Thanksgiving, Another Non-nine Leper Attempt

It is 3:40 on a Monday morning and so far I have received 48 phone calls and made 36. Too all of you who are ever frustrated that it is hard to get a hold of me on the phone, it is and that is why. I feel like that is a fair amount of phone calls. We have had our NCCC team (a volunteer team that we get for 8 weeks through a government grant, kinda like the local peace corp) probably out running back and forth between 4 jobs and Home Depot all day. My HVAC guy is at one house and my electrician is roughing in two others today. We have a foundation being poured today and another beginning to be dug. On top of all that our 70 volunteers are out at 5 different jobs and houses. It has been a hectic Monday but good so far. One of the phone calls was from a Waveland inspector, we set a temporary power pole in which the meter base ended up being to high. He called to let me know that I needed to set a platform so the meter base could be reached and then he would pass me and get the power hooked up. Great, taken care of. Often it can be a struggle to work with inspectors, this guy knew Lagniappe was doing the job, searched out my number, gave me a solution and took my word for it that I would follow through with and take care of the problem. A smooth helpful relationship with a building inspector, a real answer to prayer. Secondly we have a team working at Delta Sevin's house. Ruth was able to get upwards of $15,000 worth of materials through grants for Delta. This house has actually moved quicker than expected and tomorrow we will need the doors, trim, flooring, etc. all which is on the second grant that we have not gotten back yet. Ruth checked on it today, the checks had come in today we can pick up the material tomorrow. The team will finish the paint today and tomorrow will start using the material. I needed to stop on this hectic day and thank God for providing, although they may seem like small things they are extremely important in many regards from keeping teams busy, moving houses faster allowing more work to be done, to finally making my life less stressful and my job more enjoyable. So all of you for praying for us thank God for answering your prayers and thank you for praying. Keep praying because it is working.

What's Yo Waw?

YoWAW 2008 He has a plan, ya know! So...what's it gonna be? Jean spent last weekend in Brevard NC with several hundred PCA high school kids. The YoWAW Conference is a missions and ministry learning opportunity for high school students as well as their leaders. Its design and purpose is to challenge and equip the student for a life of ministry by allowing them to interact with those who are already involved in missions and ministry both in and out of the PCA. Jean was there at the invitation of MNA ShortTerm Missions Director, Arklie Hooten. Jean led the youth leaders track which was attended by nearly 50 PCA Youth Ministry Leaders, and focused on practical advice and encouragement for youth leaders in the context of their own ministries. This was a great opportunity for PCA kids to learn about getting involved in Kingdom work and using their gifts to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Thank you Jean for representing us this year. Jordan Sikkema and Tom Hart represented us last year by leading a practical hand-on exercise. Their sessions included building two Lagniappe Sheds of Hope on the Ridge Haven Retreat Center, which exposed and engaged the youth in Word AND Deed Ministry. Thanks Arklie for keeping the restorative work on the Gulf Coast in the front of the PCA.

RUF Furman

Tim Udouj, Campus Minister from Furman University brought a group of students to help with the rebuilding efforts. This is their third Spring Break trip. Four Furman students served as LPC's first year interns, including staffer Sarah Denton.

Larry Burado, homeowner and Christy Shores, LPC Summer Intern 2006. As part of their Spring Break Furman is helping 'blitz build' Larry's home.All of the construction crew from LPC was on hand.

Andrew Thompson and Furman crew.

Clyde Baker and Furman girls

Bridgefest-Bay St. Louis to Pass Christian

The thrill of victory. No agony of defeat. Not even the next day. The LPC staff at the end of a 4 mile race/walk across the bridge. Some ran. Most walked. The registration fees benefited 'Hope Haven,' a local ministry in Waveland. Several hundred attended the event.

Special T's read, "Slow Lagniappe Playing." From left to right, Kari, Ruth, Sarah, Ryn.

Kate sporting a special T. Kate strolled across the bridge with her mother Cammie. The pair enjoyed the beautiful weather and dancing to a local band after the event.

Nothing to be proud of. I led the pack as a walker ahead of slow women and fat men.

This pair was on the return trip and yes, were ahead of this fat guy. The times they are achangin.

