Day 3
We are sitting in the most peaceful place sending our message tonight. It's just about 8 p.m., and our day is finally starting to wind down. We'll try to give a brief outline of our daily routine. Breakfast is at 7:00 a.m. As soon as breakfast is over, teams who are either getting their new assignments (which includes a briefing about the location where they'll be working, along with directions, special instructions, and funds if needed to purchase materials)... or teams who are going back to the same job as the previous day and are hitting the tool shed and loading up tools and supplies to head out. You are also responsible for making your own sack lunch at breakfast time, which gets packed into your team's cooler. Today, our group of 12 was split into two teams of 6. One team went to a very sweet 80-year old woman's home. PDA has been with her (Fanny) since they did mold extraction and gutted her home. Her home is now in the phase of reconstruction. The group who went there worked hard all day, with Fanny along their sides. There are still many construction projects awaiting at Fanny's home, and that group expects to be going back there for the rest of the week. The other 6 of our group went to Joe and Clara's home. Joe has a heart condition and Clara works 3rd shift. They first asked for help in early May, but today was the first time anyone could get there to help them. This team installed new windows and did other general jobs for them. Clara and Joe (like Fanny) have been living in FEMA trailers in their yard for nearly a year. Clara told us of their experience the day of Katrina. She said their home (which had not had water inthe 23 years they lived there) filled up with 5-FEET of water in 90 SECONDS! Her daughter does not know how to swim, and asked that her Dad not hurt himself trying to save her and that they should just let her go. They all managed to survive, and saved just a small table full of things from their home. Their home is now down to the studs and ready for reconstruction. The team expects to be helping Joe and Clara all week. As for the rest of our day... after work until around 5:00 p.m., we head back to camp. Everyone is over heated and dirty, so we all hit the showers (which is also a tent, with hoses coming into the sides and zipper doors). We found out the hard way today that the water isn't yet heated up around that time, so the showers were all cold water! Dinner is at 6:30, then Devotions at 7:30, and then of course, lights out at 10:00 p.m. (which no one minds since we're tired). We want to share with you a little bit about our camp and it's evolution. We are stationed at Orange Grove Presbyerian Church, Orange Grove, MS. This is a lovely little rural church. A congregation of SEVEN. Yes that's right, a congregation of SEVEN! Just before hurricane Katrina, this congregation asked the Presbytery to close the church. They were told "try harder". The blessing in disguise is that right after the storm, this was suited as an ideal place for the Presbytery Disaster Assistance to set up a camp. This is one of 6 camps inMississippi and Louisiana providing disaster assistance. It's on 4 acres and if all cots are full, can sleep 160. This week, there are close to 90 people here. What this means for Orange Grove Presbytery, is that they have been able to hire a new Pastor who will be starting soon and the life of the church will be renewed. We have our devotions and personal "quiet time" in the church (during the week). Thanks for reading, and sorry so lengthy. There is just so much we want to share with ya'll. (We seem to be picking up some of the southern draw'll). Here is a new link to view the pictures we've added. Everytime we add more, the address changes. http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8UaM2Lho4YsY Also, we would love to hear any responses you may have. Just click on the bottom of this entry where the comments are located. You should be able to type in an entry.
P. S. We have been blessed with the most beautiful weather. It's hot and humid during the day, but at night, it's been almost chilly. We all learned last night that we needed more blankets! The a.c. to the pods isn't turned on during the day, and we haven't had to turn it on yet.
God Bless!
