Alexis B

Today is our last day here in Mississippi to help the people. Again there is another area which has been identified as a very high need area. I went to Waveland to a stationary location. When we pulled in to the parking lot that this canteen set up, people see us, and they come running. We served around 300 meals and we could have easily done another 100 to 200 meals. 1/2 of the people we feed on this canteen are the relief workers from the area and the other 1/2 is the people from the area who have lost everything.

I spent a lot of time talking with people hearing their stories. Today I have several stories to share cause I never want to forget them and want the world to know what people face here every day.

Story 1: A car pulls in with this lady and her son. I ask how they are doing and receive a polite response. I ask the young man if he is back to school and his mom jumps in about how he needs to learn to keep his mouth shut and stop causing their family more grief than what they already face each day. I sensed a lot of anger from the young man. I sense he really has no outlet to express his emotions around this disaster. So I just spent time talking to him. I asked him if he wanted a Canadian pencil, he said he would love one. I joked with him and suggested he used it to study hard and do what he needs to do cause if not this Canuck would come back to haunt him. He was where an arm band which I asked him about. He explained it was a basketball team from New Orleans. I gave him a backpack for school, a Hershey bar and a stuff animal. He hugged me and told me thanks for making him feel so special. He took off his bracelet and told me to remember him. I was touched because this man was around 10 years old and I just touched my heart cause he was so thoughtful for such a young man.

Story 2: A family of 3 pulls up with mom, dad and their 16 yr old son. I believe God drew me to this young man. He was around 6 feet tall. He was carrying what looked like a staff, and walked on his toes. I asked him if he need a book bag of his schoolbooks. He said he really could use one. I also gave him a candy bar and a stuffed animal. As we got talking his parents joined us and started telling a little about their story. This young Man David is in remission for 3 years now of bone cancer. This family has their Femma trailer and are so grateful, but what they just discovered is that David would never complain about anything but because of his cancer situation David needs to be in a bed where he can be fully stretched out and his bed is not situated conducive to his medical situation. They are going to talk to Femma to see what they can do about getting a bigger trailer to suit his needs better. David's mother is diabetic and has congestive heart failure. We had a prayer and shared the Lords word. This family is very well churched and belief in the Lord is very strong. David is being home schooled due to his health conditions.

Story 3: A lady Rose and her daughter Dianne came for a meal and Rose came over and talked with me. She shared a little of her story with me as well. He husband wanted to flee and so they went and stayed with his sister in another state. Rose thou wanted to come back to be with her children and she had some anger cause once before she put her husband before her children and as a result she lost a son. Her and this son still stay astrange from each other, she said never again. I picked up the sense her husband is loosing faith. We had a prayer and they head out to feed her grandchildren. What a wonderful lady, she reminded me so much of a couple of older women from my home league. She was such a pleasure to speak with.

Story 4: A young women comes up and she looks very distraught so I went over to offer my assistance. She was looking for the morgue as she just got word she needs to come and identify her biological mother. Another lady on the team said she would get the information for her, so I took her over where there are a few chairs and we sat and talked. Her biological mothers sister is the lady who raised her and she is being given a lot of grief from her about going to identify her. She said why bother; just let the State take care of it. The young women expressed about the on and off relationship she had between both mothers. She also shared that her biological father passed away a year ago and now her mother. She just feels she needs to do this. She loves her mother even though they had their differences. She begged me to come with them to help give her support to do this. I explained I am not allowed to leave my location but I would be there for a couple of hours if she wanted to come back and talk. I also explained someone would be here at this location every day if she wants to come back and talk. Her adopted mother got out her car and came over and yelled at her to get going. I explained I need a few more minutes. We prayed and then I came over to their vehicle and offered support to them all. I really felt for this young woman. I think her face will stay with me for a very long time.

Story 5: This man pulls up on his motorbike. Gets himself a meal and a drink and ask if he could sit down to eat it. I said sure and I sat with him. We shared a few comments back and forth and then the opportunity presented its self for me to ask him to share his story. Glen began by stating his mother called him and made him promise he would look after Jessica and her to young daughters, as their father is a Marine and off working. Glen's father also worked for the marines so he had PFD (personal floatation devices) he grabbed them, a few other things and headed to another friends home which made it through Camille so they thought this would be a safe place to be. Well as they kept moving higher and higher in this home, they suddenly heard a big bang and it was the roof being ripped off the house. Glen then had everyone put on the PFD's and tied everyone together with a phone line. He feared they were going to be sucked out of the house and he wanted them all to be together. He began to kick out the windows to keep the pressure on equal ground so they do not get sucked out. He then noticed a boat down the street so he went out one of the windows to get the boat in case they would need it. Glen cut his feet badly but decided not to tell anyone nor take his boots off so that no one would be worrying about him. When it was safe he took everyone back to their homes and everything was gone but their boat was still there. He got everyone on the boat until help came. Jessica's husband sent help to get them out and took them to another state. Glen stayed, cause he needed to find his dad. Glen took off his boots to examine his feet to see how bad they were. They were very bad, he now was getting a high fever and as he took off his boots his feet swelled to the size of watermelons. They were badly infected. He found some Listerine in the front of the boot that he used as a disinfect ion. He cut the heel pad off his one foot and poured the Listerine over his foot. He apparently passed out and was on the boat for 10 days when they found him. He was told the Listerine saved his life. Glen is a hero and yet very humble and just said he was doing what he was asked to do. We prayed with him and I felt very compelled to help him out the best I could so we got him a backpack to carry a few supplies on his bike.

This day will remain in my head forever. I had a hard time tonight cause I feel that there is no closure. I feel like I just connected with these people and now I have to go home. I wish I could stay. God is so very cool and blesses us all everyday. For the last 13 days he has Blessed me in more ways than I will ever be able to share.

Thank you Lord for this opportunity to serve for you.