Eastern District Mississippi Mission Trip

Hello everyone we are back home. Rentry for me was an emotional one. I left East Hills and all my new friends witha heavy heart! I dropped the van off and had to go right to Schoeneck. My family was there instead of home. The annual spider web social was happening. Our youth group is in charge of it so my wife had to be there since we are the youth leaders. I walked through the doors and as soon as I spotted my wife and kids the tears started to roll. I knew I missed them but I didn't realize how much until I atually saw them. Jared saw me first and came running. Then My daughter Halle who was e-mailing me all week. Jonah my 6 year old came running by gave me a kiss and kept right on playing with his friend and came back right away for round 2. My Beautiful wife Alllene came over and gave me a big kiss. Man did I miss her. Not only did my family come over but all my extended Church family came over as well. The welcome was overwhellming for me. My sons Nolan and Mason gave me a special hello too. I wasa tired but I kept going and had a fantastic time. We got home around 9:45 and by 10:30 I'm sure I was rattling the windows if you know what I  mean. Monday was pretty much a day of recovery for me. I wasn't to productive today but by 5pm I was feling better and I took the family out for dinner. IWe picked up my Mom and had a nice dinner out. We went back to "Nana's" house and I showed them the pictures I took. I will say I already miss you all. The experience we shared together will always be a special place in my heart! Using the words of a very good friend" what happens in Mississippi....Stays in our hearts!" God bless everyone I love you All! 
 
 

Thanks to the EHMC folks for the welcome home. We all made it in one piece, although very tired. I'll leave the blog going for a bit so we can all post reflections oabout the trip. I hope everyone got as much from it as I did. I'll post travel home photos Monday.
Dave Hendrricks

We are tired and happy, and homeward bound. In less than an hour we will be on the road north again. All are looking forward to seeing family and friends again. Boy do we have stories!

We worked, we laughed, we prayed and sang. We touched hearts and people touched ours. We hugged, said goodbye and yes, we cried. You can't imagine what is does to you to take one of these trips.

Today we ask for you to pray to God to watch over our band of volunteers as we travel, and to bring us safely home tomorrow evening.

Dave Hendricks

It's hard to believe that today is our last day. It's a day to put some final touches on several projects and to say some goodbys. At Juanita's home, final touches of spackling was placed on corner seems and ceiling joints. A new front door was installed and all of our demolitiion debris out front of her home, was hauled away with the help of a dump truck. Photos were taken of Juantita's family and also of everyone who worked at her house this week. During our lunch while sitting on Juanita's front porch, Juanita's son John asked if we would not be very critical while he provides something back to us. Then john went inside their home, left open the front door, and under the furniture piled in the middle of the front room, John partially removed a tarp from an old piano. Then John seranaded us with classical music on the piano during our entire lunch break! John studied music and he gave us a gift of himself, and we were blessed. Goodbys were difficult. E-Mails were exchanged. We exchanged promises to contact each other. John's long handshake, again grabbed us, as hedid not want to let go. John said he was teary-eyed, and that he does not want us to go. We reassured him others will come behind us, that this is just the beginning. John talked about his feelings of being in a pit, feeling hopeless, but how this week turned him around a 180 degrees, and he sees something different, something different is new friends, something different in his vision of himelf, and again, he offered much thanks. We all praised the Lord for all that happened this week. We all were blessed and we all are a little different whether like John and Jaunita, their new journey continues with the long waited rehab of their home, and we return home tomorrow knowing a special feeling in joys and opportunities of serving others. Thanks be to God. - Kevin Moyzan

Just like a good vacation....it goes by too quickly.  I was back at Juanita's house for the fifth day in a row.  We were down to a small group, of four today as others went to do other tasks elsewhere and we really didn't have time to begin the next project. Her living room is really taking shape as we (mainly John from Advent Moravian) completed hanging all the drywall yesterday and have two coats of spackling. We also completed the drywall in the dinette room's outside walls yesterday.  THey also have a new front door. The next group to come can hopefully begin sanding and painting and work towards the kitchen.
    Some of our group took Juanita shopping yesterday. She got new curtains and paint for the room.  I'm not sure how far the electricians got today but they were still there working when we left this afternoon.  Juanita had planned to cook us an "authentic southern lunch" today, but her plans changed during the week.   BUT...while we sat on the front porch steps eating our lunch today, her son John played classical music on the piano as we ate.  He's very good and is the organist for their church.
It was very difficult to leave today, for son John especially. As we were the first help they had seen, other than FEMA, since last August.  We felt we accomplished a lot for them this week but are saddened we won't see it thru to completion.  We trust we have given them new hope and believe they have some rejuvenated faith for the future.
    Our entire group of 31 people went out to dinner together tonight at an Italian restaurant within walking distance from the Mission House.  That was a nice way for our group to close out the week with fellowship.  I must say, I have never been apart of such a large group, so diverse and yet with such a common vision. In addition to the work crews we had people working in the kitchen, as case workers, in the warehouse, and doing clean up and parking lot maintainance at The Mission property. Everyone contributed at 100% + all week as evidence with the amount of snoring !!!!!  Quite a few groups left today....maybe they took the snorers with them.
    I hope many of you reading these blogs will be inspired to join in next time....  Oh yes.  We will return.  THere is STILL  much to do more than 1 year later.  We begin our 1200 mile journey home tomorrow at 6:30 AM. again staying overnight in Winston-Salem N.C.

Blessings to All.

