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....

Day Two: Worship and Touring Gulfport

This morning we attended worship with the congregation of Handsboro Presbyterian Church. During the children's prayer, Reverend Castleman invited the kids to teach the rest of the congregation the very earliest creed ("Jesus Christ is Lord"). Afterwards, the children helped collect canned food for the homeless shelter.

After services were concluded, we all toured the coast area around Gulfport. Its difficult to describe the devastation, sense of loss and emptiness along the road we traveled.

It was sad to view the remains of St. Peter's By the Sea Episcopal Church. St. Peter's was completely gutted and the entire first floor was wiped away. We have a special connection to the church, as Handsboro Presbyterian is serving as their temporary home for worship while they rebuild. Their services at Handsboro preceeded our 11am worship (above: The former St. Peter's By the Sea Church)

A strip of about four city blocks in from the waterfront was completely leveled by the wind and storm surge. People have compared it to the path of a tornado one hundred miles long.

Along the way, we passed block after block of foundations without buildings, driveways without houses. Many of the structures that were still standing were damaged and falling down. The quick video below shows a part of the road along the ocean and a damaged hotel along the way:



Not much of the debris remains and most of the rubble has been carted away, but here and there you see leftover pieces and boarded up buildings. Lots of new development and construction going on, in stark contrast to the empty lots and structures in partial ruin.

It was a sobering afternoon.

Later in the evening, we had an orientation meeting in the sanctuary at Handsboro. We'll receive our assignments tomorrow.

Day Two: Plans for Sunday

Sunday is a day of rest for the site workers and volunteers, so we're spending our first day getting acclimated to everything around us. We enjoyed a great breakfast spread provided by Clayton and Joanne James, and the group is enjoying some free time for most of the morning. (As you can probably tell, Sorrel and I made a beeline for the wireless Internet at the coffee shop to check email and update the blog!) We'll be attending worship this morning at Handsboro Presbyterian Church, then take a driving tour of the coast to become familiar with the area and the damage after Katrina. Our official orientation to the week will be tonight, and tomorrow morning we start work bright and early!

Day One: Traveling & Arrival

We've just finished an amazing (and very filling) catfish dinner at Aunt Jenny's...now time to sleep at the church..

Day One: Traveling & Arrival

We're about to leave for Gulfport....but where's Agnes?

Oh no! ....Looks like she missed the flight.

Update: Agnes was found! She will be joining us on Sunday afternoon.

Day One: Traveling & Arrival

A quick update....we've just arrived safely in Atlanta! Changing planes now to Gulfport...

On the way!

We're on the way. Here's a few of us getting on the plane in New York. Look for more once we arrive in Gulfport around 7 PM Eastern.

Day One: Traveling & Arrival

We've all arrived on time at the airport, have checked our bags, cleared security and are now at the gate in the AirTran