A Word from the Gulf

[eltrip]

I have a cousin, Faith, who lives just outside of Pascagoula. Her home wasn't damaged (hallelujah!), so her family is sharing their home (as so many others are) with family, coworkers, & others without a home...they're even using their pop-up camper to house a family.

Faith & her daughters were sent up to the Atlanta area by her husband for their safety. She returned home last weekend & immediately got busy, setting up a relief center in her garage.

I rec'd an e-mail from her this morning & thought that y'all might just appreciate reading what she shared with me.

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From: Faith H

Date: 2005/09/15 Thu PM 09:22:54 EDT

Subject: well....

I am SO tired. I worked at a larger relief center today, they were very shorthanded, so I got my neighbor to watch my place and I went with my daughters and the son of a friend to help. We got our tetnus shots yesterday, so our arms are doubly sore tonight as we worked sorting, stacking, bagging and loading relief supplies all day in a hot warehouse in near-record heat.

Roger met the president today at the refinery, you may have seen it on TV, although I didn't see Roger in any of the footage.....he was in the office directly across the hall from Roger's.

I get to meet the heads of Medicare from Washington Monday, they are touring healthcare facilities and my neighbor Pam's company has had to relocate to Pam's house. The guys driving the delivery truck have been talking about the "neat little store" we have set up and the company president of Deaconess Healthcare wants to show it to them as representing how they have reached out with (and past) the disorderly government organizations and helped the community at large.

So I have to make it look REALLY good. I wish Rachael were going to be here...a lot of it is her work. Plus she is prettier than I...

I am so tired. I have to go do some laundry and take a soaking bath with some bath salts and see if I can't de-funk! I came home from the relief center in Escatawpa and took a shower, but then I unloaded a truck, helped two families get stuff they needed, and two of the nurses get stuff their patients need, restocked, made "hygine kits" and gave them to Pam for the nurses to take out tomorrow.....now I have to tend my household a minute! Then I can rest!

too tired to spellcheck...keep us in your prayers. I went to town yesterday and saw firsthand the devastated neighborhood I used to live in, the condemned house where I first moved as a bride and brought my baby son home to....today I helped people with stories of how they swam out of their homes, how they hitched a ride in a National Guard (Mississippi's guard was on the ball) truck and when they sat down on the seats, the water was chest high in the truck!!! People who have three damaged rooms in their house, their business is ruined, but they have people in their neighborhoods worse of, so they wre getting for them....one car on the whole street not flooded....so they all share.....they can't get to the relief centers that close at dinnertime.....but I am here.......and word is getting out....

see ya in the funny papers..........................me

[June55Baby]

Thanks for sharing, El. From what I hear it is people like your cousin who are really making a difference. May God Bless her efforts.

I spoke to a colleague in a hospital in Biloxi yesterday. She said if it were not for our parent company Health Management Associates and the help of sister HMA hospitals, she would have gotten NO relief or aid. She said there are church groups and individuals out there helping, but neither she nor her family have seen anything from FEMA or Red Cross.

FEMA and Red Cross keep saying call this 1-800 number or log on the web sites, but when you have no home, no phone nor phone service and particularly no computer... contacting the organizations is a daunting task.

We must continue to support those ravaged by this terrible disaster and keep them in our prayers. Many people are broke - financially, physically and emotionally. The devastation is unbelievable and the loss of life and property enormous. It will take a LONG time for our beautiful Gulf Coast to recover.

The next time you talk to your cousin, tell her another Mississippi girl applauds her and asks Gods blessings on her efforts.

[CHATSDALE]

i can tell you stories about fema and the red cross...bottom line help yur neighbor and be prepared to take care of your self and your family

by the way having a phone is no guarantee that you will get through...neighbor had friend from NO area staying with them...the whole family called and called and never was able to get through to red cross

[SmilingBluEyes]

bless all your hearts. I am so sorry for all this loss and pain.