Akron volunteers put compassion into action in Mississippi

By Dorothy Dexheimer

Hammering, painting, roofing, mudding and sanding with love, 17 people representing four churches in the Akron, Ind., worked Oct. 23-28 on homes in Gautier, Miss. that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Most drove straight through from Akron - a16-hour trip - and immediately began eight-hour days of service. Volunteers slept the church's gymnasium floor and took turns using two showers. Members of the Gautier UMC fed the work team.

"What fun was that?" Each one of those 17 people would return and do it over in a minute. Many plan to return with a second team in February; others plan to go South in March.

The mission trip began when team leaders Dottie and Don Dexheimer of the Akron church contacted the United Methodist Storm Center in Jackson, Miss. In turn, the center connected them with the Gautier United Methodist Church. Gautier Church Secretary Marcia Stanley, who also is the pastor's wife, called Dottie in Akron and, after some conversation about team member's expertise and the trip's timing, assigned the group to reconstruct the lower level of a two-story home that had suffered nearly six feet of saltwater damage.

They went as strangers and returned as friends.

By the time the Akron team arrived, the house already had been gutted, which enabled the team to rewire, insulate and drywall the main floor.

Because of the large team, some volunteers went to the church's parsonage where they tore off damaged shingles and put on a new roof. Four other members went to a third house where more than a foot of saltwater had destroyed the insulation, drywall, carpeting and some furnishings. They insulated and installed drywall on the first two feet of the walls in that ranch-style home.

In addition, team members constructed a porch and steps for a woman who could not enter a FEMA trailer because of her physical limitations.

Thus, although the team started out to reconstruct one home, members ended up helping out four different families in action construction.

The week's work went very smoothly, and although the bed was less than the best and the work was hard, the team quickly became aware that when you serve as the arms and feet of Christ, the warmth that invades your body brings with it a joy and compassion that is difficult to define, but remains with volunteers and invigorates them.

This team left Gautier feeling they had accomplished a lot and that their efforts had been very worthwhile. They went as strangers and returned as friends.

Dorothy Dexheimer serves as a member of the Akron United Methodist Church.

Last updated on 25 Apr 2008

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