Mission of Mercy....

Well, the reason for the name of the post is because in the past week, it has been called that twice. So, we are embracing what God has put before us and thanking Him for his travel mercy and protection.

We got off to a later start on Saturday morning due to weather concerns from the night before. Shari and I were on the phone until just past 11pm watching Hurricane Rita on Friday night and trying to decide whether it was a trip we should be going on. We had a tough time because we weren't sure whether it was the devil trying to put doubt in our minds or if the weather was really going to be a factor. After a lot of discussion between ourselves and our spouses, we decided that we were still going to go and would evaluate our trip down to Escatawpa once we got to Perkinston.

So at around 8am we were able to get on the road with Shari's mom and headed for Perkinston. We were both tired and Shari had a bad night of rest but our mission was clear and we were energized by God and are thankful that He has the power to sustain us even when we aren't able to do it ourselves. We ran into what we have decided must be the "state bug" of Mississippi. The "Love Bug", and this isn't a car named Herbie. There is an Urban Legend that they were an experiment gone wrong in Florida many years ago or that they were "created" to eat mosquitoes. Well, after doing a little research, I am now able to clearly say they are just a major annoyance 2x's a year for the Gulf Coast states and up into South Carolina, where I personally have memories from. For those interested, here is a website I found about this....http://www.snopes.com/critters/lurkers/lovebugs.htm.

Anyway, back to our trip....

Because of these pests, we had to stop at a gas station to wash Shari's windshield. So after washing the windshield, we got back on the road and Shari decided we would see how long it took before we couldn't see out the window again. (It was the only amusement we had :-) ) About 15 minutes later, her window was almost totally covered again and we started praying for a heavy rain to clear them off. You see, windshield washer fluid only smears them. Well, God started to answer and we jokingly said "harder" and the next thing we knew, we had a heavy rain storm with large drops and the windshield was clean. So for the rest of the trip, about every 15 minutes or so, we would pray for rain to wash the bugs off and God didn't let us down. It was funny and yet at the same time, was so awesome to see God help us even in a fun sort of way. It helped push the fatigue away and by the time we got to Perkinston, we were feeling good and ready to go.

When we got to Hattiesburg, we called Pastor Daniels and set up a meeting point. The Fire Station had moved the trucks to the chief's house so they were not available for us to visit when we arrived. Pastor informed us that Brother Jimmy, who is working to get us to Escatawpa, had food for the Food Pantry at church and thought we could go there and drop our supplies off and meet Jimmy. We didn't have a chance to go to the church last trip and were looking forward to seeing Tuxechena Baptist. We weren't going to be able to go to Escatawpa this trip so Jimmy and Pastor were going to store our items at the church until Jimmy could go down there Tuesday or Wednesday. At the church, we got to meet Jimmy and his grandson, Chris. We were quickly remembering why we had felt so at home during our last visit. Jimmy's family is from Escatawpa and they are right on the coast, near Pascagula. They had flooding waist high from the surge. The Insurance companies are saying since it was a flood and they didn't have flood insurance, that the damages wouldn't be covered. Please pray for these people and so many others who are suffering the same fate. These people have worked long and hard for their homes and weren't required to carry flood insurance because they weren't in a flood plain and now the insurance companies are not wanting to help. (Jimmy's sister has over $40,000 in damage) I know that not all insurance companies are that way but unfortunately, there are some giving a bad name to all. Prior to leaving the church, we gathered in the sanctuary and thanked God for our safe journey, for bringing us back to these wonderful people and for the new friends we were going to meet. We also thanked Him for the support, both financially and in prayer, of the many of you who are helping support this mission. It was so great to be back in a small church and you could just feel that God was ever present in that place.

After dropping off our items at the church, we followed Jimmy to his house to meet his wonderful wife, Nicki, and spend some time with them. Jimmy and Nicki live on 118 acre (if my memory serves correct) farm. They have Long Horn Steer, chicken, roosters and who knows what all else. The house they live in is where they raised their children and have continued to enjoy retirement. They have a wonderful screened in porch that used to be a bedroom, but thanks to a previous hurricane, that bedroom was turned into a wonderful porch to sit and enjoy a short visit on. Chris, their grandson, was visiting again, after spending the summer there to help his Papaw build a new barn. By the way, the new barn held during the Hurricane but the old one collapsed. Chris had just returned to his home in Gulfport to start school when they had to evacuate for the Hurricane. While waiting to return home, he is staying with Jimmy and Nicki. He is a wonderful young man and we hope to meet his parents and see him again some time.

We had been in the car all day and wanted to get cleaned up before we went out for dinner with Pastor. We invited Jimmy, Chris and Nicki to join us if they could. Pastor took us to Pastor Nyhl Irvin's house, who is the Pastor of Perkinston Baptist Church. What made this offer of help so much more a blessing was that Pastor Irvin wasn't even in town. He opened his home to us and allowed us a great place sleep. We met him briefly during our last visit and thank God for his heart and that of his family. Their home was close to the church and those we had gotten to know. We were able to clean up and then met Pastor near the Fire Station at some friends of his to go to dinner. We had the priviledge of eating at local restaurant called Tim's Catfish. They had a great menu but the catfish was wonderful. Jimmy and Chris were able to join us but Nicki stayed home to get food prepared for the Pot Luck at church Sunday. Again, the fun and fellowship was beyond anything we could've imagined. Hearing the stories of how the Hurricane affected them beyond the walls of Perkinston was what energized us to focus on our next trip. At dinner, it was the 3 of us, Pastor Daniels, his wife Elsie, Chris and Jimmy. I think our poor waitress was not sure how to take us but she got into it eventually. She even invited us back. For Shari and I, it was great to be able to just sit back and spend time with these wonderful people and allow Shari's mom to soak in the love we felt from the get go. Our last trip down was go, go, go and we didn't get time to fellowship. It was also good for her Mom to meet the people we have grown to think of as family. God was so present and we walked away blessed again. After dinner, we returned to Pastor Irvin's house for some rest and good nights sleep. We had been so filled with God's love and the love from the people of Perkinston, that we had an new energy but one that allowed us to sleep knowing He was present and being glorified by our visit.

We got up Sunday morning and took our time getting ready. We had to be at church at 11am and enjoyed again the time we were allowed to be with God in the morning or just able to get some much needed rest. Again, God supplied each of our individual needs. We decided to head into town and get gas before service so that once we go on the road, we could just go and not need to stop until we needed gas again. We bought a bag of ice for the cooler, got gas and set out for some God inspired words and fellowship at Tuxechena Baptist Church. Due to Pastor Daniels brother's passing this last week, we were not going to have the pleasure of hearing him speak but would be blessed instead by Brother David, a Principal at a local High School with a passion to speak for God. As usual, we were met by hugs and praises of thanks. We wanted to be sure that God received all the glory and that we were just his messengers. It was not anything that needed to be explained as these people have been through so much and yet they gave God all the glory for their safety and what they did have. Pastor asked if one of us would mind getting up and giving an update on what we have been able to do and share some of our victories for Him. I volunteered to speak (must be genes from my Dad) and was able to fill these wonderful folks in on how God has used Shari and I to bring a small amount of relief to a town so desperately in need. Most of them don't have internet access yet or don't have computers because they were fried in the storm so they don't have the ability to read this blog. And, we were able to let them know we weren't done and that God had other plans for us in Escatawpa but that Perkinston will still be our "home" port. Brother David shared God's word about the "Storms" of life and how to get beyond them and find the good in all that comes our way. His wife Teresa shared with a beautiful song. We were also blessed by the fact that the last Sunday of every month is Pot Luck Sunday. Boy, did we time that right.



