Guest Blogger #2

More greetings and good news from Gulfport!

My name is Rich Rawson and I am also a part of the group from New Jersey (that's jurzee, not joizy). We flew down to New Orleans last Saturday, spent a little time there, and then drove here to Gulfport. We're the second group to come from our church, and we surely will not be the last. In fact, my wife Lois and I and all of our crew are so inspired by our Kentucky friends on their seventeenth or so work visit. The commandment may be "thou shalt not steal" but when it comes to a good idea in the service of our neighbors, sometimes it makes sense to steal shamelessly. I love the fact that your commitment to the Katrina victims is district wide, and we've already talked about taking that idea back to our district in N.J. and inviting/challenging our other area churches to join us at Bridgewater UMC in an ongoing relationship here. So thanks!

The cameraderie among the groups from Minnesota, North Carolina, Kentucky and New Jersey is wonderful to see and to experience. Our stories all blend together into a narrative that we'll take home as we encourage others to remember and to act. Faith and works!

We replaced a roof this week for a women and her family who live about 25 miles north of the coast where Katrina came ashore. This is the area to which people were evacuating in the thought that they'd be far enough away to be safe, but she and her family were forced to huddle together in their living room as a tornado spawned by the hurricane passed within about 100 yards of her house and tore the roof right off. What a great feeling it was to complete the job and know that she'll be dry from now on. But what a great disappointment that too many people around our great country have lost sight of the continuing needs here. Thank you for all that you and your teams are doing in Christ's name to love and serve and house those in need on the Gulf Coast!

God bless you all.

Guest Blogger

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am Rev. Christina Zito from Bridgewater UMC in New Jersey -- one of those rare female type-team leaders. What joy it has been to be here with our 9 women and 6 men -- a mix of saddness when we see the devestation and elation when we realize that we can indeed have an inpact on rebuilding lives and offer hope all in the name of Christ! There is so much to share - the laughter and the tears! Today the Mother-in-Law of one homeowner who has been displaced since Katrina brought us a homemade pound cake -- straight from the oven -- ice tea, cups and plates --and with amazing hugs -- yes, there we were, all 14 of us hugging, crying, laughing and drinking ice tea. Strangers no more -- bound together in a moment by the heart of Christ. My life is forever changed by a slice of pound cake. -please continue to pray for these special children of God on the Gulf Coast.

Blessings 'n joy,
Christina

Appliances, furniture, cabinets

Just in case some of you are wondering:

Stephanie(Brandon's wife) and Stella picked out all of her appliances today, washer/dryer; range oven, refrigerator.

Gift money will pay for this.

She has central heat and air so doesn't need ac.

Gift money will also purchase:

All new kitchen cabinets, countertops and sink. Stella and Stephanie will be picking out the cabinets and countertop tomorrow at Lowe's.

Gift money will also purchase: three bedrooms, kitchen and living room furniture including TV.

This gift money I mention has been left by another team that worked on her home several weeks ago.

We may be able to purchase some light fixtures, ceiling fans, etc., but nothing major. She has it all.

If we do buy her a gift, then the money would need to be sent with Team C next week.

NEWS BULLETIN: Mr. Joe says when Stella's home is complete that he is going to invite everyone who has worked on her home back down to Gulfport and he is going to feed all of us.

I checked with Stephanie, when the home is finished it will be over 150 people who have worked on Stella's home.

But you know...................his heart is in the right place.

According to staff here, approximately only 22 people will be here next week, you may want to eat out every night.............can you say Micky D.............or I'll have it my way............or order pizza.

Let's paint the town!

Eight men who are members of our eleven member team have toured several miles of the Gulf Coast highway this afternoon. Miles and miles of wind beaten buildings, 2 foot to 12 foot long concrete piers jutting toward the sky, foundations of buildings of the past, no longer trackable or traceable, disappeared, evaporated, gone.................

