UMCOR Bright Spots
IN TODAY'S ISSUE
August 31, 2006
Marking Time in Recovery and Hope The Power of Memory and Prayer Ministry to Volunteers Recovery Stats Planting and Nurturing Hope Partnering With Survivors Is Best Practice Bright Spots Debuts Today
MARKING TIME IN RECOVERY AND HOPE
By Susan J. Meister, Gulf Coast Communications
At the first milepost in an unprecedented, multi-year recovery some families are on their way to restoration.
Miss Mary, in Slidell, LA, northeast of New Orleans, recently celebrated the rebuilding of her home, which was inundated with eight feet of water from Hurricane Katrina's Aug. 29, 2005, storm surge. Miss Gerry and Mr. Carbert, in Cameron Parish, southwest Louisiana, welcomed a volunteer team of youth to clean up debris around their nursery business, deposited by the winds of Hurricane Rita in September.
Miss Sylvia, whose home is just south of New Orleans and the Mississippi River in Gretna, has just completed the mucking out and gutting of her home and awaits further rebuilding. Mr. Joe, who received help in getting his shrimp boat back into production, is still living in a FEMA trailer in the front yard of his home is Pascagoula, MS, where he hangs sheetrock when he's not too exhausted from his work.
"My Heroes"
"These folks are my heroes," remarked Paul Dirdak, director of United Methodist Committee on Relief. "Each of them has done their best to bravely face the nearly insurmountable challenges brought by this disaster. It is an honor to stand beside them as they work to create and implement their own recovery."
UMCOR, the humanitarian agency of the United Methodist Church, is standing side-by-side with annual conference partners for as long as it takes to get the job done. Individuals and families are receiving assistance not only with restoration of homes, but also with materials and economic resources, emotional and spiritual well-being and family integrity.
THE POWER OF MEMORY AND PRAYER
Many individuals and churches from throughout the United Methodist connection have already helped with the challenges of recovery through prayer, monetary gifts, and volunteer clean-up and rebuilding teams. Conference leadership is deeply grateful for the assistance, but has expressed a worry.
"My biggest concern is we will be forgotten before we complete our work," said Ed Blakeslee, coordinator of the Mississippi United Methodist Katrina Response.
UMCOR stands with the conferences on the Gulf Coast in the name of Jesus Christ to keep their stories of recovery and hope alive.
PARTNERING WITH SURVIVORS IS BEST PRACTICE
In the long-term rehabilitation of the community UMCOR most values the outcomes of partnerships with and self-sufficiency of survivors. For more information, go to www.umcor.org
BRIGHT SPOTS DEBUTS TODAY: THE GIFT OF GOD IN STORIES
Bright Spots is a biweekly newsletter mailing on Thursdays to persons interested in the United Methodist recovery effort in the Mississippi and Louisiana conferences.
Each issue of "Bright Spots" will include a story of an individual or family affected by the hurricanes of 2005 and working toward recovery. Issues will also include additional photos related to rebuilding, recovery statistics, a brief slide show for use by churches in worship and meeting venues, and links to Gulf Coast conference and other web sites. The email list for Bright Spots will only be used to mail the e-newsletter and will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
Susan Meister, formerly communications director at Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference, is UMCOR's Gulf Coast communicator. "The stories I am hearing are full of hope, nurtured by the presence of the church," Meister said. "The gift of God in these stories is the ability to keep the church informed of the ministry that is being done on their behalf, but also to emphasize the need for ongoing support through prayer, volunteer teams and financial assistance," she said.
For more on the United Methodist recovery work visit these web sites:
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
UM News Service
Mississippi Conference
Louisiana Conference
Texas Conference
Alabama-West Florida Conference
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