Friday Night everything's all right

I've been real busy in this adminstrative stuff. In the past two days:

• We got a pallet puller! If you have ever shipped freight, you know about pallet jacks, forklifts, wrapping flats. Pallet pullers look like the old ice carrying hooks with teeth! You can hook the chain onto the forklift, the other end to the puller, and the scissor-action forces the teeth to bite into the middle skid as you pull it to the lip of the truck.
• We got rollers in the storage trailers! We have an old Fed Ex side loading trailer with built in rollers in the floor. We had been using pallet jacks, turning the pallets by hand inside the truck. Today with the help of the trucker James and a plumber brother from Florida, Dana, we got the air into the system enough to push the rollers up! Now we can work more than hard, we can work smart, too, letting the rollers do the work for us.
• Dana also helped us get a drainage connection from the clothes washer to the clean out into the sewer instead of running out into the drive.
• Some electrician brothers were able to get some camper hookups (electric) installed at the building enabling about 10 campers to park and get juiced at the building. It's not working yet, though: The breaker needed to finish the project is almost $1000.
• Speaking of electricians, Jim was able to troubleshoot and fix a lot of the electical problems we were having at the building. The service needed beefing up.

A RIDE THROUGH THE BAYOUS

cattails, sugarcane, winding roads, mud, images of wader boots, floppy hats, and saggy khakis

After dropping off Tim at the airport in Baton Rouge, I took a ride down to Houma (pronounced HOME-a). I was meeting Don Neyland, the preacher at Montagut (pronouned Mont-a-gew) to give him a generator and some supplies for the church "way down in the bayou." The church was a plant from the Hollywood St. Church in Houma about 12 years ago, starting with the call to Brother Neyland and his family and two newly birthed Christian ladies. Now their membership is about 60 and about half of the people are flooded out of their homes. To put this into perspective, they are going through with Rita what New Orleans went through with Katrina. Also-- people in Slidell (a badly hit area) have gone through the same process that is brand new for these souls.

Don grew up in the Texas coast and has been in LA for 12 years. He's seen lots of storms. He described what many people don't know: IT HASN'T HAPPENED LIKE THIS IN OUR LIFETIME. This clean-up/renewal/healing era is a different thing that we've ever experienced before.

There are some people here this weekend from the Trauma Response Assistance for Children , they are from New York and they're here to help. Many of them were involved in the recovery effort after the tragic event of 9-11.

Remind me to tell you about the Robinsons. I'll send you a picture next time. Goodby

Tuesday September 27

Busy day. Tim Hines is leaving to go back to Honduras to see his boys and his wife for a couple of weeks before returning. He kept me around the building today priming me for watching after the operations while he's gone. They have also asked me to stick around after returning from my homecoming to Valdosta (October 12ish for a couple of weeks).

Matter of fact, if anyone is interested, that week of October 17 would be a good time for me to accompany a group from Valdosta down here if you would like to start building a team. The needs are plenty and the work is not going to run out and the ministry is more intense than many of you may be experiencing in a while. So come.

There's a group from Ohio who has posted a fantastic blog, check it out. The Columbus relief effort

Also The Spring Road Church Katrina Effort

Lot of good stories today:

• There was a team out today in a fancy section of town. One brother who was the team leader from Ohio assessed the damage and they didn't think it was really that bad. They told the lady that they thought there were others who would benefit more and she said that she understood. A lady on the team had a family member up in Ohio in the hospital (father I think). After she spoke to her family, they found out that the nurse who had been taking care of her father had a mother living in Slidell. She was the daughter of this same woman! So they went back and cleaned the house.
  
• Some of the volunteers and a local church member were trying to get a trailer hooked up and pulled to the right place in somewhat of an ASAP basis. They didn't have the correct one. They started out and the second truck pulled to the side of the road because they thought the lead truck lost something out of the back. When they stopped, it was a trailer hitch, the exact size they needed-- just dropped out there on the ground.
  

These things are too coincidental not to be an act of God... what do you think?

When we talk about these stories around here, they are few of many. Rhonda from the office told me that things like that have happened ever since the church took up their appointed ministry. For instance, they would be in the office brainstorming about things they needed and the would get a phone call and someone on the other end would be offering the item they just discussed. Coincidences like that happen most often to those who pray and believe that nothing is impossible for God.

• I met some folks today who pulled up under the porch at the building and they said something about clothes. I thought they looked pretty well dressed for people asking for clothes. But when I came back out with information, I had misunderstood-- they wanted to give some away! They also had a sign in their window HONK FOR A FREE CAT TO A GOOD HOME. Joey was sitting in the back holding the kitty and it was Jerry and Teri up front who told me that they were being relocated to Kansas. Their home had nothing but shingle damage, but they had to move away anyway. We prayed God speed 'em

Sometimes you'll hear of people who seem rich asking for "free handouts" and it might not seem right. But there are stories that go deep that make it make sense.

• There was a family of teachers from St. Bernard's parish who both lost their jobs and were keeping 23 people plus six dogs in their home. They weren't just keeping them, they were taking care of them, operating their own personal home as a shelter. And they don't know where the mortgage money's going to come from. They really dont' even know where their next meals for their 29 mouths they are going to come from. Oh... one of the dogs was one of those warmaranners-- I don't know how to spell that, but the lady said she was looking at him right in the face.
  