We have been working several blocks inland in an area that was just hit by water and in the case of Ms. Stella's home, fire.

Today they saw first hand what they all saw on the TV, but now they feel it. They have talked with the people, dined with the people, felt the pain of the people, seen the strength of the hearts of these Gulf Coast People.

Now they know why some of the former mission team members are working so hard to convince others to come here and help out, just lend a hand.

We are all tired, but we know that someway, somehow, soon, we will be back home in our own beds, in our own homes, in a few days.

Many of these people on the Gulf Coast are still living in small, compact, crowded camping trailers. Campers so small that you can sit in the kitchen and brush your teeth in the bathroom without moving.

Today, Ms. Stella's home received its final coat of paint and other than some touching up, painting has ceased. Thursday some of us will begin installing the laminated floor covering throughout her home. Some will replace a door that has given us fits for 2 weeks. Some will finish installing the ceramic tile in the bath and the fixtures will be installed.

Ms. Stella took us to Mr. Joe's today and we had oyster and shrimp and crab Po boys, and meat loaf and fried chicken and red beans and rice and catfish and baked chicken and and and and. We were stuffed.

Was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Wayne, the volunteer coordinator last April while the Chapel Hill team was at Gateway. He and his wife are here for 2 weeks at another center in the area to help out again.

Short afternoon, giving much needed rest for team members.

Thursday we have kitchen cleanup duty and a long day at Ms. Stella's.

to be continued....................................Peace

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Wonderful, restful night of sleep. Some guys moved to secret private rooms.

Everyone got a good nights rest. Ready to go this morning, finally had some eggs and meat(sausage gravy), biscuits. Good Stuff!

Traffic is much heavier now in Gulfport on the main drag (Hwy. 49).

Time to and from work site takes considerable time, so early start is very important.

Had to get Brandon (Disaster Coordinator) out of his cozy camper trailer this morning. All the teams were ready to go, needed materials.

Arriving at the work site, within 10 to 15 minutes, Everyone was working, painting, cutting and nailing down under layment .............. no instructions necessary, just git-er-done................

Ms. Stella is under the weather today, didn't see her very much, but thrilled when she made her final visit before we left to return to Gateway.

The camaraderie is fantastic, 11 guys from age 44 to 78 laughing, joking, working. Wonderful!

Joking about our aches and pains, some of our habits that we don't think about, learning more about each other ................... priceless!

Today we finished the underlayment, finished the popcorn texture of ceilings, finished the first coat of paint, sealed ceiling above the furnace, cleaned the windows.

Tomorrow we should get the final coat of paint throughout the home, start working on installing the laminated floor covering in the entire home except for the bath. Ceramic tile will be installed tomorrow.

Hopefully we can finish that by Friday afternoon and then there isn't a great deal of other things to be completed before Ms. Stella will be able to move back into her home.

Other groups are roofing houses, 20 miles north of Gulfport ................... making a difference, as we are, in the lives of people of Gulfport, MS.

Tylenol anyone?

Building relationships with each other, with the people of Gulfport, with God.

To be continued ....................... Peace

Popcorn Anyone?

Monday morning, slow start, some complaints, all about snoring, that is, others snoring.

2:30 wake up call, thought someone with a chainsaw was coming through the door. One slept in the hallway to avoid the noise. Didn't work he moved too close to the other room of sleepers(snorers).

Up at 5:30 a. m., light breakfast, not to our liking..............MEN need meat and aigs, and biskit.......... not beagels .... bagals ...... begals ...... gaggels ....... cereal .......... muffins? Cream cheese? Decaf?

You have got to be kidding...........Oh well it's all for the Lord, we shall survive.

Greeted by Stella when we arrived on Henderson and 19th.

At first the guys were hesitant to grab tools and begin working at something they were comfortable with, but then a few had to do things they had no familiarity with.

R & R brothers, Rodney Thomas and Roger Swatzell began to popcorn texture the ceilings, never having laid eyes or hands on the apparatus before today.

