Pascagoula to New Orleans on 4/7/07

Just before crossing Lake Ponchartrain

Bridge repair work still going on

Metal, temporary bridge fix

The asphalt panels on the road "clapped" all the way across the repaired sections

Across Lake Ponchartrain... there are small white letters on the roof of this building that spell "HELP"

20 months after Hurricane Katrina, suburban New Orleans

FEMA trailers were everywhere

On top of a levee, looking out over Lake Ponchartrain

Heading into downtown New Orleans

As we drove from Pascagoula to New Orleans, there was 109 miles of devastation. There was not one area that had not been touched by Katrina. Crossing Lake Ponchartrain into the suburban area of New Orleans, where we toured a few blocks, there was nearly complete silence on the bus. We were all in shock over the amount of destruction still prevalent. Our hearts dropped to our feet as we became aware that some of these people have been living in their FEMA trailers for 20 months. There were markings on homes to be demolished and evidence of some trying to rebuild... there were ghost towns with no one and nothing in site and piles of scrap metal from destroyed car dealerships. And to think... there is virtually no news coverage of how this disaster is continuing to impact the lives of the Gulf Coast residents.

WE MUST NOT FORGET THEM.

Home James! (or Doug, or David, or Wayne...)

Well, we've made it back home by the grace of God. After arriving at about 7 pm on Saturday to an incredible reception of family & friends, we all headed straight for our own showers & beds!

Sunday morning at church proved to be an exciting reunion for much of the team and made for a wonderful Easter.

I've been catching up on sleep, so I'm just now getting around to posting some final images on the blog. Michelle & I are getting together this afternoon to work on slideshows for both Trinity & Williams and some compiled video for each of the team members.

These are video captures that we took at the Pascagoula Gulf Coast on April 3rd. That night, we took our worship service to the place where the storm surge came ashore & praised the Lord for His power & might in light of this destruction... He will make a way.

Betty's House: Before & After PIx

~Betty's House~

Before

After

Sharon's House: Before & After Pix

~SHARON'S HOUSE~

Before (Back of house)

After


Before (Roof)


After

Before (Inside room)

After

More of the same...

Eventual cover shot for the "Men of the Mission" calendar

Near the end of the day, Mark & Michelle both had VERY irritated eyes that were bloodshot, burning and swollen. We flushed their eyes with saline solution & can only determine that some fiberglass from insulation must've gotten blown into their eyes. (They are both doing much better now...)

Sharon allowed us to interview her about Katrina & the months following it. Here she was trying out the door to her new room!

Hard at working, getting it JUST right...

Back row ( l to r): Kyle Phillips, Marie Ross, Adam Stroupe, Mark Auten, Doug Darnell, Alex Ray, Whitney Keller, Brenda Raynor, Ronna Privette, Kelsey Hicks, Cynthia Gilbert, Peg Hough

Front Row(l to r): David & Donna Stroupe, Rick Auten, Terri Phillips, Sherri Barth, Sharon Jones (the Homeowner) Michelle Bracthen, Peyton Stewart, Kevin Auten, Mike Raynor, Wayne Privette, Kate Keller, Jim Kowalski, John Auten

Wayne & his dangerous weapon

David (on the ground for once) and the "Shingle Queen"

Sherri, Donna & Rick with Bob, who is one of our Mission: Encounter job leaders

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CYNTHIA!!!!!

We're almost finished!

Today marked the last working day for us & we still had quite a bit to do. We had to finish mudding Sharon's new room, install the hardware for & hang a door, roof the front & part of the back of the house, install boxing and siding, and paint! WHEW! When we arrived this morning, there were those of us who weren't sure we could do it. But... we had prayed... and God was faithful in hearing our prayers. We are proud to report that through God's grace we were able to complete the anticipated (and some unexpected) work on Sharon's house & we were able to hang several rooms of sheetrock in Betty's house! PRAISE THE LORD!

Tomorrow we are taking a day to fellowship before we head back home and I plan to post several before-and-after pictures then. In the meantime, keep Rick & Cynthia in your prayers as they travel back one day early. They should arrive (if they get left on time) between 6-7 pm ya'll's time.

We love ya'll & have missed ya'll tremendously. We wish we could've brought the whole church here with us but we have felt your prayers & have truly done the Trinity name proud.

'Night!

Hump Day!

Peg & Kelsey painting paneling for the side of our "new" roof

Long story... suffice it to say that Cynthia was attempting to relieve herself behind this board and instead ended up on her behind

Sheetrocking the ceiling of the back room... we brought in the experts from the other house to complete this part of the project

C&B Custom Cuts... the team for all your sheetrock fitting needs!

So we're thinking about putting together a "Men of the Mission" calendar for next year to sell as a fundraiser... what do you think of Mr. November?

Uh, trust me... I won't be in the calendar.

But he sure will be! Mr. April... woo hoo!

And check out Mr. October... we thought he'd fit nicely inside the "O."

Somehow even hauling shingles Donna manages to be stylin' & profilin'.

While working on the roof, the boys spotted a suicidal turtle. He was heading straight for the road & they rescued him. The girls named him Fred, the boys named him Ralph.


Two ladies & one drill... how will this turn out?

"Just put a little mud on it & it'll be all right."

The Sheetrock Team presents the home's owner, Betty, with one of the wooden crosses that Doug made.

Jim-Bo & Doug... The Perfect Perfectionists (and they're always right, by the way.)

The boys kicked butt on the roof!

(Laura Ann, cover your eyes...)

She's learned from the Master... Wax on, wax off.

Unloading the trailer... and walkin' on air... Maybe it's those Jordans.

Brave girl... brave, brave girl. (The roof needed something pretty on it!)

The boys are back in town!

Someone had to capture evidence of this rare cleaning moment for Trish.

Okay, this is a LONG story but basically... it involves bored kids, shopping carts, and the Olympic Sport "Curling."