Bill, Patricia, David, James, Johnny, John and Virginia (Jinks) who prayed with Isaac and me for Marion back home, Judy, Jerry, Sam, Evelyn, Douglas and all of the family of Jerry and Colette Vierling, Marie, Elmer, and all members of Bethel Lutheran Church, Biloxi, near and far, Tiffany, Terrell, Jaren, Jessica, Jourdan, Jezebel the dog, Andrew, Susan, Pastor Otis, Pastor Derek, Natasha, John, Annie, Gloria, Cora, Virginia, Terrence, Destiny, Tamika, Halda, her dog Mocha, and the rest of her family, the man from Texas and his wife for whom I called 411 and relayed directions while in the Edgewater Mall parking area looking for some other place, the elderly man who was taking a walk down Fayard street in East Biloxi in the afternoon yesterday, Rava, Bill, Orlin, Joan, Randy, Kyle, Neil, Mary, the rest of the young people from St. Peter and St. Paul Episcopal Church in Arlington TX, Pastor John from Salem, Pastor Mary from PA, Judy, Skip, and all of her people, Pastor Barbara from Southern CA, Linda, Bea, Tyler, Pastor Judy from Christus Victor LC in Ocean Springs who is in the hospital here after a heart attack, her husband Tim, "other Glen" from Salem OR, Dorothy, Verna, Markita, Betty, Tommy from Furniture Galore and More, D.W., who let me walk around on his shrimp boat in Pascagoula, Dale (owner of Southern Tradition restaurant), Allison, Pastor Eric and all of the people of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Biloxi, Maria, Alys, Alynne, Barb and Ray, Michelle, all who will be at the first worship service of Community of Christ Church, Moss Point MS, one week from this Sunday...
I had in mind to ask around for names from this trip to put on a prayer list to take with us. I got sidetracked, so this is my first shot. If you're praying with me, don't forget to include, in no particular order, Emily, Marlon, Don, Jessica, Erin, Mitchell, Tor, Ashley, Isaac, Scott, Rochelle, Dave, Bill, Scott, Stacey, Ann, Sue, Derek, Christine, Andy, Melodie... these last 21 names became part of the story of this place whenever the story of what happened here got into each person's heart. I have been so thankful for each one, each with unique gifts to bring, just watching each move around this church and this area, hearing reactions... We pulled into the parking lot, with the water tower in the background, just like on the first picture of my little slide show last October- we pulled in here almost a week ago, and it has gone so very quickly. Now it's late, and it's time to pray my way through this first try at a prayer list. Here are some pictures from Moss Point, MS this afternoon. Many more pictures to come. - Pastor Glen

I spent most of Tuesday in the kitchen, cooking for the volunteers. For a long time I didn't think that day had anything interesting enough to write about, since I didn't meet anyone who had survived the hurricane or had anything like the experiences I'd had the day before. I did come up with two rules for getting through a day in the kitchen though, and now that I think about it they're not bad ideas for the other days either. Here they are:
1. Pray for a servant's heart.
2. The best you can do is all you can do.
Overall, although it was a completely different day from the day before, it was just as rewarding in its own way.

In case you're wondering what it's like to stay here at the center, it sort of reminds me of summer camp. There isn't much privacy but there's always something to do and plenty of people to talk to. Lights out is allegedly at 10 pm, but it seems to have gotten looser every night. In fact, I'm flagrantly breaking the rules right now, and I'm not alone in here. There are three showers, one inside and two outside (but those are fully enclosed). The trick is to remember to sign up early the day before if you want a late afternoon or early evening shower. The day I was in the kitchen though, I went in around 9:30 am when all the workers were out and took a marathon shower!

We've gotten to know people this week from all over the country. There are quite a few from PA who are hearing about flooding back home while they are here. It's so hard to see them gathered around the computer looking at their local news on the web. I hope all their families and homes are safe. Meanwhile, at least speaking for myself I have found out things about each of the 21 other people in our group that I might never have known without spending this week with them. People's gifts have appeared in some extraordinary ways, and I suspect that my Sunday mornings back home are going to be a lot richer as a result.

I'm grateful to have gotten the chance to go on this trip after such a short time in this church, and I hope that everyone reading seriously considers doing something like this. It's impossible to describe the experience and all its rewards sufficiently for anyone to really understand, but they are there. Even the rough parts of the trip have truly been growing experiences for me. If you want to know anything at all about what it's like to come down here, please just ask.