After the service, we joined the church family for the Pot Luck. My phone had rang during service so before we began to eat, Shari called her husband Ric to see what he needed. Ric informed Shari that there were two squalls that were traveling across the MS/AL area and that they were sprouting tornadoes and bad wind storms. At that time, it looked like if we left by 1:30pm, we'd travel between them and be ok. So we sat down, had dinner and enjoyed fellowship with David and Alice and so many others. Being in this church reminded me of a small missionary Baptist church I grew up in in Manistee, MI, Heritage Baptist. Tuxachena's quaint sanctuary and humble people were a testament to small town life and their love of God. May He continue to bless this church.

So around 1:15pm we began to say our good-byes and prepared for the trek home. Pastor was very concerned and didn't have a good feeling about us leaving. He made me promise I would call every hour if not more often. He told us if we needed to come back, we'd have places to stay. We said our good-byes, gave our hugs out and left with a promise to be back in a couple weeks with more aid for Escatawpa and if God would allow, people to help with clean up. Well, needless to say, we broke our promise and were back about 25 minutes later. Once we got on Hwy 49, Shari had a long talk with Ric and he informed her that things had gotten really bad and we were hearing about all these tornadoes touching down in every county we were heading to. Not only that, but the storms were basically going up the same path as the highway we had to take. So we decided to wait until about 6pm and then we'd get on the road home. We called Pastor and he was on his way to a hospital visit for Ms. Carol, the lady we had put in an earlier post as a prayer request. So he said to go back to Pastor Irvins. We got back there but his Direct TV was not up yet and we really needed to be able to watch the weather so I suggested we go to Jimmy and Nicki's. When we got there, they opened their home to us and the fellowship that followed was sweet and much appreciated. God was present in that time. And trust me, Jimmy showed me where to run. Down the hall, into the kitchen, past the canned (home canned and lots of them) goods and into the cellar. Praise God, we didn't need to use it.

When Pastor got back into town, we decided to figure out if we were going or staying. After some phone calls again to Ric, we decided that the weather was too unpredictable and that waiting until morning was the only right thing to do. It was a very difficult decision as we missed our families and dreaded the thought of them going through these storms without us, as they had tornado warnings too. So many were willing to open their homes to us for a safe and loving place to stay but after evaluating our needs, we wound up back at Jimmy and Nicki's. I could go on and on about their wonderful hearts and home and the hearts of so many in Perkinston, but it's truly something that is needed to be experienced on a personal basis. Jimmy invited us to bring our kids over during a trip down to have them see the long horn cows and possibly pet them. They also might be able to pick eggs up from the chickens. We know our kids will LOVE it.
So, we got a good nights sleep and at about 7am, right after the rooster crowed, we headed out and left that beautiful farm. Our trip home was uneventful, except for those "love bugs". After crossing the border, we washed them off the windshield for the last time. YEA!! We arrived home exhausted again but looking forward to the next trip in 2 wks. God has already provided some donations to help take down cleaning supplies and other needs this next trip. We don't know how long God is going to continue to allow us to help down there but please know that every gift you give is being used to further His cause and work in the southern Mississippi area. What we do know is that we have extended family in a small Mississippi town called Perkinston. Even though we don't share a physical blood, we share the blood that was shed for all us from Christ and to me, that is a blood thicker in bond that any earthly blood bond. God has brought this amazing community into our lives for a reason and we know that this is a community that we will enjoy visiting and watching its "rebirth" after the storm.

Our prayer would be that God might open some other hearts to join us on our next trip. We can tell you about these people and the stories they have told us but it is nothing compared to experiencing it yourself. Once you meet these people, you will never be the same. I praise God for opening this community up to our desire to come and for them opening their homes up to perfect strangers. We are so blessed to serve a God who can communicate the things we can not and give a trust to those who opened their homes and hearts to us. There are still so many needs and will find out more of what the specifics are for Escatawpa in the coming days. The picture to the left is a tent area set up where people are living with tarps over their heads and that's it. These people are only a few of what is really needed down there.

Please pray for continued healing and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast communities. Please pray for those now affected by Rita and those that received the outer ring damage from her wrath. Please continue to pray for Perkinston and Escatawpa. Continue prayer for Carol and her bipass recovery and please pray for David, the one who spoke Sunday, as he is exploring the possibility of going into the ministry on a regular basis. PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE God for His goodness and mercy in our travels. Praise Him for families who are loving and understanding of the call to serve. Praise Him for the families in Perkinston who opened their hearts and homes to us and Praise Him for the life of His son. If it were not for Jesus and the cross, we'd have none of the blessings we've been given. May all the Glory continue to be HIS.

If you'd like to contact me, donate or go with us, please email me at youngforever94@bellsouth.net . Thank you again for reading our blog and may it all be for HIM.

In His time...

Cathy

We're Off!!!

Well, it's Friday afternoon and Shari and I can't believe the day we had. Going into today, we weren't sure exactly how this trip was going to be funded but even with the problems happening in Texas, we were sure that we were supposed to travel to Perkinston, and eventually Escatawpa, this weekend. So yesterday afternoon we came up with an idea to hold an impromptu Yard Sale to try and help raise funds. You see, even though the devil is constantly at work in this mission to stop it, we are trying to heed God's call and go forth in His name. Unfortunately, we are unable to fund it by ourselves. So at 8am this morning, Shari set a Yard Sale up at her house and I joined her at 8:10. We only had a few show up, which was more than we expected with such short notice, and were thankful for their purchasing of some items. We decided to close up the Yard sale just before 11 am and then try again next weekend with a little more preperation and advertising. We knew that there were some who had told us they'd be dropping off donations today so we were confident that God had it under control and we were still supposed to go.

While we were inside rushing around to go run some errands before Shari had to go pick her daughter up from the airport, she was returning from a trip to Japan, a knock came at the door. When we opened it up, it was an earthly angel, named Cheryl, who was there to present us with a check to not only cover the expenses for this trip but to be able to help with more in the future. Thank you Cheryl, God has used you in a mighty way and we will use your donation to benefit those in the areas He sends us to. We have ALSO been blessed by so many others who are sending money to help with trips in the future and we know that God will do a miracle through all of your donations as well. AND, for those of you who helped with our intial trip by donating money and items, WOW, can you beleive that God has taken it this far and His blessings continue. Thanks to you and all of you for your faith in us and the abilities you have given us in blessing the people of Perkinston and now Escatawpa. Thank you also to HGA, the linen service responible for Huntsivlle Hospitals linens, for their continued donation of different types of linens for those in need. 34 boxes of items and counting. WOW! Thank you also to God, as we know that it is only through Him and because of Him, that we continue to be blessed by you and in turn, continue to bless the people of southern Mississippi.

