The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or the Top Ten Reasons To Be Thankful

As I was pondering my life during the wee hours of the night last night, I was amazed at what God has done in my life since God moved John and I to Lagniappe, and I began to review the good, the bad and the ugly. The GOOD involves the amazing journey beginning in April of 2006 when God arranged (for years) a divine appointment at the RUF Mississippi State University Crawfish Boil with Andy and Cammie Chapman, and our lives as we then knew them were over. That day began an eight month journey of experiencing God literally moving our hearts and spirits in another direction, a direction that was unexpected and even shocking. I still sometimes experience the shock of what God did, but I know as sure as I'm typing this that God did it. How odd of God to take a crooked stick like John, who said for years, "I'm not a missionary and I'm not going anywhere", and a crooked stick like me, the chief of sinners, to plop us down in the middle of what I am convinced is the most incredible picture of God's restoration of creation - the restoration of US! Which brings me to the BAD........we have learned so much of our own brokeness...........and the UGLY..........that we are much more sinful than we ever dared believe.........which brings me back to the GOOD..........that we are much more loved than we can even imagine, to the point that when God looks at us, He rejoices over us with singing! The blood of Jesus hides the BAD and the UGLY so that when God looks at us, He ONLY sees the GOOD! How amazing is THAT? Can you even picture God in Heaven rejoicing over US? With SINGING? It is incredible. Top ten Reasons to be Thankful 1. That Jesus' blood covers the bad and the ugly and God only sees the good, which isn't even ours, but is Jesus'. 2. That the same God who makes things broken then proceeds to restore them. 3. That God can use ANYONE to accomplish His will, even broken people like us. 4. That God is in control of all things, even the Kings, Presidents, Pastors, the details of my life and the number of hairs on my head! 5. That God established marriage as the perfect picture of Jesus' love for His church. Christ loved his Bride enough to DIE for her! 6. That God is still on the throne and history cannot and will not be changed. The Alpha and Omega has established it from beginning to end. 7. For the fellowship of the saints, the most fulfilling fellowship and communion we can ever experience on earth. 8. For the Beauty of the Earth 9. For Music 10. For the promise of Heaven and getting to see Jesus face to face. That's it! The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, ending with the GOOD, or as they say in the Bay, "It's All Good!" Have a Blessed Thanksgiving week.

Thank you Cammie!

As you may or may not know one of our staff members is moving to another part of the coast to continue the restoration work in a different capacity. Cammie Chapman and her daughter, Kate will be moving to Gulfport, Mississippi and she will be working with R.S.V.P., a program that allows local senior citizens to serve their 'own' communities. Many of you know Cammie as the friendly voice behind our reservation hotline. She has helped provide 'air traffic control' for over 10,000 volunteers who have served at Lagniappe. She has done an amazing job and will be a great assett to Harrison County. We are sad to be losing her, but she is only moving her 'vocational' work. She is still part of the Lagniappe family, an active member of the church and deeply loved in this community. Cammie, thanks for all you have done. We know that the work of restoration will be furthered by your participation through the Harrison County Chamber and R.S.V.P. P.S. Lynne Sabin will be picking up the torch on reservations, so please call or email her with any reservation needs!

Mockingbailout....

If you have not yet read Sarah Denton's blog about the Mockingbird Cafe' please read it. It describes well the community attachment to the cafe'. If you have been to Bay St. Louis as a volunteer then there is a good chance that you have spent the better part of one or many evenings enjoying the porch and the culture that surrounds the Mockingbird. I recounted to Martin (one of the owners) how I hoped that one day Lagniappe would be as beloved as the cafe'. It may be hard to get your mind around, but as Jean IV recounted to me, "Dad, there were hundreds of people there Thursday night- everyone was there. (NOTE: Jean had gone home early and we live about 1 block from the cafe'. At present I am out of the country so this story was recounted to me via Skype on the internet) He continued, "about midnight I heard this roar and cheering. It was louder that anything I'd ever heard in Old Town, then I got a text from Connor. It said, "They're not closing!" As the city contemplated the closing of this beloved establishment I had one resident say to me, "We might as well just move!" Funny isn't it? Katrina galvinized the city, but when faced with the thought of losing community, residents would rather move than be isolated from each other. All that to say that I'd like to encourage you to give. Not give to get. Not give to have a tax deduction, but give to help. We have had hundreds of thousands of dollars given to help individual families, but this is a place that helps all of us cope; all of us gather and all of us have community. The Mockingbird is trying to raise $10,000. I'd love to see them raise $100,000. Please consider sending a check to them. As is popular to say these days, "We bailed out Wall Street, but what about Main Street?" Here's your chance. Their contact information is as follows: Mockingbird Cafe', 110 South Second Street, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520, Attn: Mockingbailout. 228.467.8383. Here's a link to the Sun-Herald story about the bailout.