/Ann

Tonight all 22 of us were sitting in a place called Southern Tradition in Woolmarket (north and a little bit east of Bethel), eating catfish and shrimp and other things that I'm sure will be talked about once we get home. It was good to have every single person from our group together, as we've been doing different things in different places. Today I think I visited each one. Lee has spent the week working in the big tool shed up the street at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. He's been there all week, and he's ready to go back tomorrow for one more day- a busy one, probably. Many of our group were working at Patricia and David's house in East Biloxi, continuing to do wiring and other things and taking delivery of a bathtub/shower insert. Four more were at the Food distribution center at Good Shepherd during the morning. Isaac and I were working once again at the home of an elderly couple who are trying to move from their FEMA trailer back into their house. In the afternoon, five of us drove to Moss Point, 35 miles east, to try to work to set up contacts between Lutheran Disaster Response/Habitat for Humanity and a missionary church in an area that hasn't had much attention since the storm (see the picture below).
Even amid all of the roofs that have been repaired since I was here last (blue tarps everywhere back then, very infrequent now- in this area) the effects of the storm are never far away at all. At the restaurant this evening, I asked the owner what damage his place had had. He said that a tornado took the roof from part of the dining room, but was repaired quickly. While the power was out (nine days) he iced the food he had in storage and then got a generator, started cooking, put up a sign on the road, and fed people until he ran out of food.
Tomorrow those who have been working at the house site will be treated to lunch by the owners. I hope to be there too, although I haven't been among those doing that work. I met Patricia and David, the owners, today, and it was very sweet. Patricia (shown in the picture, in front of her house) started to cry when she saw some plants and flowers that people of our group had bought for her. I gave her a hug and told her that back in Renton the preschool kids and I sing God is so Good, so good to me. she said "Amen."
We had worship here last night. Christine played her flute, and Sue played guitar. Many of our people showed up without their shoes on, and now they are calling for a 'barefoot Sunday' sometime at Cross and Crown. It was well attended and felt good and right. When we invited everyone to say names out loud for the prayers, it was good to hear the names of people back in Washington, just as it was good to pray for M. tonight before dinner. We will have a busy day tomorrow, some goodbyes to say and some traveling to do. It will probably be sweet and very difficult at the same time. I think that the difficulty in saying goodbye to Mississippi is some kind of measure of the quality of the week that we've had.
-Pastor Glen

Today is our second to the last day here in Biloxi. There are many emotions being experienced each hour of the day. There are times of great joy, and there are times of sorrow for those in Biloxi who need help, but have not yet received help. Each day we make more and more progress on the construction of our house we are working on. However, if you take a moment and really look at the block we are working on you see a really large picture, one that you know you is more than you can accomplish. We are very proud of our success and the work we have accomplished this week, but we realize this is only a minute glimmer of hope for this block.

Each day as we drive through the Hwy 90 area we see yet more destruction. There is so much destruction that one cannot possibly take it all in at once. Taking pictures is only a beginning to sharing what we are seeing, you really need to experience this in person. The people here in Biloxi are so THANKFUL for everything, even those who have not suffered a great loss.

Today we brought a small hanging basket of flowers and and a potted tree to the owners of our house. When they arrived the wife broke down in tears, she actually had to take a few minutes on the side of the house to compose herself. These are things that we just think of as no big deal, but to them it is a big deal. This represents life, something that the people of Biloxi thought may have been gone forever.

Life down in Mississippi is different, there is a chance that it may not ever really go back to what it was. But we (Cross & Crown) have given a large effort to help this area. There are several of us on this mission that have a large desire to return in 5years or more and see what this area has become. They will get through this, but it will take a large amount of support physically and financially. We (Cross & Crown) really need to spread the word, we need to make everyone aware. This is so BIG that all of Washington needs to know that Mississippi needs our help! God is at work here, and when you are here you feel it and see if everyday.

Tomorrow will be our last day at the house and I am feeling sad tonight. I know we have accomplished more than anyone every expected, but I want to do more. I myself would stay here for months it I did not have family, work and other commitments waiting at home. I love my life in Washington, but feel that this is a worth while mission. I truly hope that I will have the opportunity to make this trip again in the future. During our time here we have not only connected with hurricane Katrina survivors, but we have built friendships with other volunteers and the Bethel Lutheran Church community. This trip has been a faith building experience, we all had faith but now we have seen it working minute after minute and our faith has grown stronger. There has not been a night yet that I have not shed tears, both happy and sad this is all part of the experience and I would not hesitate in a minute to go again.

