Hoosier church leaders help two Miss. families rebuild

By Debbie Bushfield and Pam Keith

Each person in the flooded area across the Gulf Coast has a story.

D'IBERVILLE, Miss. - The United Methodist Women meeting at a church on the coast of Mississippi had a roll-call question: "How are you doing after 18 months?"

One elderly woman who had lost everything to Hurricane Katrina slowly stood and looked round at her friends. Then she said, "I'm drinking out of a saucer - because my cup runneth over." The United Methodist Church had rebuilt her home.

Each person in the flooded area across the Gulf Coast has a story. And when the story has a happy ending, volunteers are often the reason.

Bishop Mike Coyner, the North and South Indiana Conference district superintendents, their spouses, along with several conference staff members finished work on two houses last month. Following the work of our 36-volunteers team, the grateful homeowners were able to sleep in their own houses for the first time since Hurricane Katrina hit Labor Day weekend 2005. However, our team was just one of dozens of church rebuilding teams in the area.

Evidence that this is a huge movement began even before everyone arrived. Two cabinet spouses were unable to drive with the rest of the team because of their work schedules, so they flew to Mississippi. At the Indianapolis Airport, they spotted three people wearing United Methodist logos on their shirts accompanied by the phrase: "Believin' in Relievin'." This group was from the Northeast U.S.; they were on their way to Louisiana to rebuild homes. A few days later, at a rest stop between Mississippi and New Orleans, members of our team saw a group of several Amish teenage boys get into a church relief van that was headed to New Orleans. They were going to use their carpentering skills to rebuild homes.

Everywhere our team traveled, they encountered groups of Presbyterians with their blue shirts, Lutherans, Baptists, Catholics, and other United Methodists. All were doing the same thing - trying to help some of the over 100,000 families who are still homeless.

The churches in the devastated areas continue to house these work teams with an overflowing of gracious hospitality and have turned their Sunday school rooms into bunk houses.

The work goes on daily, but there is a tremendous amount yet to be done. It has been estimated that it will take at least ten years before everyone affected by the storm will be able to get their lives and homes back together. Some never will.

The two families that the combined conference team helped were moved to tears as they were handed Bibles signed by the work teams during dedications for their homes. Then they were given the keys to their new front doors, and many among the team found themselves deeply moved also, but for a different reason. They knew they had done what God had asked. They were being the church.

Almost weekly a United Methodist team from Indiana heads to the area destroyed by the hurricane. If you would like to be a part of this rebuilding ministry, either by contributing financially or joining a work team, please contact: the Mississippi Disaster Response Center at 866-435-7091; e-mail: disastercenter@meridianumc.org; fax: 601-486-4248 or the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Ministry at 225-346-5193; e-mail: stormrelief@bellsouth.net; fax: 225-346-6974.

Debbie Bushfield is wife of the Rev. James Bushfield, superintendent of the Columbus District. Pam Keith is the wife of the Rev. William Keith, superintendent of the Indianapolis East District Both served as volunteers in mission on this trip.

Last updated on 25 Apr 2008

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