Blocks and Brooms

The Arden Presbyterian (SC) team brought this 1927 Singer sewing machine that runs like a dream. The tag attached to the machine reads -- To: Sewing Women @ Laginappe Presbyterian Fm: Jay Migeras @ Arden Pres. The machine will be given to Donna Skinner, one of Lagniappe's home owners. Block and foundation work was the focus of the Arden volunteers this week in the community. They also entertained us as they danced with and pushed brooms cleaning in the main building here at Lagniappe.

The Mockingbird Phoenix

For over 2 years, the Mockingbird has been the local coffee shop, burger joint, music venue, and living room for Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. You could not go without seeing a familiar face, and no matter where you were from, walking through the front door was like walking into your own home. Kat Fitzpatrick (a local artist) was quoted by the Sun Herald saying, "When many of us were living in trailers, it was our living room." For a lot of people, it still is. People who don't have an office do business there, and students study there. It's like the best part of a City Hall and a rural post office." It is where Lagniappe held our weekly staff Bible study, and where we went to meet about business, or escape business. Nicknamed "the Bird," the coffee shop / restaurant was the eclectic haven for folk music, art, Lazy Magnolia, and the best burgers in town. Any given day you could find the punk rockers, the prep-school students, the soccer moms, and of course someone on the Lagniappe staff sitting by a window. Monday morning, October 27th, patrons were shocked by a sign that read, "The Mockingbird will be closing its doors Friday, October 31st. Thank you for letting us be part of your lives." It was a blow no one anticipated-a sobering warning that this town's economy is fragile. No one could imagine downtown Bay St. Louis without the Mockingbird. So we prayed. Lagniappe spent the last week, corporately and individually praying for this coffee shop and their owners, Martin and Allicin Chambers. Why does a coffee shop matter so much? It matters because people matter, because culture matters, because art matters...because God cares about conversations over coffee or burgers and loves folk music! It matters because it served as a community center-a catalyst for relationships, and a place of beauty in the midst of chaos. The garden at the Mockingbird has, at times, been one of the few places in this city with green landscaping cascading over handrails and around foot paths...in a town under construction, green things become increasingly valuable. Thursday night was their final goodbye, the last night of music and food before they closed their doors. "Full cyrcle" band played, and the Bird ran out of food and beer by 8pm!! Allicin stepped the mic and the several hundred patrons quieted down, expecting a farewell speech...but through some tears and smiles Allicein managed a quiet "we aren't closing!" Little was heard after that. People's bank had come through to refinance them-recognizing the incredible importance of this cultural hub. The Phoenix came; the Mockingbird is staying open! It was a sobering reminder to all of us that Bay St. Louis is far from recovered. Small businesses are still in desperate need, and without them this town cannot hope to recover. But God is faithful, and we still have good coffee, great beer, and a living room on Second and Main. For more information check out http://www.sunherald.com/living/story/921029.html and http://www.sunherald.com/business/story/917288.html

Popsicles!

Popsicle season is almost over, and we are moving into the hot chocolate deliveries, but here is one of the last popsicle crews. These students are from Grace Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, LA. Grace also has a private school through the church, and the school sends anyone from the senior class interested in a missions trip! So the students get a week off of school and the opportunity to volunteer and learn many new skills. These students hung all of the insulation in Donna Skinner's house; thanks to their work all of the sheet rock is now hung and waiting to be finished!

Training YOU!

This week Lagniappe has been privileged to partner with a group called Training You in Mississippi. The program is a 6 week course in construction skills-including 3 weeks of classroom training and 3 weeks of on the job training. Training you teaches adults Hancock County valuable job skills, and even trains them for specific jobs that companies in the Gulf Region specifically requested. One of the greatest needs in Hancock County is job skill training. Training You has recognized that need and seeks to fill it in a unique way. Volunteers have come from all over the country to help rebuild the coast; Training You is equipping the people who live HERE to be able to give back to their own community. It is an incredible program that gives adults in this community an opportunity to give back while simultaneously equipping them for gainful employment. Oh, and the training is FREE!! Lagniappe has a lot of projects; Training You has a lot of skilled and semi-skilled people...one might call it Providence! The instructors will tailor their classes and education based upon our needs-meaning that we can ask them to do almost anything and they will take on the challenge as an educational opportunity for their students! They are currently hanging sheet-rock in Mr. Moore's house.

