A week's worth of "reflections" have been piling up in my mind since returning from my first trip to Pearlington, MS. I am still overwhelmed by the scope of what I saw - both the destruction of natural and man-made creations, coupled with the enormity of the recovery efforts still in progress. Although many have been able to pick up their lives again, move into newly built or rebuilt homes, businesses and schools, SO much is left to be done. I now know that part of my mission includes telling the stories I heard during this trip to those who can help make a difference once they hear that Katrina's damage wasn't confined to New Orleans, and it will take YEARS to help these people re-establish themselves. And that's only if WE volunteer to give - time, money, effort, prayers.

It was beautiful to experience God's love for ALL His people as we prayed and shared meals together in the Southern Missionary Baptist Church each lunchtime. It was a time for tears and laughter, and from my perspective: HOPE. Hope for the future, and hopes fulfilled. A time to acknowledge that the Lord is in control over all things, past, present, and future. The inner strength of individuals I met was encouraging to ME. Pure faith, without all the trappings that people add to clutter the simple truth of God's constant love and ready forgiveness, was evident daily. I saw it in my co-workers, in our leaders, in people from that church, in homeowners, in shopkeepers, in fellow volunteers from across the country. It was a week of worship, with a hammer and a paintbrush, on a ladder.

I was told that after this trip, I would feel that I received more than I gave. It is true. It was a humbling emotional high. Now, with the passing of time, I sense a contentment settle in my soul because I was privileged to witness and participate in corporate obedience to the Lord's command to Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself. How do we prove to the Lord that we love him? Feed My Sheep, He said. I hope that the recipients of our physical labor realize that only the Spiritual lasts forever. Even the structures that we built can be lost again. But the relationships that we built, in His love, will indeed weather the storms of time. What a grand reunion we hope to experience some day. . . in the presence of the One who sent us on this mission. Praise Jesus!

- Linda Thompson

April 9, 2008

Yesterday afternoon and evening, I attended a meeting of Albany Presbytery at its headquarters in Watervliet. I was a voting elder delegate for our Brunswick Church congregation. Following supper, we had a "Speak Out" time, where anyone can go up to the mic for one minute and "hold forth" on anything they want to. I was about to go up and say a little something about our trip last week to Pearlington but noticed that Marcia Etu from Bay Road Presbyterian was already in line. As she had been in a large group from her church serving in Pearlington during the previous three weeks, I correctly assumed that she'd be saying something about the work down there.

Before last week, I suppose the two things that the letters "P D A" meant to me were "public display of affection" and "personal digital assistant" (one of which I took with me on the trip!). But looming much larger for me now is PDA as "Presbyterian Disaster Assistance". I think in some ways, Hurricane Katrina put this PDA "on the map". They are at the forefront of the recovery efforts all throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. While it has certainly been gratifying seeing the efforts of the whole Church (capital C--Body of Christ) to help those in need in that disaster's aftermath, I must say that last week what I saw and experienced made me particularly proud of the Presbyterian church (a small chunk of that capital C Church). In years when news stories generated by presbyterians have been marked mostly by dogfights over the issues of sexuality and church ordination standards and over the authority of Scripture itself and the nature of Christ, it was refreshing to be part of something concerned only with helping our "neighbor", without regard to race, color, creed, politics or anything other than pure need.

So, I guess right now, I'm using my PDA (personal digital assistant) to give a PDA (public display of affection) for the PDA (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance). Three cheers!

Sal Scecchitano

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This week, this group of people formed many branches upon which much fruit grew. We worked at eight different work sites. We saw examples of the destruction that sit today much as they did in the days after Katrina. We saw new homes being built, old ones being fixed and debris being removed. The members of my team have many stories to tell and the hearts that will nudge them to do so. Though I could argue that the logistics and organizing of these trips is monumental, the only truth is that my job is simple. God has nudged me to introduce people to Pearlington and then He and Pearlington do the rest.
I see a lot of things on these trips. Still the ones that stick with me almost always involve witnessing the breakdown of expectations and the way God replaces those expectations with love and acceptance. As I moved about my days on this trip, I often heard one of my team members telling someone the story of this mission, the story that I think of as my own, to someone else. In any other area of my life, I might have felt like saying, “Hey, what are you talking about? You have been here all of 15 minutes and already you’re the expert on Pearlington?” This is not the case when it comes to this mission. I can only pray that God will bring someone to this place that I have found. In this place, you HAVE to tell your stories. In this place, you wonder each day if Miss Henrietta or Mr. Quinette has moved back into their homes. You wonder if Lindsey and John have gotten their walls painted. In this place, you find ways to arrange work schedules and daily routines so that you can go back to Pearlington on the next trip. In this place, you never forget what you have seen or who you have met in this wonderful small town.
On this trip, I have to offer many prayers of thanksgiving. I traveled to Pearlington with a wonderfully diverse group of individuals. I witnessed people who embraced a camp life that is – well – less than posh. I watched driven individuals with professional skills pull back and mentor their unskilled teammates with gentleness and understanding. There were many moments that brought someone to tears and I watched as they were embraced by their teammates. We offered one another the support and care that is needed for us to recognize our weaknesses and overcome them. Each one of us grew in some way. There are new bonds and new understandings of ourselves and the world we live in.
For me as a leader, I wondered why God has chosen to work through me. I was unsure of my qualification for this service. The size of the group and the fact that at any given time, we were working on four different worksites kept me circulating from site to site – transporting people and supplies, doing pickups, medical runs and water drop-offs. For much of the time, I was alone in a van driving around town. It was a lonely week for me. I did not get my hands dirty and I did not have a site to call my own. It took me a couple of days to put these feelings in perspective. As the team grew in affection for this town and started working their sites, I realized that my responsibilities that week were allowing that to occur. My contribution was not as tangible as a wall or wonderful meal or a house full of blinds. My contribution was to create an environment for my teammates to experience the Pearlington that I know. My contribution allowed my teammates to bring their homeowners one step closer to being in their homes. My contribution humbled me.
One afternoon, as I drove between sites, I took a detour down a road that has yet to be worked on. The homes were devastated and some were abandoned. I sat in the van and sobbed. I did not cry because of the devastation. I cried because I had just left a site where Sal Scecchitano and Joe Fritz led a group of people who were continuing the framing work on a brand new home. Brunswick Church and Terra Nova Church and the friends we bring with us are making an impact on the people of Pearlington. So, I will continue leading teams to Pearlington. I will continue to work to create an environment where each team member can contribute. I know what my contribution is and I have come to realize that there is no reason for me to be lonely. I am never alone in that van. Jesus is riding right beside me.
Please pray for Pearlington. Pray for her people. Please pray for those among us who are feeling called to join the next team and if you have a prayer left over, send it my way so that I may continue this work. You see, Jesus has asked me to tend to some branches…
- Colleen Lais

