I found a new tool man today! Actually, Paul and Gwen found him. Now that I have a replacement, it really is time to go home. Ken spent most of the morning helping me repair wheelbarrow tires - 6 flats - a new record. A little more time with me tomorrow, then he is on his own.
Our host have been wonderful. Knowing that we will be leaving soon, they presented us with a book this evening of pictures of the Ocean Springs/Biloxi area both before and after Katrina. They signed it and everything! We really have been blessed, both this January and last in that the families that have hosted us have been wonderful people.
We attended our last long-term volunteer coordinators meeting today. Everyone seemed to be happy that we had found replacements and were training them, but they still threatened to slash our tires so we couldn't leave. They even offered to write notes to our professors at seminary, explaining that we would miss a few weeks of class! We have really enjoyed our time here, and have learned a lot about what disaster relief looks like, but we are also ready to go home. Part of the pastoral care for volunteers is knowing when they need to rest. We may come back, but for now, it is time to wrap up this trip and go home. Classes start next Monday and we will arrive home where there are no groceries, a pile of mail to sort, and most likely, a bit of dusting and vacuuming that needs to done.
This week has been filled with amazing stories about people and their ability to survive, their struggles, and how volunteer’s hearts are touched so that they go the extra mile to finish their home, or help them buy groceries, or something. I would imagine that everyone who has been here has at least one such story to tell. Some of us have several. It is truly amazing what we, as the body of Christ, can do, will do, and have done. Praise be to God!
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