second verse, same as the first

Nothing like trading one disaster for another ... a hurricane ... a levee collapse ... the failure of resources ... a lack of consistency ... and now another hurricane.

As ironic and hyperkinetic as the 'Rita's coming!' broadcasts have been ... I think (I hope, I pray) that the coverage of Katrina and the pre-Rita buzz have served to convince people who need to leave to actaully leave, AND have social service agencies lining up shelters, services, and systems in advance. Being proactive, how very exciting!

The plan this week -- despite rumors to the contrary! -- has been to have our shelter site (and the Baptists') closed by 10am Friday. Well, it's a little odd, and exciting, to report: we're out early! Yep, let the senior minister splits town and I've got the place shut down and packed up by the time he's back for dinner. :-)

Much as I'd like to take credit, truth is, we were close to being ready already; Rita's looming, and the need for additional shelters looming, prompted Red Cross to punch up the schedule a bit to have Katrina folks 'closed' cases. Arrived at church parking lot this morning ... same time as one fire engine and one police car. Criminy people! Heart attacks run in my family! It's too early in the day for me to keel over in the parking lot! (The fire dep't was picking up the cots to move elsewhere, the police were on duty to relieve the national guard moving on. Whew.)

Volunteers and two shelter managers were already on duty, packing supplies to move to new shelters. All families relocated, transportation arranged, just packed and waiting to go. Spent the ENTIRE afternoon and evening sorting through an office full of paperwork and shelves upon shelves of supplies -- and the next couple of days to get the place reset and a 'recovery plan' in place for the Christian Life Center.

(Four new shelters are being prepared to open as needed in Tyler ... in fact one opened this afternoon, my shelter manager left midday to head that up ... but none of the four sites that have served as Katrina shelters will be expected to double as Rita shelters. Nice thing is, lots of what we have still 'out' can be simply picked up and moved over to the new site.)

As promised, this afternoon our Gulfport woman with 5 kids returns (from yesterday). Her name 'happens to be' Faith. (Of course it does, right, Julie?). We found out (yay for the shelter manager putting this together) that not only is the apt office bilking her by demanding payment up front (deposits are to be waived), they ALSO are charging her full rent (it's supposed to be 2/3 rate for 6 months). Yeah, Teresa leapt on that in a flash.

And? Faith asked for information about the church ... both grandfathers were pastors, and "our family churches are gone, we need a new place to be" ... and she said it feels like she should worship at FCC, since it's the place that's taken care of her.

Today was a big day for gratitude ... for all the temper flares that there have been (I don't care if you're her mother, you can't have her mail ... especially not the checks ... no ... go away) ... everyone who stopped at the desk today -- to collect mail, ask about meals, get directions, leave forwarding info -- offered thanks.

It's so good of you to have done this.
You've really made a difference.
I don't know what we would have done without you.
God bless you for what you've done.

Oh ... I'm fairly sure God already has.