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Mission To Mississippi
Sue Switzer and John Hertzog returned during the first week in January to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for their third year of disaster relief work following Hurricane Katrina. Both volunteered to work with “Rudy’s Roofers”, a group skilled and experienced in roof repair.
Their aging “client”, Robert, had received a small insurance settlement following the storm but had used the proceeds to help his daughter and girlfriend in their recovery efforts. Hoping to rely on his own knowledge of home construction and repair, Robert subsequently suffered a back injury that make it impossible for him to work or make repairs on his own property. A crew from Camp Victor had torn off and replaced the most badly damaged portion of his roof but the other half remained untouched, as did the attached carport.As Rudy’s Roofers began the demolition phase, they encountered insect infestations and extensive wood rot, making the job much larger and more extensive than originally anticipated. Blessed by pleasant weather and cursed by irritating “noseeums” (annoying gnat-like bugs) that had everyone swatting and scratching, the crew managed to completely re-roof the remaining half of the house and rebuild the carport.
The crew was a very diverse group, including two pastors, a 64 year man and a 17 year old Lenape VoTech senior specializing in carpentry. Three women rounded out the team (pun intended), joining the men on the roof to remove and nail shingles, helping with ground cleanup and nail recovery , assisting with wood measurements and rips, and replenishing supplies to the roofers themselves. Yes, Sue was observed up on the roof, too.
On Wednesday Robert gave the crew a reprieve from their usual lunch of cold sandwiches, chips and soda, preparing a traditional Gulf Coast seafood gumbo with fresh crabmeat, shrimp, ocra and sausage. As is a Gulf Coast tradition, the gumbo was accompanied by root beer.
As the week drew to a close and the team finished their work they gathered with Robert for a home blessing and parting words of thanks. Robert presented with team with a chocolate cake inscribed with thanks “to y’all”. He tearfully expressed his gratitude to the crew as well as the Lutheran Disaster Response organization that remains a presence in the devastated community.
Just before the bus’s departure for the 20 hour ride home, Sue make a quick trip to a local antique store where she was greeted by a woman who correctly guessed that she was a Lutheran from Pennsylvania. The owner indicated that Pennsylvanians seemed to lead the relief effort and the whole community was grateful to the Lutheran Disaster Response organization that had continued to stick by them when others have long since packed up and gone home. She insisted on giving Sue an antique doily as a small token of her appreciation to all of the relief workers.
As others have learned from their own mission experiences, John and Sue insist that they are far more blessed by the experience than those who are the recipients of their work. John indicates that he looks forward to this work as a “renewal” activity that motivates and energizes him in other areas of his life.
John and Sue shared this interesting story of hope and recovery in the aftermath of Katrina…
A marine aquarium that had been constructed on the Biloxi waterfront was completely destroyed by the hurricane force winds and the huge tidal surge. All of the marine creatures were lost and washed out to sea in the debris field as the water receded.
Months later as dredging efforts began to clean up the bay and the devastated barrier islands, the workers happened upon a pod of dolphins that were later identified as those from the aquarium. They had somehow managed to survive the collapse of the aquarium and submersion in sewer and pollution laden debris. Not only had they survived, they had formed their own pod, as a community of survivors.
John and Sue express their sincere thanks to the members of the congregation that gave so generously to buy supplies and tools to help those still in need. Please continue to remember the people of the Gulf Coast in your prayers and, to the degree you are able, help to support the ongoing recovery efforts. Over 16,000 residents are still living in FEMA trailers, the limited number of rental units are charging exorbitant rent, and the recovery is estimated to be only about 20% complete. While the visible scars and telltale blue tarps are receding, there are still multiple families living in single family dwellings and partially rebuilt homes without interior walls and furnishings. There is still much to be done.
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