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| April 24, 2007 |
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Since we returned from Mississippi this past Saturday, I have been reflecting on what the trip meant to me. It’s an experience that I will never forget. The devastation that Katrina left behind was sickening. The fellowship I experience was heart warming. I hope someday I will have the opportunity to go back, until I will keep the people that I met in my thoughts and prayers. Bobby |
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| April 24, 2007 |
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| Wow. Not much else to say except wow. TGBTG! |
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| April 24, 2007 |
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Since Bobby commented, I'll post his picture with the lovely Ginger... 
Ginger and Bobby. Never met before this trip... yet, have matching shirts. |
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| April 24, 2007 |
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| Hey DC!!! When are you going to visit us at C3??? |
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| April 24, 2007 |
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| Glad you had a great time, and I'm sure you made a difference and gave people some hope which so many desperately need. Good work! Talk to you soon |
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| April 24, 2007 |
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| Hey, thanks for posting one of the few decent pictures of me from the Mississippi trip. It was a geat trip. I'm looking forward to the next one. I think I'm still sneezing spackle boogers, though. (Oops! Is "boogers" okay to post on mychurch?) |
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| April 24, 2007 |
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LOL!!! Yes Ginger, spackle boogers is WAY cool to say on the Mississippi blog :-) Love you chicklette!!!! Mary Ann |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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During our trip Pastor Mark shared the story of the starfish where this guy was throwing starfish back into the sea. Someome asked, why are you wasting your time? He replyed, "It mattered to this one." We by no means fix the problems in MS last week but what we did with God's help mattered to a few folks. God gets the glory and we were blessed beyond measure. Thank you team for your faithfulness and the great fellowship during the trip. Mary Ann you will have to add a picture for me because I am clueless how to do it. |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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| Yes!!! We do have his contact info!!! :-) Jim was such a sweetie. I promised to send him some pictures of the rebuild and he, in turn, will send us photos of the finished product. |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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| You go right ahead and pat yourselves on the back and i will too. That is awesome that your church went where there was a need more churches should get involved in good work. Thanks Mary Ann for sharing your pictures. We should never forget how blessed we are and how much need some one else has. TWO THUMBS UP FOR C3 TEAM |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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Here is Mark Wigley hard at work. Come to think of it, Mark Wigley is ALWAYS hard at work. He is the MOST faithful kingdom servant I have ever known. Thank you Mark Wigley!!! 
Rosie, thanks for the thumbs up :-) and, Cathy, DITTO on loving our church... I'd like to add that I love mychurch too!!! |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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Denise owns the other home we worked on. I did not have an opportunity to meet her... some of our team did. She came by on her lunch break from school. She is a teacher. This is Denise's home: 
All the insides had to be ripped out because of mold due to the water damage from Katrina. Denise also needs new windows. |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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| Hi Rita!!! Thank you for the blessing and your prayers. |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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Wow, I am in awe. I had no idea how bad things still were there. You all did good work for God's glory, bless you for your faithfulness. All I do is sell handmade cards for our missions trips, but I guess every little bit helps. Thanks for sharing these pictures and thoughts. |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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Looks like an awesome trip, Mary Ann! We hope to hear more and more about it! |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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Here's another photo (Mark Wigley just shared with me via yahoo). It's the home-owner Denise and some of the C3 Team. I think Denise is the young lady on the far right. I'll need verification though... since we did not meet. 