Last but not least today we went for the last time to see our "Bill". Several of us our bringing home paintings that he has done. When we arrived today, Bill had already developed our photo and framed it for everyone to see. We are a very bright star in his life, and I ask each of you to take time to include him in your prayers.

God Bless you all,

Stacey~

It is so odd to be able to go East via highway 90 to 'downtown' Biloxi and the home site being worked on by Cross and Crown. That stretch was closed in October, and traffic was a nightmare. I've used other roads that were closed back then. It's good to know things are changing and getting repaired, but I've been struggling a little bit to keep up.
This morning I stopped by and saw the home in East Biloxi (see pictures on Ann's entry below)and the various Cross and Crown members working very hard on electrical and many other issues. Isaac and I had finished helping a couple to move furniture, etc before carpet arrived (two weeks early). While there, I met a dog named Jezebel- a St. Bernard/German Shepherd mix. Her owner, Tiffany, told me that they had another dog, a Golden Retriever, who was killed by a truck a few days after the storm. Their fences had been blown down, the road was much busier than usual, and the dog was frightened by a thunderstorm and ran out. They keep Jezebel on the tether now, because they're concerned that she might run off as well. Jezebel really needed some petting and some talking to, or else I needed some dog time, or both.
Jezebel lives in Woolmarket, on the same highway that I traveled last October on the way to take people to the Red Cross shelter there. Back then it was pitch dark everywhere out there, and it was an adventure finding the community center that housed the shelter. While driving this morning, I knew that I had been there before. Once again, I'm just trying to keep with everything.
Yesterday Ashley and I, along with four women from Pennsylvania, went to Bill Johnson's house at his request to help him to move some items from a garage which he has rented and which now has been sold. There were many frames and paintings, and all kinds of other things, most of which had been soaked by the storms, much of which wasn't going to be recoverable or repairable. He saved some items that looked like lost causes, and just watching him pick up things very gingerly and look at them, and hearing some of the stories of paintings and so on, was very moving. When that was going on, I don't remember noticing the heat in the garage or that old mold smell that I remember so well from last October.
I look forward to hearing more and more about what Cross and Crown people are up to over in East Biloxi in the 300 block of Fayard street, and to going back there. I have some commitments to people to help with moving and other things. The week will have gone by way too fast.
-Pastor Glen

I will confess that I am not much of a speech maker, but here goes. I want to express something that I feel about Biloxi, which is the purely amazing amount and completeness of destruction in some areas. Some buildings and people came through the stom mostly undamaged, while some will never be seen or heard from again. A lot of cleaning up and construction has taken place since Katrina, but still signs of the storm are everywhere. Maybe it is something as obvious as a bare foundation or ripped up tree. Perhaps it is more subtle, like a family visiting a grave. Either way, these signs are impossible to avoid. I am sure that some else somewhere else has already commented on this, but it is equally impossible to understand what this is really about from pictures. I know that pictures you may have seen have illustrated a ton of damage and destruction, but you have to understand that a picture is only one place and one time in history. I like to compare it to seeing smething that you want in a catalog or on TV, or seeing your favorite sports player on a card. The experience is 180 degrees from owning that item, or meeting your sports idol. The whole picture is intangible from photos, or even from the video that I plan on making. Although it may be frustrating for you having me sit here and tell you that you can't grasp the whole picture, I wanted to let you know that there is more than the snapshots show. To switch subjects a little, I wanted to tell you that each night after dinner, we have what are called The Face of God, which allows all volunteers to share where they saw the face of God during the day. Some share stories of seeing God in the person in front of them in the checkout line at Wal-Mart, or somebody at their job site. I personally see the face of God anywhere relief work is being done, whether it is in a food bank, in a church, or wherever individuals are cleaning up the mess that Katrina left. God sent the storm, and God has sent help in all forms and from all places. Without taking twenty steps from where I sit, I can see huge boxes filled with blankets and pillows, large bins and shelves filled with food, and oddly enough, I see God in these donations too. To wrap it up, I feel deeply regretful for those who wish to be here, but cannot for the sake of time, or because of illness. That is all for now, and I hope that I will be able to write again before we leave. -Isaac

Yesterday most of us went to work at Patricia and David's house. They made it through the hurricane in their attic but lost their dog, and now they're in a FEMA trailer while their house is being rebuilt. Here's a picture to get an idea of where they were during the storm:

It's just a couple of feet high, sweltering hot and hard to breathe. Patricia said they couldn't move around much because they had to avoid the insulation. I felt around up there and I'm honestly not sure where they were able to sit, because I was touching insulation everywhere.