Start slow then sped up as the day went on. Starting in back bedroom, through the bath, utility, bedroom, bedroom, kitchen.

Will finish popcorn texture of living room tomorrow.

Painting begins in earnest tomorrow. 2 guys to each room, 2 laying the underlayment for the laminated floor.

All cabinets and range out of house in the junk heap to be hauled off.

Ms. Stella checks on us regularly, about every 2 hours. Seems that everything is to her liking.

We will paint entire house with 2 coats by Wednesday afternoon.

Hey team C, how about installing cabinets, countertops, small land final items before Ms. Stella moves in?

Praise the Lord, We Can Do This...................................WE WILL DO THIS. (PERIOD)

To be continued ...

Peace

Trailer news

Inspired by the shelving in the Chapel Hill UMC Boy Scouts trailer (aka, the Tool Trailer), Chuck S. and David P. constructed a set of shelves today for one side of the new First UMC trailer. It will be installed and ready for Team C folks when they load up on Saturday. The trailer will be parked at the First UMC parking lot later this week.

Henderson Ky Methodists on Mission

We Have Arrived, hopefully leaving the cold weather behind.

10 grueling hours, a couple of pit stops and a quick lunch and we arrived at 4:00 p.m. at Gateway UMC.

Tired, but happy to be here, store our gear and visit Ms. Stella's home.

One team arrived early and prepared chili, a salad and Denny Howard's infamous home baked bread.

Meetings tonight getting ready for tomorrow. Looks like painting, plumbing and a little wood working. May have to re-hang a door that's upside down, wonder who did that?

Seriously, the group is ready and looking forward to helping finish Ms. Stella's home. The streets and homes we were able to see before dusk clearly show much more work is needed on the Gulf Coast. Much support, thanks and prayers, has been given to group members from all over the United States after learning of this mission trip. Much more help is needed after this trip from individuals like you and extordinary things can happen. Giving your time to help rebuild on future trips is invaluable and much needed. God Bless!

Team B: They're off!

The second group left on time Sunday morning (approximately 6 a.m.) from Chapel Hill. Mention was made that they were hoping for warmer temperatures going south! It was 21 here and very windy when they left, but they were in high spirits as a group from several different churches and including missionaries that returned home last evening gathered to see them off.

We are praying for safe travels and for them to be able to continue work started last week by Team A.

We'll be looking forward to their reports and hope they will be able to keep us updated from Gateway UMC.

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Imagine your church

Donna S. writes:

Imagine your church.

Imagine dozens of people living in the Sunday school area of your church, day in and day out, while you're still trying to conduct church business.

Imagine bathrooms that weren't really built for daily habitation.

Imagine everything labeled to help people find things and giving weekly orientations to help the crowds organize cooking operations, cleaning operations, group time.

Imagine the challenges for churches in the Katrina zone as they've turned their ministries in a different direction.

Can you imagine your church like that?

Imagine people visiting from all over the country, eager to help but needy in terms of everyday creature comforts just the same.

An all-team journal in the Gateway fellowship hall records the experiences of some of the groups who have passed through since last February.

Methodist churches from such places as: Virginia Beach; Isle of Palms, S.C.; Centreville, Ga.; New Albany, N.Y.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Littleton, Colo.; Dayton, Va.; Minneapolis; Richmond, Va.; Orland, Calif.; Birmingham, Ala.; Queensbury, N.Y.; Clear Lake, S.D.; Canton, Ga.; Philadelphia; Lakeland, Fla. and, on and on and on.

Why do they come? Written by one of the volunteers a few months ago: "Finally God whispered, I need you my child to help everyone."

And that's what it's all about.

Getting ready for the hand off

Donna S. writes:

We worked as long as we could today, leaving just enough time to reorganize the tool trailer while we still had light. Indeed, as has been the case every day this week, we were the last group to straggle back to Gateway in our filthy (and getting filthier by the day) work clothes.