Today we left Pearlington, Mississippi. We didn’t have time to be melancholy with last minute photos or heartfelt good byes. We all awoke abruptly to the knock on our pod door at 3:20 am saying it was time to pack up and head out as soon as possible. Most of us were planning on waking before dawn as our flights were early morning. What we didn’t plan on was evacuating the camp due to extreme weather conditions. As we all tried to sneak in a little sleep before starting our journey back home, Jeremy Davis, one of the PDA camp managers, kept vigil during the night listening to the weather station for updates on the storm and when the flood warning and threat of large hail became a concern, he felt it best for us to head out. Jeremy led our caravan on an alternate route to the highway that leads to New Orleans so we could avoid the flooded roads. On our way to the airport, we all shared our thoughts on the intensity of this storm. Most of us commenting that we have never seen rain that heavy, voicing our fears that our pods would collapse with the pounding rain or commenting on never witnessing such a continuous lightening and thunder storm which appeared to settle directly over our volunteer village. The storm and tornado warnings were ominous to us. Can you imagine, for a minute, what it must have been like to endure Hurricane Katrina?

It is more than two and a half years later and we still see evidence of the hurricane’s destruction on every street we pass; a memory of what once was. This week we’ve had the opportunities to stand on lots where homes used to be, assist people in rebuilding their homes, and offer encouragement and support while people continue to rebuild their lives.

As I reflect on my week, it is full of good memories and occasions to serve. But what I enjoyed doing the most is listening to the stories; not only the stories of the people of Pearlington, but the stories that my team mates shared as well. I was “accused” on more than one occasion of asking questions that are “too deep” or “required too much thinking”. But I don’t mind, that’s part of who I am and that’s how I learn about people.

What I learned about people this week as I “interviewed” them is that they all have one thing in common. Hurricane Katrina may have come to the Gulf Coast to destroy homes and habitat, but it did not destroy the spirit within and that is the story and memory that people shared with me over and over. It is not what Katrina took from them but, instead what it gave. This storm allowed people to give of themselves and offer their hands to serve God; not just in the volunteers who faithfully listen to God’s call and come to Pearlington, but the people of Pearlington themselves. Pearlington is a witness to God and so full of evidence of His work…through others. I’m sure if you ask any one of our team members if they received more than they gave, you would hear a resounding yes. The fond memories spoke of involve people, not the destruction of the storm or the work done, but the relationships that are growing…relationship with the home owners, relationships with our own team mates and relationships with others from across the United States who have come to Pearlington.

Friday, I had the privilege of working at the home of Miss Henrietta Barnes, who I met and fell in love with on my first visit to Pearlington. Henrietta has her Certificate of Occupancy and at 83 years of age will be moving into her home next week. Henrietta’s presence just blesses anyone she is around. Henrietta continues to work daily, and I quote, “loving on the little ones” at a Head Start program with three year olds. Henrietta is confident in the purpose that God has for her and declares that the Good Lord gave her two arms to hug and she knows how to use them. Earlier in the week, one of our team helped Miss Henrietta locate a cross that had been misplaced. It was hung next to a framed copy of this prayer from a team that has also had the honor of meeting Miss Henrietta:

“Almighty and most merciful God, we gather here in your name to dedicate to you this house which was destroyed by the tempest, but by your grace is now restored to new life. It is the result of the love and concern for others, that you stirred within the hearts of strangers in far away places, that brings us to this happy occasion.

Father, we stand here now reassured of your presence in out lives, reassured that you care about us. As we are told in the scripture-‘I will never forsake you.’ and again we are told that ‘The builder of a house has more honor than the house, for every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.’

Father, may this house be known and stir in the memory of those around, as this house that God put back together after the storm has passed.

And now we join together and ask for your special blessing on Henrietta Barnes as she goes forth in your service.

