Today

Today was the Last Day and I thank God for it. The past few months have been literal terror for us, and our greatest fears were realized. Yes, it is the last day of hurricane season. That doesn't mean it is impossible for there to be any more hurricanes, but it does mean that the likelihood diminishes greatly. And for all of the oddball things that have happened this season, who can promise that there will not be more to come? Today was also the first day. Forty-two years ago a beautiful eighteen year old wife entered Mercy Hospital in Vicksburg, MS and gave birth to a little butterball that would later be called by many 'big poppa'. Happy birthday to me! Hey ... and thanks very much to Danny Sims, who looked at my Amazon 'favorites' list (in the column to your left), picked the first one, and sent me a very cool ELO CD that I've been wanting. Thanks, Danny! {Of course none of you should feel obligated to do that, since you would now be doing it of a sense of guilt rather than a genuine desire to gift me.} (the brackets, according to Donna's blog, denote sarcastic comments). Today was also the dreaded day. My son got his learners permit. I had successfully avoided allowing him to drive by trumping all of his requests with, "not until you have a permit." So tonight he drove me home from church and then drove me to Sonic. A monster has been created. Pray for us. Today is a desperate day. For some reason Cableone cannot keep my connection at the house going. So I am in my van, outside the church building, leaching onto the wireless internet connection at the building so that I can post this blog tonight! I just blew the horn by laying my laptop on it, and someone came out to take a look. Thanks. I feel like a spy ... but a terrible one. After two months with us, John Sanders is leaving tomorrow. I wish him well in his endeavors and I hope he will keep in touch. I'm afraid my battery is going to go dead, so I'm going to say goodnight. This has been your favorite hurricane blogger, in a dark van, outside the church building, about to slip off into the night!

Paradox

Life on the Coast is filled with paradoxes. On our church property there is a swarm of activity, consultations, visits, reception of materials, cooking, e-mailing, and multi-tasking. Sheetrock is going up, progress is being made. In another part of town there is eery stillness and an unsettling silence. Empty shells that once were busy hubs of life are reduced to hollowed out rooms, overrun by black mold. From a home like that, a young family escaped. They drove up this afternoon. In their twenties, wearing clothes that were dirty and not sized correctly. She tells me up front that she has some mental problems, takes six different prescriptions, and suffers from crohns disease. They have children, but they are living with someone else. And they live in a pickup truck. With two broken windows. They are lost in a confused government system that is supposed to take care of people like them. I gave them a tent and some sleeping bags. I felt good about that and at the same time I felt unhappy about my 'solution'. There are people around us who will not lift a finger to help someone else. And there are people who would drive for hours to relieve the burden of a stranger. There are people who would not give a dollar to a hungry person. And there is Kyle. I think he is a child from Missouri. He sent a plastic bag with a couple of dollars worth of change in it. It was marked 'hurricane fund'. I suppose that everyone's life is surrounded by paradoxes. I think they are just exaggerated by our current circumstances. One thing that cannot be exaggerated is the generosity of our brothers and sisters throughout the nation. You've heard the expression, 'The Cavalry is on the way'? We feel like the cavalry has been on the way since August 29th. One of my friends is internationally known evangelist Marvin Phillips. He has agreed to come and preach three nights in Pascagoula December 12-14. I will call these "Good News Nights". I hope this will be the first of a monthly activity where we have three-four nights of preaching in order to bless our community and encourage our workers. Also today I got a surprising phone call from brother Jimmy Lincoln, elder at the Southern Hills Church of Christ in Franklin, TN. Jimmy, in cooperation with the Concord Road Church of Christ in Brentwood, TN wants to bring gifts to our community. He wisely noted that many people will come to church on Christmas and we want to do all we can to encourage and reach them. They may bring up to 500 gifts to pass out in our community and church. I think that's an awesome idea. In addition, their associate minister, Ken Reed, will bring the morning message on December 18th. I regarded this as providential because this is the weekend I wanted to spend with Maggy's parents in North Mississippi in family Christmas celebrations. Although I will miss the joyful gift giving project, I will rejoice to see family that I have not seen since the storm. CURRENT NEEDS: *We always have need for workers, both skilled and unskilled. If you can hang and finish sheetrock, or do roof work, your skills are especially needed. *I have had several requests for newborn diapers, but we have no small size diapers at this point. We have plenty of other sizes. *Ministry needs are weighing heavily on my mind. I am thankful for Gary Irby who is here to help people right now. Also I will be calling on Charles Melton from Conway, AR to come and help us with his evangelistic skills. We need people who can come and with great compassion and care share the good news of Jesus with the lost. We never take for granted the reality of your prayers. Were it not for the united voices of saints rising up in our behalf, I believe we would be powerless to rise from the ashes. All credit and glory for whatever we do is given to God who inhabits the heaven and earth and in His mercy gives life and joy to the dead and lost.

Predicaments

Predicament: A situation, especially an unpleasant, troublesome, or trying one, from which extrication is difficult. Her name is November. Her friend brought her to our church building today. November has no transportation, it was washed away in Hurricane Katrina. November also has no home. After the surge destroyed her apartment, she was moved to a makeshift floating city called the Holiday. Those who used to cruise the Holiday celebrated the nights away. Now the inhabitants are grateful for a bed and a roof, but that's about it. That's a predicament. November has a son in elementary school. Our school system has a dress code. The kids have to wear uniforms, even after the storm. November's son had uniforms for each day, but they were soaked in sea water and sewage. The school provided a few shirts and a few pants. That's great. But on the Holiday you get to wash your clothes once a week. So once all of November's sons pants are dirty, he has to wear jeans to school. He's come home crying several times because of the way he was accused of breaking the rules. That's a predicament. According to November, the landlord of her washed out apartment decided to paint over the mold and make everything look new. But she can't live in an apartment where the deadly mold is just covered up. She has multiple lung problems anyway. So she has no where to go, no way to pay. No ability to get her son the school clothes he needs. No way to wash the ones he does have in a timely manner. That's a predicament. As with every story we hear, I wanted to take her right down to Wal-Mart and buy that boy 8 sets of school clothes. But I know that this same story is repeated hundreds of times every day. I also know that once the news gets out that we are buying school uniforms, we will be covered up with requests that we can't possibly meet. That presents a predicament. After November's stories will be more. We hear them every day. They are not just stories, they are pleas for help. Sometimes they are just requests for a listening ear. Sometimes there are obvious ways out of the predicaments, and sometimes not. But what can we do? We'd like to play Superman and fix all of the dilemmas and make all of the endings happy ones. We'd like to say, 'You're going to make it. Don't worry about a thing.' There are no simple answers. There are lots of predicaments. And that in itself is a predicament.

Our Sunday

We had 98 in attendance this morning, with several community visitors. Some of those visitors were here for the first time. Tomorrow is the 12th week since Hurricane Katrina hit. Three months out we are still having new visitors come. The field is white unto harvest, friends. We have some people coming this week from Jackson, TN and Jackson, AL to do some evangelistic work. Pray for these laborers to be fruitful. My morning message encouraged the listeners to Trust God At All Times. Psalms 62:8 says "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." TRUST GOD WHEN YOU FEEL ABANDONED. It may appear at times that God has abandoned us. David asserts that God will never forsake those who search for the Lord. Psalm 9:10 says, "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." God does not desert his people. Even when he ought to desert us, as we see things, He does not. TRUST GOD WHEN YOU FEEL UNLOVED. Why does God never give up on us? Because He loves us so. No matter what comes our way in life, the one thing we can count on is the love of God. Love is expressed is in the salvation which comes from God. Psalm 13:5 "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." In your mountain tops, and valleys, God is there. TRUST GOD WHEN YOU FEEL WEAK. We are often weak, unreliable, fickle … Still we know that we lean on and love a God who is dependable in every way. He saves us in his power. Psalm 20:6-8 "Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." It is easy to trust ourselves, our money, our possessions, other people - all before we trust in God. God is the only one who deserves such trust. TRUST GOD WHEN YOU FEEL AFRAID. God is strong when we are afraid. Everyone is afraid at times. Fear is not always lack of faith, sometimes it is the need for assurance. Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” We trust in Him because He is reliable. On a personal note ... my knee has felt better today. I haven't been up on it very much. As nightfall has come, the pain has intensified some, but not as much as the past two nights. Maybe it's getting better! At my house I have a few plumbing problems that need to be addressed, a roof turbine that has to be replaced, flooring, heat and air, and kitchen cabinets. Those are the big items. Hope everyone had a great weekend! I'll update you again tomorrow as opportunity allows. Below, John Sanders (left, Rhode Island) confers with a brother from Pensacola, FL. Miss Bobbie (background) looks over items available on tables in front of the church building.