One more picture, here's their Bible. When we first went into the house it was just like this, right in the middle of the front room set up on a stepladder.

Their brother in law lives right around the corner. His house is a little further along, so he has a toilet back in and plumbed. He came over and invited us all over to use it when we needed. I walked over there at one point yesterday, and before I made it over I started talking to another neighbor. The next thing I knew he was inviting me in to use the bathroom in the trailer behind his house. It's humbling how grateful and generous everyone down here is, especially thinking about all the things I've been grumpy about since Thursday.

(Hi Mom - I know you're reading. I guess I'll be seeing you in Eugene!)
/Ann

Speaking of pictures, I have uploaded a vast majority of the pictures taken so far up to a seperate website. I'll attempt organizing them and cleaning out a few at some point; but it should give you some initial impressions.

Andy

Click Here for Pics

We worshiped this morning with the people of Bethel Lutheran and with other volunteers from Pennsylvania, Oregon, Michigan, Texas... Cross and Crown people were able to hear from Marie (you can see her picture on the Mississippi posterboard presentation that is sitting on the table next to the Cross and Crown sanctuary.
After lunch, we were able to take a drive over to East Biloxi and then up Highway 90 (the beach highway) as far as Pass Christian. At the end of passable highway, we got out of the vehicles and went down to the beach for a few minutes. The drive and the looking at destruction is hard to describe. It's as though we were all computers, and we can absorb information and sights very quickly, but we can't process it all. Lots of pictures were taken, and I'm sure there are many things going through each person's heart.
While in East Biloxi, we dropped in on Bill, to whom Cross and Crown gave bed and bedding last October. We had received a note from him in November. I wrote back but never heard back from him and was unable to get a telephone number. All 22 of us showed up at his house/studio. He seemed very pleased to see us, and it was wonderful to know that he is safe and sound, although probably looking at having to move sometime in the not too distant future.

Here he is (center) with his visitors.

We will begin work tomorrow. Many are going out to work on construction/electrical and other such projects. Others are working on computers for Lutheran Disaster Response, and Isaac, Emily, Ashley and I will be out helping a couple of families move some things around in their homes. I will be really anxious to hear how everyone's day will have gone tomorrow.

I would have loved to have worshiped at Cross and Crown this morning. Worship there began as we sat down to lunch, there being a two hour time difference. It was something to hear those readings about storms and calming and whirlwinds, then to go and see what a real storm does. Tomorrow we begin our part in healing from the storm, one armload, electrical box, computer form, meal, etc at a time. - Pastor Glen

By various modes of transportation our group has made it to Biloxi. Probably like a couple others in our congregation family, I have received regular updates and haven’t had to rely only on the blog to stay connected to our special group.

I find myself clinging to my cell phone waiting to hear my girls’ voices – not so much because I miss them – and be assured I do, but because I get so excited about the latest update. They have each had different things to tell Terry and me. Each little detail has been a blessing for me.

The most amazing blessing of all, an incredible realization for me, is that we belong to an entire congregation of believers who are continually doing awesome things in God’s name. Our congregation has been praying for months as this trip was planned and now that you’re there, we are still home praying for all of you and your work.

You will touch lives and lives will touch you. Each one of you has special gifts to share with the people of Biloxi. Those of us back home in WA are supporting your every effort and mission. I pray that each hand you shake, each meal you serve, each yard you clear, each home you help restore will be according to God’s plan. Faith took you to Biloxi and will sustain you while you’re there.

I thank Cross and Crown for making this trip possible for 22, and I especially thank 20 for embracing our girls and allowing them to be with you. I'm still clinging to my cell phone. The Lord be with you all.
Jody

All are here. Some our people stepped up and prepared dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Most are sleeping in the sanctuary, 4 more in the nursery. Judy Bultman, the site director, spoke to us this morning and said that from now on this week we should know that we are on holy ground, where God is doing big things.

We will worship at 10 (we need our things out of the sanctuary well before then) and after worship we plan to get in the vans and take a drive around the area. We'll also be finding out more about what kind of work we'll be doing. - Pastor Glen

Well, I believe that everyone is finally here. I can only speak from my own experiences; but it has been pretty exhausting so far. I was coming from Miami to Gulfport through Atlanta. Upon landing in Atlanta I found out that my continuing flight had been cancelled (due to "weather"). After a long night spent dozing at various locations in the airport and a morning full of stand by's I finally got into Gulfport about 12:30; too bad my luggage hadn't!

