More of Biloxi...

I realize it's been a couple of days. But it's definitely been a crazy couple of days. It has also been a really good couple of days.

We've been working for about three and a half days now. The first full day, Tuesday, I started out with a group at The Lutheran Church of the Good Shephard (Missouri Synod) working in their sanctuary and cry room. We sanded down the walls and put some more dry wall and mud up then sanded that down again. It was hard work but good. I met the pastor of the church - he's only been here about three years and is only three years out of seminary. He is only a few years older than I am. As he said, "Talk about baptism by fire!" It is kind of crazy to think that in four and a half years I could be out there some where and have to deal with something like this (not likely, but still kind of crazy). In addition to the pastor we met several congregation members who came in throughout the day. We listened to their stories and I am truly amazed by the people down here. Every single one said thank you and told us how much we were appreciated. It truly is amazing.

Tuesday afternoon my group moved on to join the other three people in our group. We started to work on a woman's home who had flood water at least 6 feet high in her house. Over the past few days we've been working on her home trying to get it to at least the point where she can move in. I spent most of today putting in flooring and putting up molding. Yesterday was spent primarily painting and doing other random jobs around the house. Today I also spent some time with another group member, Tom, and the owner of the house listening to her story. She was here through the entire storm. She eventually went down the street to a neighbor's two story house and when the water started to rise into the first story, they went to the second where she watched her car be submerged under the flood waters. After the rain stopped but the winds continued, her son-in-law went out and found several other people in need of help and at some point they had over 20 people in the second story of that house. I am in awe that these people have gone through this kind of thing. Secondly, the people around here have formed a real community, watching out for one another and definitely willing to help each other out (us included) at a moment's notice. I wonder what it was like down here before Katrina. Was there this kind of community? If not, why does such a tragedy bring people together like this? I have my own answers, but I occasionally like to just pose questions.

Ok, I should probably stop now... need to go lay in my bed soon and I'm assuming shortly after I do that I'll be asleep. We work tomorrow and then leave for Ohio on Saturday morning returning on Sunday some time.

That's what's going on now... more later. I'm sure there will be pictures after I return at some point... some of them are amazing. In the meantime, take a look at http://www.loloh.org for some pictures.

Kate