Mississippi

This last week, I had a bit of a different adventure. I joined 15 others from my home church in Calgary, Alberta, for a week of Hurricane Katrina relief work in Pass Christian, Mississippi with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). We flew down Sunday, February 19 to be confronted with the aftermath of Katrina. While I expected the area to still be needy, as far as repairs and such go, I was shocked to find 6 months after Katrina, only two businesses (a liquor store & gas station) had been able to reopen in the entire city of Pass Christian. We turned onto "Main Street", which at one point was the hub of the city and is now yet one more street filled with rubble. What once was a picturesque Sunday drive along the coast, is now mere remnants of once grand Plantation Homes. Someone told me the area had once been home to 500 Historical homes, and only 6 are left. Where they got their stats, I don't know, but the devastation was complete and, 6 months later, it was hard to tell if any work had been done at all.

I spent the week attempting to frame floor joists, roofing and making deliveries through out the Gulf Coast. It was hard work, but so rewarding to be God's hands in such a tangible way. One woman we worked for was a recent widow, and unable to do work herself. For us to roof her house was such a blessing. Another family thought they'd be okay; they had extensive hurricane insurance, after all, but their insurance provider claims the damage was done by floods, not hurricanes, and refuses to pay out. They are now unemployed, with most businesses ruined, without insurance and left with a mere shell of a home. They testified to the many churches and Christian organizations that have stepped in to help them, whether ripping out drywall, cleaning up yards or roofing. They praised God for his provision, when all their earthly means had run out.

Part of the experience was not even the disaster relief, or the physical labour, but just being in "The South" - eating catfish and deep fried dill pickles, swatting gnats and enjoying the smells of flowers still in bloom. Really being ONE with the body of Christ, as the camp where we stayed hosted over 100 Amish from Pennsylvania, 40 Free Methodists from Iowa and area, and us 60 MDSers from Virginia, Calgary, Winnipeg, and a Kleingemeinde congregation from Alberta. Learning new skills, admiring the tenacity of the residents who remained in the Gulf Coast, celebrating together the birthday of someone who, days ago, was a complete stranger, and being a part of something bigger than yourself. It was a tremendous experience, and very eye-opening for me. I know here in the North End we welcome short-term missions teams more for what being here can teach them than what they can bring to us: we see stereotypes fall away and compassion grow where there once was only apathy, or worse, judgement. I found the same thing being in Mississippi happen to me: the news stories became meaningful, the statistics had a name, and the impact of the disaster was felt. Hopefully from now on, disasters will prompt a response from me: a prayer, a gift, my time... something more than just "one more News story".