Unexpected

While each day holds within it the unexpected, today was moreso for me. Last night my knee swelled up and started throbbing with pain. I believe I have a bone spur in my knee that gave me some trouble some years ago .... but something must have irritated it. I couldn't sleep most of the night until I finally got into a recliner. Recliner? How is that? Wellllll....... brother Rusty from Conway, AR gave us a couch and loveseat while he was here. It was his dad's. The ends let out like a recliner. So, I sat in one end of the couch, and in the recliner I finally found some relief. (Thanks, Rusty!) I spent most of the day in the recliner and felt pretty good. So we went out to eat late this afternoon and stopped off at Wal-Mart for a heating pad (ours is packed away in storage somewhere). My knee is letting me know tonight that it is unhappy with that moving around. So I'll be here the rest of the night. I will still plan to preach tomorrow, but that will be about it. I hope to see a doctor Monday for some kind of relief from the pain. So, I missed out on all of the adventure at the building today. I know some new people arrived, and I haven't been blessed enough to meet them yet. Some people left, and I didn't get to tell them goodbye and thanks. The big change at the church building is the absence of the big red and white tent. That was taken down yesterday and we will be clearing that area. The tent came from Brentwood Hills Church of Christ in Nashville, and we are very thankful for their help with this. I hope you all have a great Sunday with your church Family. Below: Vivian Rea (Pascagoula, MS) and Elsie England (Paducah, KY)

Heroes in the Dust

Getting slim. No, not me. Are you kidding? I'm talking about the work crew. After Sunday we will be down quite a bit for the week. I'm not complaining. We have been blessed with a big crew for the past two weeks. Still, it can get hairy at times when a truck comes in or when something comes up that requires everyone to drop what they are doing. I would love the opportunity to really get to know each of the people who come to help us. Some, by seredipity, I get to converse with and learn about their lives. But most of us work all day, then I go to my camper. The workers congregate and share stories of the day. I guess I should stay some and get to know them during that time. However, I do not want to neglect my family any more than I am during this time. So, in all, it just is what it is. Bruce and Linda Miller and crew headed back to South Carolina today. I thought they were leaving tomorrow. What a wonderful group of people. I didn't get to say goodbye. I really regret that. But I hear they are coming back (yay!) sometime with more workers. Bruce and Linda have such a genuine spirit ... and I could see that this was a characteristic shared by the people who came with them. Their retired minister gave the devotional Wednesday night and I hear did an outstanding job. I enjoyed talking some with him at supper one night. The crew from New Jersey worked in Gulfport yesterday and today and will head home tomorrow. They did a lot of work here as well. Another neat brother went home to middle tennessee today. His last name is Taylor ... I know his first name but it escapes me at the moment. He is a preacher and a brick layer. We have the Scrugs here from Cullman - they know Donna! We also have a family here from Nashville, the Painters from Kentucky, and a brother from Brookhaven. We also have the Englands (Paducah), Jerome Faulkner, and Mack and Jeff the roofers (all from Paducah). The Warnicks are from West Virginia and Carlos is from Indiana. Carlos will leave us tomorrow for a new role he wants to fufill in life. I hope we will see him again soon. I feel that he is a special child of God. Four ladies from Indiana will come in tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to meeting these ladies. The e-mails tell me that we are going to enjoy getting to know them all! So people come and go. Helpers, working as hard as they can for a season before heading home. They are giving up vacation time, opportunities to enjoy some recreation, or some precious work time around their own homes. They do so with smiles and with determination. They want to see people walk back into their homes, able to live in them. They are true heroes in the dust of discarded insulation and sanded sheetrock. They fulfill the role of the one known as the 'Good Samaritan', who extended himself on behalf of the helpless. I applaud them. When I do get the chance to know them better, I realize that I am in the shadow of the King. He is at work in their efforts. What is really amazing is that they all claim to be the ones who are blessed. Truly amazing. Today my family received a box in the mail. It was from Andy and Kelly Cates of Nashville. They served a week here a month or so ago. In part the letter says, "There is not a day that goes by that we don't think about you guys and the work going on at Central ... Andy and I feel so blessed to have met you guys and to have had the opportunity to work at Central. ... We pray for you guys and your work at Central daily." Enclosed in the box were some goodies from Tennessee - two bottles of Corky's Memphis Bar-B-Q Sauce. Also a beautiful recipe book that had tabbed sections - already containing recipies that Andy and Kelly had collected for us. I could tell they put their heart into this beautiful gift. Thanks, Andy and Kelly! We are the ones who are blessed for knowing you! So, I'll leave you with a picture of Andy and Kelly. Yet again demonstrating the beauty of the Kingdom life, serving God and others. I am discovering that their story is duplicated over and over again in the lives of the disciples of Jesus Christ. It really is the Kingdom I never knew... and undiscovered country that consists of a great pardox. The darkness of dust and rubble being overcome by the light of love and mercy. Shine, Jesus, Shine!

The Path of List Resistance

Yes, most of my blog buddies have lists of things for which they are grateful. Yes, it is THANKSgiving, so what could be more appropriate? YES, I am very grateful for many many things. But just to be different, I will not offer a list today. YES, this gives me a bit of anxiety. Maybe some of you will think I'm not grateful for much since I didn't make a list. Lists are deceptive. They seem to really show thought and perception. But really, there are always so many things that do not make the list. Who can list ALL of the things for which they are grateful? Or even a top ten that doesn't change day by day? Anyhoo, I write all of that with a wink and a grin. It is never wrong to be thankful. I enjoyed my visit with my mom and dad very much. I especially enjoyed meeting my new neice (seven months old). I enjoyed the great food my mom and sis-in-law prepared. I enjoyed sleeping in a real bed and not being far away from the 'facilities'. I enjoyed learning that there are several Texas readers of this blog, but they just never comment. This is starting to sound like a list of things for which I am grateful. I look forward to rejoining the relief effort tomorrow, meeting some new friends, and beginning to plan for Sunday. If you read Dee Andrew's comment on my post yesterday, I know you have been in prayer for her and Tom. An event that is normally stressful is super-stressful these days. And an event like they have endured, which is super-stressful already, is just all the more intense. You are loved, Dee & Tom ... I hope tonight has brought a little peace and some time together. Here's a few pics of my brother and his wonderful family from Texas!

