Well… Monday has ended. What a day. Here we are, 11 months after the storm and there is still so much that has not been done. Many roofs are still under tarps. Some folks are just getting to plumbing and electrical repairs after gutting their homes and bleaching their studs. Some are ready for drywall with much spackling, sanding and painting to do before the final electrical work is completed and plumbing fixtures put in. Its amazing how many homes have campers and trailers parked on their front lawns, providing safe shelter in front of their homes since they can’t live inside. And most lack the finances to do much about it either due to scam artists, or lack of insurance, or disagreement with the insurance over what would be covered. But the work… is a secondary healing. 11 months later, the primary need, and our primary job on site has been, and continues to be interaction with the residents of the city of D’Iberville. It’s the stories from the storm, and the days, weeks and months that followed which put the physical damage into perspective… small in comparison to the emotional scars that Katrina left in the hearts of these families. Sometimes work is frustrating, as crew wait for homeowners to acquire materials, or for rain to stop so work can begin, or as we struggle to figure out the best way to “improve” upon the situation in a home when (for whatever reason, and there are many) we can’t make it 100% what it should be. Most find it hard to put words to the depth of thanks that they feel towards the volunteers in this camp, including our 56 from Ground Zero. They are so happy to have whatever assistance anyone can offer, regardless of the level of success we make in a repair effort, simply because they know someone cares, and someone is trying. I’m not sure we fully understand what it means to them that we are here, or why it means as much as it does, but we’re working to understand. That is more important than the work.We have one team on debris, one team on drywall, one team on insulation, two crews on roofing, a plumbing crew, and a crew doing both plumbing and electrical repairs. It’s everything we can do, just to try to get basic things completed. Trips to Lowe’s have been frequent. We praise God for the way he has equipped our team… most importantly spiritually for this week… but also in the sense of skills, tools, and the trailer. What a blessing it’s been in only the first day of work. We hope to start sharing some of the stories from some of our homeowners in the next few days as our schedule allows (but no promises). Some of our homeowners shared what it was like to spend 12 hours hunkered in their attics during the storm trying to avoid rising flood waters. There are those who searched house to house finding and removing bodies including a young man who provides security for our camp at night. The directors of this camp helped operate points of distribution to try to get food and water out to their friends and family in this town. We’ve heard storied of churches in Memphis staying up for 48 hours prior to the storm freezing and bagging ice, and being the first to arrive in D’Iberville 24 hours after the storm to bring in supplies…. Stories of minimum wage workers making trip after trip in their little pickup truck, brining whatever food they could to try to hand out. Stories of trailers being towed up and down local streets to get food out to people who could not leave their homes for any number of reasons from downed lines, to lack of trans, to health issues, etc. Stories of people who work outside the disaster area who went to work carrying gift cards that were mailed down, handing them to fellow employees who went to whatever stores they could to buy supplies and food, and then strapping it all to that tiny little car, to bring back to D’Iberville in the evening. Ask us about the three miracles at thanksgiving. Some saw the worst in people. Many more saw the best.God is here. Ask Tyler about the nail he bent over trying to put it in, and later found straight and ready to be pounded into place. We are slowly connecting personally with what has happened here. It’s hard to absorb it all. We’re praying that God makes our hearts open to understanding and being able to try to appreciate even a portion of what this town and it’s residents have been through. And this is just one town. There are hundreds of these towns between here and New Orleans. It’s overwhelming.Pray for God’s direction, guidance, compassion, mercy, understanding, humility, (insert a few of y our own favorite characteristics of God here) to be with us and in us, and moving through us this week. We can’t put into words what we are taking in, and there is so much more that we aren’t even able to absorb. WOW.I hope you hear this as a positive note home because that is what this is. It is amazing to join God in what he is doing here. I only wish we could absorb more. It’s like drinking from a fire hose, and you’re so amazed by what you take in and at the same time disappointed you couldn’t get more of it. We have amazing teens! Reading this, you might just have to do what we’re doing…. Ask God to help you “get it” because that’s our prayer down here… that we somehow manage to “get it” because 24 letters in the alphabet just isn’t enough. Thanks to all those at home who are praying for us, and to those who’ve fielded “Consulting Calls” from some of our crew chiefs down here. You’re awesome.More to come as time and schedules allow… hopefully with some more personal stories and experiences.

Drew Cope