Life-teen update (07-01-2007)

I hope that all of you have been doing well in the great state of Washington this past week. As most of you are aware, I am down in southern Mississippi and Louisiana with the mission trip group. We have been working down here for the past couple of days and I just wanted to give all y’all (I have learned to speak with a southern accent) a quick update just to let you know that we are all still alive and what we are up to. First and foremost we are sweating; a lot. I am thinking about one of those super absorbent headbands that basketball players wear just to keep the sweat from trickling off the end of my nose like some kind of miniature waterfall. It wouldn’t be so bad except for the fact that the bugs keep trying to go spelunking in my mouth. Other then just being in the mid 90’s, the humidity is near 100 percent. This of course means that your body begins to perspire profusely when you even think about going outside. Add this to working outside for six hours clearing brush with weed eaters and a chainsaw and I think personally sweat enough cause another flood of the Gulf Coast area. In addition to helping clear brush from some land, we also helped put up some insulation on a house, install some windows, and fix the deck. All in all I think it had been a very fruitful trip for all of us. We have been attending daily Mass at the oldest church in Mississippi, Our Lady of the Gulf, and it is one of the most beautiful churches I have seen. It is right across the street from the Gulf of Mexico and has withstood several major hurricanes other than Katrina blowing over the top of it. The faith of many of the people down here is also amazing. Many are like Job,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb and naked I shall go back again. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” ~Job 1:21
Others don’t have quite such a faith based attitude about things, but they are still trying to get by the best that they can. We are trying to take lots of pictures and even some video to show all of you once we get back. I personally cannot thank everyone enough who has helped make this trip possible. Both through prayers and finances you have helped us to reach out and love those who are hurting. The man who’s house we worked on today lost everything in the storm. When the water settled and the worst looked like it was over, his wife divorced him and took everything that the storm had missed. He has been living in a FEMA trailer for two years with no money, no house, and no job. But he had faith none the less. He thanked God that he had survived when others had fallen, and that we were helping him rebuild his house when there were still so many others homeless. Even though we are only going to be here a week, you have all helped us show God’s love to some of the people here on the Gulf Coast. Thank you for all that you have done for them.