Hey! Today we are sitting in our hotel room in Jackson, Mississippi, after a full day of traveling. We kicked off the day with a prayer service, in which every student attended and numerous amounts of parents and friends. After praying for a safe trip, we loaded our cars and headed to Jackson. The day was not only filled with bathroom breaks at gas stations and lunch at greasy fast food places, but also singing off key to old school rock tunes. We arrived in Jackson and proceeded to dinner at Olive Garden--let me tell you any place that can handle our group of 60 is okay in my books! After filling up on delicious pastas, we headed back to our rooms to rest up for the upcoming days in Biloxi.
As mentioned in our prayer service, the people of Back Bay are less fortunate then anyone we have encountered in our sheltered lives in St. Louis. They are a people devastated by natural disasters, stricken with poverty, and often times struggling to maintain basic human dignity. However, our Nerinx Hall community is making a journey to help the people in any way we can, whether it be physically or emotionally. I am anticipating the upcoming days and my only hope is that we can reach out and make a difference in individuals lives. Even though we will only be in Mississippi for a week, hopefully our work will change their whole lives.
Prayer for us; we miss you all already!
Lisa Godfrey
Class of 2009
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Today was our first of two days of traveling down to Biloxi, Mississippi. After a group prayer with our family, friends, past Biloxi travelers, and Nerinx faculty, we began our eight hour drive to Jackson, Mississippi. It was a car ride filled with conversations, an unhealthy lunch from Wendy's, rocking out to Miley Cirus (or is it Hannah Montana?), on-and-off napping, and plenty of laughter, we finally arrived to Jackson. We ate dinner as a group at the Olive Garden, filling ourselves with endless breadsticks, salad, pasta, and chocolate mints (I think I had about 213 mints...but that's just an estimate). We're all settling down for the night in our hotel rooms, ready for a goodnight's sleep.
It's hot and we're already tired, but you can definitely tell the girls are all very excited. As a veteran Biloxi traveler, I'm incredibly excited to visit the parking lot and blue house that I worked on last year. I know this week's experience is going to be just as wonderful and amazing as last year's.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Everyone says hi, and we miss you already.
See you soon with a really great farmer's tan...
Julie Niehaus
Class of 2008
It's hot and we're already tired, but you can definitely tell the girls are all very excited. As a veteran Biloxi traveler, I'm incredibly excited to visit the parking lot and blue house that I worked on last year. I know this week's experience is going to be just as wonderful and amazing as last year's.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Everyone says hi, and we miss you already.
See you soon with a really great farmer's tan...
Julie Niehaus
Class of 2008
First Night of Travel
Our first night started with swimming in the hotel pool in jackson and sitting by the pool. All of us are really excited to get started working but i know we are all enjoying this period of rest before our week of tough work is kicked off. After some swam and some just relaxed in their rooms we all gathered outside to meet before heading over to the Olive Garden for our first dinner together. There was lots of laughing and a fun time was had by everyone. We are all in high spirits and have awesome hopes for the upcoming week!
~ Dottie Klenke
~ Dottie Klenke
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Please Join Us
On Saturday morning, May 31st at 8:00 am, we will gather in the Nerinx back parking lot to embark on our trip 2008 style.
Several of our group are working on a short prayer service. We will also carry with us the prayers of Ms. Jost's freshmen class, and the good thoughts and intentions of many.
If you are part of the group going, you should start reflecting on what you can do to bring your talents and your kindness to our new friends in Biloxi and Gulfport and the surrounding communities.
If you have any questions you can e-mail Mr. Magee: jmagee@nerinxhs.org
Several of our group are working on a short prayer service. We will also carry with us the prayers of Ms. Jost's freshmen class, and the good thoughts and intentions of many.
If you are part of the group going, you should start reflecting on what you can do to bring your talents and your kindness to our new friends in Biloxi and Gulfport and the surrounding communities.