So as we go on our adventure this weekend, our prayers are that God will allow us to bless those we come in contact with and that He will direct our path. We also pray that God will protect us as we will be on the edge of Hurricane Rita's length of wrath. We also pray for those who will be affected by Hurricane Rita this weekend. May God watch over them and protect them. We pray for God to allow us to go in His name this weekend and with the help from all of you, take to the people of Escatawpa, the same love and service He allowed us to take to Perkinston. Your donations, prayers, support and love are the only reason, beyond our Heavenly Father, that we can make these trips. Please keep the prayers going and check back Monday. I'll try and update as soon as I can. Pray, Pray, Pray.

Thanks to all again and may the praise and glory be HIS!

Cathy

Lets' Do it!!!!!! (Again)

Ok, so as this wonderful journey from God continues, Shari and I continue to be shown God's plan for us and our mission. As we started to plan this weekend's trip, we once again had our own ideas about what needed to be accomplished but God quickly stepped in and reminded us that our ideas are not always His.

So here is our wonderful story for this upcoming trip. Shari, Sarah and I had originally planned to take the "workforce" down but as you know, God planted a different seed and so we ran with that. Well, that seed has sprouted and now our mission has once again been expanded. Unfortunately, Sarah and Jeanette will not be able to make this trip with us but know they are with us in spirit. In talking with Pastor Daniels, we have found out that there is a small coastal town by the name of Escatawpa, MS. It is about an hour from Perkinston and a suburb of Pascagoula. This town is struggling to get it's feet on the ground and is in need of some very basic necessities. We are going to take down what we have stored up from our last round of donations (thank you so much for all that have given) and head down to Perkinston first. Even though they are getting on their feet quickly and not in need of as much any more, we feel our mission there is not done. We feel that God wants us to continue to visit and build relationships there, especially with our dear Pastor Daniels. With both Shari and I having lost very close loved ones in the past couple years, me losing my Mom and her losing her Gramps, we feel that maybe we can be a support or at least a listening ear. We also have so enjoyed getting to know the people there that we are looking forward to actually spending time with them and talking without the heartache of the hurricane being so new.

But God has also put us on a path to help this new town, Escatawpa, and so that is what we are focusing on as well. I don't have a lot of details but will come back this weekend armed with news, I'm sure. We know there needs are many and we can only take what we have at this point. Brother Jim, a friend of Pastor Daniels, is originally from Escatawpa and his sister still lives there. He is working with her to get us into town this weekend and find out who needs the items we are bringing in hopes that we can personally meet those in need. We will be making a list of who needs items and what they need in hopes of taking some others down to help and more items in a couple of weeks.

We are holding a yard sale tomorrow to try and help raise funds to get more things for this trip but know that God will provide what is needed now and in the future. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel down there this weekend.

We are not expecting any issues from Rita but know that the victims we come in contact with will remember it all too well as our beloved coast line is struck again. Please pray for those who will be affected by Rita. There are many of you who are going to be personally hit, again, by this awful storm. So many have family and friends already dealing with Katrina's wrath and now they will have the same with Rita. Know our prayers go out to all of you who read this and have family in the eye of the storm. I can't tell you how awful it was to see this stuff first hand and yet we don't have to live through it. God be with all those in Texas and the families effected across our beloved USA.

In His time...

Cathy

Thoughts being shared.....THANK YOU!

We have received so many awesome emails from friends and family. There is a place to post comments but since these came to us personally, we wanted to share them with you. You see, we are not doing this for our glory but for HIS and we are just so appreciative of the support we are getting..... (We hope that those we've referenced don't mind)

A local person from Huntsville writes:

Hi, I am on Huntsville Freecycle, have nothing to donate but I thought I would let you know, I grew up in Perkinston!! LOL it is a very small place and most people (even from the coast of MS don't know where it is!!! Thank you so much for helping out the people that live there!

Kelly Cannon Tuttle


Cathy's cousin, currently serving with the Air Force in Iraq write:

Hey Cuz,
I just finished reading your blog postings about Perkinston.WOW! What an amazing journey you and your friends have started on. I can only begin to imagine the blessings you all are going to receive before it comes to an end. In a way, I am a bit jealousIt. It has been a while since I have seen God's hand moving that up close and personal. I will add you and your mission to my prayer list and will intercede for you and your friends. Safety, security and sustainment are yours to the glory of God our Father! Amen.

Yes I am safe here in Iraq. Every day my admiration, respect and love for the Corps grows(side note: Cathy and her husband were Marines) Marines are an amazing group of people and I consider myself blessed to work with them. The culture is definitely different than the Air Force, but I'd like to think that they are learning as much from us as we are from them.

Thank you for you and your friends listening to God's still small voice and following His lead. You are impacting lives and wining souls for Christ. Well done, good and faithful servants.

In His Love,
Nick

Another family member writes:

Thanks for all the information you are putting out on the website. It is so awesome to see how God is using all of you. Sam and I volunteered our stock trailer and truck to collect food and water for victims which will be collected in St. Louis Michigan and sent to an area church which will distribute the items in the area. It is an outreach with no boundaries as to who will receive.......We think that when they took it down there was about 5 tons of food and water. I am so glad that we could have a part in giving out a "cup of cold water" to those who need it. I would love to go with you but need to tie up so much stuff up here after our move. We are praying for you and thankful for the willingness of those with you and know the Lord will bless you in all you do. What an example for Dylan you are! God bless and may the lives you touch see Christ through you!
Love Julie

Our mission as seen through a Father's eyes:

Hi - My daughter Cathy and three other women went on a mission of mercy over the 9th and 10th. Three of the women were from a Home School group, the other a nurse. Cathy just 'picked' a city on the map of Mississippi and contacted a pastor of a small church there. It just happened to be a city called, Perkinston,(Cathy's maiden name is Perkins) Mississippi. In a little less than a week they had a full pick-up truck and a 26' camping trailer packed with items to take to this community. The blessings they intended to give were bountifully bounced back to these women of mercy as they interacted with the folks of Perkinston and the surrounding area. They prepared breakfast for the volunteer fire department ( lost 1/3 of its building and all the doors yet became a central location for distributing items of all kinds to the survivors and evacuees. Saturday morning as they were getting ready to leave a young woman approached them. It led to a trip to Gulf Port, MS to pick up some belongings of a 22 year old woman and her six year old daughter. She had been living in a roofless apartment since the Hurricane struck. She "just happened" (God's appointment) to wander by their truck as they were getting ready to leave a shelter. The woman and her daughter drove their van back to Huntsville and stayed for three days. During that time, her van was repaired, money, food and clothing was provided and the woman and her daughter are now in St. Louis with her grandparents, getting a fresh start. Praise God!..........As Cathy said, the greatest need is prayer cover.

Another friend from Huntsville writes:

"If one falls down, his friend can help him up; but pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up..."
~ Ecclesiastes 4:10 NIV

Shari,

I sent on a request for help to a volunteer Fire fighter friend of mine...I asked him to ask his crew to help with the needs of the volunteers in Perkinston. At the very least, I asked him to forward it around to see if any other stations could help. His name is John Garrett, so if he contacts you, he's a good guy. Also another AYSO parent!