Even though there are places we are not happy with (such as spots in a couple of rooms that a group prior to us primed before they sanded ... we did attack some of them today with a power sander), we are pleased with the progress made at Stella's this week. Stella is too. Doors are hung. Some rooms are primed and ready for paint or ceiling texturing. Most of the trim has been primed and painted once. John 3 has a list of where we were when we had to stop so Team B can pick up the relay torch. Thank goodness for fresh recruits and God bless you for deciding to continue this mission.

Stella said today that she always has mixed feelings when the people who have worked on her house leave. She gets attached and feels sad to think about them leaving. Sometimes she stays away from the work site so she does not get too attached. That was not the case this week. She said she often forms a bond with one of the women in the group, and we advised her that next week she'll have an all-male team!

Just before we picked up carry-out lunch at Joe's, Stella took as few of us by Morning Star Baptist Church, the church she attends about two blocks from her home. We had stopped at this church on our first morning as we searched for her address, never considering we were on Stella's home turf.

The church sanctuary is in shambles and they're now having services in the former fellowship hall. Stella's pastor took us on a tour. The pastor had to move some things out of the way to let us in to look. He said he was afraid someone might get hurt in there if given access.We stood in what had been the baptistry and surveyed the ruined sanctuary. Some of us noticed that Stella had a funny look on her face and a little while later she was observed wiping away tears.

She said it was the first time she had seen the inside of the sanctuary since the storm, and it made her very, very sad.

We picked up lunch and picnicked on Miss Willie Merrill's vacant lot next door (Where her FEMA trailer had been before her house was restored). Shrimp Po Boys and Red Beans & Rice were a popular lunch choice. Stella ate with us, and afterward spent about 20 minutes telling us about her family. It was a moving account of hardships she's faced beyond Katrina and the electrical fire she experienced shortly afterward. Perhaps the emotion of seeing her church sanctuary brought it all out. But her faith remains strong and she's eager to share.

The hour grows late as we pack clothes and the second trailer to come home. There's much more to say... We'll have to get back at it on the road.

Teams B & C, we're thinking about you and praying for you to be as blessed on your trips to Gulfport as we have been.

Tool talk

Chuck S. writes:

A suggestion from an A Team member to teams B & C: Encourage each member to equip themself with some basic tools and carry team each day. Everyone can and will use a utility knife. Multiple team members should have a tape measure, hammer and screwdrivers when carpentry work begins. Levels, squares and a T-square or two will also be useful. Many of these tools (esp. hammers), and perhaps some tool belts, can be found in the tool shed upstairs at Gateway UMC. Or bring your own and mark them as such (with initials, paint, color tape or whatever).

Oh, and bring a couple of good wood chisels.

Meanwhile, we will pack the red Chapel Hill Boy Scout tool trailer tonight. Bud's power tools, power supplies, air compressor and numerous ladders will be inside, with as much stuff pushed toward the front as possible to make room for your tools. There will be shelves for your personal tools. Five-gallon buckets make lightweight but strong tool buckets, and will fit easily on the shelves. So will traditional metal tool boxes.

Finally, a coup was accomplished this morning as a five-person room in the warm part of the church was secured for you fragile sorts. We'll try to secure a second room as well, and equip them with air mattresses, and put signs on the door. We'll provide an update on this later.

84 Lumber, Pass Christian, Five Doors and Chloe

Chuck S. writes:

There are three major sources of lumber along U.S. 49 (the major north-south corridor in Gulfport). There's Home Depot up near Interstate 10. There's Lowe's a bit closer to the Gulf. But for my money, the most convenient place for lumber is 84 Lumber, next to Lowe's. Lowe's is always crowded, and the lumber pickup is self-service that you have to cart out to your vehicle. But at 84 -- where the contractors go -- you walk up to the service desk, tell the man what lumber you need, then drive around back and pull inside, right next to the stacks of lumber, where the nice 84 man helps you load up. You can get in and out in a fraction of the time of finding your way around one of the big home improvement warehouses. 84 here is pretty much limited to wood (plus a few small hardware items such as nails and screws and small tools). But if wood is what you want -- and we've had to fetch everything from trim molding to 1x6 boards to sheets of plywood -- 84 is the quickest stop. Tell 'em Alvin sent ya.

