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It's like having a congregation full of my mother! NOT that that's a bad thing ... in fact, it's the thing that makes HER so happy that I serve where I do. She knows that even though SHE isn't right there to look after me, Y'ALL are doing the looking after just fine. (See, I said y'all -- but really, I always said y'all. I'm warning you. Everyone who's said, You don't sound like you're from Texas, is about to be wrong.)

So - when The Boss calls, you know you'd better update the blog. (No, not Springsteen. Spleth. That Boss.) Evidently no one's looked at a map to see how far inland Tyler is! :-) But let me assure you, all is well here. I'm fine, I promise.

Since Wednesday noon (when FCC's Shelter officially closed), five more shelters have opened in Tyler (12 in a 3-city area, incluing Longview and Jacksonville) for evacuees fleeing in advance of Rita. Story after story of day-long traffic snarls, 36 hours to make a 5 hour trip, etc. ... had to only be compounded by the frustration of seeing the storm take a turn to the east and leave Houston with "only" inches of rain instead of feet.

Shelters here were full within hours of opening, and we continued to have people stop at FCC all day Thursday and Friday, only to have us redirect them to the next open shelter. In the midst of that seeming runaround, though, everyone was quite gracious and appreciative of whatever help we could give ... look, this truck is taking supplies over to Colonial Hills, just follow them ... medical is all going through First Baptist now, go out this main street into downtown, turn left at the Court House and you're there ... I still have mail through this week, after that it goes to the Post Office, two blocks down the road.

And fortunately, thanks be to God, damage -- while significant, particularly and painfully in already hard-hit areas, was less extensive than anticipated. Better to have everyone out and little reason for it, than to have people stay and end up doing 'recovery' and not 'rescue' work.

As for Tyler, the weather last night and today has been wind and rain … just like any good east Texas rainstorm. There was massive hurricane/flood/tornado panic -- lines around the block for gas, not a bottle of water to be found in the store, and police issuing 'stay off the road' warnings all night and this morning. But so far none of that’s played out here in Tyler (or, as far as I know, anywhere else that isn’t immediately coastal). It’s definitely rained for about 16 hours here, and there are some limbs and trees down around town, and one of the churches lost shingles. So, yes, obviously, big storm = damage, BUT nothing much more severe than any other heavy storm would do.

The last of the ‘shifting to a new shelter’ work was done yesterday -- closing down a shelter is nearly as chaotic as getting one opened! Today has been a day of rest; I've slept, let's see, do the math, 14 out of the last, um 21 hours. Tomorrow was already scheduled to be a youth work day ... and BOY oh BOY are they gonna be workin'. Tomorrow and Monday will be getting the CLC put back into recognizable shape, plus Monday is finishing out miscellaneous wrap up with Red Cross and the Church. Tuesday I fly back to Indy and Wednesday I’ll be back in the office.

With the Office of Disciples Volunteering establishing Mission Stations in the gulf coast states, there will be resources and opportunities for mission trips for the next couple of YEARS. I think there's a group ready to take one fairly soon, and TRUST ME WHEN I SAY that if you want to serve, there will be a chance. I assure you.

By the way, the comments here on the blog and the emails I receive every day have been SUCH a delight. It's been great to have you 'with' me on this trip. I'm sure I'll post a couple more days' of notes and reflections ... so until then ...