• Another family was keeping 28 families. Did you read this right? I said 28 FAMILIES, not 28 people.
• A seven month pregnant young lady came to the building today-- she was hauling two refrigerators in the back of her truck. She was hauling them as favors for her neighbors.
  
• One family who came for some supplies today had an grandmother whose husband just got out of the hospital and an uncle who just died and they were going to the funeral later that day.
  
• Dick Jones from Washington saw Ericka's house today (she's the girl with the angel wings... today she was wearing a midget tie-- OH! and she ALSO has a minature rat terrier named Jack!) . Ericka has been working steady at the church and her family is still living under a tarp. They had a motor home that was runned over by a tree. She has a couple of siblings, her parents have an adopted child, and they also have custody of two of her cousins. And they're living under a tarp. They're living under a tarp.
  
• A lady was in the office the other day and she needed a way to boil water to clean the trache of her special needs son. We gave her a camp stove that someone had donated.
  

I'll be on the road tomorrow dropping off supplies and taking Tim to the airport. We have a lot of crews going to different places, we're getting into the "west bank" regions of New Orleans. Pray for us this day

Monday Sept 26

My good buddies have left. Rob VanderPutten and Glenn Redmond, both of Nebraska. Separation of short term friendships is emotionally taxing. Meeting all the new people with fresh perspectives is refreshing, but a lot of people to keep up with. I've been writing down people's name and one line about them on a notebook page and I'm on page four since I got here. The quick turnover makes the time warp as well. I've only been gone about a week and a half now, but it seems like about a quarter of a month. Kidding. Seems like a full blown month. My confidence is that these moments have great influence on eternity.

Bill Green from Chattanooga and I prayed with Barbara and Fred, and she cried. I guess because we cared to pray. Maybe God just touches hearts like that. I don't know... like the lady who cried when I was telling her where our cleaning crew was from just walking down the street. People's hearts are just sensitive. They have had stress, suffering, some have lost jobs, some families are living under a tarp instead of a house.

The preacher, Tod Vogt was at his home last Thursday and a professional logging crew was cleaning one of his neighbor's yard. The tree was felled on top of one the men and Tod ran over and watched this man bleed to death. The news isn't going to report things like this as being related to Katrina, but Katrina is really just a bad word that people must use in reference to their suffering.

Since church yesterday, I've driven the forklift, unloaded cargo trucks, cut trees, moved brush, tarped a roof, registered new guests, led singing at chapel, had good deep spiritual discussions with my brothers and sisters, and posted this blog. Hope you're enjoying it. Love from LA.

Sunday September 25

Mary Jo, the ladies from Snellville arrived safely.

CJ and Tara, Dick Jones from Washington is here.

There are some Tallahassee brothers here and Harry says he knows GR and Gordon.

Chainsaw crew today for a man who had only one natural leg.

good church

good fellowship

good chapel service tonight (I've been enjoying leading singing)

showered during a beautiful pink sunset this evening

going to bed early tonight (soon as I finish this) Some dudes around here can't get enough of sawing logs in the day that they have to do it at night, too.

Everyone have a blessed week.

I'm going to leave you with an update letter from Doug Hines:

The morning is calmer than yesterday as the second storm in the past 3 weeks has now passed thru. Although its impact was not as great as its sister Katrina, it still delivered more carnage in the Western part of the State and again in New Orleans and the lower Parishes. Rains are expected to continue thru the week and additional flooding is expected to continue. After 3 weeks of news reports there is little doubt that we become numb and begin to focus on our own lives and return to the daily grind.

However, for the thousands in South Louisiana, the daily grind will never be the same. We continue to rebuild in St. Tammany and we see life and commerce return in Mandeville. We also see 1,000's of refugees on the streets looking for some relief from the storms from weather and what will be the storms in their lives for a long time to come.

The work here has been amazing...Over the past weeks we have sent out over one million dollars in relief, close to two million pounds in aid consisting of food, clothes, toiletries, diapers, water, generators, frozen foods, ice and anything that could be sent out. This went to Shelters, homes, even to Military personnel who needed to get food to their troops in the field, Fire Stations, Government offices and individuals in need. Medical teams were flown in and spent 2 weeks working in the clinics, the shelters, Government offices, Fire Stations, Military and to those that were in need as walked up. Volunteers from as far as Alaska, Montreal, Washington, So. California, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Colorado, many more states responded to the call and in the past week we have managed over 500 helping hands. People came with Chain Saws, tools, cleaning equipment, trucks, trailers, mops and brooms and a shoulder to allow the hurting to cry on, God is known through the pain and suffering that we have seen and heard as we hear the tales of loss and his salvation. The teams were sent out to cut trees, repair homes, offer aid, and clean up. Through the past weeks we have been counseling and placing ministers in the front of the building to greet the people as they come up to look for aid and we offer them relief. The outpouring of love and support from you and others, the prayers that are offered up for these people in the name of God has been a tremendous comfort. The Torch Group, Whites Ferry Road and other groups have been here to help. Support from individuals has been unbelievable, from Terri Hatcher, Ute Chewning, The Stiker boys in San Diego, to Nicole Tindall.