We took a couple of hours before work today to tour the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast from Gulfport to Pass Christian via U.S. 90. Most of the rubble is long gone. But so are virtually all of the buildings that stood within a half-mile of the Gulf of Mexico. The winds and storm surge wiped everything -- except the live oaks -- away. The live oaks -- so named because they are evergreens and thus keep their foliage even in winter (including now) while other trees look dead -- can live for hundreds of years. Along long stretches of U.S. 90 here, near where the eye of Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the only thing standing are the live oaks, giving the appearance that they are the lone inhabitants of a coastal picnic. They witnessed and withstood and horror -- and today, they live.

Back at Stella's, we undertook our fourth day of labors: Painting, hanging closet doors, installing trim and so forth. This afternoon, our site coordinator delivered five interior doors we ordered. Alas, Stella's house was constructed before an 84-inch height for an interior door became the industry standard. A couple of her doorways are too short for such doors. And so, alas, some of our workers are spending time trimming the pre-made doors to fit.

A story about this mission trip appeared in The Gleaner today. Ronnie Eblen joked that everyone on the trip was quoted except his wife, Chloe.

"That," Chloe said defiantly, "is because I was working!"

Indeed she was.

What can women do anyway?

Donna S. writes:

Overheard today from a man living down the hall: "Why are there women on these Mission Trips? What can we really do?"

Well, mister, come to our work site and we'll show you how we help unload and load tools required for the day, how we sand drywall, prime walls, clean up, patch holes, repair mistakes... and that's not even mentioning our Queen of Caulk Mary Lee. Her caulk jobs are professional grade!

She said it's because of all those birthday cakes she decorated for her now-grown kids. Pastry bag, caulk gun. There are other cross-skills used by women: Cut a pattern, cut with a jigsaw.

If you want to go on a Mission Trip here, there's a job for you no matter what kinds of skills you have. Some are master carpenters and plumbers. Others are skilled at finding supplies.

And the women of our group did, after all, prepare that gentleman's dinner for him the night he wondered what women can really do on a Mission Trip.

We did more than eat today

Donna S. writes:

Yes, we ate at Joe's, but we also made a lot of progress today in Stella's house. We finished trimming out the windows, started hanging interior doors, used a world of caulk, finished priming windows, solved a ceiling problem in the kitchen/living room, primed the bathroom walls, painted the laundry room and started painting the kitchen/living room.

Stella was all smiles as she came in to inspect our work. She could see the prospect of actually being able to move back into her house. Teams 2 & 3, we think Henderson County can make this happen for her. Brandon, the site coordinator here, said we can stay on Stella's house the next two trips for as long as there is work to do. Next week will require some plumbing work.

Today Stella got a call from Pastor Bob at UMC in Buffalo, New York. His group had done the electrical work on her house just after Christmas, and he was wondering what kind of progress was being made in the house they'd claimed ownership in. Some of talked to him on Stella's cell.

All of us who have been on previous Mission Trips know that feeling of wondering what's going on, what's being done.

Pastor Bob sent his blessings and prayers that we can finish a project that many hands have worked on.

This is paying it forward and paying it backward at the same time.

Workin' at Stella's house, eatin' at Mr. Joe's

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Chuck S. writes:

Today, Stella (as Estella pronounces her name) promised to take us out to lunch as we continued working on her house on 19th Street. "We've got to leave here at quarter 'til 11," she advised us more than once. "That's when his lunch is ready."

