we have arrived !

Another wonderfully uneventful day of travel ... okay, there was that time we nearly ran Nolan out of gas. Other than that ...

Arrived this afternoon in Gulfport, Mississippi, with enough time for orientation, a drive through the area, stocking up on supplies (how many grocery carts full does it take to feed 10 people 3 meals a day for a week?), dinner and now we crash. (Someone's snoring next door. I'm not saying who. But he is.)

First Christian Church, Gulfport, was itself hard hit by Hurricane Katrina. Some exterior brick damage (two of the vans from the adjacent First Baptist Church ended up against the outside wall, and the other two landed perfectly parallel parked at the front walk!), and a flooded sanctuary, office, and classroom in the fellowship hall area. The sanctuary work has been hired out and looks ready for carpeting (in fact, there are sample boards in the gathering area - I wonder if they'll let us vote, too?). The doors have obviously been stained and are propped on the (I'm assuming) chancel area. The stained glass (stunning, pictures tomorrow in the daylight) is - remarkably - unscathed.

For now, everything is happening in the education building.
The upstairs classrooms are our sleeping quarters for the week, and the downstairs fellowship hall is sanctuary on Sunday morning for the 20 or so remaining (of 35) members, and our dining area/gathering space during the week.

A short driving tour along Hwy 90 going west (see Friday's map) took us along the water ... "Wow, they're really right ON the water." "Well, it IS called Gulfport." ... and through the now-known-by-name towns of Long Beach and Pass Christian. Neighborhoods -- not only immediately on and facing the water, but also those a good distance inland -- are still littered with limbs, debris, the occasional carpet scrap in a tree, a boat in a driveway now sideways against a carport, a foundation (only) of what was clearly once an immense and stately home, and even one lone commode just perched in its (I presume) original location on an otherwise bare slab.

As much as the dramatic devastation -- of which there is plenty -- I'm struck by house after house that's just ... sort of ... left. Great damage, of course. But what you SEE is just a charming house, damaged in the storm, likely totally flooded inside, its contents (and perhaps inhabitants) completely destroyed, and now left ... on a lovely lot, surrounded by trees, set back from the road. And now ... just ... LEFT.


Tomorrow we head east on Hwy 90 into Biloxi ... concrete-based siding (it sounds heavy, yes? perhaps very wise!) is the order of the day. I hear there is a pneumatic nailer involved. Whoohoo! More power tools!

For now, some rest ... with thanksgiving for safe travel, wonderful companions, and a congregation of loving pray-ers 'back home (again) in Indiana.'