However, make no mistake this is a crisis that will be going on for many years. So much has been lost in this area, the people have suffered greatly and healing of bodies and souls will take years. But these are a resilient people and as the shock of their losses wear off we can see the hope begin to return to their face.

This past week we finally got into St. Bernard Parish. I can tell you that the devastation that we witnessed was beyond description. 40% was completely destroyed and 50% was damaged. We saw the homes that had been searched and the mark of the an X on the side was left, one side for people found, one for those injured and the bottom for deaths. It is a horrible feeling to witness this, especially when you see a number at the bottom. We see homes in the streets as the waters picked them up and placed them there, boats everywhere, trees downed, mud up to 1 foot in the streets and the smell of death everywhere. Our medical mission was the first to visit and administer medication for the workers and it was the first time many of these men had outside contact since the storm hit. We met with Parish officials and again heard their story of how no one came for them for 9 days, they told me the story of how they found the Nursing home and attempted to rescue those that had perished, and finally we heard their pleas for help going forward. Looking at the devastation, it was if a nuclear mud bomb went off in the entire area. On the ride back tears streamed down our faces in silence and we struggled as we began to think what can one do. The one doctor left in the area was put in contact with our Gayle Davidson of Torch and arranged as Rita was approaching to transfer $350,000 of medicine to the Parish as well as committing to find more supplies and Doctors to help. Gayle has been a sent from God as what she has organized in a short time a way to save lives and give relief to lost souls.

So much to do, so much pain to heal. Our own homes have not been repaired and yet they are full of bodies here to support, the building is full of volunteers, supplies and hope. And then yesterday's storm starts all over again. Homes that were on the way to repair were flooded again, the levee break in New Orleans spilled down to St. Bernard and we have to look west to our brothers there and search out their needs. We will be putting together supplies today to take a trip west, look to get back down to St. Bernard to continue our work there and will continue his work here at our home.

We look at all that has happened and ask "How much can we take" and in this we know it is as much as God wills for us to take. We continue to pray for his strength and guidance as we work today and look at the future in this area.

Tammany Oaks in on the ground on the frontlines and needs your help. Prayers, volunteers, supplies will continue to be critical to the future of God's work here. The needs will change now as we move to the reconstruction and healing phase over the years ahead. Not just physical needs, but spiritual are critical for the people. God has called us and we are blessed to be on the front lines for his work and it is so much work. Please get the word out to all, Gods people are here in St. Tammany.

The work will now evolve and needs change and we will call upon you again and again. Make no mistake, we are devastated here, but we will rebuild and God will be glorified.

Tammany Oaks is located on the North shore of New Orleans. It is the closest church to the area that was not damaged by the storms.

Nehemiah 2.2; Why does your face look sad when you are not ill. This can be nothing but sadness in the heart. 2.5; If it pleases the King and if your servant has found favor in your sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried that I may rebuild it"

Bless you all.

Saturday September 24

Our work wasn't exactly top speed today, we were still getting rain bands and wind gusts from RITA. A team from Campus Church in Atlanta went out anyway because they were leaving today and they wanted to get some MUCKING done. Mucking is what we've been calling gutting a house. Mucking and gutting.

Most of the volunteer camp stayed at the building today. I put together a wooden picnic table. We have some new fellows in charge of the tool crib, the Mcmillon brothers.

We loaded up one of the TOCC elder's truck full of roofing stuff, he has to re-do his whole roof.

I operated the forklift to store some of our food boxes in container trucks. In the rain! It was so off and on, we had to do it.

We cleaned up the building getting ready for church services tomorrow.

Some nights, I'll find a group of people to hang around in the evenings. There will be anything from music, chit-chat, laughter, poetry, ballet (when Natalie was here), massages (when Paul was here), and anything else that comes up. Tonight we had an illustrator of children's books, a harmonica player to accompany the guitar, a poet, a nurse from Tallahassee.

There's a doctor from Kentucky who brought down three guys-- Charles looks about 25. They cut trees today.

I'm still having dinner with my preacher friend from the Reformed church and a Church of Christ preacher from Nebraska City. We always have good discussions. We have been discussing the future of the church from an outreach--mission and ministry perspective. Also had a good talk with Tim about that today.

Our evening devotional was good, great singing and Rob brought a good devotional about Jesus in the synagogue healing the woman with the infirmity.

A couple of young men from New York got here yesterday-- they are both big ole dudes and both have good dispositions of faith.

Thanks for those who have been emailing me and calling ever now and then.

I was talking yesterday to the youth minister, Marcus. This is his first ministry and much of his time so far has been with the Katrina relief project. I told him that he was going to go through ministry withdrawals when church got back to "normal." Tammany Oaks has a fantastic record thusfar of the number of days spent in ministry to the number of hours spent in "church services."

Thursday/ Friday September 22/23

"I'm a logger." -- Ray Stevens' Haircut song

Jerry Louis told me that lumberjacking was the #1 most dangerous job. Rob and I took Jeffry, a 16 year old local to Mike and Ann's house to clear their roof of some trees. Rob Vanderputten is a Canadian, big ole burly guy and he got strattle this one tree (about 25' in the air) and it was bounicing and he was riding it, with this big chainsaw in his hand. The guys were laughing at me because I was so cautious, but seeing all that wood in such dangerous places, I know it's more a MAN than I am until it's down on the dirt and chopped up into little pieces. That 20" Stihl is quite a MAN himself. Mike was a musician and he had a studio that missed getting hit by all the trees that fell on his 2/3 acre lot (must have been about 40).

