Hurricane Relief

For More Information contact Rev Kim Nelson Here

Katrina called us, and we answered. Starting in 2007, followed up by 2008, and finishing in 2009 Lakeside Presbyterian Church sent three work groups consisting of church members and non church members to help in the reconstruction of homes damaged, and completely destroyed by the worst hurricane to hit the Gulf coast area ever Katrina.

 

Initially we weren’t sure where PDA might send us and seeing that New Orleans was the biggest story we automatically assumed we’d be going to be sent there, but to our surprise we were going to help a very small town none of us had ever heard of before, Pearlington, Mississippi.

The area around the city of Pearlington had been hit very hard by a twenty five foot water surge caused by Katrina. The majority of  homes in and around Pearlington including Waveland, and Bay Saint Louis were almost completely wiped out. Nothing left but trees, piles of debris, and concrete slabs. Well it was time for us to roll up ourselves and help our brothers and sisters in Mississippi.

Our first group was rather small only five of us went, but the following two groups doubled in size. We slept on army cots inside plastic buildings called PODS, we used outdoor port-a-johns some of the cleanest ones we had ever seen, we took turns cooking breakfast and dinner, and policing the camp grounds. Our showers were inside of a semi trailer, not the best in the world the water tasted horrible but those hot showers felt great at the end of the day, that is until the hot water heaters broke down a couple of times, cold showers are NOT fun.

We worked hard, ate pretty good especially at Camellias in Slidell, La., we laughed a lot, and made a lot of new friends especially the college kids who joined us on the last two trips they were an inspiration to us all. We saw and met  church groups from all over the United States, and Canada. Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Amish, Presbyterians all there to get our brothers and sisters back into their homes.

On our first Katrina work trip my cousin from Picayune, Mississippi treated us to a trip north of where we were working, and brought us to a ranch where her dear and close friend lived. Where we were all treated to true Mississippi hospitality, and to thank us for coming all the way from California to help rebuild the homes in Pearlington. They cooked us some fantastic local food from Mississippi, especially their red beans and rice. We enjoyed the whole day walking through her ranch, playing with the farm animals she raised, and we ate so much food that we all fell asleep in her front room, I never heard so much snoring in my life...HA!

In between working and sleeping we explored new areas when ever possible. Some went to the coast to walk along the beach, others went to New Orleans and the French Quarters, while other enjoyed the Bayou Swamp tour where we were able to get up close and personal with a few nasty looking gators.

All in all our trips to Pearlington gave us a new outlook on what it means to help one another in times of need. I believe I can speak for everyone when I say we were blessed to have God direct us to Pearlington, Mississippi and the joy we had in helping people rebuild their lives.