About an hour or two later, Sue and Tor surprised me by coming in on their flight; it was quite the shocking reunion! They then kept me company for a while awaiting the arrival of my luggage, my one checked bag containing 95% of my clothing! The company was most welcome and eventually Pastor and Erin appeared to take us home. We (rather, I) were comforted by an evening of Po' Boy sandwiches (mmmmm...Oyster 'n hush puppies for me, catfish for everyone else) and the pursuit for my luggage continues.

On the holy front, the Lord welcomed us with a fantastic display of lightening high in the clouds; humidity and heat are pretty high; but so are our spirits. There is no "work" scheduled for tomorrow, so it's our chance to get to know the area and the people...should be wonderful!

On a closing note; I pray that the Lord is keeping an eye on my luggage; cause Delta sure isn't!

"The delta planes in Georgia; well, they were looking for some bags to steal...."

Keep us in your thoughts 'n prayers!
Andy

Does anyone offer to call and wake Jess and I up at 3am tomorrow? Wow! We have to pick Don up at 4:25 and we all three fly out at 6am. I know you drivers are saying "Oh poor you!" Well, the truth is that it will be easy to get up as Jess and I are so excited about being in Biloxi and helping out. God bless our flights and we look forward to reuniting with everyone in Mississippi!

-Christine

Those who are going by road, 16 this time, packed up into three vehicles in the Cross and Crown parking lot. We have our stuff. We also have lots of food, thanks to the generosity of people of Cross and Crown and others. The amazing quilters of Cross and Crown are sending 20 quilts for distribution in Biloxi, and the duffel bags, sleeping bags, quilts and food all fit in the vehicles without much trouble. We're looking at a two-day drive to Biloxi, somewhere between 2700-2800 miles. We'll pray and go early in the morning, praying for ourselves on the road and for all who are headed to the Gulf Coast, for all who are returning home, and for all who are lifting us in prayer during this time.
-Pastor Glen

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day
Genesis 1:3-5
I have been thinking about this journey you all will be taking and these verses came to me. Many of you are going to be following a light you did not even know you had at the first of the year. For some of you that light was a flicker. (Read Stacey’s blog) For some of you it was a bright light right away. (Read Pastor’s) But some place along the line God pointed you to the light and said “Yes” you can go and do what you can. So think of today as “your first day”. A new journey, a new light. Follow your light to Mississippi. Trust that once you get here, God is going to point you to your light.
For the rest of us at Cross and Crown. God told us to keep the light at home burning for all of you. The light he has told us to follow is to pray for all you. To keep Cross and Crown going until you all are safely home. To remember that he will lead all of us one day to a light. But Mississippi was not it. So do not be sad if you did not go. We still have work here at home to do. What is your light? Mine is to pray for the safe travel and return of my follow Cross and Crown brothers and sisters. Gods Peace and Gods Speed. –Cindy T.

Toward the end of worship today we gathered in a circle to pray for Cross and Crown's ministry on the Gulf Coast. Afterward, we took this picture to put on a greeting card to take with us. This is us- about 100 or so worshippers on this Sunday morning, including some visitors. 22 are headed southeast soon. You can do the math with me and be amazed along with me at the percentage of our people who are going. That's not the end of it, though. There are more yet who would have liked to have gone.
What's even more stunning and thanksgiving-provoking is that every member of Cross and Crown has a part in this project. This ministry is supported by the prayers and financial contributions of members of Cross and Crown and others. We will be taking along food and drinks gathered by members and others, and people from the congregation and outside of the congregation are helping in all kinds of ways to make this trip possible. So- we can recalculate-- the "percentage of our membership" who have a part, when we include everyone, is more like 200%. That's kingdom of God math- ministry and connections growing by leaps and bounds, like that mustard shrub we heard about in worship today.
-Pastor Glen

