A group of 90 college students spent part of Christmas break ministering to the hurricane-ravaged Bay St. Louis, Miss. Students cleaned houses, yards and lives. Here are firsthand accounts:
“Arriving late on Dec. 15, the men and women found a small church with all their walls ripped out about four feet up from the floor, supplies like wire, military food packs and a property full of small FEMA trailers for people to live. Shower trailers from Southern Baptist disaster relief groups were on site to help with the influx of volunteers.”
“On Friday night, the students worshipped together in a student-led service around bed rolls (ladies sleeping area) and a service the students led. Saturday was major projects like ‘mud outs’ and constructing the donated equipment to make a city park a reality. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were physically draining as some 20-plus homes were ripped out – sheetrock walls, flooring, cabinetry, everything to the street.”
“Teams helped a 78-year-old lady get rid of wet sheetrock and clean out her house. Another team cleared two lots of debris and prepared them for homeowners to be able to rebuild.”
“On Sunday we worshipped at First Baptist Church, Bay St. Louis. We set an all-time Sunday school record with 88 in attendance. The pastor looked across the full room. ‘This is the way it looked before Katrina and one day it will be like this every Sunday with people from here in Bay St Louis!’ His eyes were moist as he reflected on thousands of hurting families.”