You know that old saying, "There's light at the end of the tunnel."   Our goal is to let you know that saying is really true.  The stories here are to give you encouragement that should you ever face a disaster, whether it be a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or anything else, you can get ready for an outpouring of love like you've never experienced.  
           
            A forum we visited right after Hurricane Katrina led to our meeting an angel of sorts.  Not a resident of the coast, she immediately sought information about people she'd met while visiting Ocean Springs, MS on vacation.  It began a friendship for us, but not more than that, Gara Gillentine has worked tirelessly to put the eye on the plight of the Mississippi Gulf Coast beginning the minute the waters receded and the winds died down.  She has traveled and brought needed items to people from Ocean Springs to Waveland, MS.  A talented artist from Oxford, MS, she has created "Katrina" art, telling the story of the pain, suffering and loss through various medium - photography, canvas and poetry.  Her work has touched the hearts of many and helped them see, through her eyes, the plight the people of the coast have endured.  Below are striking examples Gara has created of the damaged live oaks left behind --

                You can see Gara's other art and poetry at SaraBlueSky.com


                So many volunteers...where did they all come from?  Every state in the US and many other countries.  After our return from evacuation, cleaning up the debris in our yard and getting a tarp on the roof, we headed over to the church we attend, St. Paul United Methodist Church, to try to help a little bit.  The Red Cross had arrived and set up a shelter in the church sanctuary for those left homeless by the storm.  The church pastors, staff and administrators then went to work setting up tables in every available space to house supplies to be issued.  Truck after truck arrived with every conceivable item you can imagine:  baby food, wipes, diapers, formula, clothes for all ages, cots, tarps, first aid items, food, shoes, blankets, sheets, towels, hygiene items, mops, brooms, cleaning agents, stuffed animals and other toys, pots, pans, dishes - more items than we could begin to list.  Mark Gehres, a member of St. Paul, had survived the storm in his home.  Mark felt that God must have spared him to help, and help he did.  Well, that's really an understatement.  For one year, Mark Gehres and his family devoted themselves to keeping Camp St. Paul, as it would come to be named, up and running.  Huge tents with flooring and air conditioning had been donated and put on church property.  From there, volunteer after volunteer came, stayed and worked to clean out mold, remove debris and begin the rebuilding process.  Mark coordinated the supplies' arrival and distribution.  His ability to know when an item was running low, find it and have it donated was nothing short of amazing.   Gina Woods, also a St. Paul member, joined the effort to find people who needed help and match them with skilled volunteers.

                The volunteers.  Do you know they are still here?  Still arriving, still staying.  Some have completely left home for months or in excess of a year to be here and help. 
Jack and Dee Boreing are a good example.  As coordinators for Camp St. Paul now, they give of their time and talents to make sure those who want to help are matched with those who need them.  Click here to read the story of the Boreings.

                There are groups of people who come down here, work until they are completely exhausted from sunrise until sunset, go home and...then come back and do it again.  One example is the members of Eulaton United Methodist Church in Anniston, Alabama.  Members left homes and jobs to work the first time in Biloxi and Gulfport.  Months later they returned, this time to work in areas around Gautier, Moss Point and Pascagoula.  They cleaned up mold, knocked out sheet rock, cleaned up yards, put flooring in, put walls back up and went back home for the second time.  You know, we just wouldn't be surprised to see them again for the third time.  Those who come repeatedly tend to say the same things - that they get more out of helping than they give.  

                Two years have passed now, but the people keep coming.  Emmanuel Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Ocean Springs continue to host groups wanting to help.  Another terrific example sits in an old converted warehouse in downtown Ocean Springs.  It's now home to Camp Victor, which is run by Christus Victor Lutheran Church.  Camp Victor still receives supplies which are given to those in need and houses volunteers who are assigned to help those who need an extra hand.  Camp Victor is an amazing operation.  You can read about it by clicking here. 

                The stories are simply too numerous to tell.  What we hope you take away from this is the understanding that people do respond in time of need.  Should you ever be in a position to need help after some type of disaster, don't be surprised to see faces of the people from the Gulf Coast.  As volunteers who came here from Gulf Breeze, FL told us, after the response they received after Hurricane Ivan from the thousands of people arriving to help them, how could they not help someone else?  We feel the same way.