We are sitting in the most peaceful place sending our message tonight. It's just about 8 p.m., and our day is finally starting to wind down. We'll try to give a brief outline of our daily routine. Breakfast is at 7:00 a.m. As soon as breakfast is over, teams who are either getting their new assignments (which includes a briefing about the location where they'll be working, along with directions, special instructions, and funds if needed to purchase materials)... or teams who are going back to the same job as the previous day and are hitting the tool shed and loading up tools and supplies to head out. You are also responsible for making your own sack lunch at breakfast time, which gets packed into your team's cooler. Today, our group of 12 was split into two teams of 6. One team went to a very sweet 80-year old woman's home. PDA has been with her (Fanny) since they did mold extraction and gutted her home. Her home is now in the phase of reconstruction. The group who went there worked hard all day, with Fanny along their sides. There are still many construction projects awaiting at Fanny's home, and that group expects to be going back there for the rest of the week. The other 6 of our group went to Joe and Clara's home. Joe has a heart condition and Clara works 3rd shift. They first asked for help in early May, but today was the first time anyone could get there to help them. This team installed new windows and did other general jobs for them. Clara and Joe (like Fanny) have been living in FEMA trailers in their yard for nearly a year. Clara told us of their experience the day of Katrina. She said their home (which had not had water inthe 23 years they lived there) filled up with 5-FEET of water in 90 SECONDS! Her daughter does not know how to swim, and asked that her Dad not hurt himself trying to save her and that they should just let her go. They all managed to survive, and saved just a small table full of things from their home. Their home is now down to the studs and ready for reconstruction. The team expects to be helping Joe and Clara all week. As for the rest of our day... after work until around 5:00 p.m., we head back to camp. Everyone is over heated and dirty, so we all hit the showers (which is also a tent, with hoses coming into the sides and zipper doors). We found out the hard way today that the water isn't yet heated up around that time, so the showers were all cold water! Dinner is at 6:30, then Devotions at 7:30, and then of course, lights out at 10:00 p.m. (which no one minds since we're tired). We want to share with you a little bit about our camp and it's evolution. We are stationed at Orange Grove Presbyerian Church, Orange Grove, MS. This is a lovely little rural church. A congregation of SEVEN. Yes that's right, a congregation of SEVEN! Just before hurricane Katrina, this congregation asked the Presbytery to close the church. They were told "try harder". The blessing in disguise is that right after the storm, this was suited as an ideal place for the Presbytery Disaster Assistance to set up a camp. This is one of 6 camps inMississippi and Louisiana providing disaster assistance. It's on 4 acres and if all cots are full, can sleep 160. This week, there are close to 90 people here. What this means for Orange Grove Presbytery, is that they have been able to hire a new Pastor who will be starting soon and the life of the church will be renewed. We have our devotions and personal "quiet time" in the church (during the week). Thanks for reading, and sorry so lengthy. There is just so much we want to share with ya'll. (We seem to be picking up some of the southern draw'll). Here is a new link to view the pictures we've added. Everytime we add more, the address changes. http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8UaM2Lho4YsY Also, we would love to hear any responses you may have. Just click on the bottom of this entry where the comments are located. You should be able to type in an entry.
P. S. We have been blessed with the most beautiful weather. It's hot and humid during the day, but at night, it's been almost chilly. We all learned last night that we needed more blankets! The a.c. to the pods isn't turned on during the day, and we haven't had to turn it on yet.
God Bless!
posted by WCM at 9:00 AM
3 Comments:
Thank you for taking the time to let those who could not come on the mission trip still feel connected by reading your entries and by experiencing with their eyes the devastation that Katrina has caused. I am extremely proud of each and every one of you! I pray that the weather continues to stay nice for you and that you all remain healthy and make it back home safely! Peace to each of you!
These pictures look really professional, they have great lighting and subjects. Thanks
Say HI to tattoo man!:) Hope everybody's okay.
Mom tried to chop off her thumb putting up the sign for VBS out front. She had to get 15 stitches to keep it from falling off. I had to help her into the church cause she almost fainted.
It might be infected and it's a little pussy.
Love Elizabeth
We have just been viewing the pictures from the trip twelve of your church members are taking to help in the Gulf Coast. We applaud all twelve of these individuals for giving of their time, their hearts and sharing their faith with the individuals that have been devastated for the past year. We are keeping all of them in our prayers.
>
> There are two special people in this group...Sharon and Jon Graham. Sharon is my sister and we are so proud of what she and Jon do for other people. They have hearts as big as Mississippi! Our entire family is proud of Sharon and Jon.
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> Mick and Mavis Miller
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