Helping the neighbor

Sorry for not having any photos yet but we need to get them downloaded from our camera and it just didn't happen today. They will be back, I promise!

I think I have mentioned how dry it is down here, nearly 14 inches behind the normal rainfall for the season. Last night we had a storm come through that had the 2 of us thinking we might need to leave our trailer! It was a whopper! The rains fell so hard we couldn't see out the windows and the winds blew the chairs out front! We did ride it out and all was gone this morning. The sun was out, the usual winds were blowing and all was calm.

We spent alot of the day talking with one of the local ministers here. He has become quite a friend to us and we enjoy spending time with him.

We took some time this afternoon and went into Ocean Springs. We found our way through some of the bayous and happened on a couple who were crab fishing. We have heard about the blue crabs but I didn't think they were really blue in color! Of course they are really blue! This couple was showing us how they look for and catch them. What an amazing thing and what an amazing place this is, the way God provides food never ceases to amaze me. Even though you need to purchase a fishing license to fish, you do not need it to fish for the crabs. I think this is something I must eventually try!

Volunteers from Samaritans Purse are staying with us and working across the street at the neighbors. They have done so much work in her house and are now putting in floating hardwood floors. The home owner is such a wonderful lady. She cooks 3 meals each day for the volunteers and keeps them stocked with water and drinks all day. She isn't physically able to do alot for herself but she gives back in such a wonderful way to those who have helped her get rebuilt. She is an inspiration to us all! No matter what our situation, there is always some way in which we can give to others. Thanks, Joyce, for setting such a great example for the rest of us! Tomorrow we will be meeting our other neighbors to see what we can get done for them and get them back into their home. They are both elderly and from what we have heard they are getting discouraged. Please keep them in your prayers.

I also had the opportunity to go to one of our school teachers homes this afternoon and see how they are coming along. They have been doing most of the work by themselves and are getting things done. We did have a crew come and repair their fence and they did a great job. They are now getting down to the kitchen and are finding that replacing the cabinets is going to be quite costly, something they had not planned for. We discussed some temporary things they can do to get themselves back into the house and work on the cabinet issue later on. This teacher and her husband opened up their yard, yes their yard, for other teachers to come and camp out in tents for 20 days after the storm when they could not get into their own homes! The bare spots where their tents were set up are still on the front lawn! Another example of being there for others, no matter what the conditions are!

We feel blessed to know such wonderful people.

If you would like to help support us in this mission you can send your tax deductible gift to us at: Vineyard Community Church at PO Box 3277 in Bloomington, IN 47402. Please note "Katrina" on your gift at 100% goes directly to the relief effort. We thank you for taking part in this mission and doing what you can to serve others.

Until tomorrow... Susan and Monty