I cried my eyes out while I read your blog(s)! That people refused help because there were others in greater need - that really touched me. It reminded me of this quote by James Russell Lowell ~ "All God's angels come to us disguised"... I am sure you all appeared as God's angels to some of those in need...

Good luck, Godspeed, and God Bless you and your mission. Still wishing I could go with you...but I'll be sending my prayers with you at least.

~Anna

We are so thankful for all the thoughts and prayers that you are sharing with us. There is a place for comments here on the blog at the end of each post, if you'd like to share your thoughts that way. Otherwise, please keep the thoughts coming to our emails. We know that we are surrounded by prayer and thank each of you for it. May His will be done in everything we do Huntsvilletnsville and in Perkinston.

God's Plan....Not Ours

"WHEN YOU EXTEND HOSPITALITY TO OTHERS, YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO IMPRESS PEOPLE; YOU'RE TRYING TO REFLECT GOD TO THEM." Max Lucado

So once again, God has shown us that His plan is not what we had planned. It is amazing, and yet it shouldn't be, when God so clearly tells us what He wants and then everything falls into place so nicely. You know, when you are doing things like this, sometimes you wonder if the reason you are having problems is because the devil is using spiritual warfare to make thing not work right or if it's just you not listening to God. It's not that we purposely don't listen, it's human nature. Well, thankfully, God got a little louder (smile) and so we change our trips purpose to be sure we are continuing to honor Him.

I spoke with Pastor Daniels tonight and he had just left his brother's wake. There was an amazing showing of people and flowers and love. He and his family were blown away by the show of support. His brother is a former Police officer so the Jackson County Sheriff provided a color guard. It was quite an honor.

Well, I spoke with him about wanting to come down and just getting to fellowship with the people of Perkinston and help with cleaning inside houses, if it were needed. It was at that time that he told me that a Christian brother of his grew up in a small town about an hour from Perkinston that is in serious need of help. They have not had a lot of help and are a coastal town. We have been struggling with what to take and where to take it, as the fire department is not dealing with donations anymore. Again, God answers our questions when we listen. He asked if we would mind sending our linen to that community since they are in need and have no power and Perkinston is "up and running" as well as it can be right now.

So, our desire to help one small town is now reaching beyond the borders of what we had planned and moving to where God wants it to be. WOW! I think I am speaking for Shari as well when I say that God has used us more than imagined. (Shari however has an amazing ability to look at the broader picture so she may have foreseen this) So this weekend is going to be exciting because not only will we get to meet some of the people you helped us to help, but we will expand our help to another community and begin to hopefully bring them a little joy as well. With this new development, I'm sure another trip will be in the works in the next couple of weeks. Our understanding is that there is not so much a need for clothing as there is for cleaning supplies, school supplies and linens and of course, BIBLES. We will continue to post our needs and the needs of the people God leads us to.

Dylan, my 7 yr old son, asked me today if Mommy was going to bring another family back to Huntsville like before? I told him I didn't know what God had planned but would he like it if I was able to help someone again? He said yes but this time could it be a boy? Through the eyes of child.

May God continue to bless each of you and us as we try to bring his word to those devastated by this horrible storm. A journey for him....

In His time....

Cathy

God's Timing is Perfect...

This is the second attempt at posting my thoughts. Unfortunately, my first "novel" is lost somehwere in the WWW.
Although this is a shortened (ha!) version of my personal account, it doesn't even touch on the way I feel for the people of Perkinston and for Pastor Gene. It does, however, confirm that God is in control at all times.

Within days, two to be exact, we were shown the love of our neighbors in abundance. The amount of donations exceeded the space we had available to travel to Perkinston. All Glory to God Almighty!

We Have A Dream...
From the get go, we had planned to minister to the children, first and foremost. We wanted to go from shelter to shelter bringing toys and love to every child there. I, personally had visions of hugging the necks of every little person 3 ft. and under!
The plan was in place, we were on our way!
We drove 25 miles to Gulfport and were directed to various shelters. We chose the school because it was near the end of the stretch of road. "Our" plans were to start at the end and work our way up...you know, we had it all under control.
We were given a warm welcome from the National Guard and they even unloaded our boxes of toys, dolls, coloring books, and most importantly, Bibles.

Back up a Minute...
Just that morning, after making breakfast for our newfound family at the fire station, I headed back into the trailor to spend some quiet time with God. With all of the activity and planning, I knew I needed to retreat and rest in His Word.
Before leaving the trailor, I prayed.
"Lord, lead us to those that need ministering to, show us the way. Use us to carry out your Will in any capacity you desire. Whether it be one or one hundred Lord, you know the need, use us to bring glory and honor to You."

Gulfport Continued...
As we drove down the 3-lane road into Gulfport, we came into a lot of traffic due to the lights either being ripped off the lines or the power was out. All traffic was being directed by the National Guard. By the way, hats off to the National Guard! Many that we saw were so young, and yet so capable and most inspiring.
We decided to take advantage of the many stops that we had to make. I think the heat was getting to us! When we spotted a child, or children in another car, either Cathy or Sarah jumped out and handed them a stuffed animal with a loving, "God Bless You".
The smiles and delight in the eyes of those around us was enough to keep us going all the way down to the shelter!
We sang, "Blessed be the Name of the Lord", loud enough for others to know that we were on a mission from God! It was funny, yet so inspiring. If you know any of us personally, this whole part probably shocks you!
A hymn comes to mind...

"Reach Out and Touch"

Reach out and touch a soul that is hungry; reach out and touch a spirit in despair;
Reach out and touch a life torn and dirty, a man who is lonely--If you care!
Reach out and touch that neighbor who hates you;
Reach out and touch that stranger who meets you;
Reach out and touch the brother who needs you;
Reach out and let the smile of God touch through you.

Reach out and touch a friend who is weary;
Reach out and touch a seeker unaware;
reach out and touch, tho touching means losing a part of your own self--If you dare!
reach out and give your love to the loveless;
reach out and make a home for the homeless;
reach out and shed God's light in the darkness;
reach out and let the smile of God touch through you.

Prayerfully consider reaching out and spreading God's love. You won't be disappointed!

A prayer that was magnified within 2 hours...

Upon entering the shelter, we looked for the children that we were to love on. After walking up and down the halls of this school, they were nowhere to be found! We came across two red cross workers and asked if there were children there. Their response, "yes, we have children here. You can leave the toys here and we'll distribute them".
You know, the Bible says the most dangerous part of our bodies is the tongue! WOW! I immediately held my tongue, but it was hard! I smiled, left a few toys with them, and picked up the rest! Hrrmmph! Spoil our plans will they?????

We left that shelter, disgruntled to say the least, with the intent of going to another one that would hopefully be a bit more appreciative of "our" efforts.
We loaded the truck, sad and pitiful we were. We then saw a couple of families coming our way...and guess what? They had children!! We jumped out of the truck, grabbed coloring books and toys and proceeded to stop them before entering the shelter. We were determined to share with those children! We also managed to hand out Bibles to the parents.