In the name of our Lord Jesus we pray. Amen

Pearlington, MS January 26, 2008

This prayer was written by John Pope of Destin, FL”

As we put the finishing touches on Henrietta’s house, helping to turn a house into her home it was evident that Miss Henrietta “loves on” all she meets. There’s just something about Pearlington, Mississippi that demonstrates God’s love to all through all.

-Susan Paige

We just got back from the worksite for the fourth and final time this week. At this point the work is done, we have tonight for fellowship time, and then we will return home tomorrow. I am sitting in the camp as I write this and there is occasional clap of thunder. The forecast was calling for storms this evening including the possibility of tornadoes. Hopefully, they will not come. This week, I spent the first day and a half installing electrical outlets and switches. Then my group went to go to a house that needed some framing work done. At this house, we built a few interior walls, did some sheathing, installed windows, and also did a few other random tasks. I was a bit surprised when I found myself laying out studs - a task that I had done once prior on a much smaller scale, but the walls eventually went up. (one did have to be taken down and shortened since we were unaware the studs were too long - and nobody measured them. I will never make that mistake again.) The man that was managing the construction of the house - Glenn was an interesting character. He runs an organization which is helping to rebuild Pearlington. I had taken him as a local who was serving his community, but he really came here on a mission trip and never left. He has been in Pearlington for well over a year and is continuing to live in a trailer on the football field while rebuilding the houses of others. He was serving as a minister in his church in Tennessee and brought a group down and just did not feel that his church was supporting his calling, so he remained here to work until the town is rebuilt. It is just inspiring to see how one person is answering the call of God and using it to the service of this community. Here is someone who left his life dropped everything and came here. He shared with our group that people have given up on responding to Christian witnessing. I responded that he was providing a far stronger witness than any preaching - he is living a life of service. This community is slowly coming back, having been through a challenge that nobody would ever want to go through. There has been hurt, there has been loss, but there is recovery, and it is such an honor to be a tiny part of it.
In 24 hours, I will be back home, wearing dry clothes and sleeping in my own bed. While I am looking forward to reacquainting myself with the creature comforts of home, this place will always have a place in my heart. I can see why people are willing to come here to minister to Pearlington. And yet, I will be bringing back far more than I left here. I came to serve, to build, to work. I did that, but I received the experience of a community - actually two communities. The temporary one that is reestablished every week with a new batch of volunteers and the community we are rebuilding here. The daily lunches at the First Missionary Baptist Church. The leaders of volunteers at PDA and Pearlington and the people here who are still braving the elements in their FEMA trailers who are patiently waiting to move into their rebuilt houses.
- Joe Fritz

Blessed be the name of the Lord. As I sit here writing my first blog ever, these words come to mind, for I am sitting in the mess tent of a Katrina Relief Village - my home-away-from-home shared with volunteers from across the U.S. Although it is difficult to put into words the myriad sights, sounds, smells, conversations, emotions, and revelations I've experienced during my first visit to post-Katrina New Orleans and surrounding areas, I feel like I could actually talk or right about all this for hours!!

A common thread I have picked up from the voices of locals, from home owners to business folks is tri-fold: one strand of gratitude for all the volunteer efforts, one strand of hope for the future, and one strand of frustraton and wonder at feeling forgotten by the rest of the country. Admittingly, as an "outsider," I had no real ideas of the scope of the devastation nor the tremendous amount of work yet to be completed. Now, I have seen the tip of the iceberg and am humbled by the forces of nature that our Lord created. Yet people to counter the effects of such calamity are even greater.

As bad as singular tragic events are: house fires, car accidents, job loss - these people have lost neighborhoods, whole vllages, infrastructure, businesses, schools - entire ways of life. It is beyond my comprehension, even after seeing this for myself. And now, almost three years later, people are STILL waiting for a semblance of normalcy. Some still live in a type of limbo, with encouragement waxing and waning. But as a homeowner told us tonight: our help, our presence, our gifts of time and energy and love bring back their sense of hope and encouragement. In turn, their fortitude and strong faith - still being forged in the furnace of adversity - give ME hope that no matter what the Lord allows in our lives, He goes through it with us in spirit, and in the bodies of believers. We are His hands and feet. It's been a royal privilege to serve our King by serving those He loves.

- Linda Thompson

The reward is much greater than the offering.

I know all of my teammates would agree with that statement after our return from the First Missionary Baptist Church of Pearlington. This is an establishment where Reverend Rawls "screams" his prayers and hymns like a true man of the Lord. His passion truly takes your breath away.

As I awoke this morning I remember saying to myself "this, so far, has been a lot of fun," then I remember saying, "This might be one of the most fun weeks I've had" and if you know me, I have lived a pretty fun-filled life. However, as much fun as I thought I was having, I couldn't imagine what the day would bring.

There are few moments in a person's life where you can actually feel the Lord walk beside you and place his hand on your shoulder and whisper in your ear, "Bless you for what you have done." These are long and hard days. They are not easy. They are not vacation-like. Actually, going to work and staying in our everyday routine is easier. It's been fun because the get is much greater than the give.
Even though we have moved into rebuilding other families' houses, as a team, our hearts are still with Miss Henrietta and her daughter, Miss Kitty. We want them back in their homes. They lost their homes to a terrible storm...a storm that has made us all stronger. Miss Henrietta and Miss Kitty, 83 and 64 respectively, both widows, still go to work everyday. All they have is is family and now, because of that storm, they now have us. We've been praying for them to get in their homes since October. We have hammered nails, painted, cleaned and sweated to try and make this possible for them. They are on their own and could not make this happen. We, on the other hand, could.

