Update #4 from the Pearl River, Louisiana Katrina Team:
We just returned to the church for our last evening here in Louisiana. Some of you have been praying for Suzy, the wife of the senior pastor here. She passed away two nights ago (actually before update #3 went out be we didn't know yet). The funeral is Saturday.
We've continued plugging on with working with Katrina victims. This morning most of us cleared brush at Tammy's house here in Pearl River and found out about the incredible efforts her and her husband have been doing to help Katrina victims. They didn't have any flooding damage, just some wind damage and hundreds of downed trees. However, they then housed 21 people in their home without electricity or water for several weeks. They gave us a case of MREs (meals ready to eat) that were handed out and they lived on them for several weeks. By helping them out, they will continue to be able to help others out as well.
Another crew of 4 went back to…
…Ricky's house and finished up staining some woodwork for them.
After lunch, we met up back in the southern Slidell neighborhood we worked in on Tuesday am near Miss Hattie Mills house. We prayed that God would open doors to someone who needed help since we didn't have anything formal planned. Right away God provided us Mrs Black (who was staring out the door at us) and she sent us to Cookie Brown, who had an incredible mess to clean up in her back yard. We then ended up working in 3 different yards, and also finished cleaning out a house gutting (all the drywall was on the floor). This was in my opinion our best and most moving afternoon yet. Tomorrow morning we will return to that neighborhood to help a few more people.
This was a predominantly black neighborhood, and these people had 8 feet of water following Katrina. They are poor, and unable to leave. Many of them were back after the storm, and then when the flooding happened they had 30+ people living in the one house in the neighborhood for 2 weeks that was built on 10 foot tall pilings. One of the men today had rescued his neighbors from their roofs and brought them all to that one house. Hearing their stories was moving, and it was obvious they saw us as a "shot in the arm" that they desperately needed. I think they've just been so overwhelmed with the sheer devastation, and them not having much to start with, being unable to leave the area, they honestly didn't know what to do anymore. Cleaning out their yards and the one gutted house was something that definitely cheered them up.
Not only that, they brought us cheer as well. We had a chance to play with some of their kids. We all now have Marti Gras beads thanks to cute little Jasmine, the daughter and granddaughter of some of the people we helped. They also bought us all flozen slushies, that were an incredible gift on a hot and muggy day.
New Jerusalem has been a fantastic "home" for us here. They have 2 rooms set apart for sleeping, and bathrooms with a shower, along with a kitchen and fellowship hall that we had the run of. They also had a trailer we've used to carry all the tools (shovels, grain scoops, 4 huge 2 wheel wheel barrows, dollies, hammers, pry bars, sledge hammers, masks, wipes) as well as coolers and water jugs for our lunches. We've eaten great, and haven't had any rain other than some brief sprinkles, so God has provided us with great working conditions.
Please pray for Friday. We'll work in the am, then clean up, shower, eat lunch, and head for home. Pray for safety as we once again drive through the night. This may be the last e-mail until we arrive home on Saturday. Too bad it'll be a short night with the time change, but many of us should see you Sunday morning, God willing!