Thanksgiving's Eve

Today I worked on lists of families that need to be adopted for Christmas. Afterwards our family packed up and headed out. Daughter and grand daughter headed north, and the rest of us headed West. My mother and dad live just out of New Orleans. It was just after sunset when we crested the high-rise and saw a darkened New Orleans. It was an eerie feeling to notice that there were very few lights on in the city. We arrived home safely and have enjoyed an evening here. Tomorrow I will see my brother Gary and his wife Pam and their two children. They are from Bay City, Texas. The church in Bay City sent a generous gift to my family right after the storm. We seldom see Gary and Pam, and in fact they have a new baby that are going to meet for the first time tomorrow. Pray for their safe journey! While I'm at my mother's, things seem a bit more normal. We'll sleep in a real house tonight on a real bed. I won't have to go up the driveway in the middle of the night to go to the restroom in the house. We are walking on carpet, and not bare wood flooring. We actually got to help cook - something we haven't done much of since the storm. But in the back of my mind I will be thinking about the relief effort back home. I pray that many from the community will be served a meal and that they will want to know more about the Jesus who has taught us to serve. I am mindful that after Sunday we will be back down to a very small work crew. I'm looking forward to meeting some new folks, and greeting some returning servants. It all keeps going without me, and I like that. And in another way I want to be an integral part of what's happening there. I hope all of the readers of this blog have a wonderful Thanksgiving. In your comments, why not tell us what you ate at Thanksgiving Dinner that was your favorite item? That will be interesting! Keep the work in Pascagoula in your prayers. We have a long way to go, but we have A Great Source of Strength to see us through.

Tears and Prayers and Friends

I woke up in the night concerned about a friend. I want to veil my reference as much as possible, but my heart is very heavy for a dear friend. He is torn between his great heart and an unwinable situation in his job. His work in hurricane relief has been exemplary. He doesn’t live in my town, but I wish he did. An additional stressor is about to be added to his life. I’m worried that he will not take his situation seriously enough. Pray for him and his family. God knows who he is. I did manage to get back to sleep. I got up a little earlier than usual and went to the church building to say goodbye to my friends from University Church of Christ, Conway, Arkansas. Their young people were awesome, and so were the older ones! I was already holding back tears this morning when two of the brothers took me to a room and offered to help further and to come back when they could. They held my hands and prayed with me. These brothers worked so hard and accomplished so much during their time here on the Coast. Thanks to Youth Minister Jason Turner and everyone who helped on the crew. I was especially touched when Matthew shared his faith journey with me. Incredible paths this man has walked … and his faith is strong. I miss them all so much, even now. We have two great crews here now. One is from New Jersey and one from South Carolina. We also have people here from Rhode Island, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia. Today I worked on organizing some paperwork that is overpowering me! I didn’t get very far. Maggy and I volunteered to cook supper tonight, so we whipped up some Taco Soup. It was fun. Elsie England fixed a fabulous peach cobbler. It took most of our day to do the shopping, cooking, feeding, and cleaning. I think we fixed about three times as much as we needed. The rest is now in the freezer! I was just thinking about my friend Roger Mills, who called me one night. Roger is an elderly brother who is just a hero to me. He is so sweet and so faithful. He was the preacher for the Homestead church several years ago when Hurricane Andrew destroyed that town. And now here he is in Biloxi, going through it again. No one should have to live through this even once. He called me one night and we had the best conversation. Then he prayed with me over the phone as it got late that night. I thought to myself that one day when Roger is with our Lord, I will remember that prayer and his gentleness in the gospel. Roger’s health has not been great these past few months. Remember him in your prayers. He has led many people to the faith journey to which we are called. We will serve Thanksgiving Dinners to our immediate neighborhood. The Inner City Church of Christ in Mobile, Alabama led by Bill Draper will be bringing food and helping to distribute. Also Gene and Robin Bartlett of the Port City Church of Christ will be coming over to help. My family will be visiting my mother and dad near New Orleans. My daughter and her daughter will be traveling to North Mississippi to be with family there. CURRENT NEEDS: *Money is always a vital need. Our ability to purchase needed supplies as available is always a blessing. Also, we will need to purchase sheetrock, nails, mud, and tape supplies for repairing homes. These needs are ongoing, and will be for at least two years, as we see it now. *Manpower is always a vital need. Volunteers are keeping this operation running. Keep up with times when we need extra help by looking at the Hurricane Relief Work Crew Calendar, linked in the left hand column of this blog. Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, dishwashing detergent, disinfectant wipes, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) – small sizes of cleaning liquids are better / easier to handle and distribute. We haven’t had mops in a while. *We currently do not need diapers or pull ups, clothes, personal hygiene supplies, or food. *Don’t know what to send? Send Wal-Mart or Lowes gift cards. They can be used to purchase a wide variety of items as needed - and can be passed on to needy people on occasion. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com/ My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber

University Church of Christ, Conway, AR have some fun!

Al Showed Up

Today I spent most of my time at my house. I always feel guilty when I do this, for I know that there is continuing chaos at the church building. I want to be there to help David as much as I can, and I haven’t done much of that in the past few days. Still, I do want to get back into my home, so some of these times are necessary. The brothers from Conway, AR did a great deal at my house over the weekend, including some unexpected things that we didn’t know we would find. They never looked exasperated, although sometimes exhausted. They are heading back to Conway in the morning and I hope to be there to wave goodbye. Three big items left to deal with in my house are flooring, heat/ac, and cabinets. There are a few little things, also, but I think that’s true of every house. I talked to two brothers who are coming this week to be of service. One is from Mississippi and is a plumber. The other is from Tennessee and is a preacher and brick layer. There are a number of people here from South Carolina and New Jersey. We also have Kentucky, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Indiana, and probably other places represented. All of these people have been at work in our community, although I do not know where! Today I got to visit for a short time with my friend Al Sturgeon, minister at Ocean Springs Church of Christ. He was interviewed in Pascagoula on local television for his involvement with Habitat For Humanity. He came by our church building, but I was at the house. I urged him to come by, but to hurry because I had an appointment! My appointment was at a local radio station to be interviewed about our work here. I hated to leave my home without seeing Al, but time was short. To my surprise he was at the radio station when I drove in. He was being interviewed before me and another minister in town. I wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper. Unknown to me, Al wrote an article about Thanksgiving and sent it to the paper. This past Sunday both of our articles were on the same page. Al is a great friend. For the past several years he and I have shared a lunch together each Thursday. These lunches are never quiet! We talk and talk and talk until one of us has to go. His friendship has been a source of strength and encouragement to me over the years. We haven’t had lunch since the August 29th storm hit the Coast, and I miss our talks. In many ways, Al and I are opposites. He’s tall and thin, I’m shorter and fat. He’s a sports fanatic, and I don’t know how many basketballs you have to make in the little ring to get a touchdown. I like big worship experiences, he wants to know how that makes us more like Jesus. Politically, he’s a … well…. Maybe I should let him confess such a thing. Anyhow, we both love Jesus, we both love our families, we both have wondered about our place in the Kingdom. We have agreed to begin meeting again after the first of the year. I hope that’s possible. Al and I both like to take pictures. His hurricane pics are located HERE. At worship Sunday a lady told me about a hurricane Katrina website originating just a few blocks from my house. It's located HERE. I'm looking forward to meeting some new people in the coming week. Pray for the Lord to send some workers here. Not just laborers or skilled workers, but soul winners. We need some missionary type help here. We had a brother here this week from Conway who did some great evangelistic work. He may be coming back, which would be awesome. Below: Teens from University Church of Christ, Conway, AR work at a house in Pascagoula.