We had that discussion about how not everyone who goes to church is a good Christian. Duh. I also asked them if they were people of faith and they said they didn't attend anywhere. I told her, "That's not the question I asked."

There were two pre-pubescent boys wandering around our truck smoking cigarettes-- just wandering. I gave them some cold waters out of our coolers-- kinda reverse psychology so they wouldn't feel free to take something else. Plus, we have these shirts on letting them know we represent Christ (you remember, the whole cold water thing).

the way God answers prayers
At church Wednesday, a local sister told me that when they had opened up their church building for "business", they prayed that their building would be well used. "This isn't what we were expecting."

We have become a supply house with the upcoming RITA hurricane. She done got people around here nervous. (We're experiencing some heavy rain bands as I write.) Some of the shelters have run out of vitals such as water and food and we have been sending out trucks to these shelters because we have what they need.

coming and going
The turnaround here is continual and radical. The staff (who wear their purple t-shirts, while the other volunteers wear yellow) are forced to give orientations daily. The 40 person team from Ohio left Thursday a day early due to Rita. Teams arrived from Chattanooga, Tallahassee, New York is coming, and some have postponed (like Sean Holton's group from North Atlanta).

quote of the day
"Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!"

Chalmette and St. Bernard Parish

The St. Bernard Parish has been declared a total loss. They will send bulldozers in and clear everything out. Tim Hines said there are barges that will have to be cut up and moved piece by piece, they are big as cruise ships. I don't know if you'll be able to pull up the link on the title above, but these are pictures that a 19 year old took from his dad's house. He stayed there throughout. Notice the water lines over the soffets of the homes.

Sam Milazzo Photo Album
Same parish, town of Chalmette. You can see why this county is a total loss. Julie is a friend of the church here and she was on the third story of the bank building taking these pictures. This is a letter from Julie herself:

From: MILAZZO, JULIE A
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 7:21 PM
Subject: FW: View my photos

There were only a couple of things that I thought to take with me from the house, besides my 2 cats & 2 birds & one of those things was our cameras. We never in a million years thought things would get this bad & truly thought we would be home the next day but I had just gotten the cameras & didn't want to lose them no matter how remote the chance. So, we got the opportunity to take some pictures while we were stranded in that building. Some these are repetitious because Sam & I were both taking pictures. Although we have yet to see if for ourselves, we're pretty sure, based on the information in the pictures, that our house is underwater ;-).

To see the pictures, you have to join the easyshare thing, but it is painless. Feel free to forward the link to whomever you want. These are, of course, all from the 3-story Region's Bank building in Chalmette, taken from the third floor.

Chalmette was the place where the 40 bed nursing home was abandoned by the workers during the night. The news tells you all the bad stuff, but there's a COUNTER-story to that tragic event:

There was a doctor and his nurse from the same town and parish who in over 15' of water stayed around to help when all else had abandoned. The Fire department operated a week without any outside help or supplies. When they finally were evacuated, the doctor and nurse were found in a flat boat with five patients they had saved.

Wednesday Sept 21

Volunteers
Jose is from New Orleans, a young retiree from the Marine Corps (late 30's). He was geared up to run his own tree cutting business before Katrina. He had stump grinders, saws, all the gear stored in his downtown apartment and he lived on the upper floor. He and his three month pregnant wife were one of the ones rescued on the top of their roof. He said that they only had about four foot of space that didn't have water on it before the helicopter came. He sent his wife to Reno, and he has to stay here to deal with the adjusters et. al. He's been helping out at the church because he is interested in the family aspect of the team.

Erica She's 11 years old and her family lost their home completely. they've been living in a tent in a camp. Erica volunteered to help at the church after some of the volunteers dropped off some food in the camp they were staying in. She's now staying in the buildling a few nights a week, separated from her family. She jumps right in there and helps with a sweet smile-- and yesterday she was wearing a play set of angel wings.

the snake guy
a dude was bit by a snake while clearing brush. It probably wasn't poisonous, but it's taken him out of work for a few days.


A new sister in Christ
This evening after service, Evelyn, an 80 year old grandma was buried with Christ in baptism. Sunday she came forward to say that "if this is what the church is about, then I want to be a part of it." The church staff talked and studied with her and she was baptized tonight in a makeshift baptistry under the porch of the church building.

A new friend
I met Sylvia Grey, one of Cathy Malone's best friends and Linda Lawlor's sister. It was good talking to her, and discovering all the people we knew together.


THE WORK TODAY

• We all wear these yellow volunteer shirts, so we stand out in a crowd. In the neighborhood today, a lady from down the street came and asked me to pop off her generator (start it). When we were walking down the street, I was telling her that our team had come from Kentucky, Nebraska, Georgia, and Ohio. She cried and said that our help was just touching. Some things we do are really small like popping off a generator-- but the connection was strong. I mean, how often can you know someone four minutes and you've already shared tears with them?
• Billy was the same guy we cleaned up's house yesterday. We finished up today. Our ride was late. So we started chatting with him and Rob started probing deeply into his spiritual side. Forty-five minutes of conversation, we were discussing God's forgiveness and how he has set us free in our minds (consciences clean-- from Hebrews 8-10). Here a grown man was moved to tears because so many emotions were bottled up inside. He's lost his home but his tears were about years of bottled up emotion that comes from not being able to forgive one's self. It is for Freedom that Christ has set us FREE!
  
