We're home!

Just a quick note to say that we're home! In the midst of a windy day in NYC, our flight got in early on a truly textbook landing. I'm home already -- not sure about anyone else -- but already missing the people on the trip (although I'm definitely looking forward to an indoor shower and a heated bedroom tonight!)

More reflections and home posts will be forthcoming, I'm sure. We're not done here yet!

At the airport

We're at the airport in Gulfport, getting ready to depart on our first flight to Atlanta. While we wait, it looks like they left our new drywall taping and compounding (aka "mudding") experts some work to do....

Communion together

After cleaning all the sleeping areas, showers, bathrooms, kitchen and fellowship hall and loading the luggage in the cars, a wonderful communion service was conducted by the Reverends James and Schaeffer. With the singing of "Holy, Holy, Holy", "O Sing to the Lord", "Let Us Break Bread Together" and "Song of Hope" and readings from the Bible, everyone was ready for the Word. After a reading from the Mission Book for The day, “God has also called Washington Presbytery to reach out beyond its bounds in response to Hurricane Katrina. Since August 2005, the presbytery has hosted eight mission trips to the Gautier, Mississippi, area. Washington Presbytery has sent truckloads of supplies, held a teddy bear drive at Christmastime through a local hospital, and collected money for mattresses for people who lost everything. The biggest project of the year was adopting nine families from Mississippi and asking churches in the presbytery to develop an ongoing, caring relationship with them and to help them meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This project has been enthusiastically supported, and Washington Presbyterians have benefited as much as those affected by Hurricane Katrina. God’s people are doing a large part of the rebuilding work after this disaster, and the presbytery is deeply blessed that God has called it to be involved with the people of Mississippi as they rebuild their homes and their lives,” the Word was seen in a slide show of the week’s activities. Communion was then shared along with hugs for the Peace. Everyone left feeling together and ready to return home.

Hellos and Goodbyes...

Its our last day here in Mississippi. We thought it would be nice to show you who we are and say hello before we say goodbye.

We'll be returning to New York tonight but will continue this blog with post-trip thoughts and reflections. Remember all the times we said, "More later.."? Well, we'll also be adding new content to previous posts. So, we hope you'll continue reading and continue sharing.

When you see us back in the city and in church, feel free to say hi.

NYC Presbytery Gulfport Katrina Mission Trip
Front row: Rose, David, Kate, Betty, Eleanor, Janet
Second row: Randye, Sorrel Ann, Arabella, Barbara, Agnes, Rita, Lisa, Jill
Third row: Bob, Tina, Andy, Kathy, Oddrun, Carol, Craig