I invite you to go to the 'Katrina before-after pictures link on the right. Never having been to the Gulf Coast before last October, I only have "after" pictures to offer. The Sun Herald newspaper site's before/after series gives a much better overall view than I ever could. If you're interested, you might also go to www.wlox.com/global/category.asp for before/after videos.
Back in October, I made a couple of trips out specifically to take pictures of damaged property. The second and last time, I drove west on Highway 90 as far as one could travel back then. I have a bunch of pictures from that day, and I've used them to try to tell some of this story to various groups. I remember being exhausted by just driving and looking (no comparison, of course, to how exhausted, in every way, the residents of those areas were). It's a tricky thing- on one hand, after only a couple of days we can get used to seeing damage the likes of which we've never seen. On the other, it seems to work on us consciously and subconciously, pushing whatever buttons we have that involve loss, grief, and everything that's broken. As I've told the story, I've continued to be affected by going through these pictures again and again. Pictures of property, and even the best pictures of people, really can't convey much of what goes through a person's heart when surrounded by such things.
At the same time, looking at pictures on a tv screen back in Washington can cause a reaction in us, and each person's reaction is going to be absolutely unique. I hope that we can find a way to take a long drive around Biloxi/Gulfport on our second day there. I'm interested to see how things have changed once again, but I'm more interested in what goes on in the hearts of all of our people there, and then what happens when we tell the story after we return.
I took the picture above last October. You see the Hurricane Camille memorial, in East Biloxi. I'm sure that looking at that, especially the flag, will affect everyone in different ways. We can see the "second spring" happening on the branches of the trees in the background, the gulf looking calm in the far background. These days, when I look at that and think on Camille and see those things, I'm thinking more about the day before Katrina came ashore. There is a new book called The Great Deluge, by Douglas Brinkley. He mostly writes about New Orleans, but he offers this too:
That Sunday afternoon [August 28] many Mississippians could be seen standing quietly on the beach, staring out into the Gulf of Mexico. There were no dolphins at play. The noisy seagulls were all gone...the silence from the sky was ominous. These residents would soon join the seagulls in flight...As survivors of Camille and inheritors of its legacy, they knew, instinctively, that their lives were about to change dramatically. Come dawn, some of their fellow beachfront colonists, those too sick or stubborn to flee, would be dead. All the post-Camille casino building would be washed away...When these residents turned their back on the Gulf of Mexico, they were closing all the previous chapters of their lives for a strange new world.
The winds and storm surge did all the damage you see on those before/after pictures and videos in just a few hours the next morning, made the strange new world that we'll find ourselves in in just a few days. I want to take some new pictures, including maybe a few at the Camille memorial. .We'll see things like the billboard above ('borrowed' from another blog- I didn't see any billboards intact last October) I also, though, don't want to forget where people have been, all the befores that there are, how much loss people are carrying around, the kind of thing that's tough to convey via any billboard. We'll do some rebuilding of stuff, but we're called to be in the business of helping to heal hearts. That means, among other things, having our hearts open to see and hear some of that dread and loss and long hours and days and weeks of fear and unknown. We may well be uncomfortable with all of those things, and hearing about and seeing damage and losses in Mississippi will affect all of us. We go there, though, in the name of God to whom "even the darkness is as light. (Psalm 139)" It's a high calling. The Lord help us to be thankful for it, and give us wisdom to put ourselves in his hands.
-Pastor Glen

When Hurricane Katrina first hit I had a deep desire to help. Unfortunately at that time it was not possible to make a trip. I had to help by praying and financially giving. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would have the chance to take a trip and personally help these people.

While pastor was in Biloxi and we would receive reports in church on Sunday it would send chills through my body. These people had sustained a horrible trauma something I will never experience, but yet they are still trying to get their lives going again. Most people would have given up by now, what keeps these people going? This question circulated in my head over and over again like a broken record. The answer time and time again was FAITH! I truly believe that the people in Biloxi and everywhere else that have been through a traumatic event such as Hurricane Katrina; truly do have faith. Many may not recognize it, but I think anyone who continues to pick up their family and themselves to move on and keep going MUST HAVE FAITH!

In April pastor began to speak of the mission trip, I came home and mentioned to my husband. We talked and talked and talked; we went to Adult Forum class and listened to Pastor. There are 4 spots left, we looked at each other and said “if we are meant to go, God will make it happen”. That day pastor reminded me “worry about nothing, pray for everything”. My husband and I went home that day, and began working to secure time off work, covering other jobs and housing for our child. While doing this I just kept repeating “worry about nothing, pray for everything”. God made it happen, I was so excited when my husband phoned and said the other job was covered, I actually called past from my car to tell him.

The feelings I have going down are many, I am excited, scared and anxious but yet ready for any challenge put before me. I may not have all the skills desired, but I am willing try anything placed in front of me. My desire to help and my faith gives me the courage to travel to Biloxi. I know that my faith will be called upon in many ways, and I truly think I will leave with even a stronger faith. The people in Biloxi have lived through a terrible tragedy and yet, continue to believe that it will be okay. We are so lucky to be part of this mission; we have the chance to show these people that there is hope. That even though it has been almost a year since the Hurricane, people still care, and want to help. We hear so much in the beginning of the aftermath and then it slowly fades from the media. We at Cross and Crown are not letting the people of Biloxi fade away. We hold them in our prayers daily and continue to help them in anyway possible.

