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IN TODAY'S ISSUE
March 29, 2007

Families Rebuild from Damage from Tornadoes Spawned by Hurricane Katrina

UMCOR Sager Brown Celebrates 140 Years of Ministry

This Week's Quote

Recovery Stats

Volunteers Leave Signed Reminders of Work… (Slide Show)

FAMILIES REBUILD FROM DAMAGE FROM TORNADOES SPAWNED BY HURRICANE KATRINA

By Susan J. Meister, Gulf Coast Communications

Mr. Willie has fond memories about helping his grandfather on their farm in Wiggins, Miss. The family grew watermelons, soybeans, and corn, and the farming lanes were lined with beautiful trees. But tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 felled one of those oak trees which stood in front of Mr. Willie's home, splitting his house in two.

Mr. Willie points to where an oak tree, felled by a tornado spawned by Hurricane Katrina, split his house in two.
Susan Meister/UMCOR

Wiggins is about 35 miles inland, north of Gulfport, in Stone County. When Mr. Willie and his family got word of the severity of the pending storm, they left for a relative's home that was "tree free." Katrina spawned 44 tornadoes, 11 in Mississippi. The Stone County office of the Mississippi United Methodist Katrina response is assisting families in the area to rebuild from wind and resulting water damage.

"Teresa was the one who really helped me," Mr. Willie said. Teresa is a case manager in the Stone County office. She has helped arrange the gutting of the home, a new roof, new electrical service, sheet rock, painting and trim. Mr. Willie is especially proud of the pretty peach color in their new living room.

Mr. Willie discusses the next step in the rebuilding process with case manager Teresa Berra.
Susan Meister/UMCOR

"That tree was on my house for almost 9 months," he explained. Because it was impossible to cover with a tarp, the house sustained considerable rain damage. He said it was such a relief when a team from New York got the roof back on the house.

Mr. Willie faced other challenges from the storm. Because the hospitals in the area were shut down, he had to travel back to Chicago for some serious medical procedures. "There wasn't even gas available," he exclaimed.

But the house is now taking shape. Mr. Willie is grateful to all the volunteers who have helped so far, including those from Georgia who sent gift cards for Christmas.

To help families along the Gulf Coast rebuild, contact the Mississippi United Methodist Katrina Response or Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry.

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

Our Work

Long term volunteer Jan Pettit leads a "blessing of the hands" during volunteer orientation at UMCOR Sager Brown.
Susan Meister/UMCOR

UMCOR SAGER BROWN CELEBRATES 140 YEARS OF MINISTRY

Missionary Charles Maddox, former executive director at UMCOR Sager Brown in Baldwin, La., recalled the outpouring of materials to the depot when hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast in the fall of 2005. "We just couldn't unload all the incoming trucks fast enough," Charles explained.

In turn, UMCOR Sager Brown began to dispatch the materials to relief sites from East Texas to Alabama.

Newly appointed director Kathy Kraiza arrived on the campus right after the storms. "Thankfully, neither hurricane affected our campus directly with any damaging wind or water, but they certainly changed the way we need to think about our ministry."

In 2007, UMCOR Sager Brown celebrates the 140th anniversary of the wide-ranging ministry that has taken place on the campus. The United Methodist connection is invited to participate in this important anniversary by continued prayer for the work of UMCOR and by collecting supplies to send to the Depot. A local celebration and Open House will be held on Saturday, April 21 in Baldwin, La.

In 2006, nearly $8 million dollars worth of goods and materials were shipped with the help of 3,073 volunteers, the most ever to visit the site. Supplies include health kits, flood buckets, sewing kits, school bags, layette kits and more.

Persons who have volunteered at UMCOR Sager Brown are invited to go to the web site and submit essays and photos about their experiences. All local congregations and annual conferences are invited to collect relief supplies and sign a special card of congratulations which will be posted at the UMCOR Sager Brown Depot.

The newly-designed UMCOR Sager Brown website has much more about the ministry and the 140th anniversary celebration.

This Week's Quote: We are witnessing the largest, the greatest volunteer response in the history of the United States….each of the volunteers as they head back home take a spark of revival with them - and the pictures they share and the stories they tell will affect their families, their churches and their co-workers.

The first of three multipurpose buildings for Mississippi United Methodist Disaster Response on the grounds of Vancleave UMC, Camp Hope, will be dedicated on April 15, 2007, at 3 pm. 'It is full of materials and will be full of volunteers,' said Robert Sharp, coordinator of Katrina Recovery.

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VOLUNTEERS LEAVE SIGNED REMINDERS OF WORK…
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