Stories by Bill Ireland, Carolyn Guse, and Judith Anderson

CAROLYN'S STORY

I had read about the Biloxi, MS trip in the bulletin and casually mentioned it to my daughter one day who immediately announced, "Let’s go!"                                                        Read more

BILL'S STORY

Working on the "Blitz" House during the SOTV Trip to Biloxi in February was an experience I will always remember and cherish as 'most special'.

When Rich Dornfeld told us about it on the Sunday evening we arrived in Biloxi he said it was named based on the intent to build it "fast".     Read more   

JUDITH'S STORY

Scattered around the sanctuary of Bethel Lutheran church in Biloxi are air mattresses and sleeping bags; a slumber party of men and women volunteers from SOTV have settled in for the night. We are under the pews, behind the altar, in the aisles.    Read more

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Our group of 8 or 9 arrived at the site in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on Monday morning and had our picture taken standing on the bare plywood floor of the house, one of four groups totaling about 35 people. When the project managers, Dan and Steve, told us they planned to have the house basically 'closed in' by that night, I admit to being very skeptical, at the least, based on my past Habitat experiences which were all good but did not always progress as much as I had expected and hoped. As we built and erected the wall sections the sound of all the hammers was a little deafening but even more inspiring and invigorating.   

At noon, less than four hours from when we started, the "framing up" was completed with the last of the roof trusses being in place. By that evening the walls and roof were covered and the roofing 'felt' was down, protecting the interior from rain. While the progress the rest of the week was not quite as dramatic, it was really encouraging to everybody. After lunch on Tuesday the insulation was installed in one hour. On Wednesday the siding and window installation was completed and on Thursday the interior painting finished. While the men and women worked together on every part of the house, the women primarily did the varnishing of the kitchen cabinets on Thursday and Friday. I am sure they did a better job of that than would have been done otherwise.

The sheet rocking, electrical and plumbing was done by some outside crews that came in.

Friday noon a short dedication program was held with the new owner, Ashley Rice, and her daughter Peyton, present. The house was complete except for the finish flooring and the installation of the appliances and kitchen cabinets. While I never thought I would, or could, become emotional over building a house, I have to admit I was, as I believe most, if not all, of us were that day.

Whenever I think about that week, the same feeling returns. It was a most special week.

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I had no idea what I would really do or accomplish on this trip, therefore kept my heart open and made no expectations. During the week, I helped paint, trim bushes, varnish, caulk siding and windows among other numerous tasks which I really enjoyed. Just knowing that we were helping to rebuild a community was so rewarding.   

I visited and observed the young mother who's anxious and move in to the “blitz” house. After living in a tent for many months and then with relatives, she was finally getting close to owning her own home and making a new life for herself and daughter.

The other piece I came away with was being with the great group of people I was fortunate to be part of. I was able to strengthen friendships along with making new friends. Our church has many members so this was a wonderful way to “bond” with people I might not get to know. The group was positive, eager to work together and we all wanted to share and spread God’s love.

I thank God for leading me to this opportunity and for opening my heart to help those who are in need.

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Judith's story continued

At 5:00 am my alarm goes off, I do not hear it.  Sue comes and pokes me awake; together we find the clock pushed under the nearest church pew along with other of my belongings.  I turn off the clock, crawl up off my air mattress, grab my clothes for the day, and make my way down the dark hall to the ladies room.  This begins the second day of our trip to Biloxi.

I had volunteered to work in the kitchen helping fix meals for the other 80 or so volunteers staying at Bethel.  Everyone there was going to do a job that would help the community re-build.  My job, along with about 6 other SOTV women was to fix meals, clean restrooms and showers, and keep the steady stream of bath towels going into and out of the laundry room. Breakfast was at 6:30 so we had to have the coffee started and be mixing up eggs or pancakes and the daily pot of oatmeal by the time everyone else was lined up to eat.    

I am not handy with tools but I do know my way around a kitchen.  Each day that we were there we fixed breakfast for all, lunch for about 15 and dinner for all plus some who were sleeping at another church.  The extra diners were a mid-week surprise, but once we knew extra guest were coming; the ladies pulled it all together and everyone was fed and as in the story of the loaves and fishes we had leftovers for the next days lunch.

Volunteering for a mission trip, no matter what job you are assigned, feeds your soul in so many different ways.   The volunteers you meet from across the country, the staff who keeps the system running, and the local people you are there to help. 

Each evening after dinner we talked about seeing “the face of God”.  I saw it in every line up at dinner time as the workers came back tired and hungry.  I saw it in those down on their knees scrubbing the bathroom floor and others folding one large stack of towels after another while sharing their life stories and what brought them to Biloxi as a volunteer.

This trip will stay with me, the memory will continue to feed my soul and make me a witness to the joy of volunteering a week of time so that others may be renewed.

Much is left to be done in Mississippi and the rest of the Gulf Coast areas.  When God nudges you as he did me, prayerfully consider giving of your time and talents on the next trip to Biloxi.