~Stacey~

October 2005 - The writing on the back windows of the van says "Please pray 4 hurricane victims Gulfport Mississippi." A couple of times now that we've gotten together to plan and to talk about this upcoming trip, we've sung and clapped our way through a gospel song called "Somebody prayed for me" [...had me on their mind, took some time to pray for me...I'm so glad they prayed, I'm so glad they prayed, I'm so glad they prayed for me...] There is a giving and praying part of this trip that is so very important- namely, going in person to a place where there has been such trauma and broken hearts and saying there-in person- we're thinking of you and praying for you. That's true and important. But we're going to Mississippi to receive, too. If my time there last fall is any guide, we will receive a hundred, a thousand times what we put in.

I am anxious to go to a place where there is such need of healing, places where are our brothers and sisters are struggling, anxious to be in the middle of a huge effort. I'm anxious to do that because I want to be in the middle of situations in which I can see the Lord clearly at work. God is very, very busy in the lives of our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast-busy before, during, and after the hurricane and to this day-busy tomorrow, this summer, next year, the year after that...I want to see God at work making connections among us, I want to see God at work lifting up our brothers and sisters day to day, walking with them and carrying them through the grind of this recovery and healing. I want to take that in and take that away with me and come back to Renton and the East Hill of Kent, where I live and work, with some new glasses on, new ways to see and to respond to the hurt hearts and the crises and the grief that are all around us, but less visible in the absence of some major disaster that affects the whole population at once. My time there in October has been feeding me and my work ever since I returned, and I know that I am going to Biloxi to give and to receive.

Sound selfish? I don't mind if it does. I'm going there to say "yes, I/we have been praying for all of you." I'm also going there knowing that I/we will wind up with some more people thinking of us and praying for us, people who can witness to us about some amazing works of God. So-we all get to sing that song. We are all in this together, the Lord bringing us together for good things, working all day, every day, working in us to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:13) -Pastor Glen

October 2005- a backyard in Biloxi or Gulfport-I don't recall which side of the line we were on. This neighborhood is just south of the railroad tracks. The home we were working on was being gutted by the owners, and we worked to clean up the yard. This cleanup included not only branches and shingles but also the personal property of the owners and of other, unknown people-all kinds of things. We spent a couple of hours working in the yard before the end of our working day. It seemed that we barely made a dent in the mess, and when we left we could look down that street and see dozens of other homes in much the same state as this one. It certainly isn't something we can put our names on and talk about any kind of feeling of accomplishment upon leaving. There's a part of me that would like to make a detailed report- so many pounds of stuff removed from a yard, etc. I want to see the before and after pictures. I want the impact of what we do to be very clear when we come back to tell the story of this trip.

This month, we're talking about giving something like 1100 hours to the recovery effort. Even though there is work everywhere to be done, there will be times, I'm sure, when we will not be able to see evidence that we are making a difference. In the case of our work in the home in this picture, we were able to give about 8 person-hours. That's the part we can count. However, we also were able to say to the homeowners that we came from far away, that we and people back home had been thinking of and praying for our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast. That part of the impact of our work is harder to count. I ran around the Mississippi Gulf Coast for ten days with a nametag that indicated that I was from WA, and I didn't count the number of times that I greeted people- in line at the market, every other place- and became one more person who had come from far away to help. The effect of that is very hard to count- I heard over and over how astounded people were at the number of church members from around the U.S. who had come down to help-and also how amazed people were at the efficiency of church-based disaster response. In the month between hurricane Katrina landfall and my arrival there, so much work had been done, so many connections made.

