----Hurricane Katrina-----

VIM Disaster Relief Team

Bay St Louis, Mississippi

The following links are provided to allow you to skip directly to a specific day of interest

Day One

Day Two

Pastor Jim’s “VIM” Reflections on the Trees

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Day Seven

Day Eight

A six member DUMC Hurricane Katrina Disaster Recovery Team will depart the church on Saturday, January 7^th for a nine day VIM (Volunteer in Mission) trip to Bay St Louis Mississippi. The DUMC team will join with other team members from St Matthews UMC Bowie, Maryland; Faith UMC Rockville, Maryland and Otterbein UMC Hagerstown, Maryland.

Irene Schneider of St Matthews UMC is the trip organizer and leader. The trip was arranged through the General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church, VIM office http://gbgm-umc.org/vim and the Mississippi Conference, United Methodist Church, Disaster Recovery Ministries.

DUMC Team Members

Pastor Jim Stutler Rusty Lamar

Blair Smith Vonda Vales

Susan Lamar Roger Vales

Departure Arrangements

Departure: 6 am Saturday January 7th Dave Toms will drive himself
and meet us in Chattanooga; Davidsonville Folks will drive separately
and meet up with us in route; Hagerstown and Rockville folks will join
the group from St Matthews to depart. Drivers will have cell phone;
their numbers are listed on the team roster. Irene Schneider, Pat Eagen,
Jim Stutler and Dave Tom's numbers should be used for the trip down & back.
We will be traveling 600 miles to Chattanooga the first day and then
about 600 miles more the next day to Bay Saint Louis. With the time
change in Mississippi we should arrive under day light.

First night lodging is in Chattanooga, TN at the La Quinta Inn, 7015 Shallow Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421. Phone 423.588.0011. Directions: I-75 S-bound take exit 5, right on Shallowford Road, right past the light. Reservations are guaranteed for late arrival on Jan 7th. We will use the same hotel for the return trip arriving there January 14^th.

Bay St Louis lodging

The team will be staying in the Morrell Foundation’s “iCare Village” located in Waveland, Mississippi. The village was built to aide the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. The village consists of one main 10,000 square foot structure and many other smaller structures spread out across the site. The village is a fully functional center, equipped with utilities such as electricity, water, sewer and air condition.

Why our iCare Village Is Needed

The hurricane survivors need emotional support. As the survivors start to put back their lives one piece at a time they will need a sense of community and a break from the harsh aftermath of the storm. The Morrell Foundation’s, iCare Village is a community center where people can enjoy the support of each other and the guidance of volunteers. The Village will host weekly events like concerts, holiday celebrations and games for children. Additionally, the Village will host Monday Night Football and movie nights in a media room. The village can be used to host any need of the community from a church meeting, a child’s birthday party, or an art class.

The need for basic essentials. The iCare Village serves three meals per day to the community and volunteers and also hosts a medical facility to treat minor injuries and ailments. The Village has bathrooms and shower rooms, and a laundry facility. Additionally, the iCare Village has a business center providing internet access.

They can not rebuild without volunteers. The devastation that resulted from Hurricane Katrina will take many years and even more volunteers to make an impact. Unfortunately the volunteers who are selflessly donating their time and hard work have no place to stay while on their mission. The deserted parking lots that were once home to these volunteers are becoming sparse due to many shops reopening their doors. The iCare Village serves as a volunteer headquarters for the thousands of volunteers coming to serve.

Click here for a USGS overview of the devastated area. Also, please click here to see before and after photos of the Mississippi coast.

DUMC SUPPORT {MANY THANKS TO}

· United Methodist Men $ 750

· Care and Nurture $ 200

· Vim Offering $ 685

· Tommy Tucker Van and Trailer ready to go

· Mary Snyder Generator

Day One

The Drive

January 7, 6:15: Erik Andrews is at church to see the VIM team off and take departure picture. Vonda is not yet a wake as the picture shows. Roger led off the driving going right thru the Nations Capital, past the Pentagon and out Hwy 66 to 81. Stopped at Strasburg, VA for coffee and a driver change where we ran into our St Matthews UMC team members. Blair took over the driving and Pastor Jim took over the back seat in the van for a long, long nap.