Miss Henrietta and Miss Kitty attended Reverend Rawls' service with us tonight and it was a night we will never forget. We have persevered through rough days and changed these two lives forever. They have perservered through rough days and changed our lives forever. The feeling when these two women hold your hand, look you dead in the eye, and say "Thank you!" is the greatest reward I have ever received. As Miss Henrietta rose to thank us at the service, I felt a hand on my shoulder and a whisper in my ear. No matter where the Lord takes me in life, these two women are embedded in my heart. Miss Henrietta, we met you for a reason - the reward you have given to us is far greater than the merit of our offering. Thank you and God bless you!

- Joseph Carbonaro

With a grateful heart, I praise the Lord and thank all who helped me to come here and experience the many joys and sorrows of being a part of this Pearlington mission trip. The faithful servants of our team and the other teams here have provided fellowship opportunities that I'll be sure to want to continue. I can't tell where the lump inside of me begins and ends. As I try to find a way to describe what happens here, the rain is pouring down. I find myself worrying about whether Linda is safe right now. You see, she is a local woman whom I met today while serving lunch. As many hungry people filed through the line to the tables to eat, Linda headed toward me to wrap her plate. She was anxious to return to her place because a couple men were working there. I heard again the typical comments down here about the government. Just like everyone else, she was relying on local townspeople to help her rebuild from scratch. She wanted to be back there to eat because she didn't want the men to think she would not help or was unappreciative.

Tears, laughter and praise to the Lord were exchanged as Linda stood there, holding her plate of food for at least 15-20 minutes with me, sharing her story. She is a Katrina survivor who lost it all. The hurricane took 98% of all she owned and looters took the remaining 2%. "How could someone see all that we lost and then take what little was left?" she asked. At a loss to provide any reason at all, we let the tears roll for a moment and she said, "I had to do something and I just couldn't cry anymore." Through laughter came hope and she is still rebuilding with hope and gratitude. Gratitude for our help and that God did not take her that day, but began to heal her instead. She said she still didn't know why she survived or what her purpose in life is now. My immediate thoughts? I shared:*He spared her because He loves her.

* ...because she is a special person.
*He has a plan for her.
*...and if nothing else, she is here now - to share her story - and I for one, am very glad. I'm glad He gave her hope. I was blessed to have met her and honored to share her story. She lets us know we really are making a difference here in Pearlington, Mississippi, but these folks still need so much help. At least they know that the PDA remembers and Brunswick remembers and the Lord has not foresaken them - He has brought us together.

   March is going out like a lamb in Pearlington, though we heard not so much back home in Brunswick. Today was our first full day of work and it felt good to get in gear and get going. Yesterday was a very different Sunday for me. Normally, I'm "on duty" from 7:30am to 12:30pm as Music & AV Director at my church. There's a bit of a peculiar culture down here in Mississippi with regards to Sunday morning worship at least among the Baptist churches, one of which we were hoping to go to. It seems that some of them hold worship on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month and others hold it on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. Astute observers of the calendar no doubt noted that yesterday was the 5th Sunday of the month! We couldn't find any church whose sign indicated that they worshipped on the 5th Sunday. Not to be daunted, we simply returned to our PDA Camp site and whipped up our own service. We called ourselves the "First Church of the 5th Sunday" - worshipping religiously 4X per year!
 
   Our gang of 22 is doing quite well together! I was in a group of 5 that went today to the home of Mr. Quentin Quinnette (a very rare double "Q" name). We did floor tiling and electrical work all day. Joe Fritz and I were tasked to install all the outlets and switches in the newly-refurbished home. Quentin is a very gentle and most thankful soul. Two and a half years after Hurricane Katrina, it's obvious both that recovery has taken place and much recovery is yet to be done. The spirit in this town is undefeatable, however. Today, like every other workday, lunch for all the work crews is provided at the First Missionary Baptist Church. Pretty amazing sight as these dear sweet ladies of the church provide all of us with a wonderful meal, including a number of convicts from the local jail, joining us on work furlough in the grey and green striped uniforms. There was a piano in the room and a bunch of hymnals. I gave way to natural instincts and sat down to play a hymn. Before long, a crowd had gathered 'round, was passing out hymnals and we just sang ourselves right out of lunch with some of the great "second coming" hymns of the church. God is alive and at work in Pearlington, Mississippi.
Even so, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus!"

