Ok, so i pretty much suck at keeping this updated. haha. This past week however I had the most amazing time in Mississippi. The seniors in our youth group went to Pass Christian. Mississippi to help out with the Katrina Relief. We left on the 15th and we stayed the night in Nashville TN. We stayed at a university there and then the next morning went to easter service at a church there and then took off. The van ride down I was thinking about what I might see there and the devistation, and what I saw on TV, trying to prepare myself for it.
When we finally got there we were driving through and it didnt look bad where we stayed. I guess the water level got to about 4 feet there...it was 10 miles away from the coast. So most of the houses around there are ok. However, the next day a few other guys and myself went down to the coast with Fred (the person sent from the chapel to coordinate all of this) and it was mind blowing. He was telling us how the water level got to 38 feet on the coast and how the ocean floor there is still littered with debri and God knows what...anyway, we went and unloaded a truck of wood to build this new house in 90 degree weather...by the time we were done we were soaked in sweat and figured we should go down to the beach and see how it was...on the way we were walking and looked in front of us and saw a foundation. Then looked to the right and left and saw countless others. When we walked through I tried imagining all being evactuated and then comming back home and it was swept away...clean off the foundation. Right there my heart broke for those people.
The next day we went to a man's trailor that was beyond repair and tore it down...got to use a sledge hammer and back hoe...it was fun...but then the guy broke down and cried...he told us a bunch of stories about the memories he had in the house..we broke down and cried with him. Right there it hit us as to how the week would be. The next day we went back in 95 degree weather and picked up all the debree. It took us 8 hour to finish and then we went to a dedication for a house another team that we sent finish at a man named Wayne Farve (brett farve's great uncle). And there we heard his story...a month before the storm he lost his son to cancer..then his wife was ill and in a hospital bed durring the storm...he had to swim an air matress onto the roof with her on it so they could be safe...they survived but a few days later she passed... up until then he wasnt planning on moving back in...just selling it because there was too many bad memories...but in all of us helping he said that there was no way he could ever leave after how much love was poured into the house... i cried right there...i didnt even know him and later he came up and told me that he appriciated me being there..i wasnt worthy of it and he cared for me...i dont think i will ever forget those words and the look on his face when he said it.
The next day we went to Katrina's Kitchen..a tent set up to give out free meals to anyone who walks in. We led a worship service there and told the story of Job....how he lost everything and still had faith in the Lord. The people there related to it so it seemed fitting. After they came up and told us that it was refreshing to see a youth group that stands up and does something good...and is so passionate about Christ. Those words made the whole thing worth doing...to let them see Christ through us. We were talking on the beach that night (they cleaned the beaches a long time ago) and we talked about how the clean up process wasnt being led by the govt....but by the church. Jesus Christ is in the drivers seat of the clean up crew and we all felt such pride in that.
The next day we did landscaping for a couple houses and talked to the people...heard their stories...cried with them...but the day that i will remember most is thusday...the day before we leave for home...we were at a lady named Kim Restor's new trailor, landscaping and planting her a new garden (which she is so proud of). When we dedicated the house to her she cried like crazy and got out a few words."Up until lately I have been wondering why God let Katrina happen, but now I know. It was so you could come and bring so much happiness to my life and show that there are people out there that do care. You have renewed my faith in the Lord for now I know there are still people who care" Right there I cried and we went and prayed with her.
Friday we packed up and it set out once more for nashville...we went to the hard rock cafe and it was amazing...then we went to an ice cream shop and there was a VERY talented country singer in there and that was fun to watch. So then we went back to the hotel, reflected on the week, and then came home today...it might not seem very cool to you....but it was the best thing that has ever happened to me.
-adam- | 