Touched

I was touched today by the stirring words of “It Is Well With My Soul” during our morning assembly. I was touched as I read the ending of Hebrews 11, and the things that people who are certain of what they cannot see will do in faith. I was touched by the large number of people we had today in our assembly - maybe the largest this year. I was touched by the responses to the invitation, a woman I do not know weeping bitterly and a woman I have known for many years expressing her gratitude to God and the church. I was touched as I watched men work on my house. These are men who do not know me and do not live here. But they do know Christ, and He lives in their Heart. I was touched tonight to hear teenagers singing the praises of God. I was touched tonight as a brother confessed his past sins, the power of deliverance, and in humility gave all credit to God. And I was touched by his tears. I wish I could remember his name. At the end of devotional tonight the leader suggested that we hold hands in a circle. It was an odd circle, with us standing in between pews, and in aisles. It really wasn’t much of a circle. But I stood next to him. My hand on his shoulder as we sang “Jesus Is Lord”. Afterward he looked at me with tears. He said something to the effect that he lived on a boat, and he wasn’t around people very much. He said that he was moved by the acceptance of strangers. He said that he needed a hand on his shoulder and that he was blessed. I started off today during the worship hour talking about people who were certain of what they could not see. I ended the day watching the Lord at work in the hearts of individuals as they stood before me. I wonder what He has prepared for tomorrow? Below: Jason leads our devotional tonight

Sigh

All I can really do is sigh after this roller-coaster ride day of ups and downs, thrills and disappointments, joy and tears. Having over fifty volunteers on the ground here has been incredible. Some of the crew from University Church of Christ in Conway, AR worked at my house. This was great - and it also necessitated my personal attention. Maggy and I spent 3 hours in Lowes today. Everyone in town is in Lowes. Lowes is our only building supply. Plus we were looking for things that we did not comprehend. We had a list, but no knowledge about the things on the list. Anyhoo, we got back to the house and almost immediately Rusty (from Conway) and I went back to Lowes. Today was the day we decided to pull the vinyl flooring off of the bathroom floor. Underneath? Ceramic tile. When that was taken up, we found rotten wood. Now we can see the earth beneath our house through our bathroom floor. I told Jason (the youth minister from Conway) that I was OK because I was surrounded by brothers who knew what to do. But it is still one of those things that makes you sigh. A lot of work was done around the building today. The Kilberns grilled out ribs and tenderloin for tonight’s supper, and did a fantastic job. They are amazing people who have given so much of themselves. And they never complain about it. After I ate two plates of supper, I sighed - but it was a contented sigh. People are here from Brentwood Hills in Nashville (TN), Starkville (MS) church of Christ, Henderson (TN), Kentucky, University Church of Christ Conway (AR), and James Island Christian Church in Charleston (SC). - and maybe some other places also! There is great joy as you listen to them sing, laugh, eat, and talk. After inflicting a few of them with some of my hurricane stories, I sighed because I felt so protected and blessed by their presence. I hope you all have a great Sunday tomorrow. I will be preaching from Hebrews 11 for the third week, and maybe moving into chapter 12. The people who are certain of what they cannot see are inspiring me to become more faith-filled.

David Confers With Volunteers

CURRENT NEEDS: *Padded Chairs ... we are going to have an overflow crowd Sunday and not enough chairs for them to sit in! *Money is always a vital need. Our ability to purchase needed supplies as available is always a blessing. Also, we will need to purchase sheetrock, nails, mud, and tape supplies for repairing homes. These needs are ongoing, and will be for at least two years, as we see it now. *Manpower is always a vital need. Volunteers are keeping this operation running. Keep up with times when we need extra help by looking at the Hurricane Relief Work Crew Calendar, linked in the left hand column of this blog. Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant (mens and womens) *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, dishwashing detergent, disinfectant wipes, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) – small sizes of cleaning liquids are better / easier to handle and distribute. We haven’t had mops in a while. *We currently do not need diapers or pull ups, clothes, personal hygiene supplies, or food. *Don’t know what to send? Send Wal-Mart or Lowes gift cards. They can be used to purchase a wide variety of items as needed - and can be passed on to needy people on occasion. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com/ My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber

Ready, Set, Go

This weekend promises to be a wild one! Over fifty volunteers will converge upon Central to help us minister to this community. Some are skilled, some are unskilled, some are just along for the ride! I feel like we're on a roller coaster, slowly going up that first hill, and we've kind of stopped at the top before we go plunging down the rails on th ride. About twenty college students from Mississippi State University are already here on the Coast. Almost thirty folks from University Church in Conway, Arkansas are on their way. Another church down the highway has a spillover of volunteers, and will be sending twenty more over to help us tomorrow. It's all very WOW! Today I did some necessary but mundane things. I went to Staples (talking all the while to Al Sturgeon and Danny Dodd via cellular connection!). The other thing I did was vacuum, clean, and mop several of our classrooms that are being used as hotel rooms. Jacob from Kentucky helped bring in mattresses, and my Maggy helped with some cleaning and straightening up. One thing I did not do today was say goodbye to Donna! Goodbye, Donna! We loved meeting you and I'm so sorry that this hectic ministry was pulling me in several different directions. Our brother from Tupelo, James Simmons, headed back home today. He believes he will return. Tomorrow's going to be a big, busy day. I think I'm sleepy and ready for bed! CURRENT NEEDS: *Padded Chairs ... we are going to have an overflow crowd Sunday and not enough chairs for them to sit in! *Money is always a vital need. Our ability to purchase needed supplies as available is always a blessing. Also, we will need to purchase sheetrock, nails, mud, and tape supplies for repairing homes. These needs are ongoing, and will be for at least two years, as we see it now. *Manpower is always a vital need. Volunteers are keeping this operation running. Keep up with times when we need extra help by looking at the Hurricane Relief Work Crew Calendar, linked in the left hand column of this blog. Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant (mens and womens) *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, dishwashing detergent, disinfectant wipes, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) – small sizes of cleaning liquids are better / easier to handle and distribute. We haven’t had mops in a while. *We currently do not need diapers or pull ups, clothes, personal hygiene supplies, or food. *Don’t know what to send? Send Wal-Mart or Lowes gift cards. They can be used to purchase a wide variety of items as needed - and can be passed on to needy people on occasion. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com/ My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber Jay & Mark hang our dining room light fixture! Thanks, Guys!

The Soap Lady and Other Adventures

She wasn’t supposed to be in that room, but there she was going through things. She decided on a pack of bar soap that hadn’t been opened … about 20 bars. I came in and suggested that I could give her 5 or 6 bars, and that would be plenty. “But I need these,” she said. I assured her that six bars of soap would be a good many, but she insisted. So, in a self-assured voice I said, “I would like for you to put those down, and I’ll help you with what you need.” She just looked at me, turned around and waddled out with her 20 bars of soap in hand. One of my friends called me a ‘soap nazi’ for that one. We do have plenty of bar soap and in the grand scheme of things, who really cares that she took too much soap? But it was the principle of the thing. I’ve had two more encounters with the soap lady. We have boxes and boxes of ‘reading glasses’ … the kind you buy at the drug store. Soap lady got a whole box of them, without even looking inside them to see what strength they were or what they looked like. I was successful in getting her to let me help her find several pair the strength she wanted. Then there was today. I was standing inside the building talking to Chris Lockhart on the phone when she drove up. I watched her walk around the building. In a few minutes she and her friend came back around with backpacks - four of them. They are loaded with school supplies and have been promised to a school for their students. The thing is, they are on a pallet, underneath a tarp, with pallets leaning against them. I don’t know how she knew they were there … or how many she’s taken when no one was paying attention. I made her put them back, of course. Then I went back into the building in time to look through the window and see her making a face at me. That’s just one little adventure that started off my day, and Chris heard it all live, as it went down. Well, it’s no episode of C.O.P.S., but it was entertaining I guess. Donna arrived yesterday with coats and heaters and other supplies. There was an older lady in the church building who had found a coat the day before, but forgot to take it out with her. Of course it was gone when she came back the next day to get it. She walked on a cane and was not very mobile. Someone had taken Donna’s donated coats and placed them on hangers on a rack. They brought her out a beautiful purple coat, and this lady just went crazy over the coat. She told us she had never owned a new coat before, that she always shopped in thrift stores. The picture below is a picture of her and Donna together with the coat.