What a joy it was to share our hearts with those few. We got back into the truck, ready for our next stop. Just then, I look to my left and see a young girl, and a younger girl. I thought they were sisters, but Cathy said it was probably a mom and daughter. We were immediately taken with them. The little girl looked like a doll and the mom was just as cute. They looked so tired and worn, my heart just folded inside.
Sarah headed out to speak to them. Jeanette and I focused on the little girl, who we now knew was named Leah. Sarah had pulled out one of the dolls from the boxes. It just so happened to be a doll that belonged my little girl. Leah hugged on that doll saying it was just like the one her grandma had given to her. Her doll was ruined by the hurricane.
Leah, at age 6, professed her love for Jesus, and knew that God was taking care of them.
Jeanette asked Leah if she knew the song, "Jesus Loves Me". Leah said no.
Jeanette and I began to sing it. Once Leah heard it, she began to sing it too. She did know the song!
I'll never forget the sight before me. Jeanette and Leah sitting there in front of the shelter, on the curb, singing "Jesus Loves Me". I couldn't sing anymore. The tears came streaming down. This little girl, in the midst of her tragedy, still knew God was taking care of them. Oh how I pray that we all see this as clearly as she did when trials enter our lives.
As I stood over them, tears now blinding me, I realized that this was "it". This was the answer to my morning prayer, "whether it be one or a hundred Lord, you know the need...".
"Our" plans were clearly not His.
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" Proverbs 19:21
The ill-feelings towards the ladies in the shelter was immediately removed. The plans that were once ours were no longer in place. We were now following God's lead.
That lead took us to a lower income neighborhood, just four blocks from the Gulf. What we saw was shocking and so sad. We helped the young mother, Seneca, fill garbage bags with whatever belongings that could be salvaged. Much of their belongings were destroyed. Their clothing had mold growing on them. Their carpet was soaked and also molding. Half of the roof was blown off. This is where they were staying. No family, no friends left in the area, no hope. God knew their need and heard their prayers. He was using us, His willing vessels, to bring His love and hope.

After a call to the Pastor to let him know we were bringing back a young mother and her daughter, within an hour and a half, he had received money for her trip back to Huntsville with us! Can you imagine the hearts of these folks? Many of them without a home, and yet, they are still giving. What a testimony to God's love!

As I'm sure you've read in the other posts, we brought Seneca and Leah to Huntsville, where many more generous donations were made to get them home.

This whole experience is like nothing I've ever witnessed. Even though I was nervous about towing this 25 ft. trailor that weighed 6000 lbs., I knew we'd be safe. I knew I had been called...just what I was called for was a bit different than I had in mind!
Praise God for all He has done and continues to do in ALL of our lives. Praise Him for a trip filled with blessings!

I have to say, there is a GREAT thirst for God's Word down there. People were ASKING us for Bibles. If you have a Bible that you can donate, please do!
Even if it's "one or one hundred", please "Reach out and Touch".

And so the mini-novel ends (for now). We go back in a week. We welcome others to join us and experience what we have written first-hand.

I leave you with this...

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings,
It is the Lord who rises with healing in his wings.
When comforts are declining, he grants the soul again,
A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.


May Your Light Shine Brightly Forevermore!

-Shari

Prayer for Carol

Please forgive me but I forgot to add a prayer request from Pastor Daniels. A dear friend and church member from Pastors church need prayer. Her name is Carol Hart and although her situation is not life threatening, there are some unknown medical conditions that she needs prayer on. It has been shown that she suffered a heart attack earlier this week and also is having some gall bladder issues. They are continuing to run tests. Her husband has been by her side and Pastor is making regular visits. She is in a hospital in Hattiesburg.

Thank you again for all your love and support in our journey...

Cathy

Returning to Perkinston....Wanna Come? Can You Help?

Well, let me start by saying that I spoke with Pastor Daniels today and the family is doing well. He has felt a peace from God that he has only had one other time in his life. I understand the peace becasue it is something God blessed us with when we lost my Mom 2 1/2 years ago. It is truly a peace beyond all understanding. The funeral for Steve is set for Tuesday morning at 10am with the wake Monday evening. Please pray for them as they put his earthly body to rest and look forward to their meeting in Heaven one day.

Ok, so like the title says, we are returning to Perkinston and praying God will allow us to go armed with men and women who are willing to help with clean up, minor construction. and spread God's love. Would you like to join us? It is about 5.5 hours from Huntsville, unless you are pulling a trailer, then it's about 7. Gas is readily available the whole way down and it is a safe area. McDonald's had even opened up before we left to come home last week. Shari, Sarah and I are going to be returning to Perkinston on September 24 for 3 days. However, there is room for many more and opportunity to stay longer if there is an ability and desire. We have not worked out all the final details yet but our plan is to leave some time Saturday morning and return Monday afternoon. I spoke with Pastor Nyhl Irvin, Pastor of Perkinston Baptist and a dear friend of Pastor Daniels. He has offers for housing and has even opened his home for those who want to travel with us to help. There is power and showers and floor space for sleeping bags. Please contact me at youngforever94@yahoo.com if you'd like to join us. We are so thankful for all the help everyone has so graciously given in the past and it 's tough to keep asking but if you feel led by God, we are still in need of items and financial assistance for the trip.

They are beginning school again this coming week and there are children in need of school supplies. Even though stores are opening, there is a lot of financial concerns as jobs are not up and going yet. They are in need of baking soda. Some of these people are either just getting power back or don't have it yet and their refrigerators are gong to be in a terrible mess whent he plug them back in. They need bleach, brooms and mops to help get thing cleaned up and sterilized. There are many widows there and elderly that need help getting things done. Help with things from moving items in the house around to helping put on roofs. Church steeples were blown off and they'd love to get them back up.

The stores are slowly opening and life is beginning again, so the needs are becoming fewer but they still need people to come help with labor things and lots of PRAYER. We understand that it is not everyone's calling to physically go and we can't express our appreciation enough for those of you who are continually praying for us. What started as a simple "I wish I could go" has turned into an amazing opportunity to spread God's word through love and help to those in need. I can't tell you how much it has meant to the people we know down there when we tell them how many people are praying for them.

God is working miracles in the Mississippi Gulf Coast and it 's exciting to be a part of it and also be able to share it with all of you. Please continue to pray for those all along the coast and that God will be glorified by our upcoming trip. We do this for HIS glory, not ours. Again, please let us know if you'd like to join us for our next trip. Doing this all for HIM......

In His time....

Cathy

Senica's Story

“The mind of a man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps” Prov 16:9

From the moment we met Senica and her little girl Leah in front of the Harrison County Elementary School in Gulfport, that verse from Proverbs has been running through my mind. Shari, Jeanette, Cathy, and I made careful plans for that Saturday. We only had a limited amount of time and were determined to hand out every doll, stuffed animals, and coloring book we had collected. I even brought nail polish thinking I would do some impromptu manicures. Those were our plans, carefully laid and devised. But as the verse says, “the Lord was directing our steps.”

