Ocean Springs Trip Sept 30th to Oct 2nd

I just returned from Ocean Springs, MS where my fiance Sherry and I went with my church to the Christus Victor Lutheran Church. It was the second time that I have been there, I went during the Labor Day weekend right after Katrina hit. Charlie and Martie Elgin from our church (Gateway Baptist) have gone there to be fulltime missionaries and to lead the coordination of the relief efforts. The other ministries involved are the Luther Disaster Relief and the Christian Appalachian Project. This time around it looked a little better, more things like restaurants and shops have come back online, but there is still a long road to full recovery. The Christian Appalachian Project folks really have an organized operation with the food distribution. They run a distribution line out behind the shelter and also stock other shelters with food and supplies. They have a forklift and they move so much stuff in and out everyday. Their volunteers are working a 2 week on one week off schedule, some stay in the shelter, some stay in tents outside. They were very appreciative of all the help from our team came to provide. I just find it quite amazing what can happen when people who work together serving the Lord. The needs are still great throughout the Gulf Coast area. You can check out my friends webpage, www.mccorklefamily.net, Chris and Fran have some pictures from the weekend. I am pretty tired and today at work was a little rough, but I made it through. Sherry says her church is interested in helping out in the Gulf Coast region, so I may be headed back to Ocean Springs real soon, but I don't mind. It's amazing how much work I actually have done when I've been down there. I don't really do much exercise or outside work, I work indoors behind a computer. But when faced with the overwhelming need, God seems to give me an extra boost of strength and selflessness. It kinda reminds me of that verse in the Bible that says the God's love compels us and the other one that says when we work that we work unto the Lord. My friends and Sherry had to constantly remind me to stop and keep hydrated and to keep the sunscreen going.

This blogging stuff is all new to me, I'm used to reading other people's blogs, not writing my own.
I just hope folks can find something that interests them from my spouting about my life.