Arklie Hooten, on "Standing on a Firm Foundation"

Are You Standing On A Firm Foundation? Teams from Tennessee recently poured a slab foundation under the Cox’s new home. Having a firm foundation is crucial when adversity comes our way. If you have been in any disaster chewed area, you understand that, you see it with your own eyes. Consider what the writer of Corinthians reminds us to consider, “No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ”. If you haven’t yet been to the Gulf to help with the restoration, please consider coming and joining in the relief effort. Object lessons are everywhere we turn, ministry is easy here, as God has created this opportunity for his Church to advance through the efforts of folks just like you. Mr. Cox is currently on a short term mission trip to Belize with some of the staff from Lagniappe. God brought the storm, God brought the volunteers, God is using Mr. Cox advance His Gospel to lost people in Belize. That’s the way it works. Teams from Tennessee, “were your efforts worth it?”. You better believe it.

Holding on to Hope Women's Conference Happened

This time last week, Friday, February 22, excitement was in the air as Lagniappe's first women's conference began. Women from eight states and communities along the Gulf coast gathered for dinner and the opening session. Jean Larroux, pastor of Lagniappe greeted the women and we were on our way. The talented, lovely Teresa Sugar, Director of Women's Ministry at Christ Presbyterian in Nashville, TN, lead us in worship as we lifted our voices in praise to our God. Nancy Guthrie, our conference speaker, also a member of Christ Presbyterian in Nashville, TN got us going with some interesting questions that allowed us to get to know some about each other. Nancy moved quickly into the first teaching session as we looked at the life of Job. We were drawn into the opening chapters of Job as we heard of the suffering of Job, from the loss of his material possessions, to his children and then the physical suffering that came upon him. Nancy began to share in the context of Job's life and suffering, her own personal journey into suffering and loss. She was open and honest as she told us of her anguish and despair as she confronted the death of her daughter, Hope. Time and space does not permit me to write what is in my heart. You may listen to all three teaching sessions from the conference online or download them to your MP3/IPOD. I must confess I am a novice at "blogging" especially with pictures. I have no clue how this is going to look. I just wanted to get something on the blog about the conference. Stay alert for future pictures and postings regarding the women's conference. If you have pictures please send them so that we can share them. Thanks Nancy, Teresa and the great team from Christ Presbyterian in Nashville, TN, who tirelessly prayed and planned, came to Lagniappe so that women would be encouraged and blessed! We say "THANK YOU"!

My school!!!!!

So....Furman students have turned out for three years running. Every spring break since the storm, at least 30 students from the beautiful liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina show up and help out. They've also contributed 4 interns (summer 06), one of which is now on permanent staff (that would be me :). Sometimes this dedication has amazing results. This week, the Furman students got an amazing surprise. THEY GET TO BLITZ BUILD A HOUSE!!!! Now, it's a relaxed blitz, but they arrived with subflooring, and right now the walls are framed up and trusses are on. Today they will finish the sheeting and begin painting the siding and potentially roofing. I really do have pictures, and those pictures will be up as soon as I can load them from the camera. It's fun to have my friends here; it's really fun to watch these liberal arts students ( who are less than skilled with a hammer :) frame up a house! Thank you RUF Furman (and other students who showed up on their own!)...your dedication and commitment to return mean a lot to all of us, and especially me :)

Evening

"O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem? . . . And the Lord answered the angel . . . with good words and comfortable words."—Zechariah 1:12,13. What a sweet answer to an anxious enquiry! This night let us rejoice in it. O Zion, there are good things in store for thee; thy time of travail shall soon be over; thy children shall be brought forth; thy captivity shall end. Bear patiently the rod for a season, and under the darkness still trust in God, for His love burneth towards thee. God loves the church with a love too deep for human imagination: He loves her with all His infinite heart. Therefore let her sons be of good courage; she cannot be far from prosperity to whom God speaketh "good words and comfortable words." What these comfortable words are the prophet goes on to tell us: "I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy." The Lord loves His church so much that He cannot bear that she should go astray to others; and when she has done so, He cannot endure that she should suffer too much or too heavily. He will not have his enemies afflict her: He is displeased with them because they increase her misery. When God seems most to leave His church, His heart is warm towards her. History shows that whenever God uses a rod to chasten His servants, He always breaks it afterwards, as if He loathed the rod which gave his children pain. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." God hath not forgotten us because He smites—His blows are no evidences of want of love. If this is true of His church collectively, it is of necessity true also of each individual member. You may fear that the Lord has passed you by, but it is not so: He who counts the stars, and calls them by their names, is in no danger of forgetting His own children. He knows your case as thoroughly as if you were the only creature He ever made, or the only saint He ever loved. Approach Him and be at peace. (Spurgeon)

