Wilmore to the Pass

What a nice surprise to open a letter that both the Mayor and I received letting us know that our collaborative efforts in Hurricane Relief to Pass Christian were recognized by the Governor’s office! The Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism and Service along with the Governor’s office recognized the on-going efforts to help the people of Pass Christian get back on their feet. It was exciting to see honored the literally hundreds of college students, faculty, staff, Wilmore businesses, residents and volunteers who have given sacrificially to the people of our sister city in Pass Christian. Lets keep up the good work, there is much left to do!

It has been seven months since the storm. The images are less vivid, its fading from memory and no ones wondering where their next meal will come from anymore. But the Gulf coast is still very much reeling from Katrina. Two weeks ago I became the first to utilized the new Cre8tive Group Missions Trip Benefit. I went with another group of 75, again mostly students plus the wonderful addition of my beautiful fiancée Jen.

Arriving back in Pass Christian, it was remarkable both how much work had been done and how much work there was still to do. One house would be mere weeks away from being ready to be lived in again, while the one right next to it had not even been touched since the storm, still filled with rotting fridges and mounds of mildew that were once called “couches.â€? What an amazing psychological strain for those who are living in town; those who are trying to rebuild their homes and lives. If and when they get everything back in order, they still have to drive by the devastation each time they go to the nearest grocery store a town or two away. The remaining residents have gotten used to living in a trailer with less space than my office.

So what did I learn? People need hope. People everywhere, in every situation, need hope. Seven months after a major hurricane, they need hope to fight off depression. Hope that things are going to get better, that life will return to normal, that they will one day live in a building that doesn’t have wheels. So what if I helped build a couple sheds, cleaned up a yard and painted a house? In the grand scope of things, that’s really not all that much progress. But, what we really did was build a little hope, show them a little love to know that they’re not forgotten about, and get to know the residents of a little town where we’ll likely celebrate our anniversary some year.

We have been back from Mississippi for four days now. It is so hard to stay focused on the school work that is staring me right in face. I can’t get this picture of going to the kitchen everynight for dinner and hanging out with the team for hours before bed. From working all day and being ready to go to bed and to awaken to the desire of helping others and discovering something new. We clearly live in such a different world. One we are college students taking classes everyday not volunteers living in Mississippi or residents waiting to see the light and getting back to a semi normal life.

Spring break this year was spent in such a differnt dramic way, but defiantly one that I will never forget and don’t won’t regret how I spent my time.

8 vans, 2 trucks, a car, and lots of people, supplies and equipment have all returned safely to Wilmore, though our hearts and prayers are still in The Pass. What a great trip and what a great group of people to be able to spend a week with. I was so proud of our students, faculty, friends, even my retired parents who went along and were troupers hanging out (and working hard) with all these college students

All I heard all week was how hard Asbury students worked and how joyful and kind they were. One woman made a profound statement to one of our staff…”this week the church came to me!” What a privilege it was to give of ourselves and to help people in whatever way we could. Between 35 and 40 different projects were completed from cleaning up a park, to tiling floors, hanging drywall, painting, mudding out houses, and serving food.

There are many good stories, and lots of pictures, hopefully we will have pictures posted on the www.wilmoretothepass.com site soon. Thanks to all for your support and prayers. We will keep going to The Pass for the next couple years. Proverbs says “Never withold help from those we deserve it when it is in your power to act”. We hope to continue to live out our faith with the people in The Pass….