After our 1^st stop for gas fill-up, Blair spotted a sign for the “Three Li’ll Pigs Barbeque” restaurant. It being only 11:00 we were the first customers of the day. We all tried the North Carolina style BBQ pulled pork. Vonda gave it a D+, the rest of us only slightly better marks. Way too much vinegar! Virginia BBQ is always suspect, but tomorrow we’ll be in Alabama or Mississippi at lunch. Those folks know BBQ!

The 9.2 miles per gal we are getting in the old church van has our financial officer, Blair, in tears-- that’s the bad news. The good news is the van ran great towing the trailer, and the passenger seating was very comfortable. Vonda finally ran Pastor Jim out of the back seat and took over the nap duty.

As 4:30 pm Susan became the hero when she brought out a TV so we could watch the Redskins beat the Buccaneers in the first play off game. We arrived in Chattanooga, TN at 5:15 pm (11 hours and 615 miles after we started the day), had dinner and met with our other team members for evening vespers led by Pastor Jim. Off to bed to prepare for another 600 mile day.

Pictures – Day One

VIM team departs DUMC at 6:15 Saturday, 7 January

Blair has to have BBQ lunch at "Three Little Pigs", Danville, VA

After long drive full team gathers for evening vespers in Chattanooga, TN

Day Two

The drive today was comfortable. The question of the day is how many Methodists does it take to change the van’s clock from eastern to central time?

a. 1-- 2 minutes

b. 3--5 hours

c. All totally befuddled

We may give you the answer tomorrow.

We have all read the drywall manual. We have been through Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. We looked for catfish for lunch but had to settle for a Sonic experience. About 100 miles from Bay St. Louis, we began to see many, many roofs covered in blue tarps and thousands of downed trees. We saw hundreds of FEMA trailers, all brand new, just sitting in a field. After a long (we got a little lost) tour of the devastation, we arrived at Main Street UMC, off-loaded our supplies (and the Lamars’ bedding which we had to beg back) and traveled on to find the Morrell Foundation I Care Village. Along the beachfront, the third story of one house was the only thing remaining among all the twisted live oaks. All else was washed away. Piles and piles of debris lie along the streets in the community. Lots of prayers are needed.

We have rooms and cots in a huge tent. Dining is also in a large tent. Tomorrow we will receive our assignment.

Blue tarps 100 miles north of Bay St Louis

Thousands of trees down

FEMA trailers in lots

Beach Drive 7 miles long

One of two houses left standing on Beach Drive for quarter mile inland

Main Street Methodist Church Bay St Louis

Church supply area

Other standing house

I-Care Center, home for the week

I-Care room

Dining tent

Pastor Jim’s “VIM” Reflections on the Trees

Standing under an ancient oak in an opening scene from the landmark series Cosmos Carl Sagan says, “We humans look rather different than a tree. Without a doubt we perceive the world differently than a tree. But down deep, at the molecular heart of life, the tree and we are essentially identical. . . . We are both make of star stuff. (p. 38)” I have a powerful feeling of that “star stuff” in my life. I have always had a close affinity to trees - you could say that I love trees. In one of my favorite book Earth Prayers there is a prayer from the Chinook Psalter with the repeated lines May all I say and all I think be in harmony with thee. God within me, God beyond me, maker of the trees. This affirmation comes to us over 260 times in the Bible as God works in and through the images of trees.

I was asked to lead vesper services each evening on our recent VIM mission in Mississippi. The first service came to me in the power of the trees The many ways that the Bible expresses God presence in and through trees - I find it true for me. To touch a tree for me is to know God in a unique way. The Bible is framed in trees from Genesis 1:11 to Revelation 22:19 our faith engage trees as a reality of God power and presence.