Lagniappe Home Dedications

Another great joy we experience at Lagniappe is when a homeowner actually moves into their new Lagniappe home, and we get to have a home dedication to commit the work we have done to God's Glory! Shown above is Jean Larroux presenting a Bible to new homeowner Suzanne Howell, and to the right, a photo of some of the many people who had a hand in building her

home.

Next, Andrew Thompson, construction leader, hands a Bible to new homeowners Bessie & Leon Russo. The Lagniappe staff and the Russo's then enjoy a laugh in their new kitchen.

A New Roof for the Tool Crib

Unbelievers, repent! The roof on the tool crib has been repaired, thanks to Reid Sabin and Ryn Lukacs, who worked tirelessly for a week! Photos were taken of Reid and Ryn on the roof to document this event, but were lost when my computer crashed, so I have no real evidence of WHO fixed the roof, but you have my WORD it was Reid and Ryn! Thanks for a job well done, and sorely needed!

Update - Holding on to Hope Conference

One week from today we will be greeting women from throughout the southeast and the coast, as they arrive for the Holding on to Hope women's conference. As of today we have 107 women attending. We are thrilled by the well written article that was published in today's Sun Herald. Go to www.sunherald.com and look for the heading Your Life and read the article. Actually, Jean's aunt prepared the article and is to be commended. For those that will be with us we look forward to seeing you soon, as the Lord wills.

Holding on to Hope Conference Update

The excitement is growing as the day approaches for our "Holding on to Hope" restoration work project and women's conference. We have women coming from Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. As of this posting we have a total of 58 women registered. Thirty of those will be staying here at Lagniappe. As you can see there is room for you. Please go ahead and make your reservation and share in this extraordinary weekend with us. If you have any questions, please give me a call (Barbara Warner) at 228-467-3887

It All Adds Up

On January 23, 2008, eight homes were dedicated and ribbons were cut in Waveland, MS. Mission to Mississippi, a community effort from Wayland, MA partnered with Lagniappe Church in this project. The following was written and read by Kathie Steinberg at the ceremony. It really does all add up when communities and folks work together. Thanks Mission to Mississippi!

It All Adds Up

As we look at the four houses behind us on Combel St

803; 805; 807; and 809

And the two on Maple:

1015; 1017

And the two on Taranta

1204; 1206………

We ask “How did we get to these numbers?”

8/29/05 8:01 AM Category 3 172 mph winds

A 30 foot storm surge And 8 hours later……..

90,000 square miles of Mississippi damaged and destroyed;

46 million cubic yards of debris;

235,000 homes damaged and destroyed;

128,000 jobs lost.

50,000 volunteers responded including a small group from 01778.

They reached out to 39576, a small 6.8 square mile beach front community located 30 degrees North and 39 degrees West; 17 feet above sea level with 2730 households and just over 7100 residents,

And filled a 53 foot trailer with household items;

Fulfilled 208 Christmas wishes;

Planted 15 trees, 24 bushes and one memorial garden;

And brought 87 people to help rebuild 3 houses.

Yet, two years after the storm, over 16,000 people were still living in trailers. So, eight builders responded…..and thus began Mission to Mississippi.

8 builders;

404 skilled workers and subcontractors;

125 volunteers;

1252 contributors and 68 vendors donating

$1.6 million.

14 weeks starting at 6:15 AM, 10 hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 28,000 man hours;

3600 sandwiches 265 dozen donuts 1425 tootsie pops

5400 cups of coffee 365 trips to Walmart

785 cases of water, soda and Gatorade.

1653 Hotel nites 1800 trips to the Epic Buffet

4 boxes of bandaids 3 cans of bug spray 6 bottles of Rolaids

Only 2 trips to the ER and NO serious accidents.