- Sal Scecchitano

   We all arrived safely. Plane rides were smooth, on time and we had no problems finding each other at the New Orleans airport despite coming in on three different flights. Then we got to Hertz. It's amazing that the Albany-DC leg of our flight took considerably less time than picking up ou four "confirmed" Plymouth Voyagers. Eventually, the Hertz folks found four suitably large vehicles and we were on our way, not a Voyager amongst us. Throughout the course of the day's travels, I could feel the team coming together, getting to know one another and opening up. You may wonder what 20 adults do outside of Hertz while waiting over an hour. Mostly look at cloud formations and see things, take pictures of each other, play with the photoelectric eye on the door and talk about the legendary Big Bopper (the ice cream sandwich - not the 50's rock legend). Since it was dark by the time we left Hertz and we didn't arrive at the camp until after 10pm, we quickly unpacked at the camp, found our pods and went to bed. I really had no idea what things would look like in the light of day.
   Sunday morning came warm and pleasant, if a bit buggy. A group from California served us breakfast and then several small groups headed off for walks around the town. You didn't have to walk far to see evidence of Katrina, but you could also see evidence of God's work being done by his people. Lots of new construction, many Katrina Cottages, but several homes are still untouched and abandoned. The beauty of the area is all around you. Nature seems to have recovered more quickly than the people. On our walk we met Dave, a fireman from the Philadelphia area. His group of firemen come down here a couple of times a year and cover for the local firemen so they can go work on their own homes. We also met Gidget, one of the town dogs. Her owner passed away and the local assistant fire chief looks after her, but Gidget seems to do a pretty good job of looking after herself. While walking the neighborhood, we met up with Miss Henrietta, whose home the team worked on last fall. The house is complete and needs only a refridgerator for her to move in.
   After a quick lunch several of the team headed off to tour the week's job sites. Meanwhile, some of us who have not been here before, took a drive to the Gulf. The road we traveled was right on the Gulf and you see beautiful sandy beaches for miles. Turn your face toward the land and you see million dollar beachfront properties with nothing on them except the 8-12' high pilings which used to support a home. Some had a few very beefy joists or the occasional steel I-beams still clinging to them, but that's about all. The height of the stilts and the size of the framing timbers didn't matter. Katrina took it all. The only things that seemed to remain in place were a couple large bank vaults. The banks themselves are long gone. Perhaps 1 in 10 of these seaside mansion sites has seen any reconstruction. Most lots have "for sale" signs in front of them.
   There is still much more to be done.

- Glenn Claydon

Each time I plan a trip to Pearlington, I send out press releases to all the local media outlets. [Side note: The release I sent for this trip hit the inboxes on the exact same day that some guy was hogging all the limelight. What was his name? Spritzer? Spitzee? Something like that, but I digress.] Wanting to get a little bit of press is not a bragging-thing. It's an information-thing. I figure there are people out there who are reading the paper over breakfast who think that everything is back to normal along the Gulf Coast. An article about 22 individuals traveling to a small Mississippi town to continue the recovery might enlighten them. I was sad that no one seemed to find our story.

The other night, many members of our current team, some veterans and some freshman, were able to get together for a pizza party. During the party, we played a slideshow that featured the unofficial theme song of our last trip, "Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns. All at once, everyone who knew the words started singing, eyes fixed on the screen. I remembered how passionately these folks can tell a story about their Pearlington experience. It suddenly occurred to me that we don't need to court the media. I was looking at a room full of reporters. In one week, there will be 22 new stories to tell about God's faithfulness and the wonder of His work in Pearlington. We are going to share some of them this week on this blog. Please check back often and perhaps a particular story will touch you. Feel free to "report" it to a friend or two.

The Spring 2008 Pearlington team offers prayers of thanksgiving for the support of so many that make these trips possible. Keep us in your prayers this week.

- Colleen Lais

I would like to welcome you to my home. This place, with its blue and white pods, nine porta-potties, dining tent, kitchen, shower trailer and fire circle is where my heart most definitely resides these days. I have to come back here where I live because of those pesky bills and that job that I have committed to, but if I could entertain an alternative it would surely include Pearlington. The people here should be battered and bruised, but they are hopeful and grateful. God is everywhere. He is mentioned in nearly every conversation in a matter of fact way that makes you believe He was a part of life here long before the storm.

I took a “walk with Jesus” on this most recent trip. I was the team leader and with all of my careful preparation, I was still surprised at how difficult the responsibility could be. One afternoon, with the rain pouring relentlessly from the sky, I threw on a poncho and headed out for a walk. I needed a moment to myself to put my feelings in perspective and decide what my best choice of action might be. As I walked in the drenching downpour, I asked God for clarity. I have always felt Him walking with me, but never so much as in Pearlington. I could hear His voice clearly and knew what He wanted me to do.

Several times that week, I heard the phrase, “speak the truth in love.” This is what God wanted from me. I had some difficult things to say, but if I remembered to “speak the truth in love,” everything would be o.k. And it was…it was not easy, but it was o.k. I grew a little. I was humbled. I learned how to be strong and I learned that is all right to soften up once in a while. I now share love and respect with several dear friends from both Brunswick and Pearlington. My relationship with God is deeper and I have new understanding of what it means to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior.

I will return to Pearlington. Speaking the truth in love, we should be further along by now. We should be sending more people more often. We should be shouting from the rooftops that this mission is far from being complete. There is one more reason that I must return - I have a date. Miss Henrietta is expecting me. We are going to sit on her porch and drink sweet tea and rumor has it, she is going to make some of her world-famous cornbread in her new kitchen. I will not miss out on that. She and I will talk about how generous God is and how all things in Pearlington would not have happened without Jesus. Henrietta definitely knows how to speak the truth in love. Yes, she does child. Amen.

