Journals from the Field
Mississippi Gulf Coast
By Jim Weatherly
September 27, 2005
Like a war zone is the only description that fits. Or in my case, a
fabricated summer blockbuster movie war zone- seeing how I've never witnessed
war first-hand. I'm standing on the beach of what once resembled the beautiful resort area of Gulfport,
Mississippi.
With every step I'm touching someone else's life-literally. Computer
keyboards, a pearl necklace, bent photo frames, toilet seats, books, Diet Coke
cans, and clothing cover the land. I'm most disturbed by a scattered stack of Gulfport High lunch trays.
It occurs to me that those seniors will always talk of this terror at class reunions.
Further up the coastline, I catch a glimpse of the casinos I've heard so much about in the news.
Although vacant and unlit, these "giants" still make an impression. One of them
was moved collectively a few yards back as if its fountain was always there,
while another appears to have served as fly-paper for a few semi-trucks that
are still embedded in the sides of it...five stories up.
Behind the van, a few feet back, stands the remains of a colossal church. Someone has placed a brand new state flag in front of it, which is
waving proudly from a slanted pole. Upon closer examination, I realize that it's a First Baptist Church. (In fact, there
are several churches along the coastline that amazingly are still intact.) Despite both sides of the sanctuary being
blown completely off, the innards of this church remain untouched. Pews perfectly aligned, the walls' paint
unpeeled, even the organ pipes still tower over where the choir once sang...and
will again someday soon.
The stench of decay -a mixture of city dump and Miracle Gro -lingers in the air. In the distance, thunderous booms remind us
that the demolition process continues well into the evening. Out across the ocean, bits of debris jut from
the water's surface like metal sharks while overhead, a half-moon slowly
materializes.
I feel half-empty as do most people that have seen the current state of Mississippi's coastline. Everything it appears is gone, but not
completely...as the moon reminds me.
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Hurricane Katrina: Pass Christian Relief Trip Update
By Rep. Fulton Sheen,
Michigan State Representative
January 20, 2006
On Sunday morning January 8, 2006, I got on a bus, which was donated by Indian Trails Bus
Lines in Lansing and headed to Pass Christian, Mississippi (with 36
others). Along with eight other Republican State Legislators, support staff, related wives, husbands, brothers,
sisters, cousins, and my daughter Jessie, we joined the other AmeriCorps
volunteers to provide assistance to one of the hardest hit areas in
Mississippi. Even though it had been three and a half months since Hurricane Katrina hit, it looked as if it
happened only a week before. It wasn't until recently that martial law had been lifted and people could return to
their homes and survey the damage. Most of the homes are a total loss near the coast; however, the ones that can be
repaired have barely been touched. Most of the people are living in one room FEMA trailers awaiting roofers,
electricians, and drywallers, which are backed up at least six to eight
weeks.
We stayed in "The Village" which is a tent city housing 160 families as well as the
AmeriCorps staff, and the volunteers. Most of the people along the coast eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner here
because so few have electricity or gas. The AmeriCorps staff is doing an awesome job coordinating all the
volunteers and attempting to help the people of Pass Christian begin to put their community and lives back together.
We need to remember them in prayer along with all the hurricane victims, because they are being stretched and pulled in a million directions, not to
mention doing it all on very little sleep.
Our first task was to cleanup and put back together the city park located across the
street from the ocean, and thus was the first land area to be hit by the 26
foot wave during the hurricane. We had to dig out destroyed blacktop, cement, stone, and trees which we either carried
or carted away by wheel barrel. The south side of the park acted as a catch basin for fallen trees, brush,
furniture, sinks, household items, and anything else you could think of. We finished the job sooner than they thought
we would, and were able to help a local resident named Craig. At lunch I spoke with him and he needed help
putting on a new roof and cleaning up his home. The nine of us who had brought our own tools began working on his roof
and clearing the refuse, which came from a block wall that smashed through the
middle section of the north side of the first floor. Craig's house was also across the street from
the ocean and his wife and children were in the house when the wave hit. They were in the center on the second floor
and were praying and singing worship songs...God must have been listening, because everything around him was destroyed.
Nine of us who had brought our tools spent the rest of the week repairing roofs, hanging
drywall, taping and mudding the joints, painting, laying floors, and setting in
sinks and toilets. The others worked on a gymnasium and school, taking out lockers, bleachers, and cleaning it up.
They also worked on helping residents clean
up their homes, worked at the make shift dog pound, as well as other tasks...
All in all, we accomplished a lot and were able to be a part of the restoration of
Pass Christian and its residents. Everyone was impacted by what they saw and was touched by the resiliency, the hope, the
determination, and the faith of the people of Pass Christian. Please consider joining us and doing what you
can to help. I guarantee if you choose to come, you will not only be a blessing to the people of Pass Christian, but
you will experience the most fulfilling blessing possible, which can only come
from helping those in need, which the first chapter of James calls the “pure
and faultless” practice of religion, and what Jesus simply defined as loving
your brother.
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