After about ten National Guardsmen took the time to unload the boxes filled with goodies, we we’re told that we couldn’t hand them out. We, because our well-laid plans had been thwarted, were understandably miffed. We grabbed our boxes and marched out of that shelter, bound and determined to find a more grateful locale. Instead, we ran into Senica and freckle-faced Leah.
Katrina had ripped a whole in her roof, allowing torrential rain to pour in. Most of their possessions succumbed to black mold. Senica joked that “her apartment was growing things.” She had been staying with some navy friends in Saucier where she and Leah had been bathing in a creek and brushing their teeth with diet coke. But all of the women had been deployed leaving her in a house with 10 male Seabees fresh out of Iraq so she returned to her moldering apartment. She walked in to find a house-full of ruined furniture and gargantuan cock roaches. Her super told her to start ripping out her own carpet and that they’d get to her roof when they could. “I couldn’t stand sleeping there,” she said. “It was so nasty.”

That’s how she ended up in the garbage strewn front yard of Harrison County Elementary. After spending days on the phone trying to reach FEMA and begging her family to get her out of the stinking mess that was Gulfport, she caught word that a FEMA agent was at the shelter. “Maybe,” she hoped they would give her enough gas money to get home. The daycare where she worked had been flattened so she lost out on her last two weeks of pay. She was down to a half a tank of gas and a couple boxes of MRE’s.



And that’s how she ended up with us. We made the plans, but God directed our path. Within two hours time we salvaged what we could from her apartment and stuffed it into her minivan and the back of Shari’s truck. Her grandma in Illinois was convinced that the only explanation for our generosity was they we were ax murderers or slave traffickers. But Shari put her to ease with three simple words, “Were all moms.”

We returned to the Perkinston fire department with our new friends and said our good-byes, promising to return with the cavalry as soon as we rounded them up.

The Way Home

After driving with Senica for seven hours, I decided that this 22-year old mom was doing remarkably well considering what she had been through. Just five months ago, she divorced her high-school sweetheart and lost just about everything in the deal, only to loose everything again to Katrina.

During the days she stayed with me I came to see Senica as the little sister I never had. We talked the entire time from the minute we got up until the moment we went to bed. She said she slept better in our downstairs guest room than she had in weeks. She made spaghetti and cooked pancakes with Josiah. To give you an idea of how tiny she was, she could wear Eric’s shorts! I hope, in the few days she spent with us, she found the freedom to heal a little bit.

By the time she was ready to head home, home school families, a newspaper publisher, pastors, and Pamela’s friend Gavin from California had donated $450 to help her through the first week home. She didn’t want to take it, but I made her. She is now staying in her aunt’s trailer just outside of St. Louis, MO. Her aunt has promised to give Senica the trailer once her home is built. She enrolled Leah in 2nd grade this week. She still has a long way to go, but I am confident that she’s going to make it. We are just grateful that God got in the way of our plans.

Update on Pastor Daniels

At about 11:00am today I received a call from Pastor Irvin, a Pastor friend of Pastor Daniels, and he informed me that Steve Daniels lost his earthly battle at about 5am this morning and went home to be with the Lord. The arrangements are still being made but it looks like the funeral will be Monday or Tuesday. Please continue to hold them in your prayers and pray for God's grace and peace to surround them.

If you desire any further info, please contact me at youngforever94@yahoo.com.

Pictures....

Here are some pictures of what we encountered while in Perkinston and Gulfport.....

Prayers Needed and Update

Let me start by letting you know of a need for prayer for Pastor Daniels, the giving man who helped us down in Perkinston. I spoke with Pastor Daniels tonight and yesterday and his brother is not expected to make it through the night. Steve Daniels, Pastor's only brother, has Leukemia and due to the hurricane, caught an airborne bacteria and his body is not able to recover from it. He was not expected to make it through last night but God wasn't finished with him on earth yet. However, Pastor said it is a miracle he is still holding on. God could decide to turn all this around and heal him but it's whatever His plan is, they are prepared.

So please keep Pastor Daniels, his wife Elsie, his brother Steve and his wife Martha in your prayers. This is a strong Christian family and God will take care of them. We don't know why this tragedy had to happen in the face of the storm but we do know that God is in control and are thankful for the reunion they will have in Heaven one day.

Shari and I, Cathy, went to Willowbrook Baptist Church today to speak with Pastor Mark McClelland. Cathy is a member there and Willowbrook has been very proactive in trying to get help to the hurricane area. After sitting with Pastor Mark and telling him our story, he was moved and wanted to be able to help. He has put us in touch with Rob Peavy, who is in charge of setting up groups of people to go down and help clean and repair. With Pastor's and Rob's help, it looks like we might be getting some muscle in the area to help this quaint little town repair itself. I will know more tomorrow but was able to share the good news with Pastor and bring a little joy in the midst of his personal sadness.

There will be a more indepth update coming on Seneca and Leah soon but she has made it home and is already planning to start work at her former employer. Praise God for the life He put before us and helped us to get her home.

So please pray as we continue to try and help this town and again, if you'd like to help in any way, please let either myself or Shari know. Praise God for His wisdom, Praise God for the lives he saved and the people whose life we are able to touch.

God Bless and remember, everything happens In His time....

Cathy

We're back....Cathy's thoughts

We are back and already want to return. I've had a day to rest and reflect and my thoughts are still so very hard to put in words. It was very hard to leave those amazing people behind. They have lost so much and yet the bond that small southern town has is even stronger than before. Not only are they watching out for each other, they openly welcome those in need, no matter what the story behind their need is. They showed us the power of perserverence and unconditional love, even if they didn't know they were doing it.

Well, I'm not sure where to go from here because I am so overwhelmed with the feelings and emotions of what we just experienced. I am emotionally exhausted but exhilerated at the same time. I am physically worn out and yet feel like I can run a marathon. God brought so much to our plates and we thought we were there to reach His flock but that wasn't HIS plan. His plan was to reach ONE (or 1 1/2 as we call it) and we feel we are doing it in His name.

Please understand that this is not a one time thing for Shari and me. This is our Mission. Our homeschool group is Mission based and through that desire, God has lead us to focus on the victims of Katrina both local and now in Perkinston, MS. For Shari, Sarah, Jeanette and I, they are not just names and faces, they are people that we consider family and when a family member is in need, you do what you can to support them, even if it is only prayer.

God has given us a great chance to minister to Seneca and Leah and to help them in a very personal way. I feel like they are our bright shining stars that came out of the devesation we saw. Their eyes sparkle and they just want someone to care and put their arms around them. Well, now they know they have more arms around them than they could've ever imagined. Even those in Perkinston, MS are involved in taking up the cause to help them.

Please know we are still taking donations for this cause. We plan to make a trip down to Perkinston in the next 2-3 weeks. The things we are going to focus on this time is some specific needs......

Money - to help them replace the doors on their Fire Deparment
Rubber Storage Containers - to hold their fire equipment and lengthen it's life
Updated kitchen utensils - to make it easier for when they are there (remember, it's volunteer)
Anything else God puts on your heart.......

God Bless each of you and what you have done to help this dream of ours come true. Please keep the town of Perkinston in your prayers and if you have any desire to continue to help with donations, please don't hesitate contact me at youngforever94@yahoo.com.

