Hurricane Katrina Relief Trip

In July 2006, a team of eight women and two men, all members of Our Savior's Way Lutheran Church, spent a week in Biloxi, Mississippi, helping to rebuild homes and lives disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. The base of operations there was 'Camp Biloxi', a joint effort by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Bethel Lutheran Church, both of Biloxi, and Lutheran Disaster Response and Orphan Grain Train, two national organizations that provide year-round support for people and communities in need.

The first day they were assigned to the Pearson family, to help drywall the modest six-room home which had been gutted after the tidal flooding left virtually everything inside ruined. Five of the team concentrated on the inside while others cleared the yard of weeds and debris and power-washed the outside. While the Pearson home became the focus for the newly trained "Sheet Rockin' Women – and One Guy", other team members had the opportunity to paint the interiors of two other houses, helping those families come very close to moving back HOME. Mr. Pearson, a double amputee, and his adult daughter and her husband, as well as a niece, currently live in two FEMA trailers on their property.

By the end of the week, the Pearson's place was drywalled except for the two bathrooms. The family now has the hope of moving out of the FEMA trailers and into their home by October. The team had come with little to offer except willing hands and hearts ready serve others in the love of Christ. We left feeling a sense of accomplishment that came from beyond ourselves, and knew that our family had brought us as much joy and ministry as we had hoped to bring to them.

The team also helped to restore the sanctuary of the host church, Good Shepherd, which had suffered interior water damage from losing their roofing during the storm. It was the hope of our team that the congregation that had put the needs of their community first, would also realize that they were not forgotten.

Listening to people was as important a task as rebuilding physical structures. That thought is one that still reverberates through the area – the fear that they will be forgotten. Much devastation still remains – and Biloxi was not as hard hit as some areas such as New Orleans.

It is the hope and prayer of the "Team" from Our Savior's Way Lutheran Church to return again, and that they will be able to encourage others – especially those who have businesses or skills in construction – to continue to come to these devastated areas. It is estimated that 8 to 10 years will pass before life returns to normal.

Click here to read the log of our Our Savior’s Way experience in July 2006.