UMCOR Bright Spots

IN TODAY’S ISSUE
January 17, 2008

UMCOR STAYS WITH LONG TERM RECOVERY ALONG GULF COAST

By Susan J. Meister, Gulf Coast Communications

The hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 were the costliest in U.S. history. Families all along the Gulf Coast are still rebuilding from the devastating wind and water of Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Rita and Wilma. With the help of partners from Texas to Florida, UMCOR is working to rebuild the homes and lives of those who were affected.

Even though the storms have faded from the headlines, case managers and volunteers continue their commitment to bringing hope to families and communities. The Bright Spots newsletter moves to a monthly celebration of UMCOR’s specialty – long term recovery – and will expand to include stories from survivors all along the Gulf Coast.

Adults and youth help out in Abbeville

Adults and youth from New Covenant UMC, Sunnyvale, Texas, join homeowners Mr. Lester and Ms. Shirley (center) for a group photo.
Photo by Tom Webster

Victoria Lee, a student at Austin College in Sherman Tx., spent part of her recent Christmas break volunteering with nineteen youth and adults from New Covenant UMC, Sunnyvale, Tx. The group helped three families in Abbeville, La., continue to rebuild their homes from wind and water damage sustained in Hurricane Rita in September 2005.

“I have been on seven mission trips before this one,” Victoria explained, “and this was my second trip to this area. It was a completely different experience from before. The first time, the main goal was to gut the house, take everything out and save what you could. This time the house needed additional minor repairs.”

Tom Webster, the group leader, was pleased with the amount of work the group accomplished at three different homes. “But it was sometimes difficult for those of us accustomed to the fast pace of life in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to slow down a bit to the slower pace in rural Louisiana,” he laughed. “There is a rich social connection that binds the people of Abbeville and we were blessed to establish our own connections with them.”

Wheelchair ramp gives homeowner more freedom

The volunteer team built a new ramp so that Mr. Lester would no longer be confined to his home.
Photo by Tom Webster

The main task was at the home of Mr. Lester and Ms. Shirley, where the group reinstalled some ceiling tile and built a wheelchair ramp. Abbeville station case manager Ronda Trahan explained that Mr. Lester’s health issues had him largely confined to the home without the ramp. “Five different volunteer groups have helped rebuild their home since two and a half feet of water from Rita came in,” she added.

At the two other sites, group members helped with electrical work, trim, and installing ceiling tile. For Webster, satisfaction came not only from the work being done but also watching adults work with the youth. “Don did a marvelous job of mentoring the kids,” he added.

Victoria was emphatic about her willingness to show acts of kindness to her new friends in Louisiana. “It really isn’t taking time out of my life to help them,” she said. “I enjoy being able to do what I can to help others. I would hope that if something happened where I live that people would come to our aid.”

To volunteer to help rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Rita in Abbeville or other locations in Louisiana, contact the 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

For More Information

Our Work

Tim Wells has his hands on the shoulders of Mr. Willie, a homeowner in Bay St. Louis who received help from the team from Virginia. Photo courtesy Tim Wells

SURVIVORS AND VOLUNTEERS VALUE CONNECTION

Floris United Methodist Church, Herndon, Virginia has sent sixteen teams to the Mississippi Gulf Coast since Katrina devastated the Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Gulfport, and Biloxi areas in August 2005. The church has four teams scheduled for the first half of 2008, involving over 100 persons. The group has pictures, written articles and slide shows about their experiences. Group leader Tim Wells emphasizes, “Most important, we have people to talk to who will happily share how their lives have been blessed and changed by this ministry.”

Their feelings are shared by those whom they have helped. Mr. Willie, who floated on his furniture to survive, is special to the Floris UMC team. The team helped make his house a home despite considerable doubt that they would be able to save it. The homeowner shared his feelings about his new friends from Virginia with Rev. Lisa Garvin, chaplain at Misssaps College, Jackson, Miss. Garvin was assisting with pastoral support in Bay St. Louis when she met Mr. Willie. She, in turn, sent a description of her meeting to Wells:

Mr. Willie shares his feelings
“One morning, Willie walked in. He sat down in front of me with a piece of mail carefully protected in a re-sealable bag. He looked at me and said, ‘I just have to show you something,’ and with tears welling up in his eyes, handed me the card from the bag. I sat and read the note you all sent, looked at the pictures enclosed and the generous gift cards as Willie praised the church and the good people there for all the help he had received.

“Your generosity not only touched and helped Willie and his wife,” Garvin continued, “it reminded me again of the healing and redeeming power of the United Methodist connection when we allow the Spirit of God to move in us and act through us.”

“Thank you and your church for what you have already done to support the efforts on the Gulf Coast. We are running a marathon of recovery, but the good news is that it’s a relay, not a one man race.”

Wells added, “God bless Willie and all like him on the Gulf Coast.”

To participate in the recovery in Mississippi, contact Mississippi United Methodist Katrina Response.

Quote fromTom Hazlewood

Louisiana United Methodist Disaster

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