Monday

Team Wright

Today our team divided into three work groups. One team focused on helping Richard, a veteran, who has been living in his car listening to the radio since the hurricane. The other team focusing on an elderly lady from First Baptist, Ruth, who lives alone. Interior/exterior painting. Replacing light fixtures. Drywall. The third team helped Jonie, who had knee replacements on both of her knees, her grant money is running out, and her mother died a month before the hurricane. Her grandfather built the house she lives in now. Early on, looting was a big concern for Jonie, so she had a barbed-wire fence installed.

Especially enjoyed 82-year-old Ruth. A joyful little lady. She showed us her treasured Bible given to her by her niece and nephew on her way out the door to pick up a friend on her way to Bible study.


Beautiful weather today. Many photos taken.



Team McQuiston

WOW...

The Meador Team spent all day with an older couple that is still living in a trailer. They have been taken advantage of by many contractors and needed help with the basics. They were so excited to see us and had many discussions.

The McQuistons, Fox girls and Ney girls taped, mudded, caulked and primed today for a pastor and his family who were rebuilding a house from the ground up. It was one of two houses left standing on the street, just off the coast in Pass Christian. The Mowery's and team helped a gal do a variety of tasks to get her house in living condition. The work is overwhelming, but the crew did great!!!

Abby and Anna paint

Working at the Team Fox site

Garrett helping change electrical outlets

Team Heil

For our first full day in Gulf Port, our groups experienced a lot: installing toilets, falling through a floor, and mudding, mudding, mudding! One group helped a single woman drywall and mud two rooms, as well as revamp a bathroom (this is where the floor falling happened). Another group helped a few families with various tasks, such as installing tack strips, caulking, and hanging mirrors and lights. We also had the opportunity to help Crosspoint Church with some landscaping that needed to be done. Although the storm struck a few years ago now, we are finding that there is still so much to be done and still so many people in need of helping hands. Please pray for continued strength and health, as well as opportunities to interact and show love, compassion, and respect for those we are here to help.

Sunday

Travel Update:

With the exception of one additional family planning to arrive Monday, we have parked our caravan of “Amish Work Vans” SUV’s and mini-vans safely in Gulfport, Mississippi. Praise God!

Weather:

We have experienced fairly warm weather both days so far, including intermittent rain showers and a thunderstorm during church this morning.

Please pray for clear days Monday through Thursday, so we can maximize our work efforts.

Sunday:

First thing this morning, we took a walking tour of downtown Gulfport. Since our visit here for Spring Break 2006, the First Baptist Church has been demolished. (Some of us are sleeping in a make-shift trailer village on what used to be the church parking lot. The area is contained by a high fence with padlocked gate.) While there is some progress with reconstruction efforts, there are still many families living on their property in FEMA trailers and businesses that have not even begun to rebuild. It would be overwhelming to live here and face that each day.

After the walking tour, we took a drive to get a bigger picture of where things stand. Then off to church. The service today was based on I Peter 3:18—a definite companion service for those of us from Grace who are studying the Essentials in small groups. We were reminded that Jesus is the one who brings us to God and that because of His death on the cross, we never really die, but are made alive in the Spirit.

A trip to Wal-Mart followed. Then a caravan tour of Waveland. A few of us stopped by Luzenia’s house, but she wasn’t home. We’ll try again. The beautiful benches the girls painted last year have stood the test of time. We look forward to seeing Luzenia while we are here. (Two previous teams have worked on Luzenia’s house).

Currently, our work crew bosses are getting our job assignments for the week. We will dine out tonight by teams and gather for Team Time to debrief our day.

Goals

Our hopes for the week are simple… to bring the Kingdom to those we encounter… to serve those in need with joy… to work hard together and relate well to one another.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for dry weather, so we can get work done outside.
Pray for peaceful rest tonight.
Pray for good health.
Pray for strength.
Pray for God’s providence and our ability to see it.

More requests will follow tomorrow.