as promised: Buckle up.

It's been an interesting few days for us. I was in worship at First Christian this morning (twice! just like at home!) and was able to update them on what's going on right in their backyard (literally):

- Our resident list is about 85 names. That's down from triple digits just a week ago. Overnight last night we had somewhere in the high 50s. Several families travelled to LA and MS, to try to get back into their neighborhoods, to see what is left. We expect most of them back tonight.

- Unfortunately, so far, many of the stories are as bad as you hear on the news. 'You can return to the city, but only this section.' 'You can move to the city, but there's still no electricity, and the water and air are contaminated.' There's nothing left. Nothing to salvage. Nothing even to see. If they could even GET to their neighborhood or business TO see it.

- That said, there is progress. Everyday someone finds a job, lands an apartment, reconnects with family, gets word of something they've been waiting on.

It's a tremendous rollercoaster ...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

An official statement yesterday indicated that 100,000 people have received federal money to assist with food, clothes, and finding homes and jobs.

That would be news to some of the folks staying with us at First Christian Church.

Actually, it may be true to say that 100,000 people have registered or even been sent said assistance. To say that they've received the assistance, however? Not so much.

And why, you may ask have they not received them? Because the post office is insisting on a signature for each check, with picture ID, from the person to whom the check is being mailed.

Folks have spent HOURS with FEMA and Red Cross (and other) caseworkers filling out REAMS of applications for personal, family, and business insurance and recovery funding.

And now they're spending days out around town, looking for work, for a place to live, for a way and a means to restart their life.

And when they come back to the shelter for the evening, it would be so great to be able to hand them the check with their name on it, so that they can then PAY FOR the place to live, the way to work, etc.

Only I can't give them their check because they weren't there during the day to sign for it.

Hello? Red Tape? Line 1. And 2. And 3.

Obviously I understand the security and identity issues, in theory. But as a friend (well, a friend who was quoting Homer Simpson) once wisely (and all too ironically) said, "In theory, communism works." Okay, maybe that's melodramatic. But so is living in a church gym for three weeks where everything you own -- EVERY. THING. YOU. OWN. -- is in a couple of trash bags shoved under your cot.

There HAS to be a better answer. Revicitimizing the victims by tying their hands, and the hands of those who are trying to help them, does nothing to provide security, nothing to offer hope, nothing to keep the promises their country keeps making to them. Nothing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jeff said this morning, "You can get motion sick going in circles looking for who to blame." That is so true. And I think some of our folks are getting that same feeling trying to chase down some plans for themselves and their families. But they're persisting, much to their credit.

Yes, the stories you hear on the news -- or hear that someone else heard on the news, which are my personal favorites -- are sometimes (sometimes!) true. There are people who take advantage of "the system" (which is a term suggesting coordination and organization, and so should be used only loosely in this scenario!). There are people who try to get money they don't need (having not sustained damage). There are people who will try to pick up someone else's mail or check or form. There are people who don't look for work during the day, and spend what money they have received at the local bar and get carted out by authorities for being drunk and disorderly, and who are no longer guests at the shelter.

HOWEVER. How. Ever. There are FAR MORE STORIES of people doing everything they can to find a new life, to build the life they wanted but now have to find elsewhere. There are far more people doing the right thing ... please let those be the stories you attend to, the ones you share, the ones you hold in your heart and memory as the character of this southern Gulf Coastal community that's now becoming part of our communities. We are all one.