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I'm using my library card once again in order to be able to sit down and write my last blog while on Mississippi soil. I've decided it's a good thing I got a card though, because after all we've experienced I definately want to come back!

Yesterday half our crew spent the day cleaning out a lot in D'Iberville for our friend Mike, his wife, and their two little girls, Jessie and Pebbles. They carried a dishwasher, clothes, silverware, lots of shingles, a large tree and even two whirlpool bathtubs off the lot that his friend is lending him to park his trailer for the next year while he saves up money to build his own house. Mike and his family were previously living in a rented house in the same neighborhood, but the landlord wouldn't allow them back on the land, so he had to find a new spot to park the trailer that he has acquired since the hurricane for him and his little family to live in. We were so glad to have the opportunity to work with this family. I truly believe that God led us to them - they said that nothing had gone right for them since the storm until we showed up to help!

The other half of the team finished up some drywalling for Ken and his wife. Neither of us made it out to Linda's house as planned yesterday, but most of the team went today to finish up the mudding and sanding and to work on her brother Herb's yard. While the house will still need a little more work before it is ready to paint, it's getting really close! Linda stopped by the church tonight to give us all a big hug and a kiss and to thank us again. It's been such a blessing to us to be able to help her as well!

The few of us who didn't go to Linda's today brought the rest of our blankets and towels and some children's toys over to the Ocean Springs distribution center, which is run by Christos Victor Lutheran Church. We stayed to help distribute items to the families who came to wait in line and it was a a good thing we were there, because it was crazy busy! From the time that the center opened at 9 am until it closed at 4 pm, we estimated that we helped about 350 families. They came mostly to get the basics - food, water, hygiene items, and cleaning supplies. We also handed out Christmas presents to children (although we had boxes more for girls than boys thanks to a girl scout troup from Tennessee), diapers, blankets, towels, and whatever else we had on hand. I was amazed to see the 5 boxes of sheets and blankets that we brought disappear in under an hour. By about 2 pm the distribution center was completely out of sheets, blankets, towels, and pillows.

Working at the center really opened my eyes to the great needs that are still present in so many family's lives. Even though it has been over 4 months since the storm, many, many families are still at the point where they need to wait in line for up two hours to get the basic necessities. When I asked one young mother if she needed anything else, she shared that she was simply struggling to get her family of five enough food to eat at this point in time. Turning people away for lack of supplies was really tough, and people would respond differently - I saw a couple of women crying in their cars and others would get angry. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for so many people still, and today at the Center we saw much of the need and and pain and grief that is still fresh in people's lives.

Tonight we are packing up our car toppers and getting ready to leave for Minnesota again. It's been a great trip, but we are looking forward to coming home so we can tell all of our families and friends about what we have seen and experienced. We hope y'll are gonna listen to us and come on down, ya hear?