We have just returned from our Florida trip and thoroughly enjoyed our visit with family and friends. Over Labor Day weekend in Jacksonville, we visited Anne and Andrew Lamb (friends we served with in Mexico City '92-94). Andrew is helping his church provide relief to the Gulf Coast after hurricane Katrina and invited Frank to join a group of first-responders. There was no way we could have 'planned' this trip in advance - but Frank went along and 3 long days working there has left a lasting impression. The devastation is indescribable. And Frank is eager to get back and help.

We have been given permission by MTW to spend a few weeks of our time in the Biloxi / Gulfport, MS area. Two of our supporting churches have graciously allowed us to rearrange our speaking schedule.

We are not sure exactly what we will do or how we will serve, so we are writing to specifically request prayer for the next 2-3 weeks. We hope to come alongside those who are overworked and help share the burden - maybe I can be of help in distributing information to volunteers before they arrive? Maybe our experience with housing, feeding and organizing short-term teams can be put to use?

I don't know much yet, but I do know that Frank is great 'on the ground' in terms of planning and implementing practical assistance as well as seeing the big picture. We will be working with First Presbyterian Church in Biloxi where they serve as a 'staging area' to provide assistance to those in the neighborhood. It is amazing that their building was left standing with so many others in the town destroyed. Check out pictures from one church member's website - http://simuljustusetpeccator.blogspot.com/

If the church or relief organizers have a specific request, may we write you and ask for help to meet it? We have heard of the need for tarps - to cover roofs, air mattresses - to sleep on, and tents or canopies - to cover the few belongings these folks are pulling out of their homes that will be destroyed or rebuilt. We will know more next weekend.

We will drive to Biloxi tomorrow morning and stay there this week. Then we will drive to Brevard, North Carolina on Friday for Cornerstone's missions conference. We will return to Biloxi next weekend and let you know if there is any specific needs we know about. We have heard of the generous response to MNA and MTW... but if you would like to be called on to send specific items or a financial contribution to meet a specific need (all going through the appropriate channels), please reply.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Do pray for safety, for camaraderie among volunteers, for FEMA, and for perseverance and stamina (physical, emotional, spiritual) for the hurricane victims.

Yours,

Frank & Darlene

24-26 Sep - Cornerstone PCA, Brevard NC
 7-9  Oct - Old Peachtree PCA, Atlanta GA
  16  Oct - Westminster PCA, Columbus GA
  23  Oct - Ingleside PCA, Lawrenceville GA
  30  Oct - Grace Covenant PCA, Hickory NC