Our Mission Continues

Saturday morning started off with us cooking breakfast for the volunteers. Shari took the helm with the pancakes and Sarah took on the eggs. Jeanette and I helped keep the food flowing and getting the set up done so they could eat. Again, we spent this time getting to know them and how this horrible event changed their lives. The Asst. Chief lost everything and his son was there to pack up what they were able to salvage and take them back to Pennsylvania. Ron, the Fire Chief, lost his house and just about everything in it. Janet, one of the volunteers, saw their house about to implode when the back door finally burst open and allowed their trailer to be saved. We finished looking through the childrens items so we could take stuffed animals and bibles to the shelters we were going to visit. We thought our mission was to visit those children and bring a little joy to them and give them something to of their own to hold on to. We also had to get the truck unhooked. Again, we were not allowed to do it alone. They wanted to make sure we well taken care of. Even to the point of making sure we had enough money for gas. Us, they worried about us and our money needs.

Pastor Daniels came over for breakfast and then spent some time letting us know about a shelter down in Gulfport. The city was well under the control of the local police, visiting Police and the National Guard. He wouldn't have sent us there if he didn't feel it was safe. It was only 25 miles south but it took more than an hour. So we loaded up the truck and headed south, not knowing what God had in store but with an idea of what we wanted to do.

As we went down Hwy 49, we couldn't believe the destruction that began to unfold. There were trees twisted and then broke, metal through metal and jsut piles of debri. We started seeing a lot more places that people had just dropped off what they had and people rummaged through them. We realized we didn't have to wait until a shelter to start giving out our stuffed animals. We began running to cars in the traffic and handing them animals. So many happy faces, both children and parents. We specifically looked for cars with Harrison County, Stone County or other counties in the area so that we knew they were going to the evacuees. The smiles and hugs to the animals brought so much joy to our hearts.

We got to looking at cars and donation sites so much, that we missed our turn to the shelter. We wound up seeing some officers on horseback and stopped to ask them where the street was we were looking for. As kind as they were, they weren't able to help because they were there as support from Jacksonville, FL but they were able to direct us down the street to some local police that were able to direct us. We found out later that we were only about a mile from the beach at that time. So, we set our sites on the shelter and found it with ease. When we arrived, Jeanette went and asked the National Guards men where we could unload our items so that we could take them into the children. They were so nice and directed us around the school fence to the front door and proceeded to help us unload our boxes. Our understanding was that we would be able to deliver them. However, once the boxes were inside, we delt with a different attitude. It was very hard for us because we were there to bring cheer and they didn't want us to see the children. We tried to understand but were very hurt. They wanted us just to leave the toys and go. However, we felt that was not what was needed. We did, however, get to see about 3 kids and were able to give them some toys. As we were loading up the truck again, we were able to pass out some animals to families coming to the center and that did our hearts a world of good. But what we didn't know was the plan God had for us that was just pulling into the drive.

As we were about to leave, a young lady named Seneca (I pray I spelled that right) and her daughter Leah were coming into the center. I got out and asked Seneca if we could give Leah a doll. She explained to us that they had lost a lot but were not in need of much. I told her we were visiting from Huntsville, AL and trying to bring a little joy to a child's heart. She allowed us to give her the doll. We soon found out that she had lost a doll like that one in the storm and was sooooo thankful. We continued to speak with her and found out she was looking for a FEMA worker so she could try and get some money. Her work had closed their doors on Friday before the storm and didn't pay anyone. The daycare center was now gone. We also found out she had a 2 yr old son that had made it to southern Illinois, where her family is. But she had no way to get there. After offering them Bibles, we found out that Seneca does have faith and her daughter does know about Jesus. We even had the pleasure of having her sing "Jesus Loves Me" to us. We found out the roof had been blown off their apartment and they lost almost all their furniture. She had salvaged some clothes but others had mold growing on them. Our dialogue with her began to take a different path. After about 30 minutes, Jeanette suggested that we see if we can spare some money to get her some gas. They had been eating MRE's and had plenty of water but were low on gas. When we offered her the money, she didn't want to take it. She said there were others deeper in need and finally agreed to take it and give it out if that's what she felt was needed. After a few more minutes, Cathy leaned over and asked Shari if maybe we could help her get as far as Huntsville and then get her home from there if necessary. Well, let's just say that our plan was not God's and the next thing we knew, we were following her van to an apartment 4 blocks from the beach in what she called the poverty area of Gulfport. She had agreed to come to Huntsville with us and only the things we could take. On the way, I made two calls. One to Pastor Daniels to see if we could get some money to help her with gas to our city and the other to Pamela Daniels (no relation), the Director of our Cover School, to see if we could get her some clothes, money and a trip to southern Illinois.

As we entered her apartment complex, the picture to the left is what we saw. There was barely enough room for the truck to drive the parking lots. She led us to the back of the complex where her apartment was. On her balcony was all her furniture because it was wet and had mold growing on it. They had finally put tarps over the roof but the floor was still wet and the the mold was growing on it and the clothing, walls and everything else. We packed all that we could take between the two vehicles and she bid farewell to Gulfport. About an hour after we arrived, we were on our way to Perkinston with Seneca and Leah in tow. It was at that time that Shari told us she had prayed to God that morning that if we were to help one or one hundred, may whatever we did, Glorify Him. Well, we felt we had our answer. One and a half. That was what He wanted us to help.

On our way back, I called Pastor and he said that he had some money for us to give her. We also received a call from Pamela that she had money, a truck or plane ticket and new window for the car already taken care of. It is amazing to us what God can put together in a short time. Sarah offered to open her house up for them to stay and so it was done. She was coming with us. As we pulled back into Perkinston, we though our eyes were decieving us when we saw Pastor pull out in front of us. Again, he was right there upon our return. He pulled over and handed us some money for her and said he'd meet us at the Fire Station shortly. When we got there, the people were waiting for us again and said "Welcome Home Girls". We truly felt like we were home. They opened their hearts and even their food to her and Leah. Joey, Janet's son, took extra care with Leah and made sure she didn't want for anything. About 20 minutes later, Pastor showed up with more money for her. She didn't know what to do and once again, we couldn't believe the people we had been blessed to come into contact with. They were so giving, even though they were also in need.

Knowing how late it had gotten, we decided that it was time to hook up the trailer and get on the road. Again, they wanted to help with getting the truck lined up and getting the trailer sealed up for travel. During that time, another Pastor from the area showed up and gave $100 to Seneca. By the time we left, God had blessed her with close to $200 for her travel needs. She also found out she had a new family in Perkinston and Huntsville. After some very tough good-byes and assurances of seeing them again, we packed up the truck, got Seneca prepared for the trip and headed north out of Perkinston. We stopped at McDonald's/Texaco to fill us and the vehicles up. They had gas and a limited menu but that was ok. We were so filled with the Spirit, nothing was able to damper the mood. We even missed the exit to get on 59 north and had to go south. We almost took it as a "wink" that God didn't want us to leave Mississippi. But we knew that wasn't it but we did know we'd be back and we did know we now had family in Perkinston, MS.

The trip home was uneventful and we were thankful for that. We got into Huntsville at 1:30am Sunday morning. Sarah had rode with Seneca and drove for her after dark. They came to Shari's house where our cars were. We unloaded the camper and truck and said our good-byes. We still couldn't believe what God had done for us in that 24 hours. We went there to bless them and feel we walked away being blessed more than them. God in his infinite wisdom allowed us to find a group of people that we will forever think of as family and look forward to getting to know better.

