Wednesday, December 28, 2005
For the first five travellers of the Recovery Team today began with breakfast at WaffleHouse and then a 4 1/2 hour drive to D'Iberville. Upon our arrival we sought directions from two Winn Dixie cashiers on a break. They directed us to the POD (Point of Distribution--where residents can go to get whatever supplies they are needing) where a Mennonite volunteer pointed us to the ballpark we hoped would house the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance camp.
We found the ballpark, though it wasn't the PDA park. In fact we had found the park that is used by the city to coordinate their disaster relief efforts. Here we met Miss Irene. Irene is a resident of D'Iberville, a college professor, director of recovery efforts and a woman of deep faith. After registering as volunteers with the city and receiving official identification cards she led us through a brief orientation.
Miss Irene reminded us that the residents of this area have been through a terrible experience and its aftermath for 4 months. They are suffering with Post Traumatic Stress and are very fragile. The people of this town are proud and receiving charitable help is sometimes difficult. She urged us to consider ourselves as people here to work with the people and not as folk who have come to give something to them. Miss Irene encouraged us to believe that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and to provide ministry in the way that he did. Miss Irene asked that we be willing to do whatever it was that she needed done, even if it was something that we would rather not do, and to ask for help if we weren't sure what to do. Lastly, she thanked us for coming to help. Miss Irene is gracious, professional, compassionate and dedicated. The people of this town are fortunate to have this wonderful person.
After our orientation we found our way to the PDA camp. We were greeted by Bill C., the Camp Manager. Bill signed us in, provided us with official PDA identification tags and t-shirts and gave us a little orientation of his own. We were given "habitat" (corrigated plastic cabins with aluminum and canvas cots inside) assignments and asked if we could please check out the kerosene heaters to insure that they were all in working order (we did and they were).
We unpacked our belongings and then travelled to the POD to deliver the relief supplies provided by the women of Prince of Peace. The workers at the POD graciously received our donations. We decided to hang onto the teddy bears provided by the Brownies and distribute them ourselves when we have the opportunity.
Dinner was back at the first ballpark. Canned raviolli, green beans and garlic powdered white bread fed our stomachs and helped us realize a little more how nice we have it back home. At dinner we enjoyed the company of a man who lives in the area. He shared a little about the flooding and damage that he has seen and the difficult work of recovery. As he left he took a couple of plates of food with him for his kids. We dropped off more supplies (plates, cups, plasticware, etc.) at the dining area. The rest of our supplies were brought into the PDA camp community tent (snack foods, coffee, tea, etc.) to be shared with those staying there.
Tom L. arrived in the early evening bringing our numbers to six. This evening we enjoyed a "talent" show and devotion. A group of young people from Canada shared their music and humor with about 100 people who are staying at camp. We have also met people from Indiana, New York, California, South Carolina and Virginia all staying at the PDA camp.
We are looking forward to our first day of work tomorrow and the arrival of the rest of our team. Clive and David D, Stephanie and Perry J. and Ron H. are scheduled to arrive in the morning. Michael R. and Clarke R. should make it to camp around noon. We will miss two of our members, Nancy and Tom F., who weren't able to make the trip.
It is amazing and wonderful to see folk coming from all over to help in the recovery efforts.
On the ballfield next to ours FEMA has set up RV trailers for residents whose homes are uninhabitable. They walk about 1/4 mile to a truck with showers in it and eat in a very large tent. The cold showers that are for our use seem a minor inconvenience compared to their troubles.
I am looking forward to tomorrow and an opportunity to work more closely with the people of D'Iberville.
Jon Fregger
We found the ballpark, though it wasn't the PDA park. In fact we had found the park that is used by the city to coordinate their disaster relief efforts. Here we met Miss Irene. Irene is a resident of D'Iberville, a college professor, director of recovery efforts and a woman of deep faith. After registering as volunteers with the city and receiving official identification cards she led us through a brief orientation.
Miss Irene reminded us that the residents of this area have been through a terrible experience and its aftermath for 4 months. They are suffering with Post Traumatic Stress and are very fragile. The people of this town are proud and receiving charitable help is sometimes difficult. She urged us to consider ourselves as people here to work with the people and not as folk who have come to give something to them. Miss Irene encouraged us to believe that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and to provide ministry in the way that he did. Miss Irene asked that we be willing to do whatever it was that she needed done, even if it was something that we would rather not do, and to ask for help if we weren't sure what to do. Lastly, she thanked us for coming to help. Miss Irene is gracious, professional, compassionate and dedicated. The people of this town are fortunate to have this wonderful person.
After our orientation we found our way to the PDA camp. We were greeted by Bill C., the Camp Manager. Bill signed us in, provided us with official PDA identification tags and t-shirts and gave us a little orientation of his own. We were given "habitat" (corrigated plastic cabins with aluminum and canvas cots inside) assignments and asked if we could please check out the kerosene heaters to insure that they were all in working order (we did and they were).
We unpacked our belongings and then travelled to the POD to deliver the relief supplies provided by the women of Prince of Peace. The workers at the POD graciously received our donations. We decided to hang onto the teddy bears provided by the Brownies and distribute them ourselves when we have the opportunity.
Dinner was back at the first ballpark. Canned raviolli, green beans and garlic powdered white bread fed our stomachs and helped us realize a little more how nice we have it back home. At dinner we enjoyed the company of a man who lives in the area. He shared a little about the flooding and damage that he has seen and the difficult work of recovery. As he left he took a couple of plates of food with him for his kids. We dropped off more supplies (plates, cups, plasticware, etc.) at the dining area. The rest of our supplies were brought into the PDA camp community tent (snack foods, coffee, tea, etc.) to be shared with those staying there.
Tom L. arrived in the early evening bringing our numbers to six. This evening we enjoyed a "talent" show and devotion. A group of young people from Canada shared their music and humor with about 100 people who are staying at camp. We have also met people from Indiana, New York, California, South Carolina and Virginia all staying at the PDA camp.
We are looking forward to our first day of work tomorrow and the arrival of the rest of our team. Clive and David D, Stephanie and Perry J. and Ron H. are scheduled to arrive in the morning. Michael R. and Clarke R. should make it to camp around noon. We will miss two of our members, Nancy and Tom F., who weren't able to make the trip.
It is amazing and wonderful to see folk coming from all over to help in the recovery efforts.
On the ballfield next to ours FEMA has set up RV trailers for residents whose homes are uninhabitable. They walk about 1/4 mile to a truck with showers in it and eat in a very large tent. The cold showers that are for our use seem a minor inconvenience compared to their troubles.
I am looking forward to tomorrow and an opportunity to work more closely with the people of D'Iberville.
Jon Fregger