3 sites, 8 green containers, 3 yellow trailers and 4 Handy Houses;

11 coolers, 3 tents, 7 tables;

2 lulls, 2 skidsters, 1 excavator, 1 flat bed, 1 pick up and 3 white vans……

And they only got stuck in a ditch 5 times.

86 windows 24 doors 16 toilets

8 thermostats 24 sinks 72 kitchen cabinets

16 tubs 136 pilings 96 light fixtures

174 drawer pulls 296 light switches

The families contributed 700 hours of sweat equity and provided encouragement and daily “thank yous.” They have waited 512 days…..

And so, when we add this all together ---- the builders, the workers, the volunteers, the donors and the contributors ---- eight families will enjoy

803; 805; 807; 809; 1015; 1017; 1204 and 1206.

WELCOME HOME!

A Display of Contrasts

Passing through some old photos as I try to find pics for a particular project my ADDness hit overdrive. Found myself looking through other pics unrelated. Couldn't resist posting this one. No. I didn't drug Mr.John Sabin and prop him up in the skid steer. He was a willing accomplice. Thanks for playing along. I think the picture reveals a bit of each one of us, a display of contrasts. I will show you my rough exterior but I secretly love daisies, puppies, cookies and milk, and a big hug.

Things at Lagniappe are so busy right now-March is full, June is full, and half of July is full! We are so thankful that God continues to bring volunteers to us to help with the restoration of the area. I am facing some serious personal trials and I would love for those who are faithful to pray to intercede for me in prayer for strength and God's mighty work to be done-to bring the lost to Himself, to right the wrong, and to bring a beautiful picture of His love to my life. That I would feel God singing over me and never doubt His goodness in my life, even when the clouds are so prominent. If you've been trying to reach me, I promise I will call ya back! I know there are many of you that want to come help do some work, and we want you to come! If there are dates that you want to come and they are full, please use that time to pray for us.... Thanks! Cammie

so what exactly do you do....??

This is one of the questions I am most commonly asked. The moment you say you graduated 2007, people look at you enthusiastically and say, "so! what do you do?" I usually begin by saying "I'm resource coordinator for Lagniappe" to which they respond, "hmmmmm, so what EXACTLY do you do?" (This is after I explain what on earth Lagniappe means) Well....I fumble around, it's something like "recruiting volunteers, raising financial support, and raising prayer support." Most people nod and leave it at that-at the most smile and say something like "that must be fulfilling." Those who venture to press further hear me fumble through "well, I email folks, I travel, I call churches, I write articles, I run errands, I work in the tool crib, I go to Lowes...." Some days I'm in my office all day making phone calls and writing emails; somedays I'm working in the tool crib. Usually what happens is I begin in the office around 8 am, writing emails and making phone calls, somewhere around 9 am I get a phone call saying "I have a flat tire; hook up the trailer and bring the flat-bed pick up truck...oh and by the way bring some wrenches with you when I come." I drive down some dirt roads, deliver materials, go to Lowes to pick up more materials, and I return around 10:30 am. I return a few phone calls, make a cup of tea, and go talk to Ruth in her office. From 11-12, I work on a slideshow presentation, quitting at 12 to each lunch and let off steam that's building from frustration with technology (I do better with quill pens and owl mail). From 1-4, I plan my trip to Texas, or Oxford MS, or one of the other exciting places I get to go. By 4:30 I'm wrapping up for the day, sending out final emails and clearing my office desk. Then I get a phone call, "We need insulation hung tonight; the house is being sheet-rocked tomorrow" so I leave my computer and head to the Foster home. We hang insulation in the dark till 7:30--listening to Journey, Shawn McDonald, and anything else on the random Ipod playlists....I'm an office girl who drives a flat-bed pickup truck and likes it. I'm a PR rep who hangs insulation (but you can tell I don't do it often because I'm not very good at it). I am a mountain lover who lives by the beach; I am a banker's daughter who loves working in a mini home-depot, and I'm a Christian who's learning I barely understand the Gospel I proclaim. That's what I do....I love my job, but if you ask me to explain it, it might take a while :)

"In His Own Words"