- Colleen Lais

Reflecting on my week in Pearlington, I know that the team that went was put together by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our unique giftedness when blended together formed a great team. This place has left an indelible mark on my life. The faith of the people of Pearlington, from Reverend Rawls of the First Missionary Baptist feeding all the volunteers to all the people there, is an example of the following verse, "trust in the Lord with all thine heart" Proverbs 3:5. What we brought to Pearlington was an unbridled passion to be the hands and feet of our Lord but what I found was they had a lot to teach us about purpose in life. One of the memories that brought this home was a man I met on Saturday before we left. AJ describes himself as not much of a church-going man but he believes in God and prays. AJ says he saw God in the storm. His house wasn’t in the flood zone so he decided to stay in his home with his family. AJ received a call from his neighbor, an 86 year old man Mr. Miller. He had found his purpose, which was to save his neighbor. The fire company was suppose to evacuate him but had to evacuate themselves, so he got Mr. Miller to safety. We all have a purpose in life if we just act on it.

- David Paige

It’s been several days now since I left Pearlington, Mississippi. The experience of being there is something I continue to think about and process in my mind. I am amazed at the devastation. I am amazed at the spirit of the people there. I am very aware of how fortunate we are to have been spared such a natural disaster in this area. None of the ice or snowstorms that I’ve lived through come close to what these people lived through.

And so as I sift through my thoughts, I am providing a few written “snap shots” of my time there.

I’ll start with FEMA trailers which are the white trailers that dot the landscape. They are parked among the trees, behind damaged and abandoned houses, beside the concrete slabs that once held a house, alongside the coastal waterways that did so much damage. They are meant for camping, not for housing a family of six, including the pets, for over two years. They are not handicapped accessible. The appliances are small as is the bathroom. They are cramped and filled with fumes that have made people sick. But they are shelter to hundreds as people await help to rebuild their homes and lives.

The landscape – The area is rural. Narrow winding roads, many with gravel and sand take us from the Pearl River (used for catching fish and crabs) deep into wooded areas where the tree branches are weighed down by feathery Spanish moss. Several of the trees still hold the remains of clothing that swirled out of people’s homes as the winds blew through and homes were demolished.

The bank, which was destroyed, is now an ATM machine that is parked at the intersection (the corner) of two streets. The post office that was also destroyed is now a group of about 100 lock boxes standing in a concrete slab opposite the “bank” (ATM). Neither has a building around them. I saw only one gas station near town and that was at the PearlMart. (a convenience store)

Concrete slabs everywhere– One of the most haunting sites for me was to see only a concrete slab with the front steps of what was once a house. The walls were gone. The roof was gone. No windows. No structure. All that was left was the concrete slab and the front steps! At one of these sites with steps and a slab, I found a pile of children’s toys laying on the steps forming something like a shrine. Clearly these were the only things found in the remains of the home and it was as if they were waiting for the owners to come back and reclaim them as the walls were rebuilt and a home with a family reestablished. But in many, many cases that is not going to happen.

The last of my snap shots for now is the First Baptist Missionary Church – our work team attended church there. Three hours of worship on a Sunday morning that seemed like a few minutes. There was adult Sunday school, preaching, singing, swaying, clapping, prayers and a whole lot of hospitality. Jesus was praised loudly and often. God was called upon and thanked. The Spirit is alive and working in the lives of the people there. The steadfast hope in Jesus Christ sustains this community of faith as it provides and serves lunches for the community and the work teams EVERYDAY and has done so for two years since Katrina hit.

It was a trip I wouldn’t have missed.

- Blessings, grace, and peace be with you and all the people of Pearlington,

Pastor Sharon Hanks

The people of Pearlington have definitely touched a place in my heart and I do want to go back and do whatever I can again. God has started a good work and we, as his hands and feet, need to finish what we can.

I would like to pass this thought on to anyone who is feeling a tug at their heart to serve God in a different way or a different place. God calls us to serve His people no matter where we are and we must never loose sight that whatever we do and wherever we serve is important. I do believe that God asks us to step out of our comfort zone and reach out to others in a way that makes us stretch and grow. To become too comfortable and complacent in His service stunts our growth and others. Most of us that went to Pearlington were strangers to each other when we left that Saturday morning. But the bond that we felt as we worked together, cried with each other and praised and served Him in a different way will never be forgotten. We were all from different backgrounds, social status and ages, but we shared the common mission to show God's love in all we did in Pearlington. We were taught restraint and how to slow down and wait, which was difficult for many of us. We also had to learn to function as a team and not go our own way. We had many tests of our own, but they only helped us in serving others and working as a team. We may have left as strangers, but we returned home with an endearing love and respect for each other. What God did in our team allowed us to serve our brothers and sisters in Pearlington in a mighty way.

Life can be a long postponement of doing what we want to do. I challenge each and everyone who is feeling that tug to go and serve to not let procrastination steal your opportunity. Don't let procrastination be the thief of your time. IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?

- Carol Vanno

Robert's Story.

In reflecting upon my week in Pearlington, one of the highlights for me was talking with homeowners during our lunch break at the First Missionary Baptist Church. Last Tuesday, I met Robert. We sat next to each other and introduced ourselves. Robert was quiet while he ate his lunch and all he revealed to me was that he had lost everything in the storm. After the next bite of food he stated that he moved into his new home just three weeks ago. The silence was awkward. No one else was joining us at the table. I felt God nudging me to dig deeper.