If you have any questions you can e-mail Mr. Magee: jmagee@nerinxhs.org
Monday, November 5, 2007
Looking back and Forward
Last year, I went with Mr. Magee and I believe it was 41 (?) of my classmates to Biloxi, Mississippi. I can honestly say I have never had such a great time doing service. Because there is still so much to do down there because of Hurricane Katrina, Back Bay Mission provided us with different tasks throughout the week which kept us busy and entertained.
The first day we were there I worked with about eight or nine other girls at the Commuinity Center parking lot. I was definitely not expecting to be powerwashing an entire parking lot and using a pick ax to break ground for a patio, I am not the strongest person. I was frustrated at first because I had no idea how helping seal this parking lot was so helpful to the community. Someone later explained to me that it's just the finishing touches on these projects that make them so much better. At the end of the week I saw the gorgeous patio some of the girls built all by themselves and the nicely sealed parking lot.
The rest of the week I spent one day in a soup kitchen, a few days scraping and painting a porch (as well as meeting many homeless who were living in cars in the backyard), and scraping and caulking a whole house. I learned quickly that all of these jobs took patience and a LOT of time.
The last night we were there, all of the students and adults that were on the trip got together in one big circle and shared what we learned and our experiences that touched us and that we would keep with us in our hearts from that day on. I didn't see one person in that room that wasn't crying. Biloxi was such a valuable journey for so many of us that went.
This year, I am going back to Biloxi more excited and nervous that I went last year. I hope all that are going this year will have as good as an experience as my classmates and I had last year and I know it will be wonderful. I look forward to this year and all of the new seniors coming with us!
Peace.
Annie Gerker (Senior 2008)
The first day we were there I worked with about eight or nine other girls at the Commuinity Center parking lot. I was definitely not expecting to be powerwashing an entire parking lot and using a pick ax to break ground for a patio, I am not the strongest person. I was frustrated at first because I had no idea how helping seal this parking lot was so helpful to the community. Someone later explained to me that it's just the finishing touches on these projects that make them so much better. At the end of the week I saw the gorgeous patio some of the girls built all by themselves and the nicely sealed parking lot.
The rest of the week I spent one day in a soup kitchen, a few days scraping and painting a porch (as well as meeting many homeless who were living in cars in the backyard), and scraping and caulking a whole house. I learned quickly that all of these jobs took patience and a LOT of time.
The last night we were there, all of the students and adults that were on the trip got together in one big circle and shared what we learned and our experiences that touched us and that we would keep with us in our hearts from that day on. I didn't see one person in that room that wasn't crying. Biloxi was such a valuable journey for so many of us that went.
This year, I am going back to Biloxi more excited and nervous that I went last year. I hope all that are going this year will have as good as an experience as my classmates and I had last year and I know it will be wonderful. I look forward to this year and all of the new seniors coming with us!
Peace.
Annie Gerker (Senior 2008)
I Miss Biloxi
When signing up for the Biloxi experience I never could have guessed the impact that the trip would have on my life. It was only a week long, but the things that I saw and learned were lifelong lessons. I was given the opportunity to work at a place where we became very close with the owner of the house. He had little to give us, but he always greeted us with a smile, entertained us with some dancing, or encouraged our work. The work was so fun and rewarding that I never wanted to leave. Not only did we grow as individuals on this trip, but we also grew as a community. The bonds that I created with all of the girls on the trip will last me for the rest of my life and it is great to know that our hardwork has left an imprint on the people of Biloxi.
~Kung Fu Fighting~
~Kung Fu Fighting~
My Biloxi Experience
Going to Biloxi was one of those experiences I have had with Nerinx that I look back on and say that it has shaped who I am and who I am becoming. A service trip like this one is something that every Nerinx girl and every girl in general should experience. Because we are so detached from the great devastation around the world and even in our own country, this trip lets us know that we are not immortal and that life is precious. It also shows the power and strength of the human spirit that emerges even in times of hardship. The smiles we saw from all the people in Biloxi who had nothing, who lost families, friends, houses, jobs; they are the images that will stick with me the longest from this trip. I want every girl at Nerinx to experience what I did in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Hannah "Boots" McHenry
Hannah "Boots" McHenry
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