Who "he" was, or where he cooked, we had not a clue until a minute before we drove off in a caravan of three vehicles. "We're going to the BP station, on Pass (Road)," a street a few blocks north of her house, she said.

Stella is so loving, and so doting on us, that we didn't question her choice of lunch spots. Indeed, when we saw the big sign outside the convenience store/filling station -- "Crab po' boys are back" -- we were energized, remembering the delicious shrimp po' boys we ate on our last work day in New Orleans one year earlier.

Stella ushered us inside the BP, where two women were setting out today's lunch: Roast beef or meat loaf or red beans and rice for an entree, plus greens, green beans, corn and mashed potatoes, with rolls or cornbread. She had us there right on time, just when the food was at its peak. And from the kitchen, "he" emerged: Mr. Joe, a smiling and distinguished looking gentleman of about 60 who came out to meet Stella's new friends. He repeated our names as we shook hands: "Mr. Dick ... Miss Mary ... Mr. Phillip ... Mr. John ... Miss Donna," and so forth.

"Pick out anything you want, darlin's," Stella said maternally, though she clearly wanted us to dig into a plateful of Mr. Joe's entree and steaming hot veggies. "We do this for all the teams that come help me," she said.

"We?" Are Mr. Joe and Miss Stella a couple?

As we sat down at one of the several booths to tuck into our delicious lunch, Mr. Joe strolled over. He had been a cook at one of the Gulf Coast casinos and the money was good, he said. But he grew weary of the stress of being told to do one thing by a chef and another thing by a sous chef.

He quit several years ago, and began "working at places like this, where I'm my own boss, where I set my hours" -- 4:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. presently -- "and cook what I want."

We remarked how warm and loving Stella had been to us, and he nodded. "She's a church lady," he said. "I go to church with her every other week. The other weeks, I spend with my family. My wife passed" awhile back, he said, but he loves to go his his oldest daughter's house, where he cooks for his sons and daughters, his whole family. "Family," he said firmly, "is important."

We were starting to like Mr. Joe as well as we like Stella.

But perhaps not quite as much as they like one another.

Textured ceilings, or How to Get Really Messy Before You Cook for 62

Donna S. writes:

First of all, THANK YOU to those of you who sent cards of encouragement to us. They've been passed out the last two mornings (with more to come, we're told), and there were like getting Christmas presents in January. Bless you all.

Today we were back at Estella's house, which is, incidentally and appropriately, near the corner of 19th and Henderson streets.

But first, some news. Team leaders John and Augusta Evans traveled to Pass Christian today to visit the homeowner that the Chapel Hill crew worked for during their trip last spring. They were gratified to find the home restored and pieces of a shattered life being slowly but surely restored. At our combined devotional session during our red beans and rice dinner tonight, Augusta shared the story of their friend's plight and the happy ending to the story. As she gave first-time Katrina mission trippers a sneak preview as to what they might expect on a future mission, she told them in closing: "One family at a time." And that's so true.

John took some great "after" pictures, so hopefully they can be shared in this space when we figure out how to get them out of his camera and sent to this laptop.

And now, back to the current work. Bud and Augusta leave us tomorrow, so we got our final "marching orders" from our construction guru. He also taught us some new skills and passed along some useful tips, such as the proper way to repair some drywall boo-boos that we inherited from previous crews. He taught us how to texture ceilings and and showed the carpenters-in-training how to straighten a window that had been put in crooked by some unknown carpenters-in-training pre-Henderson Methodists era. That unexpected project took some time, but it made the homeowner very happy that we attempted to make it look better. Bud made it plumb better!

Some helpful tips for the next two teams:

-- Bring warm bedding or PJs just in case your sleeping room at Gateway is in the "unfinished" portion of the upstairs. It's cold in there at night. The daytime high today was only in the low 50s. Be prepared for colder weather ... and by warning you maybe this will cause it to warm up! Think layers: T-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, sweatshirt and a work jacket.

