity's parking lot around 7 pm local time! Phil moved us down 65 South and we picked up our Trinity Terre Haute buddies on the first exit off of 465. We changed drivers in Alabama. Don got here yesterday around 12pm local Ocean Springs time.

We are thankful to Kevin Robie of Excellent Adventures for his gracious assistance in helping make our second trip a reality.

A few others drove vehicles transporting donated items, tools and such! We were happy to see them. Ocean Springs is in the central time zone so that means we gained an hour---yippee!
Many of the usual suspects have joined this mission trip for the second time but there are a lot of new faces along. There were 34 Mississippi Missionaries on the June trip. This time we are are 52! We're here to "roll up our sleeves" and assist in the rebuild to the Glory of God.

We're Going Back to Ocean Springs!

2006-08-30T14:24:00.000-04:00

We're going back to Ocean Springs, December 29th through January 5th! Watch the blog for updates!!!

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

2006-06-26T16:06:00.000-04:00

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!!!

2006-06-23T18:32:00.000-04:00

"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

2006-06-23T18:12:00.000-04:00

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!

2006-06-23T17:59:00.000-04:00

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.

2006-06-20T16:27:00.000-04:00

Walking the talk in paint!!!

2006-06-20T15:53:00.000-04:00

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!

2006-06-13T17:27:00.000-04:00

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

2006-06-11T22:09:00.000-04:00

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