We enjoyed dinner with Barbara Parker last night at the Cafe New Orleans a few blocks from here. Barbara will accompany some of our group on a lunchtime tour of Biloxi tomorrow. She’s a great tour guide, able to point out what happened where, what’s changed and what hasn’t.  After dinner several of our party posed with the Cafe New Orleans mascot.

      

 Patty Brady says,

 It is well known that the power of God is working in all the volunteers in D’Iberville, Mississippi, and throughout the Gulf Coast region. But I had a personal experience with it today. Many Katrina volunteers are very knowledgeable when it comes to electrical work, plumbing, carpentry and/or painting, but I am NOT one of them. My husband and I kiddingly call ourselves the king and queen of contract labor. Nonetheless, I found myself on the roof of a house with Jamie Rimmel leaning over the side to paint some trim that we could not reach from our ladders on the ground. Jamie was scurrying over the roof and was quite comfortable with the work. I, on the other hand, was not. At one point as I was leaning over the roof peak to paint the eaves, I asked myself, “How am I doing this?” It then occurred to me that I wasn’t, but that God was giving me the strength to do what needed done. As it says in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Clearly God was giving me the strength to overcome my fears in order to get the job done. God is working through all the volunteers in order to help this area recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. He helps each of us so that we have the stamina and ability to do what is asked of us while we’re here. And of course, He continues to be with the residents of the Gulf Coast–like Barbara Parker, Alvin, Belinda and Miss Ruby–and thousands more, giving them the strength and courage to continue in spite of great loss and hardship. God blesses us all.  

Follow-up from Lisa: God surely rewards our faithfulness. No one forced Patty up on that roof; on the contrary, when the crew was asked if someone would do that job, Patty volunteered. Her willingness and her commitment to do what needs to be done opened her up to new possibilities, allowing God’s Spirit to enter in and work through her. The same is true of all volunteers who step out on faith. It’s wonderful to see the transformation of D’Iberville, but even more wonderful to see the transformation in the lives of the volunteers. As Paul often said of his friends in the church, I thank God every day for you and for your work.

       

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