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 Katrina Recovery Mission Trip - September 19-25 – For more information or to sign up, contact Paul Edmonson at n70@comcast.net or 423-421-7095.
Top Five Reasons to Go on a Katrina Recovery Mission Trip to Mississippi
- You get to use a nail gun.
- You won’t get in trouble for painting outside the lines.
- You can pick up trash without wearing orange jumpsuits.
- Being taken to “The Shed” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
- You hear a 6-year-old child tell her case worker “Look Miss Debbie, I have walls” after you just spent a week hanging drywall in her new home.
At first glance, reason #1 sounds like the coolest thing on the list. I will admit that was on my mind when I committed to going to Camp St. Paul my first trip. I would use the skills I possess to help others, and at the same time re-live my younger days of working in construction. It was going to be a great trip. And it was, but not because of some power tool I got to use; reason #5 changed my world.
Our team of 11 from Christ Church just returned Saturday from a week at Camp Hope in Vancleave, MS. Christ Church has supported this recovery effort each year since 2005. There is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. And in a country with such a short attention span, most people don’t realize how many in the Gulf Coast region remain homeless or in FEMA trailers. Our team worked on two different houses finishing drywall, blowing insulation, building decks and steps, installing handrails, cabinets, counter tops, porch ceilings, painting, and other odd jobs. Last year, one family we helped was living in a tent behind their partially constructed new home. This year, part of the family was living in a converted tool shed behind the house on which we worked. The family’s thank you note to our team says it best: “We will never forget all of you. Thank you Jesus for bringing them to help our family. God be with you all.” … Reason #6.
While carpenters, electricians, and plumbers are great skill sets to have on a mission trip, the most valuable thing won’t be found on a tool belt; it’s found in the heart. Spreading God’s love to two families in need was the greatest accomplishment of our week. Feeling the gratitude in their handshakes and hugs and seeing the overwhelming joy in their tears makes your heart soar. As we worked each day in 90 degree heat, we thanked God for the strength in our arms, the will in our spirits, and the love in our hearts. On every trip I make, I always get more than I gave. I stated this to every member of our team at some point during the week because of the truth it holds. When responding to God’s call to serve, I am always reminded of this fact and of how much God has blessed me.
To view photos from this trip, click here.
Paul
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