This week we have several teams hanging sheet rock, while others are setting block for a new foundation. We have had our first hint of fall weather, which is bringing a breeze and lower 80's temperatures for the first time in a while! The Lord continues to bring people, despite difficult economic times and busy fall schedules...we are incredibly thankful!

God is still bringing volunteers

Sometimes things seem slow here; when the building is empty and our staff fill up only one table at lunch. On those days, I tend to panic. "Where are the people? How will finish the job? Does anyone remember?" This weighs espcially heavily on me as the "Resource Coordinator;" recruiting volunteers is my job! It is on those days that I walk to our main building and look around at the signs on the walls and remember that God brought all of those people; He will bring more. Then, like the 9 lepers, I often forget to return to Him in praise when our parking lot, lunch-room, and bunkhouses are full! This week we have volunteers from California, Rhode-Island, and North Carolina helping to hang sheet-rock and finish a foundation. We are especially excited that Ruth Friant's father is volunteering here this week! Ruth has shown him little mercy-sending him out to pour concrete and hang sheet-rock, but he has everything with a great attitude. Our Northern friends have been a little frightened of our bugs down here-apparently our dragon-flies are like F 250s, and our wood-roaches are the size of armadillos....but they are hanging in there! Popsicles have a way of making every day better, as the picture makes clear. Thank you to all the volunteers who have remembered and returned. Thank you to our Heavenly Father who has never forgotten, who never sleeps, and who will surely finish the good work He has begun.

Fall is upon us...

As the weather begins to cool in Bay St. Louis the work continues forward. Many homes are 'in process'. The church continues to gather on Sunday mornings worship, fellowship and the Lord's supper. It is a great encouragement to hear so many people in the community consistently compliment the work that our staff and volunteers do in this area. The boards are still on our windows at the Larroux house, but we are hopeful that we can take them down in mid-October at the end of Hurricane season. Keep us all in your prayers and please schedule a trip to Lagniappe when your schedule permits. Blessings and grace, Jean.

Lagniappe shelter on WLOX Biloxi

Sorry for the commercial, but thanks to WLOX for their coverage of Hancock County!

Lagniappe Update

We are sorry for the lack of communication these past few days, but we have been fairly busy. The last of the staff was able to return last night and were relieved that all staff homes survived with no damage. The Lagniappe facility had some of the fence down, a few leaks in the roof of the big building, but we are up and running again. While our construction crew assesses the needs in our community, our facility has become a Red Cross Shelter. We are housing about 25 Red Cross Volunteers and expect to receive about 75 refugees from our area today. So many of you have sent emails asking about the houses you worked on on previous trips, and we are happy to report that not one of the Lagniappe houses we have built was damaged! We are still assessing damage to other homes you might have worked on, and we can only report that many homes in Waveland did have damage due to flood waters, and our current mission is to take care of as many of those families as we can house safely to meet their immediate needs of food and housing. Our previous mission of participating in the restoration of the Gulf Coast through the declaration and demonstration of the love of God shown to us in Christ Jesus has not changed, and we will be here no matter what. MNA Disaster Response Director, Arklie Hooten, is staying with us and is seeking to establish a relief site in Baton Rouge, a community greatly effected by Gustav's winds. For information about that, please check the MNA website @www.pca-mna.org. Please pray for the people here. They are so weary. Also pray for us, that the love of Christ would be displayed in word and deed. As Curt Moore has stated, we have entered into yet another area where we are over our heads and depending on grace. Stepping into these waters is ALWAYS fearful at first, yet we know it is the canvas upon which the Father loves to display His glory and grace. Thanks so much for your prayers and emails!

Photos taken during Hurricane Gustav

All photos come from complements of Frank and Susan Underwood.

National Guard HQ at Lagniappe

Lagniappe Staff Alert

Since many area residents sustained flood damage in Waveland, Lagniappe will be opening it's bunkhouses to families in need of shelter, and will also open it's kitchen to begin serving meals as soon as possible. Highway 603 was flooded today, but is expected to reopen by midmorning on Tuesday, so all Lagniappe staff is asked to return to the Bay as soon as possible to facilitate disaster response at Lagniappe. Please pray for travel mercies for all those returning home.

Gustav Update

Governor Barbour just reported, with limited access, the effects of Gustav. 10 foot tidal surge in Waveland. Several hundred homes damaged in Waveland. Several main roads in Hancock Co. sustained flood waters; Dunbar, Hwy.90 in low spots. All assessments were done from boats. Unable to check rest. Curfew in effect 6pm-6am.

Will report more in the morning.

All Lagniappe staff safe and sound.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

6:10 PM

He maketh the storm a calm.........................