This weekend we have about 50 volunteers who will be coming in to help. That is awesome! In an exciting, and unexpected, development we have been given a warehouse in which to store all of our materials. So we will use the non-skilled labor to sweep and clean out the warehouse, and move appliances, building materials, and other supplies into the warehouse. We will soon be taking down the tent that was so generously loaned to us by Brentwood Hills church. Our church building will begin to look more like a church, but the mission will continue on … stronger than ever. We will still be getting supplies to the community, rebuilding homes, and helping people as we can from our building. We will still need many volunteer helpers to come and help us bless this broken community. Things will just have evolved a bit. Thanks to Sara Jo, Donna, and Cecelia for the coffee and chocolate…I think I’m good to go for a while!

On a personal note, Jay Thomas and Mark from Virginia are working in my house putting the recepticles in with plates. Jay is a native Mississippian (Columbus) and knows where Ruleville is, and that's saying something. This is his second trip to the Coast. They also replaced all of our light switches so that they would all be the same color, replaced a range plug, and patched a hole where a light kit will be installed in the back bathroom. They are placing other light kits also. Still left to do at my house is some painting, floor placement, replacing heating/ac units, power washing exterior, replacing all vents (after the ducts have been cleaned next week), replacing some doors, and some windows need a bit of work. There are still a few electrical things that Mark and Jay couldn't get to. We feel very close to being able to be back into the house.

I haven’t published a ‘needs’ list lately, so I should update! CURRENT NEEDS:

*Padded Chairs ... we are going to have an overflow crowd Sunday and not enough chairs for them to sit in!

*Money is always a vital need. Our ability to purchase needed supplies as available is always a blessing. Also, we will need to purchase sheetrock, nails, mud, and tape supplies for repairing homes. These needs are ongoing, and will be for at least two years, as we see it now. *Manpower is always a vital need. Volunteers are keeping this operation running. Keep up with times when we need extra help by looking at the Hurricane Relief Work Crew Calendar, linked in the left hand column of this blog. Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant (mens and womens) *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, dishwashing detergent, disinfectant wipes, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) – small sizes of cleaning liquids are better / easier to handle and distribute. We haven’t had mops in a while. *We currently do not need diapers or pull ups, clothes, personal hygiene supplies, or food. *Don’t know what to send? Send Wal-Mart or Lowes gift cards. They can be used to purchase a wide variety of items as needed - and can be passed on to needy people on occasion. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber

Monday Musings

Today I slept about an hour later than usual. Then I did a little more e-mailing than usual. About mid-morning I started mopping two bedrooms with bleach water. Most of the floors in our house are covered with dollops of sheetrock mud and paint and other stuff. So, it's not just mopping...it's scrubbing. I did two rooms, and although they do not look perfect, they look lots better. Nicole did hers and Claire's rooms and they look pretty good, too. It's starting to look more like a home again, and personally I can't wait to be back in our home. The three 'biggies' that are in the way are heating/ac, flooring, and kitchen cabinets. There is still some framing up to do, baseboards to put down, and floor sanding/staining/sealing. But we can work on that while we are in. I caught myself the other day, though. I kept thinking to myself, "Self, if we had ac and heat, I'd move back into the house." Then I thought, "Move in? What will I move in? We threw it all away!" Oh well, I knew what I meant. I think. That's how I spent my first day "off". I was tempted to go up to the building a couple of times, but I resisted! I did, however, enjoy an update from David on some things that are going on that are going to be awesome. I'll tell you more about them later. I did manage to take some pictures around the house tonight, which are on my picture page located HERE. Tommy Dublin writes a bit about his visit to Pascagoula HERE. Donna Gossett writes about her upcoming visit to Pascagoula HERE. Thomas Stewart writes about his weekend visit to Pascagoula HERE. My good friend Bill Good is an elder in a Christian Church in Oregon. I wish I could meet this dear brother in person, but for now he is an e-friend - a real person that I only know through e-mail. Bill has been praying for us since this ordeal began. He writes today, "John, when I remember what your house looked like and how it looks today, how did you find time to do the ministry and work at home? Did you ever sleep? Then I think of those whose homes were lost, God has protected you from great evil. You are still listed on our Sunday Prayer Journal." Bill asks some key questions that I wanted to answer here. The truth is that I did not do the work on my house, it was all done by volunteers. When Hurricane Katrina's storm surge flooded my home with seawater and sewage, I faced a simple reality: I am the most unhandy person in America. I cannot fix my home. I have no skills at all in that area. I also faced another reality: I cannot pay a mortgage and rent on another house. In my mind, there was no recourse but to file bankruptcy. This brought me great sadness because I knew it would jeopardize my financial future and it might bring embarassment to my family. And that's when the calls, checks, visits, and assurances came rolling in. It is hard to receive these gifts, but it is a necessity to put that pride aside. Friends came from in town and the Gateway Church of Christ in Pensacola to help me rip out carpet and toss out my soaked possessions. Maggy and I dealt with this blow very differently, and had to be sensitive to one another - although I'm sure I wasn't as sensitive as I should have been. For two weeks we picked through our belongings, salvaging what we could. My brother David Kilbern had to come over a few times and give me a 'father-son' talk to point me in the right direction when I was neglecting something I had to do. I owe him a lot for his support and help in this time. We slept at the homes of friends (so I did sleep, Bill, but not much). A brother Jaimeson, preacher at the Pleasure Island Church of Christ in Gulf Shores, Alabama, came to my home with some men from his church. They took video of our home, and of Pascagoula. With the support of the Gulf Shores church, a contractor named J. V. Lamar came and surveyed the damage, bringing a work crew to continue the demolition that several of us (including my 16 year old son) had started, and then renovation. He not only helped my home, but four or five others. Bill, this all seems a blur to me now. I'm sure I'm leaving people out who were here to help. I hope any readers who helped but didn't get a mention tonight in my blog will forgive me! Truly, I barely remember most of it. After our two week period of salvaging, I gave myself to the work at the church for this community. Any work that has been done at my house has been done by others mostly. So, yes, the Lord has protected me from great evil in many ways. And prayer has shielded my heart and caused me not to give up. In one of the last conversations I had with brother Lamar, he looked at me and said, "when you first came home you wanted to pack up and run away, didn't you?" And he was right. I even had opportunities to run away. Some rumors got started and some people thought I had high-tailed it out of town. One brother proclaimed he saw me with a trailer of my stuff headed out! But I couldn't leave this broken community like that. With the help of a grand brotherhood of believers (from all sorts of faith families), we have come this far. Even the camper that we now sleep in is a gift from a loving brother - an anonymous brother at that. A few weeks ago some brothers from the Free Evangelical Church of Bloomington, Indiana came and asked, "Where's the preacher's house? He can't minister if his house is on his mind." They worked all week in my house. Tommy Stewart expressed a similar sentiment in a recent blog. Other people need help, and so do we ... but we'll make it. Sometimes when I think about what I might have done if it had not been for God's people ... I remember that there are people in our neighborhood who are facing that very prospect. And so we go to them and offer the hand of hope that no one else will give them. We invite everyone to join us in that offer. Thanks for asking, Bill. I never want to forget what has been done for me.... unworthy of it all ... God's amazing grace shines brilliantly on a storm-torn Mississippi Gulf Coast.