From left to right (starting in the back): Pam, Mark Wigley, Kevin, Steve, some lady?, Denise? |  |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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Whoops!!! I thought I left a comment for Kelly, Jan and Kathy... thank you for your kind words, blessings, prayers and encouragement. Mychurch sisters ROCK!!! Cathy, I showed you Denise's home on Sunday. LOL!!! You are silly!!! |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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| Wow.. I am in awe of all this, and can't fathom losing everything except for one Christmas tree ornament. But isn't God so good to connect those that are in need with those who can provide help? Truly the Body at work - awesome job team C3! High-5's all around :D |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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Carebear, thank you for the picture posting instructions. I opened a flickr account (per your advice) now posting photos is a snap!!! You are la Bomba!!! |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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Pastor Mark, aka “just Mark” J, is back!!! He was with us in Mississippi, returned to Maryland Saturday evening, preached the gospel on Sunday morning, flew to Nashville with WRBS Sunday afternoon (for the GMA) and returned home yesterday. Tonight he has a Board meeting; he’ll also need to prepare this Sunday’s message and the Real Life Matters radio program (http://www.reallifematters.com). Please keep him in prayer. Here’s a shot of him working on Denise’s home:  He done us all proud!!! He was an upbeat, encouraging, hardworking, gospel spreading example of godly servanthood the entire week in Mississippi. |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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| Denise is on the left holding Pam's hand. The girl on the right is her daughter who is presently in school in PA. She was in town last week because of a death in their family. |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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Thanks Mark Wigley!!! I want to add to my comments on Mark Scott... on top of everything else, he is father of 6, husband to the lovely Lisa, C3 worship leader and our Senior Pastor. He is one busy dude!!! |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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Yes, thank you Pastor Dan!!! Pastor Dan has helped in Mississippi during previous C3 trips... paving our way. I don't have a picture to post :-( |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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| I'm still buzzing from the trip and am looking forward to future opps! |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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| Opps sound like props, but opps are different. Opps are opportunities! We're looking forward to future opps, not future oops, we'll leave oops behind. And I'm thinking that you Cathy, and your awesome hubby Joe, have Mississippi written all over you. I can't wait for "a future opps" with you :) |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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| I think the name MARK has to mean WORKER BEES from what i've read in this blog. Two thumbs up to you guys. It's truely hard to get your brain around just how people are still lliving down there until you see it. Last year there was a small crew from our church that went for a week i wanted to go but couldn't find any one to work my job so i was unable to go. Prayerfully next time. |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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| Spackle boogers!?! Who you call'n spackle boogers!?! |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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| Do they provide kleenex for those spackle boogers, or do you just use your shirt sleave? :o) |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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Yes Lloyd, the chicks used kleenex... the dudes, hmmm? They'll have to fess up on that one for themselves. I'm using a kleenex right now, cuz no one else is posting pictures...  |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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Hey, the Wa Floy wasn't THAT bad. It was clean and provided a roof, a bed and a shower. Although, our room had a lamp with no shade. That's my only negative comment. You gonna share those picture posting instructions? That might help preserve your kleenex supply. |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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| Y'all complainin' 'bout those accommodations--on my first trip we slept on church pews 'cause the floor still hadn't dried out and the holes in the roof still weren't covered! And even for the second trip, "shower" facilities consisted of moist towlettes and an extra shot of Right Guard. Not to mention that every place we ate had a very special sign from the Health Department saying how, it being an emergency and all, there were just a lot of things they weren't paying any mind. [Mary Ann challenged me to post something here and no good sea/war story is complete without some old codger mouthin' off about how much tougher it was in his day! ;-) ] |
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| April 27, 2007 |
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MaryAnn, Even though I did not go to Mississippi, I feel for you :) I can't sit back and do nothing while my sister is crying :( So I found a picture of the Wa Floy online. Is this it? It doesn't look that bad to me. Mark's slides were hillarious. If it is not it, feel free to delete it. Wa Floy in TN? |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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That's it Sue! We stayed there on our way down to Mississippi. It was a great transitional housing experience... from comfy Columbia, Maryland (where we all have everything) to the Wa Floy in Tennessee (no tv, no lamp shade, sketchy towels, extra moist and mildewy), to the Mississippi Guard National Armory (2 toilets to share with 125 women, 6 to a room with no windows, shower trailers...). Gotta admit, we had a BLAST!!! Sue, it was so much fun and I miss my bunk mates. The folks at the Armory were awesome. Everybody (I think there were 250 staying there at the time) ate at the same time in the same place. Breakfast at 6AM, dinner at 5:30PM. Here’s James (in black) playing 3 second chess with a SC Baptist volunteer after supper one evening (that's Rachel watching the game): 
James was a popular man at the Armory and known for his after hour gaming skills. They dubbed him "that tall nondenominational kid". :-) |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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Ginger (aka Chicklette), Carebear gave me instructions on posting pictures (thank you Carebear!!!). Sorry, I thought I shared them with the Mississippi Team via yahoo. Open a flickr account (it's free... go to www.flickr.com), or use some other internet photo album site, load your pictures there, copy and paste them here. Alternatively, email me what you want to post. Hey, you wanna come over after church on Sunday and grade Perspectives’ homework? Love from your peeps. |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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| Pastor Dan, thanks for the comment. I guess a star and the photo were too much to hope for... Say, I bet Mark Wigley can provide photographic evidence from previous Mississippi trips!!! I'll ask him... |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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| Way Floy Mountian Village is not all that bad. I wished it didn't pour down rain the whole time we were there. Kevin, Steve and I went up to the "Sky-Alter" up at the highest point of the facility. It was so awesome and the cross they have up there adds such a, "God Is Here" feel to the place. I love setting by the pond, the ducks and the peacocks that walk around the property are cool. Sometimes I need to go to a place that is free of all the trappings of life to get a new prospective on what is really important. Grant it, the rooms need a real face lift but it is a place to get away from the rat-race here in MD and connect with God. At 52 bucks a night its about 100 bucks cheaper than any other place in Gatlinburg. It's one of those places a person either loves or hates I guess. I thought the chapel was neat, first time I was in there, and the worship we had there before we left for MS set the tone for a great week of outreach. That's my spin on the place. |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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Mark, I agree. The Wa Floy was not bad at all :-) And the chapel was AWESOME!!! Thank you again for leading this trip. You did a fabulous job... I know it is the Christ in you and I thank Him for you. God bless you, Mary Ann |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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Here is an interesting sight we saw along coastal highway 90 in Gulfport: 
Hurricane Camille washed this boat up in 1969. Katrina left it. |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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Along the same stretch of highway, they had just completed a boardwalk before Katrina hit. 
