MMUMC Mississippi VIM 2007: And so we reach the end

As I sit and write this entry, much of the team is cleaning our lodging space in the church and preparing for our departure (I guess there are advantages to writing the last night's blog). We are tired, but happy at knowing we have made a least a small difference in a few lives in this devastated part of the country.

For those of us who usually sit at a desk all day, there is a great sense of satisfaction at seeing tangible results of our work, be it hanging drywall, cabinets, doors or ceiling fans, painting, wiring, carpentry and much more. It's amazing what can be accomplished with limited ability, but a willingness to try (then again, we are Christ's hands in action, and he was a carpenter). But the greatest rewards are the smiles and thanks from our owners, and the looks on the faces of the children who see their home coming back to life.

Unfortunately, there is also a great sense of frustration at knowing there is more we wanted to do, and so much more that needs to be done - not just in the homes of Sharonda and Jake, but all across the Gulf Coast.

It is unbelievable that nearly two years after the hurricane so much work remains. In New Orleans, block after block after block consist of homes in various stages of rehab or still waiting to be destroyed. Throughout the city countless families are still living in Katrina trailers, many in yards that would have seemed hardly big enough to hold the trailer before the storm.

In contrast, the area around Pass Christian seems defined by what is not here. As opposed to last summer when MMUMC sent a team here, there very little debris. The area has been cleaned up very well. But in driving around, one becomes aware of something else that is missing. There are entire blocks where each lot still has a foundation, but the houses aren't there any more. It is not unusual to see front steps leading to a home that is no longer there.

Lindsey received a stark reminder of how Katrina remains in many ways the defining characteristic of the lives of those who live here - especially the children. As she was painting in Sharonda's house with Quentin and Xavier, they were talking about her home in Washington, DC. The boys wanted to know if the area was pretty, and if it was destroyed, too.

So we may leave Mississippi, but Mississippi will never leave us. As we return to our homes and day to day lives, Sharonda, Jake and all those down here who are still struggling to put there lives back together will long stay in our hearts and prayers.