A Day of Rest

I don’t have much to report today. We had a very good time together offering praise to our King this morning. I think we had 107 in attendance. Some of those were from the camper park down the street. After services I had a few hours to prepare for a Church Committee meeting. Then I took care of a few details and am now considering myself “off” for a few days. (I know others have considered me “off” for a long time, but that’s a different kind of ‘off’!) I will do a few things around my house, do some reading, and resting. Tommy Stewart was here this weekend and did a lot of baseboard and frame work in the house. Thanks, Tommy. I feel so blessed to have you for a friend. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of us together, or at least of you working in my house. I'm brainless sometimes. Wednesday we will have some new people coming in and this weekend we will ramp up with a good crew. It looks like this, as far as we know at this point: Monday, Jay Thomas and a friend will arrive from Virginia to stay until Thursday. Wednesday Donna Gossett will arrive, bringing some supplies. Also James Simmons will come in, bringing some supplies with him. Friday about 25 will arrive from Conway, Arkansas with Jason the youth minister leading the way. Saturday will be a busy day as a crew from South Carolina arrives to work. Also A crew from Montgomery will come in to help us move some appliances. So, we will have lots of help at the latter part of the week. This is a good time to rest. A work crew report is always available HERE. Now when I mention all of these other people coming in, I do not mean to negate at all those who are here on a semi-permanent basis. We have eleven at this point who are here all the time. Nathan Walker from North Carolina, Carlos from Indiana, Paul & Elsie England from Paducah, Kentucky, Jerome Faulkner from Paducah, Handyman Dan (plus two daughters), John Sanders from Rhode Island and Steve and Pamala Warwick from Virginia are doing their work with us on a long term basis. These workers give us some kind of consistency and a sense of family. Above is a picture of Carlos and Nathan having a lighter moment. This afternoon my friend Steve Martin dropped by for a minute. I was sorry that I was about to be late for a meeting and couldn’t visit with him. It was good to see him, though. Tonight Maggy and I had a quiet dinner at Cracker Barrel together. Well, Danny Dodd did call and tell me some about his mission trip to Guyana, so we shared dinner with him I guess. Glad Danny had a great trip and some new experiences to share. So, it was a nice Sunday. Not quite as hectic. I rested a bit. It’s been a good day.

Comfort

She walked up to the bus today. Her clothes and hair told me that she had been working in her house. That means bleach, carrying out debris, endless cleaning, and little progress being made. In the bus were some teens from Gateway Church of Christ in Pensacola and their youth minister Eric Petty. I saw her looking at a box of stuffed animals sitting by my side. Without a word she leaned into the bus and picked up a teddy bear. I awkwardly said, “Do you have a grandchild that would like a toy?” She said, “Is there anything wrong with a grown woman needing a teddy bear?” I told her, “not at all”. She hugged the bear and said, “I’ve had a rough day.” For about five minutes there was silence on the bus. In the presence of a unknown woman’s pain, much of our own complaints seemed small. Thanks to Eric and Scott and the Gateway folks for being over here. David and Mae Jordan (also of Gateway) were here today as well. Thanks also for going to the store to buy pillows to give away. Pictures of our day are on my picture page. I thought that tomorrow’s crew was down to our regulars (who are all great!), but then we got phone calls from Tommy Stewart and Bill Ford, who are on their way here. Maybe others will show up and help us out. The Lord will provide! Donna Gossett is coming Wednesday, and I’m looking forward to meeting her. She has been a great encouragement to our family in many ways. We had a team of five or six FEMA representatives today, and they are going to help us with assistance and organization. They were very impressive people. Also we had Lee Solomon and two associates with us today. They are connected with http://www.ides.org. Before they left, they provided about 45 cookware sets for us to take to the FEMA campers down the road. We distributed ten of the sets today. It was a joy to meet them. Oh, and by the way, that 'mystery church' that sent the coffee and chocolate a few days ago was the Christian Home Church of Christ in Newton, Alabama. I just knew they were 'near Dothan', so I did know someone from there after all. Some very special someones! Thanks Terry & Sara Jo. We should now be listed on the Mississippi Commission For Volunteer Service website. They called twice yesterday to get information. They, along with AmeriCorps can offer us some manpower along the way. And perhaps some of the volunteers can get something out of it as well. I never know what to expect on the day called “tomorrow”, but whatever it is, I’m sure God is already there walking ahead of us and we need only to follow in His path. I pray the same for you.

10

Yesterday was a relatively calm day. I was able to catch up on some e-mails, update a few websites I manage, and enjoy a few talks with David. While Otis Bowman was here, he and Maggy put together our table and chairs. So for the first time since the storm, Maggy and I sat down at our table in front of a television and enjoyed lunch together in our house. It felt almost normal. Well, anyway, it felt good. Last night I hooked up the DVD player to the TV, set up the computer and got the cable internet service connected at home. So we do have a few amenities now in our house that we did not have. Of course anyone who knows me understands why these gadgets got first priority. Actually they were things I could do. Flooring, heating / Air conditioning, painting … those are things I have to leave to someone else. This afternoon I made some home visits to prepare to deliver appliances to people. One lady has been living on $600 per month. How she was able to make it, I’ll never know. But I do know that there’s not enough left over each month to recover from total loss such as we have suffered. It will be a joy to bring her a refrigerator tomorrow. Thanks to God, and Churches of Christ Disaster Relief of Nashville. Last night I went with David to a county meeting where churches are banding together to accomplish some great things for the community. It was my first time to meet with them, so I didn’t understand everything. The FEMA representative is scheduled to come and see us tomorrow. Also tomorrow we will meet with someone from http://www.ides.org/, Lee Solomon. I’m looking forward to that as well. Numbers are frustrating to one who gave up on multiplication tables once they passed 10 X 10. But numbers do tell a story. The number of the night is “10”. Ten years. That’s how long FEMA projects they will be in our area dealing with the aftermath of Katrina. I was thinking 2. But they assure us it will be 10. At least. The magnitude of this storm really does continue to grow with each day. And even now, as we approach the 10 week anniversary of Katrina, I just cannot comprehend 10 years of recovery. It’s probably a good thing that I’m not good at numbers and can just focus on tomorrow. Linked on the left hand sidebar of this blog is now a HURRICANE CREW REPORT. If you are thinking about coming down to do some relief work, check that out first so you can pick a time when we have less people working. I will try to update that page every day or so. Thank you for your comments, private e-mails, packages, notes, monetary gifts, and the prayers. Thanks also for reading. Tex Nolan from Monroe, LA headed back home yesterday as well. He and Hugh from Calhoun, LA were here for a few days. They brought blankets and jackets of all sizes. He also bought cleaning supplies while here. They were a blessing both in the work they did and also in the spirit they brought to the operation. HOLIDAYS Thanksgiving looks good on this end. We will have several people in to help us provide a Thanksgiving Lunch for our immediate area. I'm not sure at this point if they will come and get the dinner, or if we will deliver the meals. Christmas will be a difficult time on the Coast. Several have indicated interest in adopting families for Christmas, and we must move pretty quickly on this if we are going to get it done. We will try to survey the 108 trailers down the street to find families with children as one source of adoptable families. Orlando from Heritage Christian University called to say they want to adopt 30 children. A share group from Gateway church in Pensacola is adopting a family. Also Hillsboro church in Nashville wants to adopt some families. We also want to help some of the families who are not "adopted" by collecting toys for kids - teens and allowing the parents to come (by invitation) to the church building to select some gifts for their children. We will be looking for new toys in the package, rather than used toys. CURRENT NEEDS: *New: size 1-2 diapers - we have not had any for a long time now. This seems to be the size most requested. Pull-Ups are also requested often. *Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant (mens and womens) *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, dishwashing detergent, disinfectant wipes, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) – small sizes of cleaning liquids are better / easier to handle and distribute. *Delivery Truck. At some point State Farm will come get our totaled church bus and we will need a delivery truck with shelves to make daily deliveries through our neighborhoods. This is from the "I doubt anyone can help with this, but it doesn't hurt to ask" department. *Chocolate and Coffee. I do promise to share ... some of it! *Don’t' know what to send? Send Wal-Mart or Lowes gift cards. They can be used to purchase a wide variety of items as needed - and can be passed on to needy people on occasion. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber

