Mission Trip to Mississippi (2)

January 27

It’s Friday morning and some things are already typical in our non-typical adventure in Ocean Springs. I’m up at 6:00, an hour after our kitchen crew. After clean up I head for the cafeteria for coffee and a rare quiet minute in the narthex. The sun rise (yes, that’s right sun) is beautiful. Breakfast is at 6:30, morning devotions at 8:00 followed by job assignments. I am in “A” team headed up by Dennis Johnson. We will be doing a yard clean up. That’s what it is called but look at the pictures.

On site, WOW. I wasn’t here with the crew yesterday. They cleared the slab and part of the debrie. More come to help, we had 17 in all. We work for two hours when men from FEMA come to view the area. They will clear all of the bricks and big debrie. We could do small things and around the foundation. What a relief, we were done by noon and lunched down the street by the bay. At the bay we noticed something, perhaps a barge from the casino perhaps a bridge, in a nearby field.

On to another job. A small job they say, some mudding. Right, This yard clean-up was labeled a small job. On site. We are greeted by a realtor, rental agent and shown the house. It is only two years old and looks good from the outside. That’s not unusual here. Houses may look good outside but are a real mess inside. When I walk in all I can say is “oh my, oh my”. Mold everywhere. The carpets are out but that is all. This will be a definite mold protection job. We need to mud. That means remove all walls, moldings and doors. Everything must go. We begin and work steady until 4:40. We often work until 5:30 but we have been invited to eat with the Vietnamese family from this mornings site. We wash up back at church and leave. We were late but shared in their dinner of rice with fish and egg rolls. The children played on the cleared lawn and slab. We had a bon fire and ate on the slab. The family has worked so hard and now need to start over. They left Vietnam in 1980, went Malasia, then to Biloxi. Mr Pham is a shrimper. In the storm he lost his boat along with his house.

Back at the church we have Evening Vespers at 7:00 and time to socialize. Quiet time is at 9:00 and lights are out at 10:00. Often people are sound asleep by then. It is a long, hard, rewarding day. Every day we meet wonderful, courageous, God filled people and we feel blest.

INTERESTING FACTS: Christus Victor has unloaded 1,000 semi trucks of donations, cleaned out 1,000 house, have had about 4,000 volunteers represented from all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. The house I viewed today had the original builders on site. They said the house had been 9500 sq. ft; three stories. It had appeared in Southern Home Magazine three times. They had imported hardwood from Brazil and it had a purple tint to it. The grounds had consisted of a wharf, guest house, pool and tennis court.

How can I describe the loss I feel with these people? In the once beautiful home this morning Hoa was very excited and happy when I found one picture of her baby girl. The builders with pride in their voice as they spoke of the house that had been, and knew wouldn’t be again. Ruby on Tuesday in the loss of her CD’s she used in her Kareoki machine to sing with at the nursing home; Steve from Monday in restoring his home and knowing he also needed to do his Mother’s and brothers; Jean from Tuesday in the total destruction of her home and her loss of faith when groups of people took advantage of her need and the insurance companies refused her claims. To all of these people we brought some relief and hope and we were given their spirit of love and courage.

From the “A” team and Maureen Bass

Yard work - cleaning off the slab.

The van that carried us so far and the cleaned slab.

Loading the "refuse" onto trailers.

A boat where it doesn't belong.

Lunch break with a view.

The mold on the walls.