This morning a lean but determined drywall crew arrived at the work site, pumped up the classic rock station, and took on two bathrooms and the ceilings of the kitchen and classroom. Never has Bon Jovi fueled a more ambitious effort. We had a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment as we hoisted up and secured the sheet rock, with most of the holes cut for pipes and vents falling in just the right places. Several parishioners stopped by to visit with us and check on how the church building is shaping up. They shared our excitement that the rooms are starting to look like rooms. The parishioners’ friendliness and appreciation have been a great inspiration to us—a flavor of our time here that all of us will remember. We have been welcomed warmly at grocery stores, Wal-Marts, and by everybody’s favorite cop at the Home Depot, but it is especially heartening to be greeted by the people who will someday return to worship in the sanctuary where we have been working. It is good to be guests in their church.

I am struck each day by how much fun we have together—belly laughs over dinner, sympathetic smiles during particularly tough moments at the worksite, and kind words at the evening devotional time. After dinner we often sit in the pews of Mt. Zion, sharing about our lives back in DC, processing the devastation that we see on all sides, and remembering good moments from the day. There is something refreshing about leaving behind our usual patterns and taking on new roles of learners and leaders as the days here unfold. We all look forward to taking new skills, and new friendships, back to DC when we return.

After lunch at God’s Katrina Kitchen, we drove to Biloxi, one of the areas hardest hit by the hurricane. As we drove around the low-lying neighborhoods near the coast, we saw another example of the post-hurricane landscape that has become so familiar during our time in Pass Christian—blue tarps patching roofs, “do not destroy” spray-painted on the sides of listing buildings, and odd remnants of family life strewn unnaturally across now-empty lots. The devastation is overwhelming. Seeing Biloxi reminded us that the devastation stretches all along the coast. Town after town, and family after family, facing what must sometimes feel like an insurmountable challenge. Yet, when we talk with people, they are resolute in their dedication to rebuilding their homes and their lives, and returning to the life that generations have known and cherished.






























We look forward to reuniting with the other members of our team, who spent the day visiting New Orleans, and hearing their impressions of the city and the rebuilding efforts.



(Written by Eliza Hamner-Koenig)