As we drove south, deeper into Mississippi, all of us were looking out the van window waiting to see the power of the hurricane. We each saw in our own way – I see through trees – their breaking off, their uprooting, their direction of bend or brokenness, their kind, their age, their place in the forest and most importantly their recovery. The Scriptures often remind us - a tree is a symbol of hope and life. We camped at the ocean’s edge amid a grove of massive live oaks I would guess some well over three hundred years old possibly even five. They were totally limbless - I went to them and touched their pain and blessed them. I went to them to receive the power of their strength and to know their journey in this storm and storms long past. I prayed for their wounds and was blessed by their strength. Few trees stood along the coast of Bay St. Louis, many uprooted, broken off or washed away. The trees that stood showed the power of the hurricane they were ripped and torn by wind and debris. Yet upon the broken limbs of the mighty live oak sprigs grew green like clumps of mistletoe. Where little or nothing stood manmade the trees held fast in the melee of this Armageddon. Hope through a mighty oak that has withstood hundred of similar storms shows forth in the image of God the maker of the trees who gives hope amid the destruction.

Day Three

BAY ST LOUIS/WAVELAND, MISSISSIPPI (DIRECTLY IN THE PATH OF THE STORM SURGE)

JANUARY 9^TH

^{Notes of Team Leader, Irene Schneider, St Matthews
UMC, Bowie}

TEAM ONE;

The home of Linda Shaw, her husband Hobart and Captain Fou at 4220 Kelly Road, Pearlington, which is west of Waveland. Linda works in the medical community; Hobart works for NASA and Captain Fou (Martin Bowman) lives on and oversees the property.

They claimed government support was 5% to 90% religious support; Army Corp of Engineers under Col Harrington has been very helpful to this community.

The Shaws evacuated while Captain Fou stayed on the property in one of three sailboats tied together during the storm surge. After winds ranging at 130 miles per hour stopped, it took 14-16 hours for the 45 foot storm surge to begin to recede. Captain Fou spent 12 hours in the sail boat riding out the storm, not knowing where he was; had the storm carried him out to sea, to another state, was he still in the water or had he been washed ashore? Two of the three sail boats in the channel broke their moorings and were blown into some large trees on the property, the third stayed at its mooring. When the winds changed direction and the water receded the two sail boats returned to the channel. Captain Fou’s first contact was three days later when a Navy Seal Team came looking for survivors.

Twenty trees, some oaks over one hundred fifty years old, covered the driveway to their home and the water reached to the top of the windows on the second floor. Then came “Rita”: more water covered the roads after receding from” Katrina” and made it impossible to travel. To get to the house you had to park at Highway 90 and hike in, about 5 miles. Muck and mud, swamp reeds and debris were found in the drywall between it and the insulation 6 inches below the ceiling on the second floor.,

Fifty people died in Pearlington, population 1400, 8-10 drowned in a church unable to evacuate. Some who lived in the area did not own vehicles, and judging by the debris the vehicles they had could not make the trip. A huge junk yard of vehicles and broken trailers still line the shoulders of Route 90. Pearlington is unincorporated, has no mayor, sheriff or police for warnings or arranging evacuations. They were without electrical power for 100 days. The Corp of Engineers, FEMA and the Navy Seals were the only support for this community until church support became available. Food and water were scarce. The Red Cross is still feeding the people there.

Our pictures will show the horrendous debris there and we were told it only represents 5% of what was there. This family just received 2 “FEMA” trailers one month ago. You had to have water, sewerage and electric before you could get a FEMA trailer. Captain Fou dug a well for water; they used a generator for power and were able to still use their existing septic system. The Shaws were collectors of antiques and guns. They lost 99% of all their personal items and just about lost their house and boats. There were thousands of 45 and LP original label records scattered all over the property. .

Our mission at this property is to remove all soaked insulation and sheetrock from the first and second floors. All debris, dry wall and insulation on the second floor had to be shoveled into a wheel barrow and dumped into a pile on the ground as all steps to the second floor were gone. We had to use a ladder to enter the second story. The debris pile grew to over 15 feet high. We then had to haul this out to the road for eventual pick up. Only the second story front walls remain on the house. A few hours into the project we realized the ceiling and sub-flooring on the second floor, which was made of particle board, needed to be removed. Particle board turns to gummy glue when it gets wet. Trash and personal items peppered the property. It was truly hard to imagine this place prior to the storm and how beautiful it must have been.