• Billy's neighbor across the street, she's an alcoholic, estranged from her family, before Katrina was behind on her payments so much that her home was in foreclosure. She went into her house for the first time while we were there. I brought them some masks because they were gagging and holding their noses going in. They thanked me and told me they didn't need anything else. Her daughter came out ready to go talking about how useless it was for her to return. The lady came out crying hysterically while her daughter waited for her in the car. I walked up and gave her a shoulder to cry on for a moment, then they got into the car and rode away.
  

MISCELLANY

• I've been assigned the housing guy. People register by seeing and signing in with me and checking out with me when they leave. Now you know how big a turn around they have if I've not even been here a week and already doing administrative stuff! And pray for all the people in administration, they are very stressed. Especially Becky, she's taken on a huge load-- she's the church secretary, but key organizer in this relief effort on the office end and believe me, she needs a secretary herself.
  
• We went over Psalm 139:7-8 in chapel tonight. Even if we lay our bed in the bad place, He is there. And he still loves us.
  
• There is a washer/dryer on campus now! Hallelujah cried Brett's pants.
  
• Paul from Nebraska is leaving tomorrow. He's had a "healing minsitry"-- he's a massage therapist and people are loving him, hating he's leaving.
  
• One of our devotionals, a "BUCKET OF HOPE" was mentioned that people have. When they talk, they share the contents of their bucket. Well, Katrina emptied buckets, and help and love have filled them up again. The feel on the gulf coast is that Rita is emptying the buckets again. So pray for the people not to lose heart because of the storms of life.
  
• I'm thinking when I walk around this building that is being used to serve and service so many-- when it returns to being "just a church" building, will it ever see such glory as it is now?
  

Thanks for everyone who reads this, I know it gets long sometimes, but there's so much to tell. thanks for caring, thanks for prayer, thanks for loving.

b.

Tuesday September 20

People ask me how long I've been here, and I don't remember anymore. All the days seem to blend: wake up, devotional, work detail, sweat, work (repeat last two many times), shower, eat, devo, visit, sleep.

Today, was out with a COC former preacher now counselor named Glenn Redmond from Nebraska, plus my friends Rob and Paul. We gutted the home of a man named Bobby who lives in Slidell. When we were leaving, he had his head down one hand on his hip and the other on his truck which held all of his remaining possessions. He was thankful and running to do what he could for us... a bag of ice. We gave one to his neighbor, prayed with Bobby.

If one of these houses was owned by someone you know, one of your family members maybe... it would be tragedy enough to ask your church to sponsor the family who lost their home and everyone would be talking about how the poor xxxx's family who lost their home. But this is every house in every neighborhood you can see for hours of driving in a car.

There's a strange respect and dignity in the air about cleaning this mess up. I don't really want to go into details about how nasty it is, about the exciting material objects I handled that were ruined by flood, about cleaning out a well stocked pantry and wishing I hadn't eaten this morning. It's like doing a good deed-- if you talk about it, it almost spoils it. Well, it feels like these folks need the dignity of moving on, not talking about all the stuff. The most important thing is that they just move on and leave it behind on the immense trash piles.

But I want to talk about it some because folks back home need to know the magnitude of this tragedy. I want you to smell the smells, get dirty in the grimiest grime, cry and pray with someone. Phillipians 3 has been running thorough my head the "I want to know Christ" passage. Share in his sufferings. That's what Christians are called to do here.

If you have ever considered coming down here and helping out, it's not too late. I'm afraid it's not going to be too late for months. Keep looking at the lists of need. Keep planning that trip down here. And come down, see for yourself. Send money-- if you can't-- send love somehow.

Monday

Went out with two crews today, both on the chainsaw and limb cleanup detail. It was an elder from the church's house. I imagined how nice it was going to be for them to return to their clean yard that hours earlier had been strown with limbs, debris, and trees. We even cleaned their pool... after we took a dip. We were praising the Lord for pools. It's over 90 degrees here. and humidity like a sauna.

The second crew, we were directed by Dan, the preacher from Slidell. I rode with an elder from the Karns congregation in Knoxville name Don Denton. He and his wife are down helping. He knows my dad, Brett and Melanie, and the Hamlens of course. We had a terrific conversation about elder's and their relationship to the congregation. I asked him how do they show love to all the congregation and he just said that the elders must smell like sheep. We picked up some limbs from the yard of an elderly elder from the church in Slidell. He looked like Colonel Sanders. He had a concrete angel in his yard who managed to not get smushed by any trees.

For dinner tonight, three preachers; Rob, Paul and Brett dined at Petunia's. I enjoyed a fried eggplant with a crawfish sauce sided with dirty rice. A worker is worthy of his wages. When preachers get together we minister to one another.

The evening devotional was fantastic singing.

I got my Hepatitus A shot today.

A group of 22 from California left this morning, and a group of 40 came in from Ohio.

One of the brothers on crew 1 today grew up with Don McLaughlin and goes to the church he used to preach at in Indiana.

