| Wednesday, we traveled west from the Alabama-Mississippi
border along US-90, the coastal highway, through Pascagoula, Gautier, and Ocean
Springs to the edge of Biloxi. Everywhere downed trees, the debris of limbs,
and the remnants of broken homes and businesses surrounded us. On the coast,
the destruction of homes is total. Inland a quarter mile or so, structures are
damaged, but still standing. Further inland, homes and businesses were flooded
in the storm surge from the Gulf, but folks are drying out and repairing.
Arriving on Day 9 after the worst of Hurricane Katrina, much visible progress
had been made in this eastern part of Mississippi. Power companies from around
the region rushed to the area. Electricity has been restored to all but the most
heavily damaged strip along the coast. Cell towers have been repaired, and mobile
phone connections are possible. The American Red Cross is operating shelters
for those displaced. Churches are feeding people and making supplies and clothing
available to any who walk in. Humvees of National Guard or active duty soldiers
are seen regularly, particularly in the most damaged zones. Gasoline is available
though not all stations are open. Insurance adjustors are set up in tents in
large parking lots with big crowds of people waiting to talk. Some fast food
restaurants are open: drive through only. Big Box stores are being resupplied
and are doing brisk business. It is my observation that franchise operations
have an advantage. Their regional warehouses have the ability to surge new merchandise
quickly. Local owned eateries and businesses are struggling.
We have identified our first base camp location, a small soccer field adjacent
to a church flooded out in the storm. We are now turning to equipping that first
camp for incoming volunteers. Everything in the sanctuary, Sunday school rooms,
and offices is outside drying in the sun. Slowly, the members of the church are
dealing with their badly damaged church.
But even as folks go about the task of cleaning, repair, and rebuilding, things
of the soul take much longer to heal. A man told me a story yesterday. "I
looked out the living room window. A wall of water from the Gulf was rushing
towards us. I turned to my wife and told her, 'I love you.' I haven't seen her
since."
The physical work of repair and rebuilding is underway. I ask for your prayers
for those who have lost so much and for whom their emotional and spiritual repair
will take much, much longer. |