The Storm’s 35 Foot Wall of Water

Shaw House

Sail Boats Back at Mooring

View from House

Red Cross Providing Lunch

TEAM TWO;

Margie Peters (68 and disabled) and her four grandchildren, Pearlington, Mississippi.

The family evacuated during the storm. Upon their return, they had to live on the property in order to receive the help they needed to repair their home. Margie’s husband is in the hospital in Slidell and only three of the four grandchildren returned with her.

This house (double wide trailer), excluding the structure was completely destroyed by the water surge.

She shared pictures of the water damage to all furniture, appliances and personal items. Water had raised through the walls and inside the actual electrical wiring casings, so all wires and boxes, drywall sub-flooring, insulation and outside siding of this trailer needed to be replaced. She could rebuild her trailer but could not replace it with a new one because of new laws passed. It was a very nice piece of property and a beautiful five bedroom home.

Teams had been to this location and tried their best to get her back in her home. Unfortunately the other teams did not have the necessary skills to get the electrical and drywall done properly. When we arrived at

this site, it was determined all wiring had to be re-done. Some of the partially installed drywall had to be removed to correct the electrical hook ups and correct how the dry wall was hung. THIS LADY HAD ORIGINALLY PAID SOMEONE TO DO THIS WORK WITH HER INSURANCE MONEY, THEN HAD TO COME TO THE CHURCH FOR HELP FROM VIM TEAMS.

This family was given one small FEMA Trailer to house four people. There is barely enough room to walk into the trailer and into the tiny bathroom. Some pop-up tents have more room than this trailer.

It was over 60 days before this area started to receive help. They lived on sippy packets of water and “MRE” meals provided by the Red Cross. Every piece of furniture, appliance and 90% of heir personal items were lost.

Inside Peters Double Wide

The Peters: Margie, Jessica , Rickey, & Mandy

Peters Double Wide

TEAM THREE:

MAIN STREET UMC was heavily damaged by the storm surge. The entire Day Care Center, the pastor’s and secretary’s office were flooded and the steeple was blown down. The steeple of this historic church lies out front;

it must be hauled off to be restored. Other teams removed the debris and began the re-construction. Our task is to hang dry wall, tape, mud and sanding for the next team to finish. They are working on three rooms.

Part of this team is also manning the neighborhood supply tent that distributes needed items to the community. They come in needing blankets, towels, bleach, detergent and a smile and someone to listen. This team will also organize the church’s storage room.

Main Street UMC

Day Four

January 10th, 2006

Peters House

Team: Jim Stutler, Pete Eagen, Chuck McClurg, Dave Toms

Former folks attempted to do the electrical & dry wall, leaving both jobs incomplete and in a mess. It was two months before they received help. Margie has had a FEMA trailer for about 30 days. Once FEMA arrives, the Red Cross volunteers leave, with no assistance with food or water or any debris removal.

Margie and the kids left the area with no gas to get anywhere. Shelters were full so they slept in the car on the road. A man stopped and gave them a tent. She is a sixty seven year old woman with four children who showed such strength. Her daughter met a biker who got them gas to get them out of the area after the storm. They watched the trailer come apart next door to them. All they had to eat for three days was water melon.

They stayed in Alabama. When she arrived back after two months away, she found 18 inches of water had gotten inside and, with no attention, the house was full of mold. She wanted to put up a new trailer, but couldn’t. If she left the property with no structure, the county would have taken the property. Developers are trying to buy the land and the county will not let them build new houses. People have left their property only to come back and find they don’t own it any longer.

She has insurance with some repair coverage. She has tried to find the cheapest folks to do the job and as a result, all the work that is done, has to be re-done. She houses two Mexican guys that do roofing and have helped her with some work.