It's early yet, but it appears that the Bay has been spared any serious damage so far. Jean reported that there has been rain and wind, but very little storm serge and no water has made it to Highway 90 anywhere on the Mississippi coast! Waveland has completely lost power, but there has been little wind and tree damage! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! He has obviously answered our prayers as we have watched the east side of Gustav pretty much fall apart instead of causing havoc! Thank you, Jesus. Please continue to pray for Mississippi, Louisiana and especially New Orleans, that their levees will be able to withstand whatever flooding ensues there. Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers! "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

No Church on Sunday, Remaining staff evacuating

With the upgrade of Gustav to a Cat 4 and probably a Cat 5 by morning we have determined to cancel service tomorrow and ENCOURAGE all remaining LPC members and families to head for higher/safer ground. We did not want there to be any reason to remain in Bay St. Louis longer than necessary. John Sabin and I are the last two remaining staff members in the Bay. We will finish boarding up the church in the morning and then John will be heading to Brookhaven, MS and I will be going to Necaise, MS (about 40 minutes north of Bay St. Louis). We would ask you to please remember Hancock County in your prayers. There is a heaviness in the air here. The sentiment that I have heard over and over again is, "I just can't do this again..." I find myself nodding in agreement. For tonight Bay St. Louis is peaceful. There is a band at the Mockingbird and I saw a clarinet player just playing to himself on Main Street this afternoon. This town has a soul that is resilient, but she is tired and weary. I know how she feels. NOTE: Lynne Sabin will be updating this blog so check back during the storm. I will keep her updated via Satellite phone. Blessings and Grace, Jean P.S. Please read Psalm 107:23-32 and pray those truths for Bay St. Louis!

Governor Barbour announces mandatory evacuations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 29, 2008 PEARL - Governor Haley Barbour issued mandatory evacuations for Harrison and Hancock counties beginning Sunday morning for people living the following: • FEMA travel trailers • FEMA mobile homes • Mississippi Cottages • Residents in designated flood hazard zones. "There is no question we are taking this storm seriously, but there is no need to panic," Governor Barbour said at a news conference at the National Guard Armory Readiness Center in Gulfport. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, David Paulison, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and MEMA Director Mike Womack also attended the news conference. "As we prepare for the worst, we must pray for the best," Governor Barbour said. The Mississippi Army National Guard will launch a door-to-door campaign on Saturday to notify people living in low-lying areas, flood hazard zones, FEMA travel trailers and mobile homes and Mississippi Cottages to seek alternative shelter because of the threat of severe tropical weather. The State Emergency Response Team, which is comprised from MEMA and several other key state agencies, will also deploy to Gulfport this afternoon. Once there, the SERT will establish an Emergency Operations Center so they may monitor and assess resources and needs for local governments as Gustav approaches. Due to the large number of people expected to evacuate from Louisiana, Governor Barbour said Mississippi and Louisiana officials are planning to use the contraflow plan for both Interstates 55 and 59 this weekend. An exact starting time for the reverse laning of the interstates has not yet been determined. More than 7,000 Mississippi families still live in state and federal disaster housing. These units are temporary units which is why they are not elevated to heights to protect residents from floods and many are in flood prone areas, said MEMA Director Mike Womack. "MEMA's primary concern is for the safety of all Mississippi residents," Womack said. "But with so many people living in low-lying areas, these residents need to understand that this housing may be susceptible to flooding in a situation like this." According to the National Weather Service since 1970 there have more than 600 deaths attributed to flooding from tropical weather. More than 60 percent of those deaths occurred from inland flooding. Gustav is forecasted to become a strong hurricane as it enters the Gulf of Mexico in the next day or two. The National Hurricane Center expects Gustav to make landfall on the Gulf Coast as early as Monday or Tuesday. For more information and updates visit www.msema.org. or call MEMA's Public Information Line at 866-519-MEMA

Lagniappe Closed for 2 Weeks!

If you are trying to get in touch with Lagniappe staff members please note that we will be closed to teams and out of the office beginning 5 p.m. August 15th until September 8th. We will be out of the office for those 3 weeks- the first two weeks provide down time for the staff following the summer push of teams and building. The third week is for staff planning, training and spiritual focus. Please keep us in your prayers during that time. Please note that staff have been instructed to turn off cell phones, not check e-mail or work at all, so please understand if you don't get calls back or emails returned. It is a sign of a healthy staff resting and believing that the Kingdom of God will go on for 2 weeks without them, not of indifference toward your needs. NOTE: We will worship every Sunday during the break at 9:30 a.m. at the church, join us then!