Special prayer request: a team of four from Northwest Church in Seattle are moving to Africa for two years on Wednesday. They are going to study to be AIDS counselers in Kenya and to minister to the churches and the people there. Their names are Greg, Kelly (guys) and Alita and Carrie (girls).

The Tammany Oaks church is about to start another website to update more regularly and it should be up starting tomorrow. The address is to be: tokre.org Tammany Oaks Katrina Relief Effort.

Sunday Work Crew

Went out with some guys from Oklahoma today. They are here for a week and they brought their own Bobcats! We went to a neighborhood in Slidell-- hit really hard. Trees were fallen on just about every house we saw. Have you ever seen a tree go through a house? You can see plywood splinters, 2X4's, insulation, the backyard through the hole, stuff it fell on, it's really ugly. The ugliness is everywhere. Trash piled on the roads like baricades.

The lady's house we worked on wasn't in town, so we didn't meet her. But we cleaned her yard in a couple of hours except for the oak tree that went through the house. She kept it on the house because the insurance hasn't seen it yet. People are really careful about the insurance people because they are treating people really bad in these times. They don't want to pay... it's good business to collect premiums, but not to pay out!

The neighbor Thomas and his son Dustin were out cleaning their yard as carpenters were on the roof. Thomas is a barge worker and they are calling him out, but he can't go to work with his house all open to the elements with his wife and children there. Once he goes out, he'll be there a while. So we helped them too. And prayed with them.

A neighbor named Gary, we discovered grew up in the COC, got out because he couldn't do music in it. He owned a Model A Ford that had been crushed by a pine tree. No more parades for Gary. We prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for the safety of all his family. He asked if we could pray and heal his Model A. I said I would have to practice faith mechanicing on my '79 VW bus!

There's another organization Hilltop Rescue is being headed up by Richard and Rick Machen. We were greeted also by Jesse from the Orchard Street Church of Christ in Tacoma Washington. They run this work camp in relation with Rick's home church Tammany Oaks. They purposely have a separate (but partnering) organization so that non-Christians can help with the work and not feel like they are bolstering any religion (even though they are promoting social gospel!)

One thought about the work end of T.O.'s operation: They have a "GIT R DUN" board of jobs to be done, a "BIN DUN" board for completed jobs. I've BIN DUN tonight, good night.

Sunday Morning

Church this morning. So many stories to tell. Thanks for the prayers from back home at Central.

Get this: this isn't just a Church of Christ ministry-- I ate breakfast this morning with UCC, Reformed-- sang last night with Calvary Chapel and Baptists. Many people of faith are banding together. Thank the Lord that this congregation was able to step up and organize.

Had gumbo for supper last night.

Tim Hines met the new volunteers this morning: there are lots of chain saw crews, cleanup crews, delivery crews, medical crews. But most of all, there are ministry crews and the main ministry is prayer. With people who are hurt-- pray. That's the main thing. A "talker" is sent with every work crew.

Now for some people stories-- as accompanies suffering, some tragic, some victorious :

There are lots of wealthy in this area. A crew were passing through and saw a $50,000 RV pull up to a multi-million $ home and figured they didn't need any help. But someone in the group said, "We'll ask anyway." All the people said they needed was some bleach, so they gave them 2-3 jugs. As the crew was leaving, they said, "By the way, do you know anyone who needs a home? We've got an RV loaded to the gills coming down from up north." A home for a needy family for a few bottles of bleach.

One of the young men I worked with yesterday has a dad who they just found out has advanced malignant melanoma. He stayed here to work. His name is Nate. His dad is Terry Reeves. Pray for him.

Yesterday, a crew found out about a man and his family who have been separated since Katrina. He was determined to get the trees up and his daughters were afraid he was going to die trying. And his chainsaw busted, they figured he would do it by hand. The crew walked up asked him if they needed help; he answered, "Not unless you have a chainsaw" They had five. They helped him until the trees were up and the family shared dinner together that night.

Jerri Lyn was separated from her husband John during evacuation. She lost touch for many days. After she finally heard from the family, John had traveled to his sister's house and died unexpectedly overnight. They didn't have money to enbalm him and she and Donald had to rush to Texas for the burial. They were here at church this morning getting hugs and sharing tears.

At Tammany Oaks

I'm finally here. the travel was speedy interstate travel... even the causeway to New Orleans is operable again. Some of the veterans here have been going into New Orleans proper.

It's like a refugee camp here. Environmental conditions pushing people to live in a way that they normally would not or could not for long. They're very organized. I'll bet churches like Ocean Springs would/could do more, but their building's dont' hold as much STUFF as this one. One point for big churches who use their properties well. The ideal would be the church that never sleeps.

I got here at noon and David from Nashville re-directed me in the parking lot toward the back. There were RV's, temporary showers, signs for those receiving help, a tool crib, trucks loading and unloading, heavy equipment, gas cans, pallets stacked up-- it was humming. All the volunteers are wearing yellow shirts all with the same printing. I met the welcome coordinator and he signed me in, de-briefed me on operations, and presented a project. There's a fellow from church who has been volunteering a lot and his fence was fallen over. Went out with a crew from some fellows from Florida. Mark, Nate, and a brother named Myers who has people from Valdosta.

Is that all I wrote for today? I'm so tired.

