Today I've been blessed!

About a month ago I sat down with my Elders and told them about our recent decrease in relief workers. It was at that time that I began telling them some ideas I had about spreading some Hurricane Katrina awareness and recruiting some relief workers. They thought it was a good idea and that began my quest to go on a recruiting trip.

With the church being low on financial support the Elders told me ahead of time that I would have to do my own fundraising for this trip. I agreed and reassured them that it was possible. With a big smile and a confident speech I told them everything was gonna be alright. But in my heart I knew this would be a major obstacle that would make or break the trip.

I was formally a recruiter in the Army. I'm very confident of my abilites although this should be much easier than asking someone to lay their lives on the line, eat horrible food, wake up at 4 am, do pushups before breakfast and roll around in the mud for 8 years! ; D

It wasn't the recruiting part that worried me but the financial aspect of how I was going to be able to do this mission. So I have been grinding the phone and dropping birds in peoples ears now, for a month. I set out on a goal of $2000 to cover a multitude of things as well as give some emergency cushion if something went wrong.

Well today my prayers were answered and the final $1200 was donated by John McGuire of ServantsUnite.org. Woot! I'm a happy camper! Thanks John, you are a God sent! I appreciate you and your organization as well as your dedication to the people of the Gulf Coast. Keep up the good work and I'm sure I will be talking to you again very soon. God Bless You!

NO BETTER PLACE THAN HERE, NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW!

People ask me all the time why is there still a need for volunteers? Is it really that bad down there? Not as bad as New Orleans right?

My question to them is "What do you mean?" or "Isnt that all you see on television fron sun up to sun down?" or my favorite "Do you remember when we dropped Fat Man and Little Boy on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?"

Ladies and gentleman let me tell you that this disaster was devestating beyond comprehension. No its not cleaned up! No its not rebuilt! No I dont watch TV! No there are still one or two FEMA trailers here (38000 in Mississippi alone)!!! This is not like Hurricane Andrew or Hugo or other nasty hurricanes that have hit the US. This one wiped out the entire southern coast of the United States. From Florida to Texas! Louisiana and Mississippi both look as if many nukes were fired from one of our foreign enemies and completely demolished everything. No! Absolutely not!! It is nowhere even close to rebuilt!! Ask me again in 10 years!

The local newspaper today announced the government has decided to build 100,000 housing units in Mississippi within the next 5 years. Thats awsome news!! Finally!! These "units" are for displaced homeowners as well as relief workers. These are TEMPORARY and will serve as a substitute for those FEMA trailers and inadequate relief worker housing (so they say... pffft). I'll have you know our volunteers sleep in actual beds now (better than cots and floor space) and we have a restaurant and cook top notch culinary masterpieces! You'll work hard but will leave fat if all goes well. ; )

But back on topic- Mississippi has gotten ZERO attention compared to Louisiana and especially New Orleans. With that said, these people are in trouble. Nobody ever planned for something as destructive as this and as widespread as it was. This storm set a new standard! The reason we focus so much on Mississippi is because of it's lack of interest from the media and it's great need to be brought back to a civilized and livable enviroment.

This isnt just a few houses, this is the entire coast and miles and miles inland. And were not talking about minor roof damage, were talking near total destruction. So please dont think of Mississippi as a thriving economical resort because down here it is day by day survival in a destroyed and neglected community.

Want proof? Drive here! I could walk right outside of the church and shoot some pictures that would shock you. Better yet the church itself is in bad shape. The floor sounds like rice crispies and the pews are warped so bad when you sit on one end the other end lifts up and swings when you push your feet. If your late for church everybody knows cause it sounds like a symphony when you walk in. lol

I'm trying to emphasize that this is nothing like the movies. No quick happy ending for Mississippi. This is gonna take many years to rebuild. Hense the reason they are building so many housing units for the relief workers (five years to build them). So I encourage anyone and everyone to call us and ask questions. Get in your car and drive down here. Take that week vacation and rip out some sheetrock. Down here we need you! Dont take this lightly because these people are living in those metal boxes called FEMA trailers and are struggling with day to day things that most of us take for granted. What would God Jesus do if he were in your shoes?

What better place than here, what better time than now !!!

God be with you!