We have been on the job for two days and have re-wired two thirds of her house, she now has lights and a washing machine. During the next two days we will finish the electrical and some of the dry wall work.

Former VIM teams used youth that were not trained on dry wall or electrical skills. Our team noticed holes cut for receptacles that were not in the same place they should be.

She feeds the crew heater meals. You pour water over a chemical pad, which heats by a chemical reaction and steams the meal. MRE, Military meals ready to eat.

Hard Working Electrical Crew

Unfinished Electrical Work

Work at Main Street Church

Team: Debra Marshall, Elinor Smith, Jo Anna Clark

People come in and talk a lot. A lady today said she and her daughter both lost their homes in New Orleans. She had an indoor flea market business in Bay St Louis which was mostly lost but they expect the business to be reopened. She is living in town.

A gentleman comes in and says he still cannot believe this has happened. Crystal River Methodist Church has organized to bring a youth group to work. The supply tent will close down in two weeks.

A little girl, great manners, wanted crayons, no stuffed animal. She said thank you and asked where she could put her trash. We were tickled with a lady who came in wanting matched sheets. We were able to get our towels out and some sheets.

Main Street UMC Supply Tent

The Shaw House

Team: Irene & Bill Schneider, Pat Eagen, Martha and Jessica Philips-Patrick, Rusty & Susan Lamar, Blair Smith, Vonda & Roger Vales

We have been on the job for two days and have mucked out all the first floor and made progress on the second. It is about a city block from the house to where we were dumping the remains of the house. The big thing was the owner, Linda Shaw, came by today. She clarified some of the issues we were concerned about -- what should be torn down and what should be left. She carted out trash with the group and made a point of expressing her gratitude to each member. She was able to locate several personal items that meant a lot to her and she saved them, especially a t-shirt from a rock concert that she had attended some years before. Bill’s personal observation was that he saw her when she came and when we left and she seemed like a different person after seeing what the team had accomplished. Everyone was glad that we got to meet Linda. She was so appreciative of what we had done. Roger's observation was once she saw a large crew making great progress she snapped out of months of depression. She could now see the future. It was a great event to witness and gave great meaning to the trip .

The 2nd floor debris pile

Moving the debris by wheelbarrow

The 15 foot pile is gone

New pile at the road

Home Owner Linda Shaw

Day Five

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Bay St Louis Mississippi

Our teams have been working for three days at the Main Street UMC and in Pearlington, Mississippi, south of Bay St Louis, an area that was directly hit by the storm surge that first came ashore. One of the things that struck us the most is the amount of tree destruction and the pain condition of the trees left. Most of them will die due to exposure to the salt water. There were/are trees here that are over 150 years old.

A 12 mile radius was directly hit by the 35 foot storm surge. It is so hard to imagine this area will ever recover.

Our team has bonded well, made new friends and shared lots of stories. We are on track to accomplish our goals at all three sites.

We worked until 1:00 pm on Wednesday, cleaned up and drove to New Orleans to see the town and have dinner. The 60 mile drive from Bay St Louis to New Orleans on Hwy 10 gave us a new appreciation of the vast damage. As we passed Pearlington, MS, Slidell, LA, Lake Pontchartrain, the outskirts of New Orleans and the 9th Ward, the damage was overwhelming with few if any people on the streets. Everything South of Hwy 10 has been destroyed or damaged.

As we made our way into the high part of the city, we could see that the city was starting to come back. A horse and carriage passed in front of us as we approached the French Quarter. We parked at the market just outside the French Quarter and walked into the French Quarter which was all cleaned up. A lot of the shops were open, and there were a few shoppers. An old street car came rolling by.

We shopped and talked with some shopkeepers. They told the story of how their business was ok but their home was destroyed. We made our way to Bourbon Street where there was some life but not like before the storm. Most of the folks in town were tourists or workers. As it became later, more and more workers were finding their way to their hotels in the French Quarter.

