My little part of the Hurricane Katrina picture is scheduling groups and individuals to go to the coast to provide physical labor – and directing countless calls about supplies and transportation.  The work is chaotic at times but somehow our energies rise to the occasion - the work of the Holy Spirit, I am certain.

In Mississippi the Episcopalians and the Lutherans (who had formed an official partnership earlier in the year - thank goodness!) are working together.  Two staging areas on the MS coast have been up and going for a while now:  Coast Episcopal School in Long Beach and Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Ocean Springs.  Two smaller places are about to be ready to serve as stations. 

There are medical clinics in both of the open stations and all kinds of services are available: food, clothing, and other supplies.  Volunteers are sleeping at the school on sleeping bags and, more and more, we are able to feed them most of their meals.

Crews are going into the community to help lots of people clean and repair their homes.  A couple of days ago when Bishop Gray was at Coast Episcopal School a FEMA director stopped by and said he had never seen anything like the operation going on there; he was amazed. 

Because there are so many evacuees throughout the diocese, many parishes are using some of their donated funds to help evacuees in shelters, or as they move into apartments and register children in school, etc.

ERD funds to the Diocese are helping to make all of this happen.  It was very comforting to have Abagail (ERD’s Vice President for Programs) in the Diocesan office early last week. Calls from other ERD coordinators are also very supportive.

As our coastal clergy have said, there are six church buildings completely gone on the coast – but indeed the church is very much there.  We are one church and that brings tremendous hope to our brothers and sisters who were affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Offers of help from all over the country are awesome and the generosity of people is truly overwhelming.  Everyone's continued prayers are very powerful; please keep them coming.  Thanks to everyone for all that they are doing!

Peace,
Diane Livingston