Thursday, March 23, 2006 -- Synchronicity

Several things happened today to remind me...

1) An e-mail from Jamie, our niece, that displays a beautiful music video on New Orleans. It is worth seeing (link at the right) because it encapsulates the very important cultural significance of New Orleans and this region, to America.

2) Troy, who works at at Starbucks has recently come back from a Presbyterian Disaster Relief trip to d'Iberville, MS to help out. He said the people are very appreciative . They're in desperate need of material and spiritual help. Places close to the water "look like a bomb went off." Things are totally destroyed. He says it will take 6 to 7 years work to get back to normal.

The Local Starbies has a large number of students from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary working there.

( I guess the male employees at Starbies aren't a "Barista" -- are they a "Baristador" ? )

3) The LCMS World Relief newsletter, "Sharing" came in today's mail, with several articles on mssion trips to help in the south.

4) Fortune Magazine has a feature article on Bruce Karatz, the CEO of K-B Home and his plan to launch a major building project in the "wildly uncertain" New Orleans real-estate market. This is the first and (up to now) the only commercial real-estate developer to launch a major initiative in this area

5) "Extreme Makeover Home Edition -- after the storm" tonight at 9:00 on ABC -- rebuilding the community in Biloxi, MS. A particularly poignant reconstruction and grand re-opening of the Coastal Family Health Center in Biloxi, which was completely destroyed in the storm.

My favorite quote from the show -- "We just have to remember, we're connected to people we don't know."

The show had lots of video - less than a month old- showing the situation on the ground.

Tuesday March 21, 2006 -- A letter asking for support

Dear Friends;

As we grow and prosper, I think we all feel that divine providence has been good to us. Occasionally, an opportunity to give back, presents itself .... Hurricane Katrina is etched in my mind -- and all the 24/7 coverage that followed.

Last September, we cleaned house ( of useful household items and good clothing ) and loaded these on one of three trucks from Hamilton, MA - bound for the Gulf Coast.

Now, I have an opportunity to make a more hands-on impact through "faith-based-charity". I will go with 5 other men from Our Savior Lutheran Church, Topsfield, to Waveland, MS, for a week, to help rebuild. You may know that Waveland is at the epicenter of the storm track, as it hit the coast.

If you look at the aerial photos on the NOAA web site ( below) you will see that structures in a band along the coast have vanished. ( Waveland is in the center of the land mass )

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/katrina/089I30C_KATRINA.HTM

Our trip ( March 31 to April 8 ) will be hosted, at the other end, by The Lutheran Church of the Pines, which itself received 5 ft of water. The need is great for volunteer help in rebuilding and cleanup efforts along the Gulf Coast. Along with these physical needs, is the need for hope and encouragement among the people.

We hope that we will provide help with their physical needs through construction work and bring God's hope and peace. Our team will be working with one or two churches, helping repair their church facilities as well as working in individual family homes.

Would you consider partnering with me in this missions trip to Mississippi ? Please pray for me and the team. Some specific prayer requests are listed below.

You can also partner financially with me. Your monetary gifts ( to our church) will be used in our reconstruction efforts and to help defray team costs. (Tax Deductible ).

On a personal note, you may think of me ( amongst other things) as the "Paparazzi". This is still my M.O. -- In addition to swinging a hammer, I will be undertaking a photojournalistic coverage of this activity and creating a Blog to show our activity as it happens. With luck and good light, maybe we can get some additional leverage through the media.

Prayer requests:
1) Safe travel and good-health
2) Wisdom and skill in our work
3) That our team would bring hope and encouragement to the people we serve
4) That our team would be unified and work well as brothers in Christ
5) For God's grace and provision for the people of the southeast.

If you wish to make a Tax deductible contribution, please send a check to :

Our Savior Lutheran Church
478 Boston Street
Topsfield , Mass. 01983

Please make a note in the memo line for "Mississippi Trip" and include your contact information, so we may send you an acknowledgment.


Thank you

Emile Bellott

Tuesday March 21, 2006 -- Preparations

How do you publish a Blog ?

Go to Blogger.com and see. It's simple and free. The site has extensive on-line help. The user friendly menues lead you thru step-by-step. You can use several templates that they have, and customize to meet your own preference.

Materials were provided for the trip -- profile of the churches we're helping and list of things to take.

Monday, March 20, 2006 -- The Tetanus Shot

A Tetanus shot is recommended for this trip. Plenty of opportunity to get minor cuts and punctures from dirty nails, boards, and so on.

Can I come on Thursday at 1:45 ?...

Sure, that will be fine.

Sunday March 19, 2006 -- Airline Reservations

There are 5 airlines that go from Boston to Gulfport. Delta had the best fares at this late date, with only 2 weeks notice. The flights connect in Atlanta. The world's busiest airport.

I'll have a window seat into and out of Gulfport, so I can do my own aerial survey.

While I'm on the computer, I looked at the many web sites about Waveland and Hurricane Katrina. Lots of Blogs related to the post-Katrina activites

Sunday March 19, 2006 -- Map of Waveland

Waveland is at the middle of the gulf coast of Mississippi, Northeast of New Orleans and west of Gulfport. It is at the approximate epicenter of Hurricane Katrina's landfall.

Aerial photos are posted on the NOAA website. From these views, it is apparent that all structures within a short distance of the coast have vanished. Remaining roads and cement foundation slabs are all that remain. Further inland, there is extensive damage and destruction.

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the New England District of the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod is taking responsibility for three congregations in the Southern District.

Lutheran Church of the PInes in Waveland was the most severely impacted. The church had over 5 feet of water and suffered some damage. At least 4 of the members lost everything. (The average Sunday attendance is 90).

St Paul Lutheran Church, Picayune, MS, received 6 to 8 inches of water, uprooted trees, and shingle damage.

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Laurel MS, suffered some tree damage and minor damage.

The community of Waveland has been a tourist destination. On the MSNBC web site, there is a photo of the cement slab, where the city hall used to stand. Next to it is a sign commemorating the outpouring of volunteer help after Hurricane Camille in 1969.

Sunday March 19, 2006 -- Team Meeting

We met in the church library after the late service to discuss the trip to Waveland -- what to bring, tetanus shots, tools, and exchange phone numbers and e-mail to stay in touch over the next two weeks.

Here we are. (L to R) Jim Engel, Emile Bellott (rear) Gregg Perry, Troy Perry, David Bonnette, Ted Gray (team leader). Gregg and Troy are driving their truck down to Waveland on March 31. I am flying to Gulfport, MS on April 2; the others are flying to Gulfport, early, March 31.

Sunday March 19, 2006 -- Deciding to go

Standing in the narthex of our church (Our Savior Lutheran Church, OSLC), talking to Gregg Perry aboout the March 31 trip to Wavelend, Mississippi, in which we will help people rebuild homes and repair their church (Lutheran Church of the Pines).

I felt like there is something I can do to give back. And the whole scene of the Katrina devastation and all the 24/7 news coverage flashed back to me. I recalled the TV pictures of Waveland and Port St; Louis, at the epicenter of the landfall.

I also remember the excitement last September 10, when we brought a carload of household goods to a privately-organized relief truck in the parking lot of the Hamilton plaza. We were able to help people, and also to clean house -- very neat.

This is the old news... but here is a picture of Truck Number 3 from September 10, 2005.

So the answer was Yes!