Update #1

A 5:15am airport arrival time made for a sleepy eyed but enthusiastic departure for team #60 headed to Biloxi January 11-19, 2008.

After a layover in Dallas, we finally arrived in the Gulfport/Biloxi at St. Paul's UMC around 5pm.  We received an orientation for Loyce Searight to the sleeping arrangements and settled in for the night at the church.

On Saturday morning we met St. Paul's UMC Rev. Lindsey Robinson.  We got a great update from Mike Zeiderman, volunteer coordinator from HOPE - The East Biloxi Coordination Relief & Redevelopment Agency.  He spoke of the diversity of the neighborhoods that we would be working in and how many of them have deep family roots.  Before Katrina there were approximately 20,000 people in East Biloxi, now there are only 7-8,000.  Only 15-20% of the houses that need to be rebuilt have been completed.  

Currently there are as many as 400 volunteers on the ground at anyone time, yet it is important that everyone knows that a lot of help is still needed.  The area is also experiencing an increase in suicide, domestic violence & depression. Rev. Robinson is helping coordinate training additional persons to provide counseling.

Our team is divided between 2 homes.  One is the home of Sydney, who is a single female who has been serving active military duty in the Air Force for the last 16 years and just recently served in Iraq. When she returned she was not able to live in her historical home; instead she moved into her FEMA trailer where she lives today.  Ms. Dyche has lived in Biloxi for over 2 1/2 years.  Hurricane Katrina severely damaged her home, along with the 4 plus feet of water in her home; a majority of the damage was caused by the collapse of the roof.  The team is laying hardwood floors in the living room, dinning room, halls & 2 bedrooms.  The team is also repairing ceilings and walls in the kitchen & pantry & adding extra support in the attic.  It's a very busy construction site & great progress is being made.

The second home belongs to Renee, a minister whose church was destroyed during Katrina and has yet to be rebuilt.  Ms. LaRue is 50 years old and has lived in Biloxi for 15 years.  She shares her home with her 67 year old uncle, who cares for since his stroke, and 3 grand children, a 13 year old girl and 2 grandsons 11 & 7.  They relocated to Gauthier to a FEMA trailer park where she continues to live.  Her daughter & grandchildren recently moved to Phoenix.  The home has been gutted to the studs and insulation was installed last week.  Our team is sheet rocking the entire home, building a new closet and utility area & hopefully will begin mudding.

We had the privilege to meet both of the homeowners & have their amazing survival stories.  In the evening we've been blessed with great meals, hot showers, a little weekend football ("Go Patriots") & not so blessed with some serious snoring!  All in all we've been working hard, meeting new people & trying to work as God's hands the best we can.