The title reminds me of the NPR radio program with the name "In Their Own Words". Actually, I wanted to share with you the words of Richard Fisher, a recent volunteer, who came with Covenant from Harleysville, PA. Richard wrote his prose after our morning worship service. During our service we have a time for prayer requests. It was at that time that a lady in our congregation asked for prayer that '08 would be her year for a home. This is what he wrote: From January 8-16 my church sent 18 people to the Gulf Coast for restoration work due to the horrific storm Katrina. Even after two and a half years the Gulf Coast struggles to live. To my eyes, it's like a man who has suffered a heart attack. His only hope is if someone who knows C.P.R. helps him breath again. People who have chosen to stay and fight still face overwhelming problems. May I tell you about one such lady. I don't know her name or what she looks like, but I heard her voice and recognized her pain and what I heard was this... "Mr. Preacher man, it's been 902 days since Katrina hit, God's still working one day at a time to fit My thinking, my desire, my longing to sit, On my own porch. Mr. Preacher man, would you be so kind to tell the Lord that you're a friend of mine, Would you tell Him that I'm still alone, Wishing and hoping for my own home. Could this be the year, two thousand and eight, That everything will be suddenly set straight? Can you hear? Will you answer? this mournful plea. Surely God is speaking to you and to me.

It's Hard to Let Them Go............

One of the greatest joys of being on staff at Lagniappe is the great privilege we have to get to know volunteers who come to serve from all over the country. However, it is also one of the great "hurts" we genuinely feel when we have to see them go. Shown here is a group of volunteers from the community of Whitewater, Wisconsin, a community which adopted Bay St. Louis shortly after Katrina. This group contributed 784 hours of service to Bay St. Louis this week! They also presented our public library with a check for $1500 donated by their Whitewater Library, they gave our Second Street Elementary School a check for $500 from quarters collected by their own Washington Elementary School, and they donated approximately $250 for miscellaneous building materials as they worked on Lagniappe projects throughout the week.

This group came to us from Covenant

Presbyterian Church in Harleysville, Pennsylvania. Richard and Sarah Fisher served graciously in our kitchen, assisting our chef, Elizabeth Holman, with preparing, serving and cleaning up this week, while the rest of their group worked on several houses nearing completion, doing drywall and flooring. Thank you, Covenant!

Restorers of Dwellings

"You will be called restorers of streets and dwellings..............." Isaiah 58:12 Thanks to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (known as MEMA around here) one of our regular church attenders, Shirley Hightower, moved into her MEMA cottage today! Shown here with Shirley on her beautiful front porch are NCCC staff members Jillian Amrich, Emily Buckley and Angie Caldwell.

NCCC is an Americorp group currently living and working with Lagniappe. Americorps National strengthens communities and develops leaders through team-based national and community service, and are a GREAT help to Lagnaippe in many ways. Today they graciously helped Shirley move into her new home.

Thanks, NCCC!

Welcome to your new home, Shirley!

Known as "The John Maudlin Group"

These group of guys are simply known as the "John Maudlin Group" on the calendar here at Lagniappe. That or when Lynne Sabin and I discuss them as my friends or your group. Notice that knowing some one here at Lagniappe at best gets you shoved in the bunkhouse that at the moment is being used for storage, great connection. Anyway, these guys have been coming around since before Lagniappe even existed and built sheds with Conrad, one of the contractors on staff with LPC early on, before much else was established. Gutting houses and building sheds are how we got started back with housing teams at Morrell on the beach with groups like this. If you ever run into John, Caleb, Andrew, and Ben ask them about the time the shed fell off the trailer while traveling down the road. It is a fun story to tell and hear but it is also a story of God's providence and grace. This week these guys laid tile in a house that Lagniappe built from the ground up and among other things moved a refrigerator into a repair that we took part of. From moving sheds to now an organization that builds houses, has the supervision and skill on staff to allow these guys to lay tile and lay it good and fast (thanks Clyde) and is still around two years later. Having groups like this return are a reminder of all God has done in this place. What they may have thought as a weekend trip to build sheds turns out is the foundation and starting point of what God built this church out of. They were the first to move towards brokenness out of brokenness for the declaration and demonstration of God's love here at Lagniappe and begin the practical application of how we were going to do this. Thanks for coming back guys and glad to hear you found crawfish.