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FEMA Strikes Again

As I travel this country, trying to raise both money for our rebuilding, and awareness of the continued struggle we endure, I am often asked about the government’s response to Katrina. I try to stay out of that debate, focusing instead on the amazing work the church in America, and even globally, has done to respond.
However, the editorial below in our local paper, the Sun Herald, speaks to an incredibly poor decision by FEMA. It is my understanding that there are sufficient funds to continue Project Recovery, which has provided much, much needed mental health services since the storm. As I reported in my last post, PTSS is an ongoing and increasing problem. Pulling Project Recovery now is a severe blow to an area in desperate need for INCREASED mental health assistance.
The editorial is below, from the Sun Herald

Editorial

Posted on Tue, Apr. 24, 2007

Project Recovery deserves a reprieve

We wholeheartedly endorse the sentiments of Dr. Robert Titzler, medical director of Bethel Free Medical Clinic in Biloxi, as expressed in a letter published on Friday:

“April 27 will be a sad and disappointing day for hundreds of residents of South Mississippi. On that day FEMA will defund Project Recovery, and this valuable and effective program will be forced to shut down. Project Recovery has been helping people find ways to cope with the stress caused by Katrina. It has done so in an effective and efficient manner by providing free crisis counseling services… at sites other than the mental health clinics.

“For the past year, I have been working at the free medical clinic located in the Bethel Lutheran Church … . Over 80 percent of the persons who seek help here are suffering the effects of profound personal losses, sleeplessness, homelessness, anxiety about what the future holds for them, and domestic strife. While these are common issues in all communities and families, they are not usually complicated and exacerbated by the worst natural disaster in American history and in the face of a serious deficiency of readily available help in coping. Our coastal communities are, in my view, facing an epidemic of post-traumatic stress syndrome, the dimensions of which are only now, 19 months after Katrina’s visit, beginning to be appreciated. In no way is this aspect of the ‘crisis’ over. The federal government, through FEMA, appears to have decided that it is over, and that Project Recovery is no longer necessary or effective. I want to bear witness and testimony to the contrary.”

Project Recovery should be granted a reprieve.

PTSS

Here on the Coast PTSS is a real, live, ongoing issue. It impacts young and old, rich and poor, slabbed or not. Last summer when Tropical Storm Ernesto popped up many many many miles away, folks around here got very anxious. Being spared any hurricanes last year was life saving in more than one way, and I mean that with all seriousness.
This Wednesday night at our healing service in the “new” quarters at Camp Coast Care, we talked about the Virginia Tech tragedy, and looking for God in these difficult events. I tried to show the BIG difference between and act of nature (Katrina) and an act of evil (Cho). Surely this man was ill and very dark, and I did not feel it my place to judge him or the system or gun control or whatever the secular world needs to discuss around this horrible event. Instead I looked at a group of people who were, literally, scared and confused and very, very anxious.
Their world has been upside down for 20 months now. This news just confirms it for them.
We talked about Jesus emptying himself, becoming a slave, going forward to death, even death on a cross for us. That God knows suffering and it is in that place we can find our own Lord.
Mostly, though, just talking about our fears and anxieties seemed somewhat cathartic for some. As I’ve said before, the mental health issues down here are enormous, please keep the prayers coming.

On the Road Again

I write this from a hotel room in Jacksonville, FL. Came here yesterday to do a talk at a Lenten gathering at a fabulous church here. This Diocese is raising 250K to be matched from a fund with another 250K, all for the rebuilding of our church! I have been now on 4 trips here and preached or talked at 5 or 6 churches. I have really enjoyed their support and prayers and of course this wonderful gift they are raising for us.
I leave tomorrow for Arlington, Virginia to visit two more adopting churches, preaching on Sunday morning, etc. These are two great supporters as well.
The truth is I have been on the road an AWFUL lot since Katrina. Raising money and awareness of our ongoing situation has been very important. But it is so tiresome. I am tired of being gone, sick of airports and air travel, miss my family and have too much work to do back home. But it is necessary. There is no way to ask our folks for any kind of capital campaign to build our church. Insurance from the destroyed property will not even pay half of the 1st building to be constructed (our plan is to build a multi-purpose building that will be worship and fellowship space for us, along with education and nursery) until we can figure out how to build the church proper. We need a lot more money to get this done. Construction costs on the Coast have risen around 80% post storm.
So I hit the road, often. This is it until Easter, then a couple of more trips planned before mid-summer. Everywhere I go I am received so warmly and people are shocked to learn how much more must be done, many assume we are “all back to normal” at the 18 month mark. No, not even close. And the mental health issues, for adults and children, are actually increasing.
Please keep praying for us and please don’t forget us.

Looking Up!

Prayer answered on SO many fronts. Thanks be to God!
We have tentative approval of our property purchase and an agreement on price with the property owner! We DID IT! Although the final contract is still in the lawyer’s hands, we are there, just need signatures!
I am blown away! This is GOOD NEWS!
Our location is prime for Long Beach.
Last Saturday we had a full day meeting with the architects, and they are now working on the master plan for the site!
We have to raise a bunch more money, but we are on the way!
AND
We have returned to Sunday morning worship. Saturday nights have died off, and we are now doing 2 services on Sunday mornings. Our attendance the last two weeks has been the best since Katrina. Thanks be to God! Again, prayers answered.
Next week is the Bishop’s annual visit, and we are again borrowing the Methodist church. We have been wandering all over town, but at least we now know where we are going.
Thanks for all your prayers!!!!!

WOW….where have I been??

Does anything on this confounded Coast happen in a timely manner any more?
I haven’t posted in ages cuz I just knew that ANY DAY NOW I would be able to either celebrate the miracle I asked y’all to pray for, or talk about plan B.
And we are not there yet…..
However…..
We are REAL CLOSE and it is GOING TO HAPPEN!
WOOOOHOOOOO
Very, very soon I will publish where we are going, and I hope and pray that with that decision behind us we will gain some much needed momentum as we begin planning our buildings.

Meanwhile I continue to spend too much time on the road, still looking for help to build those buildings. Two more trips lined up the next 7 weeks. It is great to share our story and to meet some really wonderful people, wonderful and helpful and hopeful and generous people. It’s just that the road gets old, folks, it just does. There is so much to do here, that I regret any time away, but it’s what we gotta do for now.

Today was an interesting day. After a 2 am phone call, I had to rearrange the entire weekend. We WERE going to return to the gym this Sunday for services (YAY) preceded by Christian Ed (double YAY). But had to punt on that for a couple of weeks. Spent the day today trying to let everyone in the church know, hope we reached all that were coming. Then learned that the Lutheran church we use on Saturday nights has a funeral at 7 on Sat (we start at 6), so have to make some adjustments to get out by 645.
Can you tell I covet my own space? But all in all, we are blessed to have a place to use and everyone has been great.

Stay tuned. I promise to post more often…and hopefully very soon it will be AMAZING news!