108

108. That’s how many plain white FEMA trailers sit on the lot. They are located about two blocks down the street from our church building. These are people who have no home left. No yard in which to place a FEMA trailer. Some of them have been living with friends or family. Some have come off the Holiday cruise ship with nothing but the clothes on their back. Now they are gathered together … one hundred and eight families … just down the street from us. We are now trying to get the basics into these trailers as people move into them. Sheets, pillows, blankets, utensils, groceries, cleaning supplies, mop, broom, Bible and an invitation to worship. A small inexpensive set of cooking pans will also be needed. Electric skillets are very helpful. These supplies are now taking priority. It would be great to have a brother who could go door to door and pray with these people. I was thankful to have my friend Otis Bowman to visit with me this week. He left for home tonight. Otis helped Margaret put together a table and four chairs at our house. He also put in some door knobs and helped me deliver some appliances. He helped install an ice machine donated by the University Church of Christ in Conway, Arkansas. Thanks, Otis. And thanks, Sandra, for your work at home while Otis was away. Pray for Cecelia, who has sacrificed to send us supplies ... but had a car wreck this week. Pray also for Danny Dodd, who is on a mission trip to Guyana. A church in Newton, Alabama sent some nice blankets. Then in a second box there were several containers of instant coffee, a few bricks of Folgers coffee, Swiss Miss Instant Cocoa and some York Peppermint Patties. The note said: "Who says coffee's not a necessity? Didn't know what kind of chocolate. Enjoy!!" Now I do not know the name of anyone at Newton, Alabama - but they sure do know how to bring a smile to this man's face! Thanks!!! Well, there’s always a story to tell. I don't know the details at this point, but there are about 1400 people living on the cruise ship Holiday at the Port of Pascagoula. Some of those people didn't have shoes, so David took some shoes out there today. We have requested to hold a worship service on the ship on Sundays. Pray that God would open that door. Although it's a cruise ship and they are fed three meals a day, it is hardly luxury. The local paper is reporting that the police have been called out to have to deal with disturbances on the ship. It is hardly a Holiday to be on that ship. Because of a mention in the Magnolia Messenger, we may be getting some help from Tupelo, Mississippi. More on this later, but if you'd like to adopt a family for Christmas - this is the time to let that be known. More on this later, but I am trying to locate a Christian who owns a furniture store that can offer deep discounts and/or donations of couches, loveseats, and other furniture. As people's homes are repaired, they are emptied of furniture of any kind. Someone call me on this and let's talk about a truck-load of furniture. Here are a few sites where you can see pictures and videos of Hurricane Katrina: http://www.katrinahelp.com/index.html http://www.stormvideo.com/ CURRENT NEEDS: *New: size 1-2 diapers - we have not had any for a long time now. This seems to be the size most requested. Pull-Ups are also requested often. *Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) *Delivery Truck. At some point State Farm will come get our totaled church bus and we will need a delivery truck with shelves to make daily deliveries through our neighborhoods. This is from the "I doubt anyone can help with this, but it doesn't hurt to ask" department. *Large Print Bibles - thanks to James Guy and the Demopolis, Alabama Church of Christ we no longer need these. Will let you know if the need arises again! *Chocolate and Coffee. I do promise to share ... some of it! *Dont' know what to send? Send Wal-Mart or Lowes gift cards. They can be used to purchase a wide variety of items as needed - and can be passed on to needy people on occasion. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com/. My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber I appreciate everyone who reads. Thanks for your interest!

And We Begin Again...

Happy Monday to each of you! I do hope that your weekend was a great one. We had a good weekend at Central. Saturday night we had a some wonderful congregational singing led by Bill Collins from Gulfport. Then the group Cornerstone from Faulkner University sang for us. We were blessed to have visitors from Picayune and Mobile present to celebrate God’s goodness with us. Bill also brought me a guitar to play with until mine comes back home. Thanks, Bill! Sunday we had a good number of visitors. We closed the operation down Sunday afternoon and I took a nap. David went fishing. Some of the workers watched some football. Later I swept my house out and took some trash to the curb. That made me feel like I was doing something. We were blessed to meet Pat McCormick and her husband from Orlando this weekend. They came through delivering supplies and some panchos that ladies from the Metro Church of Christ had made. We had several here from Prattville, AL. The Prattville Church of Christ has been very good to us and continue to serve with grace. We were also blessed to have a crew of seven from Conyers, GA and several from the Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville. It is amazing to me that these people come such long distances, work hard, and travel home in a short amount of time. I know that Al and Vickie Sanders drove most of the night Friday night, worked all day Saturday, and drove home to Conyers Saturday night. What dedication to helping others! And they do so with a smile on their face and love in their hearts. I’m just becoming more and more amazed at the responses of people reading the blog. Yesterday a brother from Zanesville, Ohio called to offer a box truck for deliveries - a truck that belongs to their city. But, we really need a truck with shelves, so we declined their offer. But I was very grateful for his willingness to drive it down here for our use. Their website is http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org/. To keep up with their work, check out their blog at http://www.disasterresponseteam.blogspot.com/. My friend Otis Bowman from Brookhaven is on his way to spend four days here on the Coast helping us out. I think my friend Tex is on his way from Monroe. I don’t know how long he will stay or if he is coming alone or with others. My friend Cecil May III called today to say that a crew from Fulton, KY is coming in mid-December. So for this week it looks like we have two helpers in addition to Nathan Walker, Carlos, Paul & Elsie England, & Jerome Faulkner who are here for long term work. John Sanders has been helping with a variety of duties also. Just a few blocks from our church building is a lot with about 200 campers on it. There are new families moving in every day. This is a fantastic opportunity for ministry. These campers do not come equipped with any housewares at all. Most of the people moving into these campers are homeless, displaced from apartment complexes that have been condemned, or have been living on the Holiday cruise ship. So, many of them arrive empty handed. That’s why there are many household items listed in the CURRENT NEEDS list below. CURRENT NEEDS: *Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies and those who are older to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) *Delivery Truck. At some point State Farm will come get our totaled church bus and we will need a delivery truck with shelves to make daily deliveries through our neighborhoods. This is from the "I doubt anyone can help with this, but it doesn't hurt to ask" department. *Large Print Bibles. We have a lot of elderly people here in our community, and they cannot see the small print editions. I have a special need for a Thompson Chain Reference Bible if anyone wants to make an investment in an older man who is hungry for the Scriptures and needs the helps to get him started. It needs to be LARGE PRINT and NIV please. *Chocolate and Coffee. Ok, those aren’t necessities. You caught me. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com/. My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber

Bobby's Thoughts

This is not my official blog post of the day (if there is such a thing!), but I would direct you to Bobby Cohoon's thoughts for today. He wrote about me! You can read his blog HERE.