Heading to Mandeville

leaving Oceans Springs in the morning about 10:30 after re-arranging and packing

stayed with Steve at his home last night, it's been gutted and cleaned and some folks from Mayfair have probvided industrial de-humidifiers. Someone has to stay with the equipment for security

The church here is steadily getting supplies and sending them out to those in need (check their website for updates)

Met Todd Hayes last night and visitied a while.

They are well stocked in food and clothes around here, but it seems that the greatest need are cleaning supplies.

Brother Berry is taking a load to Picayune and he's leading me to I-10, so I've gotta run.

I answered an email from Mandeville and they have me on their housing list. I'll be staying at the church there.

love,

a great big mess

I'm lunching right now, I'm at Paul's house gutting out all the sheetrock and all the damaged goods, they had about 3 foot of water in their home. Messy, stinking, sweaty hot job. Paul worked at the Beau Rivage as a painter. His observation was that the churches and the casinos are the only groups that are helping people. That's just an illustration of the definitive battle between good and evil. Let's just make sure the Christ people are giving more than the gamblers!

Now-- I'm not a reporter, but I realize that those people have tried really hard, but sometimes a task given is a lot bigger than the ability of the person to perform. So their task was to explain the devastation, to get the picture across to listeners across the nation... but it cannot be done. They don't have that many words and the cameras just aren't that good. The governements are not big enough to make a dent in the efforts to rebuild. I can't even begin to imagine what the world looked like after Noah and them's flood. So that's where I'll leave it.

Ocean Springs

Arrived at Ocean Springs about 10 am, The church is a ware house teeming with life and many volunteers ready to help the next people coming in. The pews look like a Walmart. A team from Kentucky brought several pickups and trailers full of food supplies. The church warehouse seems to be well stocked and they are serving people all day long. They have a welcome center both for volunteers and another for those needing help. They are holding services on Sunday in the yard.

After the initial shock of seeing "the war zone" of the remnants of Katrina, I knew that the focus would begin to shift from the PHYSICAL to the PEOPLE. Let me tell you about some of them... remember, these are just the people I met or heard about today, just at Ocean Springs:

• I finally reached Todd Hayes, son of Jack and Rachel of Valdosta. They were hit really hard but he said he was very thankful for people from all over who are teaming together to help everyone get back on their feet. He is staying with his in-laws.
• I met Terry Adams and Sarah-joe from Wicksburg, Christian Home; they are Amber Gross' cousins. They told me to tell you Hi, Amber. So Hi. They are going up to GulfCoast Bible Camp where the Hunter Hills Church of Prattville AL is coordinating a home clean up camp. The church there brought 4-5 pickups full of stuff and about 12 UHaul trailers. This is the church's second trip.
• The two "point men" at the church have been the preacher, Al Sturgeon and an elder Gene Logan. They have a LOT on their plate. Al's home was wrecked pretty bad so he's staying on the church lot in an RV.
• Lebanon Church of Christ from Sedulah KY sent a team of stuff and people
• The Creekwood Church of Mobile AL sent a team of stuff and people-- They have a special link for the hurricane effort
• Bartlett Woods Church out of Memphis brought in truckloads of fans and cleaning instruments and a team of about 40 people willing and ready to work
• Great Oaks Church also had a team, they came with Bartlett Woods
• The Mayfair Church of Huntsville AL came in last weekend and HOOKED UP the Ocean Springs church with a media center including wi-fi, a computer so people can check their email and also view the new website they created for the church
• One sister named Jenn came all the way down from New York-- Long Island Church of Christ. She's got some contacts with Orange Grove Church and will be traveling all around in a rented RV for indefinitely--as long as she has something to do .

Many of the work crews are arriving to work through the weekend. May God bless them all with safety, energy, and good travels.

It was good visiting with church folk, but also to meet some of the "victims" (there's got to be a better word). As you can imagine, there are many hurts going around and the opportunity to meet people where their needs are should be the Christian's specialty.

• I met a lady whose brother is stationed in Valdosta at the base as a fireman; the rest of the family is around here and fared really bad.
• The cross the street neighbors to the church buidling was an older couple who were watching the church saying, "ya'll are doing a good work over there." They were thankful that their grown children were safe even though they had varying levels of damage to their homes.
• I visited the Red Cross shelter at Cristus Victor Lutheran Church. It was a full fledged mass care facility. The nurse who gave me my tetanus shot flew from California to help... she had grown up around here. There were so many people there who looked tired, distraught and needing a friend
• The couple my friend Steve has been staying with are the Berry's. When I met Chryste (pronouned Kristy), I recognized her from working with her at Georgia Bible Camp back in 1996! I was at Dasher Church and she was from Lipscomb then.
• Some of the sisters from the church were in the parking lot discussing their losses. I hugged them both and told them I came all the way from Valdosta to do that.

I'm sitting down while I can to write this... as you can imagine, there is way much to tell. I was in touch with Tim Hines today and he said that they have plenty of help but the workload is so large to come on when I can. Denham Springs is my next stop.