What started as one small thought on Wednesday morning, September 7, turned into a mission trip blessed with God's spirit the whole way. We continue to be amazed by what He allowed us to do and be a part of. We will forever be grateful for the lives he has brought our way and look forward to the future trips we will take. Thank God for the safe travel and the family he allowed us to bring home. And thank you to all of you who helped to make this trip successful. We will be returning. After all, we left a gas can there and have to go back to get it, right?

Heading to Perkinston, MS

This is the story of a wonderful mission trip to Perkinston, MS that came about because of a Instant Message conversation that started 48 hours earlier. Shari Crooks and Cathy Young, both of Veritas Christian Academy (Homeschool Cover), were talking about how they'd like to go help the Hurricane Katrina victims. 48 Hours later, we were joined by Sarah Pavlik, also from our cover, and Jeanette Lawson, a nurse at Huntsville Hospital and were heading south to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Within 24 hours of our decision to go and spread God' love, homeschoolers from all over, friends and family had responded to our request for donations far beyond anything our human mind could've imagined. Cathy had also been able to contact Pastor Daniels who leads a flock of 35 + in a small southern Baptist Church down there. He then put us in touch with the Perkinston Volunteer Fire Department. It is an all volunteer force that is working 24 hours a day right now. They don't even get paid and are more worried about those in need then themselves. We are so thankful for all the help and please know, this is an ongoing journey. We can't take it all in one trip so more are to come. So, come enjoy the ride with us and see the wonderful things that God did before, during and after our trip. All this is to bring Glory to HIM!!!!! Not us.

Last night we got the trailer hooked up to Shari's truck and did a few test drives with Alan Blackmon, the family who had donated the trailer for our use. We then got the truck and trailer packed with as many things as we felt we could take, without putting on too much extra weight. The only thing we knew we had coming the next day was the linens that the hospital linen service had donated.

On Friday morning, Jeanette went to pick up the linens only to find the "box" they had promised us turned into 24 boxes. She called to see if I could bring the truck out to pick up the items from there. So after meeting her at her house to pack her car up from donations she had gotten at the hospital, I headed out to pick up the linens. Unfortunately, I was only able to take half but they told me they'd hold the rest until Monday and then we can send them in the next shipment. I then headed for Shari's and we finished packing the trailer and moving things to the middle for weight balance.

Well, after a long prayer of praise and thanksgiving, we left out of here on Friday morning at 11:30am, packed and energized and feeling filled with God's glory. We were told that because of the size and weight of the trailer we had been blessed with, our trip would go from 6 hrs to about 9 hrs. It was the first time Shari had driven a trailer and we threw her in with a 25ft one. Our trip was pretty smooth but I think the most ironic thing was that as soon as we crossed the Mississippi border, you started seeing downed trees and it only got worse from there. I called Pastor Daniels and let him know we were in his state and well on our way. He was so thankful and couldn't wait for our arrival. He said there'd be help to unload when we arrived.

We were absolutely blown away by the tree damage we were seeing so far north and yet so thankful there wasn't much damage. We saw areas that looked more like either tree-top tornadoes might have hit or even regular ones. There was a stretch of about 3 miles that looked like a tornado had run right along the side of the road. Trees gone but thank God, no damage to the road. Entire areas of the median for miles lost all the trees. Once we got closer to Hattiesburg (which is about 40 miles north of Perkinston), we began to see more building damage. We were so thankful that God had allowed us to make the entire trip in daylight. It allowed us slow preparation of the horror we would see Saturday as we traveled in to Gulfport. The closer we got to Perkinston, the more severe the damage.

Pastor Daniels (that's him and his wife Elsie in the pic) had asked that when we got to the Wal-Mart in Wiggins, a small town 5 miles north of Perkinston, to please call him so he could meet us at the Fire Station. When I called, he was traveling north on Hwy 49 (the highway to take us there) and was only about 2 miles from us. He asked if we would stop so he could escort us in. WOW! The timing, the love and the place we were going, ALL of it was God's perfect timing. Within about 30 seconds of stopping, a local Deputy pulled in behind us. It was after curfew so we figured it would happen. We had been instructed on what to do but also knew Pastor was close by. By the time the Deputy made it to our windows, Pastor was there and happended to personally know the Deputy. He informed us the only reason he had stopped was because our signs on the camper told him we were bringing relief aid to his area and he was worried we were broke down. God is amazing. So after a big hug from this wonderful man, Pastor Daniels, and introductions, we followed him to the fire station. We had to laugh because he has the same truck as Shari's (whose name is Jake by the way), the one we were in. Same year, make, model and color. We thought that was God's sense of humor shining down on us. (We quietly name his truck Jilly Sue to give Jake a friend)

When we got to the station, we were blown away because there were probably about 25 people awaiting our arrival. The best part was, they were waiting for us personally, our things too, but the welcome we personally received blew us away. Hugs and smiles and even little babies there to welcome us. They instantly began unloading, after they hugged us, and couldn't believe the items we were able to bring. We found out later they were all there specifically for us. We were supposed to be their last load of the night. After we were done, they asked if they could park the camper for us and help us to get set up. With their skills of driving the fire trucks, we were thankful for their offer because Shari was not about to try the whole backing up thing.. We began to get things separated when a semi truck arrived, unbenownst to them, from Iowa. (Again a God wink because it was from the area in Iowa that Sarah is from) So God allowed us to help them unload this truck and then begin the sorting again. During the unloading a call came into the station about a structure fire and some of the helpers had to respond. It was so neat to see the concern even with all they had individually lost and were dealing with. We continued to help them separate and sort until about 1am.

During that time, we continually had power issues with camper and there were times they were more concerned with that then everything else. The extension cord we were using wasn't heavy duty enough, a fuse blew, and other minor things. But they wouldn't rest until all was fixed and we were comfortable. At 10pm, somewhere in the middle of a Hurricane damaged city, the fire chief was able to find a fuse, the specific one we had blown, to get the Air Conditioning working. Not only did he find one but two, incase it blew again. Remember, the curfew is 6pm so WalMart and all other stores are closed. We still don't know where he went but God works through people in mysterious ways and in 5 minutes, our air was working. After spending some quality time listening and sharing with the great people of Perkinston, we all decided to call it a night about 1am. Before Pastor Daniels and his wife Elsie left, they prayed for us and over us and thanked God for our safe journey to them.

I can't tell you how much these men and women of Perkinston, MS touched our lives in such a special way. They are manning this volunteer station 24 hrs a day right now so that no one goes without. The firefighters that have to stay at night sleep on a cot, an old couch and the back seat of a van. WOW! All so that other's don't have to go without. We also found out that the doors of the station were blown off in the Hurricane so once all is said and done, they will not be able to close the doors of the station until they can afford to replace them. They also keep their protective gear in boxes and the bugs are eating into them. They need rubber containers to keep their items safe.

That night we took a little time to decompress before bed and spentd a few minutes reflecting on the day. We thanked God for the safe journey and bringing us to this group of people that we now so joyfully call "family". Our hearts were so full that night and yet we were looking so forward to Saturday when we'd be able to take on the mission God had set forth.