A Great Start

601 am started a little early as students began to rise up from different bunks in one of 5 dormitories at Seashore United Methodist, sleepy eyes looked at each other like were we really getting up now. But tiredness soon started the giggling process, and fairly soon 61 newly commissioned construction workers walked across the compound to breakfast and the 2009 work camp had started.. Walking back from breakfast the girls found a very large math teacher holding a magnet board with their names on in, Kope and Quantrill found out they would be working at 166 Hoxie with 16 others, and Blinky and Tic Maber went to a house on Howard and Kuhn with 14 of their crew. 'Ello Guvnor and Nice Tool Land would be delivering water and ice this day, while The Finisher, Danicing in the Moonlight, 2 Chance, and Diablo Cazador would be working at the Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen. K-Sizzle Crazizzle, Mercy Mercy Me, and Baba Looey immediately started bringing some organization to the tool shed at the Back Bay Trailers. There was a lot of sanding on the house at Hoxie, building a handicap ramp at Howard street (new provisions had to be made as the young workers on Howard did not have the body weight to drive the screws). After a little bit of pre-drilling that crew was gettting after it. Paint 1 and Paint 2 crews waited patiently before they got started and soon were tackling a massive paint job on Gill. Baba Looey and the Rusty Crusty crew worked too hard and were finished just after lunch. Soon there was plans of a rope swing, and that too was accomplished in short order. (Of course it was painted and Nerinx Hall 2009 was officially part of Biloxi).

A group of 6 girls prepared a great taco meal for 80 people. It might be told later that Bloozer and Blampf spent more time entertaining dads with their conversation and playing on the new swing, but that would be an exaggeration as each kid really did do their best to help out. We had one minor ankle sprain, but since we had 3 different medical professionals as part of our group, she was quickly taken care of. The night ended with the dads setting up a big screen and the girls watching a movie "drive-in" style. The girls were also introduced to the tradition of a cartoon before the movie as Yakky Doodle and Chopper got to see Yakky Doodle and Chopper their name sakes. "Am I the smart one or are you the smart one?" asked Yakky Doodle to Chopper. Great first day, Tuesday morning would come early for some, but we are ready to work or swing?????

Day 1-Jackson

Hey parents and fellow readers,
We sitting extremely full after a four hour dinner at a very accommodating Olive Garden. There we celebrated 1 real birthday and 3 upcoming birthdays. We spent 7 hours in the car today enjoying unique ipod playlists and various fast food places. Right now we just want to get to Biloxi and get started on our service. It will be nice to get back on the road after mass tomorrow. We're curious about what Biloxi looks like, what the hurricane damage will look like, what work we will be doing, and the challenges that we will encounter.
the veteran's notes (by Amelia)-I just can't wait to see how the newbies react to the service they are doing. I also can't wait to see Wisteria again!

-Patty, Elizabeth, Lexi, and Amelia of room 211

Parents, Old Friends, New Friends, Teachers Join Us.

We would love to see you all at a short prayer service at 8:05 am back parking lot at Nerinx.

Wisteria

Craig told me the family really loves this house. I surprised the daughter who looks to be about your age. So although, she let me take pictures of the outside, I did not get a chance to see the inside. THIS IS A REAL HOUSE!!! With cars in the drive way, and directv hooked up. It is wonderful. You should all be very proud.

Meeting Miss Mary

After Craig and I went to lunch. He dropped me back off at Back Bay and I walked across the street to Miss Mary's house. Once she remembered me, we talked for about a half hour, although her son Michael was not there, he has done a ton of work to that place.... it is such a cool house. In the pictures look closely, he has painted white sculptures that resemble sea horses and turtles. But the absolute best is that he painted several things inside, including cartoon fish, which Mary said he has a name for each of them, based on the young volunteer girls that worked on his house. It is really a neat little house and also notice, the white picket fence instead of the chain link.

The House on Bohn

After talking with Craig, he told me that he was in Gulfport and would be a half hour before meeting me. I decided to go knocking on doors. I went to the house on Bohn, and knocked, I could see someone peeking through the blinds, and I asked if he remembered me. He opened the door a little bit, and I told him my students painted his Cowboys swing. He was then all smiles and showed me his whole house. Daryl said he was very blessed and he thanked us a lot. When I told him, I wanted to take a picture of him on the swing, he went back in the house to get his Dallas Cowboys hat on. It was a wonderful first stop.

I have posted several pictures from his house.

Year 4 -- Time again to Do Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk Humbly

How do I start again with words to convey feelings, to enhance your spirituality, to show you a gift that is the best gift I have ever received in my life.
Maybe I should start with the title. Those 6 words are on the t-shirt that we all got last year at Back Bay Mission.
I just got on there website www.backbaymission.com and found the entire quote from the bible.

.....and what does the Lord require of you but to do Justice,
to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

A good place to start. It is eerie for me, because Micah is the first name of a former student of mine, who is somewhere in East St. Louis, I am not sure what life is like for Micah now, I am not sure if he finished school, I am not sure if he has a home, I am not sure if he was cold last night....
For a long time in my life, I was 6'8" so that number also has a familiarity to me. I think God is telling me, calling me, and reminding me that although I have done some things in the past, he has much more for me to do. Micah represents to me a lost opportunity, a failure, an incomplete novel...
I am reminded there is always something one can do. And there is always something more that one can do. I want to introduce you to or continue that concept in your life. I do not want to take you on a service trip. I would like to introduce you to a lifetime of service.
For those of thus, who have been in Biloxi will agree with me, when I tell you that Eva May has given me more with her sweet southern kindness and fried chicken than I have ever given her. The girls have told me that although they gave Miss Mary a new garden, a lot of paint, and the ability to move into her house after several years. Her kindness and stories they received in return meant and still mean so much to them.
Quite simply, this is our world and it is our time to do something. Rev. Don Morgan, a Baptist minister, was a strong presence in our last 3 years. He always said, "If you hammer 1 nail into 1 board you have accomplished something, from there everything else you accomplish is extra and special."

Last year the motto of our group and especially our students was always to do something extra this included the Dallas Cowboys swing, the restocking of Loaves and Fishes, the shoe collection, and so much more.....

What will we leave this year? what will we share?

Two men of strong character just competed for President. These are the words of the winner, but I think his words can reflect the feelings of all of us.
"This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Thank you. God bless you."

See you on the 3rd

John Magee