Frantic Friday

It’s Friday Night on the Gulf Coast, and it’s been quite a day. Maggy and I started off by an adventure in Lowes. We had a list from Mark (more about him later) so that he could work more in our house. We were trying to find the stuff on the list, and were eventually successful. We did have to deliberate over a few items, though. By the time we did that, I had to be at the building for a Bible study (which didn’t happen). Then two trucks arrived and it seemed like there wasn’t much help getting them unloaded. One was from Conyers, Georgia. The three brothers who came from there were able to help unload their own trailer. Then another truck drove up from Trenton, Georgia. We got them unloaded at last. There’s a doubled-edged sword with these deliveries. When we have few workers, it takes a lot of work to get them unloaded … on the other hand … we get lots of great stuff we can give away to others. So I’m not complaining. Just reporting! Maggy and I escaped to Cracker Barrel for a lunch away from the fray, and it was so enjoyable. This afternoon I was asked by some ladies who came in to go get some diapers. So I willingly went and loaded them up with a lot of diapers and wipes from the other room. When I got back there were several of those ladies loading up boxes and boxes full of cases of food. We have bags already prepared for them to take, but they wanted mass quantities! I confronted them about it, but unless I was willing to take it from their hands they weren’t going to put it down. To top it off, they were from Mobile, Alabama. I told them we could not support Mobile and our community as well. But they were offended at my offense I guess. It was disheartening to say the least. Part of the problem is that we are so understaffed during the week. Part of the problem is the greed of some people. And I’m sure I’m part of the problem, too, in some way. I mentioned a few weeks ago a lady and her daughter living in a tent in their front yard. I also mentioned two older brothers who were living in tents. Yesterday I discovered that they both had FEMA trailers, but there were no lights on. They are still in tents, but the campers on their lot offers some hope that soon they will be sleeping indoors. Tomorrow some folks from the Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville will be hosting a cookout for our community. This will be followed by a singing and a concert by CORNERSTONE from Faulkner University. Should be a great time! Today a beautiful bouquet of flowers arrived at the church building. The card was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Dobbs and it said, “May God’s blessing be on you in your relief work. Your friends at University Church of Christ, Monroe, LA.” We are thankful for the many ways that God’s people have found to offer blessings and encouragement to us. On a personal note, Mark has been working all week in our home framing windows, doors, and putting up molding and baseboards. He and the three who came with him are about to leave tonight to go back to Bloomington, IL. They attend the Evangelical Free Church of Bloomington. They have been so helpful to us personally. I haven’t been home yet to see what has been done at our house, but I’m sure it’s wonderful! Clif asked about Halloween. The local high school had a 'trunk or treat' and gave costumes to the kids who participated. There is still too much debris on the road to walk at night. Well, I’ve had several interruptions in writing this, so I’m going to let that be that. Thanks again to all who are reading. Your notes of encouragement keep us afloat in the Lord.

Wednesday Ramblings

Every day at the end of the day I think to myself, “Self, today was frantic … chaotic … maybe tomorrow will be better.” But the truth is each day is pretty much the same. Some days I cope with it better than others. Today I had one of those moments when I had to do several things at once, and I didn’t handle it very well. I have resolved now that when that happens again I’m going to just write each item down and do one at a time. Maybe that will give me a little bit of an edge in dealing with the pressure. We have basically the same crew here today doing basically the same things. From what I hear several projects were finished today. That’s always great. Little steps toward getting people back into their homes. Our family doesn’t feel that we have to make big leaps toward our old homelife, but little steps are good things. I talked today with two people who are following our progress here through the blog. I want to give a big thanks to all of the readers. You guys have your lives going on, just as before. You’re busy. You’ve got families, jobs, and things that need to be done. Yet you continue to check in with us and wonder how we are doing. You pray for us and some of you come and work with us. Some send money and some send supplies. Some wonder what they can do. Thanks for reading and caring. We had a good devotional tonight with a few visitors. A lady asked me to study the Bible with her. I, of course, gladly told her ‘yes’! Our needs remain the same, contact remains the same … so see the previous blog please! A few personal notes: *Hi Cecelia, we got your box today. I know your heart is where it needs to be. Don’t sacrifice your own position to help us … but thank you. You will be blessing people down here with your gift. *Good Night, Cecil. *Danny, have a great trip to Guyana. If you had a blog you could tell us about it. Sigh. *Brian, thanks for your note. I didn’t know you were reading! I don’t think the group here is the one you asked about. But they’d be welcome! *Dusty, is this your big Blog break? Get a blog! Thanks for all of your support and help. And thanks for the cool jacket, and the ice machine, and the support and your prayers. University Church in Conway is a great church. *Keith at www.ides.org, I hope we will be able to establish some of the things you talked about on the phone. I know you work hard, but isn’t it fun to help people? Looking forward to meeting you. *Hoots, thanks for Jay Jarboe’s number. I’ve been trying to find a few minutes to call him since you gave it to me. Maybe tomorrow. *Chris, thanks for coming yesterday. Your consistent support and encouragement have been an unexpected source of strength for me. Your daily calls during the first few weeks kept me going. You listen well. *Paul, what do I have to do to get a refrigerator? (inside joke - no fridge needed!) Well, I’m going to go … it’s late and I need to go to camper sweet camper and get some shuteye. Hope you are all doing great. God is good and He has provided well.

Tuesday on the Coast

Today started out as a rainy day, but was mostly overcast after that. We didn't operate our clothing center today because there was no one to help us do it. Chris Lockhart came over and helped me set up a new room today and clean up the foyer some. He also treated me and Maggy to lunch (Thanks, Chris!), as he always does on Tuesdays when he comes over. He doesn't think he does very much, but he lifts my spirits and helps me smile a lot! The group from Missouri worked at Bayou LaBatre today with J. V. Lamar. Paul England and his wife drove in tonight from Padukah, Kentucky. He is to be here for three months doing contracting work. This weekend we have a big crew coming in from Hillsboro Church in Nashville who are going to have a big cookout Saturday night for our church and our community. That ought to be a great event! And it will hopefully lead into a great Sunday together. In fact, we might have to borrow some chairs from somewhere! Another reason to look forward to Sunday is that one of our elderly sisters is having a birthday this weekend. Her family will be bringing her to worship here at Central for the first time since the storm. She will be surprised to see about 20 members of her family with her during this worship time. I hope we remember to sing Happy Birthday to her! Sadly, her twin sister is far removed in Oregon ... but we will hopefully be able to send her a card... if I can find her address. My friend Otis Bowman is coming next week. He preaches at Johnson Grove Church of Christ near Brookhaven, MS. We had about 8 workers from Americorps tonight. I took several with me to a tent city where we gave out toiletries, underwear, socks, towels, food, and other supplies. We had a request from one worker whose wife had stepped on some glass and cut her foot. So we brought her some medical supplies. One person asked for denture adhesive, and we did have some of that ... so we brought it back out to him. On a personal note, it seems our kitchen floor did not have as much damage as we thought, and that is a great source of joy for us. Well, I'm about to wrap things up here at the building. I have no access at the camper any more, so I'll be posting at odd times...just whenever I can. I do have access at the building, so I'll check e-mail from there. Not to be repetitive, but here are some of our needs... CURRENT NEEDS: *Volunteer workers, both skilled and unskilled. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricians, sheet-rock hangers, and painters can all be kept very busy! We can use ladies to sort clothes, load the bus for bus runs, and go with us on the bus runs. *Ministers who can give up several days to come and pray with the community members, conduct Bible studies as available, and fill in on work as needed. *Youth ministers who can bring their teen groups (mature teens willing to serve, please) for one or two days on the weekends. *Small electric heaters *Hotplates *Towels, Sheets, Pillows, Blankets *Deodorant *Laundry Detergent in boxes or bottles we can give away easily. (Note: The big 5 gallon buckets of detergent are nice, but we would rather have smaller quantities to spread it further!) *Plastic tableware (forks, knives, spoons) and napkins. The FEMA trailers come with no items such as these. *Snacks, drinks, and other foods that can be kept in our Dining Hall for workers as they labor here on a volunteer basis. *Cleaning supplies (pine sol, mops, brooms, buckets, etc.) *Delivery Truck. At some point State Farm will come get our totaled church bus and we will need a delivery truck to make daily deliveries through our neighborhoods. This is from the "I doubt anyone can help with this, but it doesn't hurt to ask" department. *Large Print Bibles. We have a lot of elderly people here in our community, and they cannot see the small print editions. I have a special need for a Thompson Chain Reference Bible if anyone wants to make an investment in an older man who is hungry for the Scriptures and needs the helps to get him started. It needs to be LARGE PRINT and NIV please. *Chocolate and Coffee. Ok, those aren’t necessities. You caught me. All of my contact information is to be found at http://www.123jesus.com/. My picture page is located at: http://community.webshots.com/user/jedobber