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| April 28, 2007 |
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I have to post a picture of the lovely Beth, working on Jim's ceiling. 
My newest friend and sister in Christ. Beth is AWESOME!!! |
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| April 28, 2007 |
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Here's Beth all cleaned up with Rachel... 
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| April 28, 2007 |
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And here are Hannah and Mary Ann (color coordinated... of course). 
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| April 28, 2007 |
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One more photo (for now). Here are some of the manly men from our team unloading their tools in front of Denise's home. 
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| April 28, 2007 |
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Thank you for the star Pastor Dan -- if you can find any pictures from back in the day when folks slept on church pews and "shower" facilities consisted of moist towlettes and an extra shot of Right Guard, please forward them to me or post them here. Or perhaps a photo of the very special signs from the Health Department saying how, it being an emergency and all, there were just a lot of things they weren't paying any mind. I would be much abliged!!! You ROCK!!! |
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| April 29, 2007 |
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| I'd stay at the Wa Floy again in a heartbeat, especially if meant going on another trip to Mississippi! I know I dogged it a little bit in my sermon last week, but that was just a feeble attempt to garner sympathy :) I will cherish Wa Floy memories FOREVER! |
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| April 29, 2007 |
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AMEN Mark!!! I'm with you brother. So, this has nothing to do with the Wa Floy... but, I'm gonna post it anyhow cuz I think it's an awesome shot. 
Taking a hydration break at Jim's place. From left to right: Rachel, Hannah, Ginger. |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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| Cathy, you whimp!! ;^) |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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| CatWOEman, talk to the Hummels. They stayed in a hotel in Gulfport. I probably would too, if I were married. I don’t think you can bunk with your spouse at the Armory. |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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| I don't think so... LOL!!! It's not a resort. It's the Mississippi National Guard Armory... they're trying to maximize capacity and minimize cost. :-) |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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Oh, sorry. I'm confused now. What were you thinking? |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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| Cathy wants a soft bed, warm shower...a jacuzzi would be nice, room service, those little bottles of body lotion...probably not available at the Armory, right? |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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| They do have the little bottles of lotion, shampoo, etc. in the shower trailers. I think they were donated. |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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They didn't have "bottles of lotion" in the men's shower trailer. |
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| April 30, 2007 |
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| Oh, well, we brought our own products anyhow Mark :-) |
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| May 01, 2007 |
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| Who's that bloke what 'as 'is arms around you? He looks familar. At first I thought Michael did this to your condo, but then I saw it wasn't your condo. Now, I starred this blog, but I have a blog that's completely surrounded by no stars, it's waiting for you! (: |
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| May 01, 2007 |
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| Sooooooooooooooooo David, Mike let you in the secret on how to double star a blog and didn't tell us?????? Will you tell us??? |
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| May 01, 2007 |
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| Go to Mississippi and help. Just please go. You will never regret it, in fact you may just fall in love with it... You may even go more than once or... twice... |
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| May 02, 2007 |
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| Now, Cathy, why did you have to go and tell everybody!!! I was having fun ;^) |
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| May 13, 2007 |
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| God Bless you for helping out those in need... Christ needs more people like you on this world... Keep up the good work and God Bless! |
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| May 14, 2007 |
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Nick,
Thanks for the kind words. Its all about God working through His people for His glory to bless some folks in real need. If you get a chance, read and star Denise's blog above so more folks can be blessed by it. Have a great day Bro.! Mark <>< |
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