
Working at the camp... Students from Furman University, Davidson College and Southern Mississippi descended on the Bay-Waveland area today to help with the relief efforts.
This BLOG consists of updates and happenings from the Lagniappe Presbyterian Mission Church in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi- Blog posts come from staff members at various times about just about everything that happens at Lagniappe.

Working at the camp... Students from Furman University, Davidson College and Southern Mississippi descended on the Bay-Waveland area today to help with the relief efforts.

Jocie Slepyan moving in to help coordinate teams. YES that is her trailer. Jocie works with MNA and schedules short-term mission trips. She will be doing the team coordination and assignments for the groups headed to the Bay-Waveland area. She can be contacted by e-mail: jslepyan@pcanet.org

The group FINISHED! Our group from Tunica finished the bunkhouse/house to a totally 'dried-in' stage this afternoon. We're planning a celebratory dinner at Benigno's restuarant tonight!
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End of the day Tuesday WONDERFUL PROGRESS! If you notice that this looks like 1/2 of a house you are right. Conrad has designed the structure to be in 2 12x40 sections which are bolted together so that when we are done with these as 'bunhouses' they can be separated and taken to homesites and given to families as permanant homes. Very exciting. Tomorrow should see great progress as well.

A friend from Deleware is on the coast building bunkhouse roofing trusses- thanks Bill!

Some of you will remember praying for the sister of a friend of mine- Leonard Kergosin. His sister was due to have a C-section the morning Katrina hit. She did not evacuate before the storm, but was able to get out of the bay the next day, get to Texas and today I met her husband who ran to his truck to show me their little girl. Amazing. This photo is of the photo in his office. What a blessing! Her grandfather was in the room and quickly told me that her name was NOT Katrina or Katie.

Bunkhouse construction started today- very exciting- progress updates to follow! The First Presbyterian church of Tunica, MS (EPC friends) is down doing the construction!)

Another day at the office...We have the opportunity to purchase a 'skid-steer' for use in removing debris and materials from destroyed homes- the heavy equipment company that was working with us is offering the purchase of a skid steer to us with a grapple bucket (above), forks and a regular bucket with a tandem axle trailer for $20K- unreal. So, were looking for a benefactor- the skid steer can be yours when this is all said and done- we just need it until the coast is cleaned up...

US Congressman Gene Taylor answering questions in Bay St. Louis at a town hall meeting tonight! See more at http://www.house.gov/genetaylor/
Katie Pennock and Jocie Slepyan joined me at Benigno's Resturaunt following a LONG day of meeting with folks and planning for the mission teams in March. The day was a great success- we were given permission to clear about 5 acres of land in the Lakeshore area that we could build a storage facility for sheetrock, shingles and supplies. We will also be able to put the travel trailers/mobile homes of the workers helping with the relief effort on the same property. It is our hope to use one of the trailers as an office building for the relief work. It has truly been a day of answered prayer followed by crayfish, shrimp, oysters and some Abita amber for the preacher.

Kevin Teasley, RUF campus minister at Wake Forrest spent the night in the Larroux Chateau last night. Kevin is bringing a group of 49 students to the Bay for Spring break and is in town doing some preliminary work to get oriented to the ministry and the coast. Funny story: As Kevin looked out the trailer window this morning we both saw that the neighbor's home had a 'For Sale' sign in the yard- to which I commented, "I wonder why they are selling?" Kevin didn't miss a beat as he looked out at trees, blue tarps, debris etc. (all of which I have grown accustomed to) and said, "I could tell you." We had a good laugh. It should be a great mission experience for the Wake group in March. Today Kevin flys back to North Carolina and Katie Pennock comes in to see the coast for the first time. We are scheduled to meet with the leadership from Morrell to finish details of long-term shed building and trailer placement at their property.

Dad made this Band-Aid and put it on his chest for the doctors. The attending nurse made him remove it prior to surgery.
I'm in Clearwater Beach Florida with my dad who is having emergency open heart surgery. He was having severe chest pains and was admitted to Morton Plant Hospital for a single by-pass on Friday afternoon. You'll notice the band-aid he put on his chest in the post above. Sense of humor is OK.