Today started out uneventful a nice small breakfast of bacon and eggs. We had a prayer to send us off. We went to Bob's house  and started with the spackling of all the drywall we put up. We figured that we hung approximatley 82 sheets of drywall went through 25 lbs of screws, 25 gallons of spackle. we worked hard today to get as much done as we could. I feel we did pretty well. most of the drywall has it's 2nd coat and most is sanded. The next crew to come in only has to put a skim coat on and finish sanding. Then the wall will be ready for primer and paint. His house is starting to look like the home they envisioned.
Working here this week was an amazing emotional high. The feeling that you get is undescribable!! We left our work site with a few signs forthe Montgomerys.
The first one read "WILL WORK FOR GUMBO" we all signed a little note to them. We also set up Bob's work room. We know the truth is his wife will take it over for a gardening room. So we bought her a little flower and set it up on a stand in the room with the following sign: Brenda's gardening room. When Bob saw this he lost it and laughed like a little child. It was good to see him laugh. Bob is a key person at the camp we served and he has helped many many people through the hurricane. He is not one to ask for help. It was our pleasure to help the helper. Now that the end of our week is here we are going to enjoy a meal on the town as a group at a nice Italian Resturant. To the friends I met here, I love and respect you for the tremendous job you all did. It was nice coming here not knowing people and going home with new friends and a kind of connection that is shared.
To my family. Thank you for understanding that I had to go on this trip I can't wait to get home to see you! I miss and Love you all.

Tomorrow we start another 1200 mile ride see you all Sunday!! To camp Victor. May God keep on blessing you as you have been blessing people. This has been an experience I will never forget

God Bless

TODAY, Jon's construction expertise made the difference at Juantia's house, we , under Jon's leading, were able to leap forward with drywalling and just about completing the covering of the teardown areas of Juantia's home. Jon was like a busy beaver as we supported his work. Juantia was visited today by her "caseworker," Robbie. Robbie told how she has come "full circle" in knowing the Joy of serving. Katrina took Roobie's home, her possessions, and her Job. She says Katrina changed the people of this area. Katrtina made everyone realize that we're all equal. Whether rich or poor, or somewhere in the middle, Katrina had everyone standing in lines, waiting for water from the Red Cross. Everyone, needed the volunteer served hot dogs and spagetti served from vans on vacanted streets. Everyone needed help and they all helped each other. Robbie went on to say, Katrina gave us all patience, a new way of looking at others, a different sense of life's priorities, a joyful renewal in life that's hard to explain. After the initial stages of recovery from Katrina, Robbie started volunteering for Camp Victor. Camp Victor recognized some good communication skills in her, and they moved her over to a volunteer postion as a case worker. Then she was offered a full-time job as a case worker. Today, Robbie manages about 130 cases through camp Victor, helping others in their recovery from the hurricane. Robbie says, now I really know the Joy I didn't understand in the faces in all the volunteers serving here from all over the U.S. Now I know that joy of serving and giving, that others displayed so much down here. Robbie made sure her sister's home was rehabed before hers, because her sister has some serious health problems. Robbie's home may be ready for her to move back within the next two weeks. It will be nice for her to move out of a FEMA trailer, so - please keep Robbie in your prayers. - Kevin Moyzan

  Hello everyone. We have 4 days down one to go. Today was a busy day. Lots to do. I got up at 5am like always because i'm still on eastern standard time. I was sitting in the lounge this morning when my named was screamed from down the hall. There was a medical emergency in the camp and they came to me for help. I went to help and a 74y/o female was having chest pain. We called 911 and she was trasported to Ocean Springs Hospital. It turned out she has pnuemonia and she will be staying there for a few days. We went to our house and started to hang drywall. the Bathroom we were working on yesterday was ready to go. We made our first bad cut of the week today. Not bad for a bunch of amutuers. Bob the home owner fed us a great lunch. It was the best seafood gumbo i ever had. Bob has a mcall bird in his yard that thing was neat. after lunch we got back to work. We hung the last peice of drywall and jane and andy went shopping for a fig tree. You see Bob told us in the beginning of the week that they last a fig tree in the storm and he and his wife were very upset about  it. As a group we decided to replace it. WHen jane and andy got back we waited for Bob to reurn to his house. When he got there we surprised him with a fig tree with figs on it! Guess what he told us...He hates figs. His wife is the one that loves figs. Unfortunatley she wasn't there to see it. She was off visiting their new born grandchild. Today was a day of first. Andy was using power tools. He used a rotozip to cut out drywall And I have pictures to prove it. Andy was great today we were busting on him a little. I was wearing a shirt that said HANDYMAN. I took a piece of duct tape and covered the H to make ANDYMAN!!!! He was a good sport about it. we got back to camp after a good day of work. Some ate dinner at camp some of us went out. wAndy led worship tonight. He brought to our attention that we are a link in the chain to recovery. What a great sermon! Thanks ANDYMAN!!!! Tomorrow is our last day we have a lot to doI'm looking forward to getting back to work!

GOD BLESS

What a day. It seems as thought the team is going in many different directions today.  People are in the distribution center, the kitchen and at several job sites.

Because of generous donations, we were able to take the head of the kitchen out to a resturaunt store and purchase items to help her in feeding the volunteers. The joy on her face was well worth it.

I was able to go to a house next  door to the camp and see the work being done. The photos of the house are on the webpage for 11/9. This house will be quite some work. The gentleman who lives there stayed in the bathroom since Katrina.

I get messages that many of our friends and coworkers are reading the postings. I hope the journal and photos will make you think about coming here and lending a hand. I hear rumblings of a trip for spring? Go for it!

Dave