We got back in the van for our trip to Metairie to the Acme Oyster House for a real New Orleans dinner. Interstate 10 was a major rush hour traffic jam. That was good and bad news. It showed the city was coming back but the workers are living out of town and have to drive into and out of town rather than use the city's transit system to get to their homes. Lots of "help wanted" signs are up. One of Blair's New Orleans cousins who lost her home met us for dinner. The sit-down dinner was a real treat and the food very good.

The drive back was very dark as a lot of the city and the outlying towns are unoccupied and without electricity.

New Orleans

New Orleans Horse and Carriage

New Orleans Streetcars are Running

VIM Team Visits New Orleans

Bourbon Street Open for Business.....Not Much of It

Day Six

January 12, 2006

Waveland, Pearlington and Bay Saint Louis Mississippi

Broken Trees, Broken Houses, Broken Dreams, Broken Lives

The devastation in this area is beyond comprehension. We are here experiencing it and still cannot comprehend all of what we are experiencing. In our spiritual teachings we are taught that possessions can always be replaced and shouldn’t carry the importance in our lives that we seemingly place on them, but we fail to realize what possessions symbolize when a disaster of this magnitude hits.

A storm can break down trees and blow away a house, but it also breaks down dreams and blows away people's lives. Possessions have become identifiers of the lives of people. It encompasses their dignity, their style of life, (living in a home instead of in their car). Although Mississippi is considered the poorest state in the United States, it was never considered one without faith. The pain people seem to feel is the loss, the loss of all. In some cases, loved ones, others accomplishments, others memories but most, the loss of just everyday life as it was.

As you walk and see a toy truck in the mud, or a light fixture or a sign that will never again identify a location because the location is gone, it makes one sad. Sad because all of these THINGS meant something to these people, were created by people, represented a town were people lived and worked and played or worshiped. The emptiness this creates can only be partially filled by the love and care of others. These people need to see and feel results--results that represent some of their dreams re-built. Something they want and need returned. Their everyday life!

Everyone we have talked to says these are just things and they don’t matter, what matters is I want my home back, I want my town back, I want my life back!

The Kansas East District of the Western Conference was the first to arrive to this area and is still operating the recovery for UMCOR. FEMA trailers started arriving in October, and they are still waiting for more. They have assisted over 300 families begin their recovery process, have 40 on the un-complete list and 140 actively waiting team support. Pearlington, where two of our teams are working, was behind the entire area in receiving support. It took members of the community setting up a site where people could come and ask for help. They then contacted the church organizations in the area for help, who then got FEMA involved. No one from their county or state came to assist them.

In some cases their insurance only covers roof replacement unless they were in the flood plain and could get flood insurance. Most of these folks could not afford flood insurance and had no idea how to apply to FEMA or VIM teams for help.

Contractors are taking advantage of these folks charging $800.00 per room for flood clean up. Others are stating that they can do work, which doesn’t get done correctly, and then they leave the area. There is no one to call back to fix what wasn’t done properly in the beginning.

But, there is good sign of work being done right and a town coming back. I walked the small town of Bay St Louis and experienced trucks moving on every street hauling debris, carpenters re-framing houses, residents working hard to clear their property and some businesses re-opening for part of the week. It was good to see some grass re-growing and trees getting leaves back. Some bushes even displayed flowers.

Waveland and Pearlington are the areas in most need. They are 90 days behind most of the progress. There is still rumor that builders and casino owners are trying to purchase land, cheap, for condos and beachfront casinos.

The “I Care Village“, run by the Morrell Foundation has spent $800,000.00 on the facility set up to house volunteers. I was shocked to hear many stay there that have made reservations through third -party organizations, paying as much as $30.00 per day per person, and the Foundation doesn’t see a cent of the funds. When you arrive, they ask you to register but never ask you for money. There is a mail slot for you to make a donation if you can. Their suggest amount is $10.00 per person per day. The facility has its problems, but every day there are folks working to make improvements. It is amazing what they have set up under the conditions here.

On Thursday evening the team viewed a DVD prepared by a local TV station in Waveland. I was given a copy and will copy for all team members. This documentary shows the area before and after “Katrina” and tells the story of the people. We were all speechless at the end!