-- In connection with housing, as soon as you get here take charge of claiming rooms for yourself ASAP. It's a little bit of a free for all.

-- Bring three-way adapters or power strips for electrical outlets. Outlets are at a premium at Gateway UMC, and if you have several things to charge not even counting power tools (such as cell phones, camera batteries, walkie talkies laptops, etc. — which is what this blogger is trying to manage) you'll be happy to have the extra slots.

-- You might want to scope out a recipe for large quantity cooking. We cooked for 62 tonight. Check out www.razzledazzle.com for ideas if you don't already have one. On the menu this week: Monday, Taco Salad bar; Tuesday, Red beans and rice; Wednesday, Spaghetti; Thursday, Soup and sandwiches. There's a stockpile of "community" food you can draw from and no doubt the current groups will leave things behind.

-- Tools that are here in the supply room: Paint rollers, paint brushes, many hammers, caulking, caulking adhesive, nails, power brad gun, power miter saw, several electric drills, several extension poles, drywall pads and sandpaper, several wheelbarrows and (in a shed in the parking lot) sheetrock, mudding supplies and paint. There are some battery-powered tools. If you use them, be sure to locate their battery chargers and charge them the night before.

-- Tools belonging to Bud Hill that we're leaving here in the work trailer for you to use: Generator, air compressor with two nail guns, power miter saw, circular saw, four saw horses, ladders (2 foot to 6 foot), 1/2-inch drill, small hammer drill, Milwaukee Sawzall, 18-volt drill/reciprocating saw/circular saw with two batteries, drywall tools, heavy extension cords, four-foot level, framing square and more. We made particular use of the generator (to power circular and mitre saws) and the air compressor to power nail guns.


Gee ... is it 9:30 p.m. already? It's time for bed!

Working on Estella's house

Donna S. writes:


We hit the ground running today (oh, okay, there were a couple of false starts) but we met our first homeowner, talked and prayed with her, then started on a list of things still needed to be done on her house before she can move out of the cramped FEMA trailer in the backyard and into her real home about 10 blocks away from the ocean.

We spent the day sanding drywall, taping and re-mudding places needing extra attention, framing in windows and putting on interior window trim and other small jobs as they came up. We tried our best to make use of Bud's guidance and expertise before he has to head back north on Wednesday morning, and we ended up with some carpenters in training plus some grunts who can sand and mud!

Tonight Bud and John 3 are scouting out the next house on the list to see if it would be best to to split into two work crews tomorrow. Soon we will know!

A note about Gateway UMC, our host church: There are 62 people staying here this week and competing for 4 showers and prime sleeping space. Gets a little tricky from time to time. But we're preparing our meals communally and Mission Teams from Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan and South Carolina have been in high spirits and cooperative. A group of breakfast-lovers from all the groups gathered at 5 a.m. today to make pancakes and sausage. It sent us off in a good mood for a drizzly Monday morning! Tomorrow night our Team will prepare Red Beans & Rice W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival style for all.

Team 1 is on the ground

Just over 12 hours after leaving Henderson, the first week's team is at Gateway UMC, our home away from home in North Gulfport, Miss. We drove through driving rain most of the way, but at least we were spared the ice and snow that was forecast for Henderson and Nashville this morning.

We were road warriors, leaving Chapel Hill UMC at 6:05 a.m. with 14 volunteers in four vehicles with two trailers. We didn't stop for breakfast; instead, we ate delicious homemade bread baked by Chapel Hill's Denny Howard and cookies baked by a variety of folks at the churches. Thanks!

We had some challenges getting our sleeping arrangements lined up here, but our inflatable mattresses and sleeping bags are on the floor, and soon (very soon, I hope, because we are all exhausted), we will be, too.

Notes to the next two teams: Get here as quickly as possible to find sleeping quarters at the church. There is wireless Internet service in the fellowship hall.

