UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
At the end of August you probably noticed news coverage of the 2nd anniversary since Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast. Most of the news seems to concentrate on New Orleans, but I know for a fact that the entire Mississippi coast also suffered tremendous destruction, and there are still far too many people living in FEMA trailers instead of their homes. Each family has a story that usually includes frustrating hassles with insurance companies, difficulty getting FEMA trailers, contractor rip-offs, and struggles to make a living because Katrina also destroyed their place of employment.
From 8-16 September I led a team of 34 on my 4th trip to Gulfport. Volunteers for the team live not only in and around Altoona but also in Williamsport and northern Virginia. The Altoona District Mission Teams work on projects coordinated by the Gulfport regional office of United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to help elderly, disabled, low income or other special circumstance families repair their homes and get out of FEMA trailers. It is truly amazing how 34 strangers came together to form crews to help restore hope for five families in one short week. Each volunteer paid a registration fee to cover all travel expenses, and our team had funds donated generously by our churches, businesses, and fund raisers to cover materials and supplies that went directly to support the Katrina victims. We camped out in our host church in Long Beach, MS, slept on cots, fixed our own meals except three provided by our host church, showered in a trailer, worked much harder than we normally do in hot, humid weather, and came away with tired muscles and a very good feeling in our hearts.
There is still a lot of work to be done, and we plan to continue our cycle of spring and fall Katrina recovery trips. The Altoona District Disaster Relief / Mission Team also supports local needs with periodic Saturday workdays, and a team is currently being organized to go help the tornado victims in Greensburg, KS in October.
If you would like to join one of these teams, support their efforts, or learn more about these trips, let me know. We need Prayers, Payers and Players so everyone can be a valuable participant in every trip. Each trip is an experience you will never forget, and neither will the families we help.
God Bless,