Someone's Life Long Belongings

Remains of Large Record Collection

A Car But No Home

A Home Washed Away

"I" Care Center a Gift of the Morrell Foundation

Day Seven

We began the day with the teams at the three locations where they started on Monday, each with a plan to finish all assigned goals.

By 12 noon the team from the Shaw house and from the Church joined the team at the Peters house. Seventeen worked till 5:30 and completed the goal (all electric wiring including the stove, washer and dryer was operational) plus were able to install two rooms of drywall and spackle most of the remaining drywall.

The work we accomplished will allow Mrs. Peters to move out of the trailer and back into her house. There is still much to be done there, but she can live in the house.

Pastor Stutler held a Communion Service upon our return to the I-Care Center, after which we discussed what more we could do for the two families and the church. We collected $900.00 from the team to purchase appliances for the two houses, and we still have funds to give to the Church or pay directly to UMCOR. Additionally, we purchased more towels, bleach and detergent for the church supply tent.

The mission of this VIM trip was completed. We touched the lives of two families and helped them on their way to rebuilding. However, to rebuild the Golf Coast, it is going to take the continuing commitment of all our churches sending VIM Teams for years.

Bill, Rusty & Blair Hang Dry Wall

Grand Peters Granddaughters Spackle

Pastor Jim Stutler Carries Dry Wall

Blair & Roger Cut Dry Wall

Vonda Spackles the Corner

The Smiles Are Payment for this VIM Trip

Day Eight

Blair's Reflections

Seeing God’s divine hand in the strangest of places

For most of the work week our Davidsonville V.I.M. team was split in two. Rev. Jim, Roger and Vonda worked at restoring the double-wide home of kindly “Margie Peters”. At that location there were plenty of smiles, and one of the granddaughters she was raising made neck signs reading “Didn’t do it” or “Yes, Dear”. Susan, Rusty and myself, however, spent all but the afternoon of the last day at the Shaw residence under decidedly different circumstances. Joining us there for the week were Bill Schneider from St. Matthews in Bowie and the mother-daughter duo from Rockville, Marti and Jessica Phillips-Patrick.

Our first inkling that we were in for a unique and challenging experience was upon arrival. The home of Hobart and Linda Shaw, who were not then in residence, was on a swampy peninsula and was presided over by a man calling himself Captain Fou (or Fou fou). It wasn’t until several days later that we learned that his actual name was Martin Luther Bowman III. As we had the long DUMC van and its attached trailer, I was apprehensive of driving it through mud and was fearful of finding our team unable to turn around. The Captain assured me that the mud had a solid bottom and that I could turn around “at the end of the world”.

We soon learned that the Captain and the Shaws were probably survivalists. Numerous weapons were in evidence as were thousands of rounds of ammunition in various calibers. The area was filled with stores and supplies. The Captain then began a continuous right-wing conspiracy lecture that lasted 4 ½ days, interrupted only by our daily departures or when some of us were on the 2^nd floor. Those there were clearing the interior walls down right to the studs. This meant that anyone on the ground level , whose job it was to clear away the debris thus created, was fully exposed to the Captain’s ramblings.

At the end of the first day several of us approached Irene Schneider, our group leader, with justifiable concerns. Was this truly part of God’s plan or could our energies be best used elsewhere? Some of our 17 member V.I.M. team refused to work there, and the rest did so with reservations. Our core group of 6 stuck it out knowing that God works in mysterious ways. We realized that these folks, too, were his people and were in need of help.

After two days we figured out that the Captain’s technique was to bombard us with questions, the answers to which only he generally knew. The subject matter varied little, but generally had to do with conspiracy, rights to privacy and the 2^nd Amendment. He would also regale us with stories about the 5 hurricanes that he had ridden out. He reminded all of us of the Energizer Bunny; he just never stopped going. We joked that someone needed to be the designated listener so that the rest could get work done. Early on Roger had job, but he fled after two days. Marti and Sue generally bore the burden. I would spell them periodically, attempting to turn the tables by asking him historical questions to which only I knew the answers.