We originally planned to veer west at Birmingham to drive part of the way through Mississippi, but that would have required driving 55 miles of two-lane road in the rain. Instead, we took I-65 all the way to Mobile, Ala., then caught I-10 to Gulfport. Very satisfactory.

Here we goooooo....

The ice cometh, man

Our bags are packed and tucked inside our trailers parked at Chapel Hill UMC. Departure time: 6 a.m. Sunday.

The concern: A snow/sleet/ice storm is on its way.

Prayers will be accepted, in commodious quantities.

Thanks.

We've got work!

Week One team leader John Evans III has news:

Good morning TEAM!!!

Only 24 hrs until BLAST OFF

Assignments:

1st homeowner Estella Hibbler
Finish drywall, taping, and sanding
Plumbing fixtures

2nd homeowner--Ruth & Eddie Calhoun
Finish drywall
Paint and prime
Shower and sink installed
Flooring and door installed

3rd homeowner--Dot Morris Gateway church member
Mold in ceiling
Rehang ceiling
Drywall

4th homeowner--Elsie Faulkner
Door and windows to hang
Framing a closet in
Hot water heater installed
Furnace vents


John 3

Three teams, seven churches, 38 Christians, one mission

What began as volunteers from one Methodist church in Henderson, then another, has grown into a multi-church effort to bring continued aid, hope and Christian love to the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast some 17 months after Katrina struck.

Our vision with these latest trips -- three teams on three consecutive weeks -- was to bring to bear a concentrated effort on a single home and make it ready to occupy.

But is that possible? We don't know. The situation on the Gulf Coast remains, it seems, chaotic. What will our assignment be? What type of work will we do? We don't know.

So we put our trust in the Lord. In the meantime, some of the veterans of these trips are becoming accustomed to clearing their minds of expectations, because they've learned that whatever we're told, or whatever we've come to expect, will change.

The Mississippi Annual Conference of the UMC Disaster Relief folks seem to grasp this as they advise: “Blessed are those who are flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”

Besides the Lord, we trust our construction superintendent, Bud Hill, to guide us wisely.

So, who is going?

Volunteers from Belleview, Bennett Memorial, Cairo, Chapel Hill and First United Methodist Churches in Henderson County; Wesleyan Heights UMC from Owensboro; and Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Henderson.

Here are the schedule, rosters and church affiliations:

Week one (Jan. 21-27)
John and Augusta Evans, Chapel Hill (leaders)
John and Charlene Eblen, Cairo
Ron and Chloe Eblen, Cairo
Chuck and Donna Stinnett, First
Dick and Mary Lee, First
Lee Obenchain, First
Dick Ward, Cairo
Bud Hill, Bennett
Phil Blanford, Cairo

Week two (Jan. 28-Feb. 3)
Paul Herron, Chapel Hill (leader)
Greg Fisher, Belleview
Rodney Thomas, Chapel Hill
Lester LaBruyerre, Chapel Hill
C.H. Alexander, Belleview
John Tom Utley, Belleview
Bill Preston, Belleview
Gene Crowley, Belleview
Ron Crowley, Wesleyan Heights
Rodger Swatzell, Holy Name
Nathan White, Chapel Hill

Week three (Feb 4-10)
Steve and Leslie Hoskins, Chapel Hill (leaders)
Allen and Stacey Singer, Chapel Hill
Bud and Karen Hill, Bennett
Debbie Sides, Bennett
Jim Walters, Chapel Hill
Brandon Long, Chapel Hill
Maria Raleigh, Chapel Hill
Emily Raleigh, Chapel Hill
Brad Higginson, Chapel Hill

Prayers for our mission are eagerly accepted. We thank, for example, the prayers, cookies and financial contributions made by the Steel Magnolias, a women's small group at First UMC. Bless you!

We're heading back!

Three teams of Methodists from churches around Henderson County, Ky. (and some Christian friends from nearby churches) are packing their bags, ready to return, this time to Gulfport, Miss., for three weeks of reconstruction work.

Watch here for news!