My passion for working in the mental health field often has me wondering how the people of Pearlington are dealing with the emotional aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Emotional scars are difficult to heal without talking about them. I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked permission from Robert to ask him some questions, to dig a little deeper. Once the questions started, I sensed that Robert wanted to share his pain.as a way to continue healing. Robert is still plagued with nightmares of the storm. He has them often. I asked him if Monday's rain and the rising water cause him to feel anxious. It's not the rain that causes his anxiety, it's the hurricane warnings. Robert said that he had lived through many hurricanes before and he added they weren't that bad. Then Katrina hit and now he can never be sure another "Katrina" won't destroy again. Robert was quiet for a moment and then he looked me in the eye and told me he lost his neighbor in the storm. He tried desperately to get his neighbor to evacuate his home, but he would not leave. He said he begged his elderly neighbor to leave but he was too afraid. Robert hung his head as he told me he had to leave his neighbor behind. When the water receded and Robert returned to his neighbor's home, he found that he had drowned in the same chair he was sitting in when he last saw him. Tears filled my eyes as I shared with Robert that I now know how to pray for him and the people of Pearlington.

I asked Robert to tell me how he knew that God was with him throughout the storm. Robert smiled widely as he told me this story. When he heard that he would need to evacuate he grabbed a suitcase, placed it on his bed, and filled it with as many clothes as he could. The water began to rise and when he needed to evacuate quickly he forgot the suitcase. When the storm was over and the water receded he returned to his home to see that the water rose to seven feet and every thing in his home was destroyed. He walked into his bedroom and spotted the dry suitcase on top of his bed. Robert assumes that his bed must have floated, therefore keeping the suitcase dry. He opened the suitcase to find some salvaged, dry clothes and he looked up and praised God and thanked Him.he did not lose everything. Robert said that the dry clothes offered him hope, a deep sense that God would take care of Him. He just knew that God would restore Pearlington. Robert waited over two years for his home to be rebuilt. He said the wait was not difficult because he was waiting on the Lord with hope.

I'm glad I met Robert. He was willing to be honest about the pain of his losses and yet he never gave up hope. He communicated a deep knowledge that God is a God of hope; that God is using his people to rebuild Pearlington.

...and that's just one of the stories that touched me last week.

-Susan Paige

The laundry is caught up, the emails have been read and work started again. Many times today my mind slipped back to Mississippi, to Miss Henrietta, Miss Kitty, Miss Ruth, the Reverend and Sister Rawls. I can close my eyes and see the Southern Live Oak that grows in the middle of the road in front of the church. I can see the tail of Jeter wagging as we scratch his belly.

Near the church there was a home with no walls. It was quiet. In the corner was a pile of what was left of the lives of the people who lived there. A rock from Iraq, airmail envelopes, a cheerleading award, things that were left behind. I left behind part of myself in that town. I look forward to the time that I can return there to help finish what was started.

-Kathleen Claydon

Sadly, our week in Pearlington is over. We have come home to families and jobs and lives, but things are not the same for us. We each have new eyes and a new heart.

We have come to know a woman named Henrietta who at 82 is still employed by a Head Start program. Henrietta has not lived in her own home since Katrina. Henrietta never thanked us for working in her home.

She thanked Jesus for sending us.

We met Sister Rawls, the pastor's wife, at the First Missionary Baptist Church. She spoke of our inconvenience. It was inconvenient, she said, for us to leave our lives. It was inconvenient for us to travel great distances to get to Pearlington. It was inconvenient for us to live in pods at camp.

She thanked Jesus for sending us.

This team that was sent to serve the people of Pearlington found that we were also called to serve one another. We comforted one another and protected one another. We set examples both good and bad. We offered a hand and a kind word. We learned about the power of community and friendship. We learned about the grace of God. We realized that our commitment to Pearlington has only just begun.

We thank Jesus for sending us.

Until the sun rises again, God Bless Pearlington.

 

Today was the last full work day with our friends in Pearlington. We had another beautiful day of sunshine as we worked inside and outside Miss Henrietta's house. We had a wonderful fried catfish luncheon prepared by the fine ladies of the Missionary Baptist Church and a few of our volunteers. These ladies have been feeding those who come to help their people rebuild their homes and lives for two years. Their attitudes are of gratefulness and thanksgiving for those who come to help, but we are the thankful ones. We have been given the privilege of watching the smiles on their faces and the joy in their hearts when they see their homes coming one step closer to completion.

What joy filled our hearts today when Miss Henrietta walked into her kitchen and saw her cabinets in place and her bedroom and bathroom painted. We stood in awe as we witnessed this true saint of God praising Jesus for sending His people to help.

We are the ones who truly receive more than we are giving. We are witnessing homes being rebuilt and hope restored. These fine people have endured so much and have not lost sight of their Lord and mankind. We are humbled and blessed to have been called to share in this rebuilding and healing.

Our attitudes are ones of deepest gratitude that our lives have been touched by this mission and we will never be the same.

- Carol Vanno

New Orleans...The Big Easy...Awesome city. We were only there for five hours but I could tell just from that short trip that this place was alive. Alive with culture. Alive with history and alive with music. We tried to cram in as much as we could, including beignets and Café Du Monde and enjoying conversation and great food at the House of Blues. A couple of us even got to enjoy a little rendition of "Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong right there on the street. So much action, so much life.