Want to be able to count the impact of our being in Biloxi? Since we have 23 going this time, I would think that we would have 23 times the impact that I did in October of last year. I suspect, though, that it's more likely to grow by a power of 23. There's the impact that we're able to see and to report. There are other effects, though- especially things going on in the hearts of people who will see pictures and hear our stories- that only the Lord knows about. I'm giving thanks to God now for the chance to simply be part of such a vast, enormous work of healing. -Pastor Glen

October 2005 - A home in Gulfport, MS, well north of I-10, with LDR volunteers working on the roof. The workers, from OH, VA, and PA and I were all based at Bethel Lutheran-Biloxi. We spent approximately 2 1/2 hours on securing the tarp and removing tree branches and other debris from the yard.
This time around, I will be curious to see how many roofs will still have blue tarps, how much yard/park/cemetery cleanup still needs to be done... In October there seemed to be billions of armloads of branches around that needed to be moved from here to there, so many fences that had been blown down, lots and lots of trips across lawns, around houses, to the street and back. This has meant a need for armies of people. The site director at Bethel told me a few weeks ago that more than 4000 people have come through there to work since last fall.
In October there was also a lot of emphasis on "mucking out" houses; that is, stripping drywall, insulation, etc and spraying bleach solution against toxic mold. We'll go where we're sent to do the work that needs to be done, but I confess that I liked the unskilled branch-moving-type work, in part because it was possible to speak to and connect with other workers and with homeowners/survivors while the work was going on. More difficult, I'm sure, with the respirator and suit.
Between the 23 of us, we'll wind up doing all kinds of work in Mississippi. Whatever we're doing, it will simply be good to get started. In October I arrived at Bethel in the mid morning and started working in the food bank within five minutes. There was work everywhere one looked, and all kinds of blessings involved in being part of it, too many for me to count or tell, and I've been counting and telling for more than seven months now. To know in a new way what it is to go where we're sent, to where the needs are, is one of the more amazing blessings that I'm praying each of us will have while there. It will be a powerful blessing to bring back.
-Pastor Glen

October 2005 - View from south parking lot of Bethel Lutheran Church, Biloxi MS. Truck (borrowed from father-in-law and driven some 2800 miles one-way) carries a couple of dozen gallons of laundry detergent purchased at a local big-box store. Last fall, Bethel Lutheran hosted a Food Distribution Center in the church's fellowship hall, and laundry detergent was one item which every visitor to the food bank seemed to need. When I wasn't otherwise occupied, I would drive up the street and buy (with money donated by members of Cross and Crown Lutheran Church) a couple of shopping carts full of detergent, mops, buckets, and such. During my time there, we thus bought a few shy of 200 gallons of laundry detergent.

Now, as we prepare to head to Biloxi to work, the Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) Food Distribution Center has been moved up Pass Road to Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, and I am told that the most-needed items these days include building materials and medications. Thanks to the continuing generosity of the people of Cross and Crown, along with family and friends, we will have some funds available to try to help to meet those most immediate needs once again. -Pastor Glen

October 2005 - south parking lot of Bethel Lutheran Church, Biloxi. Volunteers prepare for a day of work. While at Bethel I met brothers and sisters from WA, CA, PA, VA, WV, MN, WI, MI, IN, MO, GA, FL.... and throughout my time there I was aware of being only one person in a very gigantic mission. Brothers and sisters from churches all over the U.S., and from every denomination and beyond, were on the Gulf Coast at work.
I came back repeating and repeating this thing: that this huge cleanup and healing, this ten-year process (at least) involves billions of dollars and thousands and thousands of people, but it's all happening one person, one armload at a time, one meal, one gallon of detergent, one hug at a time, one 'please' and 'thank you,' one 'bless you,' one 'peace' at a time. It was an absolutely humbling experience. We will be surrounded by needs and by property that needs fixing and, more important, by hearts that need healing. It is overwhelming. I believe that we're meant to be overwhelmed, we're meant to put ourselves in the Lord's hands and to be placed where we can do what the Lord has in mind. I am praying that we will return from Mississippi to our neighborhoods with a more vivid sense of what this means and how the Lord works.
- Pastor Glen

In June 2006, 22 members of Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, Renton, Washington will arrive in Biloxi, Mississippi in order to work for one week in recovery, rebuilding and healing in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. We will use this space to share photos and stories from this trip and to share reflections upon returning to Washington.
In October of 2005 I was blessed to spend ten days among the people of Bethel Lutheran Church in Biloxi as an Assisting Minister for Pastoral Care. I went there with the prayers of the people of Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, and while I was there the members of Cross and Crown gathered more than $2300 to be spent directly helping people on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In October 2005 this took the form of many gallons of detergent and other cleaning supplies, a bed and bedding for one individual, and direct financial help for a family who had lost their home in a fire in October.
I anticipated that perhaps 6 or 8 members of Cross and Crown would join me in Biloxi in June 2006. The Holy Spirit, however, has put it in the hearts of 22 other members to find their way to Mississippi. The Lord is always thinking bigger than we are!
-Pastor Glen