The Drive Over

Just east of Milton FL, vegetation started to show tilt to the NW You start seeing broken trees

In Jay, some rooftops had total damage-- I couldn't believe it was that bad so far away from New Orleans!

business signs were damaged all throughout town

Gas is only about 2.50/gal here

starting to see trash piles EVERYWHERE-- dumpsters and haulers

Sunrise was about 6:45 Central Time

around Pensacola, for every tree you see down, the next one is in sight

In the Mobile Bay, I started noticing that all the foliage on ALL the trees were a fiery red/ traumatic brown

The Mobile Civic Center was SLAM FULL of people and cars standing in very long lines early as 8:20 am

Lots of army convoys traveling east, out of the damaged areas -- water trucks, bridges (engineers) , support, Humvees

Lots of law enforcements were also making exits, I saw Leon CO FL and a bunch of highway patrols from other states

airports at Moss Point had very heavy air traffic with small crafts

as I entered Mississippi, right behind the state welcome sign a huge steel billboard was folded up in a pile like the end of a Jenga game

The I-10 bridge East bound was out so all the traffic was going on the west side. ONe part reminded me of the old bridge section beside the seven mile bridge in the keys where it has that big section chopped out

when I was pulling into town, some dude yelled at me for the traffic being backed up. It prepared me that people are really stressed out here and the devil is loving it. But there is so much love being offered people.

THE SMELL
oh buddy.
The stench started around Pascagoula... and all my windows are off on my car.
It smells like that side-o-the-road dead animal where you speed up just to get past it
it smells like that overdue milk carton where you stuck your nose in it, but you can't get the smell off.
Smells so bad you wonder when you'll get your appetite back
you breathe really shallow

the smell is only in sections in Ocean Springs so far-- someone said you could break wind around here and no one would notice

Day Two packing and preparation

It's taken longer to prepare for the journey than I thought it would.


I will be heading out in the seven o'clock hour this evening. The THING is loaded down; I look like I'm ready for the Yukon Trail.


Thank you Lora and Valdosta Tech for the masks.


Thank you mom and dad for the cleaning supplies you haven't discovered missing yet.


Spoke to Jason Chesser today, youth minister at Prattville Church of Christ. Prattville has contacts they are taking care of at the churches of Christ in Pascagoula and Gulf Port. The churches are small and struggling and the tragedy is overwhelming to them. They have trucks of supplies that have been donated, but are short people to distribute to those in need.


Some businesses are up and running again, so some have people have their jobs... but some don't have homes to stay in. Some have homes to stay in, but don't have jobs.


There are places in the highway that are impassable in some areas, I've been told. And traffic is terribly congested, especially near the towns.

I added a "Donate" button to the blog connected to my Pay Pal account, which is connected to my personal bank account. This is so that my family could give me money without having to Western Unionize it or mail it. Anyone is welcome to give, if you do give, please indicate what you wish me to do with it... whether it's for my personal expenses or to give it to someone else. It's always a good idea to give directly to churches like Tammany Oaks, Ocean Springs, or the American Red Cross or any other reputable non-profit.

Blessins

Day one: preparation Valdosta, GA

After a sprit filled Kairos weekend in Lowndes State Prison, I was shopping for the next mission and it is the cleanup effort in Louisiana and Mississippi. I must thank the Blacks (Mike and Patsy) for their generosity for enabling the trip.

Talked with Tim Hines this morning, communication had been hindered the first day or two of the week due to a severed fiber-optic cable. They’re back on now. We discussed some of the special immediate needs. The Tammany Oaks church has only been in operation for about three weeks – and they’ve been a resource center for the community ever since they opened! They are operating as a distribution center, three or four trucks coming in per day, moving goods in, shipping the same goods back out to people still in desperate need.

I have also spoken to my friend Steve Martin, who with his wife Alia has been ministering as youth minister at the Ocean Springs Church of Christ. Steve reports about 20 families at the church are doing major renovations i.e. tearing down sheetrock and bleaching the remains in series for sanitization. They have sheetrock ready to put on walls, but are waiting for insurance people to give the final word. Three or four families experienced total losses. The church building is OK and is also operating as a distribution center. (Jack and Rachel Hayes have family here)

Tim told me that there are so many needs from Valdosta to New Orleans, if I see any people who need me along the way, don’t feel like I have to rush over (even though I have help equipment!)

Spoke to Byron Brown, elder at Central Church of Christ Valdosta, his daughter Laura and her husband Scott were also affected, but they are doing well. I learned that the church has sent help divided between Tammany Oaks, Ocean Springs, and Houma.

As of this evening at 9pm, my packing includes:

One stihl 20” chainsaw and support equipment

18 gallons of bleach

20 packages of high potency (97%) deet bug spray

20 pair safety goggles

40 pair hearing protectors

5 pair workgloves

I will also be packing much of my personal equipment for handiwork such as my drill, skillsaw, drop cords, carpentry tools, woodcutting tools, paintbrush. I will bring my guitar and some music to lighten the hearts of the workers and the people. I may bring some paint brushes to paint something beautiful—something beautiful always comes from tragedy (remember the resurrection of Christ?)

This blog is meant to be a communication tool for my beloveds, so please see the link column to get more official words on the matters. These are being filtered through my ears and eyes and mind before I put them on a page. I will be placing some personal information of the places I’m staying so everyone will know I’m safe (in the arms of Jesus) and will know how to find me and contact me.

I’m thankful for my friends and family who are making my departure difficult with our discussions of whether to worry or not – all the pleasant meals and fellowshipping. Thanks, love you, miss you already.