The absolute best part of the day was the conversations I shared with each one the team members. The friendships are still very new and fresh but feel comfortable just as if we've been friends for years. I have learned a lot about community while living in Pearlington and furthered my understanding of the way God wants us to live in community.

-Damian Belt-Smith

These were some of the tasks accomplished by our group today:

• Tore down a tangled root-ridden wire fence and dug up concrete fence posts.
• Finished building, roofing and shingling a shed.
• Cooked lunch at the First Missionary Baptist Church.
• Cleaned the First Missionary Baptist Church from top to bottom - scrubbed the walls and floor.
• Reorganized the storage shed and kitchen at the church.
• Fixed the plumbing at the church.
• Went to town for supplies.
• Cooked dinner for the PDA camp.
• ...and more.

Any one of these tasks would be overwhelming for one person. However but when we work together as a group and with the grace of God, it is amazing what we can accomplish.

Group dynamics is sometimes challenging with 15 people and many different personalities, strengths and weaknesses, but we are all here for ONE purpose. We have all felt a calling to be here. I trust that it is part of God's plan that we will learn from and minister to each other as well, perhaps even more so, than to the people of Mississippi that we are hoping to serve.

Please pray for grace and wisdom for us.

Soli Deo Gloria.

-Sue Gallagher

To say I am passionate about cooking would be an understatement. It is what I do! It is part of who I am. When praying about Pearlington, I asked God to take me from that comfort zone to let me swing a hammer or paint a wall, anything but cooking. The first dinner our team was assigned - I stayed away from the stove. No kitchen for me. I wanted to take down a fence! It was good work, it was hard work, but it didn't feel like my work. Then the breakfast assignment at camp came and it was my turn to cook. I followed that very day by cooking lunch at the Church for all the workers and people in the community. I felt like I had come home, I heard God tell me, "Feed my sheep" - and I did and the work was good, and it finally felt like mine and I am thankful.

-Kathleen Claydon

The team was up early today to start our "official" work week. We had been given our assignments last night. We were ready and eager to begin outside construction and then the rain came...All the outside construction planned for today was quickly put on hold. We are learning where we want to be is not where we are supposed to be. So we spent time getting to know each other and some of the other groups as we waited to be reassigned. The First Missionary Baptist Church provides lunch for two volunteer groups and any locals that want to partake. Six of our own team members worked at their kitchen preparing and serving about 125 people. The other nine of us worked on Miss Kitty's home preparing the floors for sub-flooring and hanging the kitchen cabinets. One of the highlights of our workday was writing prayers, blessings and scripture in the unfinished door jams, on unpainted walls and behind the cabinetry.

And on a personal note...I was walking from Miss Kitty's home back to our camp, drenched from the pouring rain and trying desperately to find my way back to camp without sinking into the growing puddles. It had only rained for about four hours and some of the puddles were about one foot deep. As the water seeped into my shoes, I tried to find an escape from all this water and then I remembered... And was immediately humbled as I admitted my momentary discomfort and confessed how little I understood what it must have been like to endure the rising water that seemed like it would never stop.

There is still so much work to be done here. The people of Pearlington are so grateful for the help they are receiving. It is with grateful hearts that our team thanks all of you for allowing us the privilege of representing Brunswick Church by serving the people of Pearlington.

- Susan Paige

After a long day of travel, we embraced the new day well-rested. We headed down to the First Missionary Baptist Church of Pearlington, where three joyful hours felt like five minutes. I had goosebumps (or as they say in the South, "Chicken Bumps.") the entire time we were there. The service was truly surreal and yet we felt like we had been coming here for years. We were accepted like family - I was hugged and kissed numerous times. After lunch, we went to the home of a woman named Dallas, who happens to be the camp worksite manager. We tore down a fence and built a new shed. The joy and gratitude on her face was unbelievable. She thanked us many times for our effort to help her. Back at camp, it was our night to cook dinner. It was quite a task to prepare a meal for 65 people, however the girls and Dave did a great job. The meal was a great finish to a great first day.

- Joseph Carbonaro

"Patience is a dish best enjoyed with friends." This summarizes the start of our trip to Pearlington. We arrived at Albany airport at 6:30am for our 8:30am flight and found out that due to Friday's weather, it was delayed. We were rescheduled on a 1pm flight through Charlotte, NC. The delay was longer than anticipated and by the time we got to Charlotte, we were once again rebooked, this time via Atlanta, GA to New Orleans. What would have generally frazzled most of us became totally enjoyable time spent with friends. At the end of the day, six hours later than we had planned, we found ourselves in the right place at the right time to help a woman return to her car after she had run out of gas...and so it begins.

-John McFadden

The team has been sent by the congregation.
Next stop - Pearlington!

This will be a hectic week as we all prepare our everyday lives for our absence. Some of us are mission trip veterans. Some are on our second trip. The remaining are freshman, new and open to this whole experience. These are the team members I ask you to concentrate your prayers on. This work guarantees one thing for sure - wonder. We will wonder why the work is not further along. We will wonder why the work is being done primarily by volunteers. All is not lost however. We will wonder at the strength and faith we will see in the survivors. We will wonder as we try to give and find that we are receiving. We will wonder at the changes God will set in motion for each of us. Over the next week or so, we will share those changes here.

Peace,
Colleen Lais