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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
January 2007 |
Recovery in hands and ears with Gulf Coast survivors
By Sharon Dunten
Recovery is the mission of volunteers visiting the Gulf Coast, and yes, it does entail the repair of the storm-damaged infrastructure of survivors' homes. But what volunteers also observe may be the broken and emotional wounds of Hurricane Katrina's survivors and the potential of lingering victimization.
"The most important tool to bring down here is our ears."
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So for Bill Blanchard, a second-time volunteer of Southport United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, recovery has been a varied ministry including the brawn of strength and the gentleness of the listener.
"The most important tool to bring down here is our ears. They want to be heard," says Blanchard. "They want to sit and tell their story. It is one way they can work out their grief. If no one listens to you, you cannot heal," he added. Blanchard's second call took him back to Gulfport, Miss. Even though volunteers are not mental health professionals, he said it is about "entering their world and caring about them."
Hardship of survivors
The hardship of survivors is clearly seen by Courtney Allen, Trinity United Methodist Church's rebuilding coordinator. "It was not the strength of the storm but how far reaching and how many lives were affected," said Allen. It touches "an underlying sense of fatigue and frustration, and even though hopeful, this underlying stress pervades" the lives of people. She herself balances from 10 to 15 active cases a week with more than 75 work orders per month.
Unfortunately, what may be elusive is the stability of the survivors after 18 months of displacement and disrepair. More than 102,000 families are still living in FEMA trailers with an additional 33,000 living in apartments paid by FEMA.
The Bulletin of World Health Association sites 25 percent of households affected by Katrina and Rita are struggling with depression and anxiety exacerbated by lack of or insufficient mental health insurance coverage. In the meantime, losses weigh heavily on survivors as well as the everyday aspect of rebuilding their lives. Children living in FEMA homes are especially susceptible to depression, irritability, sleeping problems and mood swings.
Shirley Ducksworth was one homeowner very anxious to leave her FEMA home located in a FEMA village. Plagued by more water damage after the hurricane and receiving very little from her insurance company, her resources were tapped out to put her home back together. For many Gulfport residents, the unprecedented lack of blue tarps supplied by FEMA to homes with tin roofs added to the frustration and feeling of helplessness. To counteract the situation, Trinity UMC volunteers replaced her tin roof with shingles as well as rebuilt her water-damaged bathroom and kitchen.
With the final touches of paint and the use of a nail gun to the home's trim, the Southport UMC volunteer shift was able to participate in a "blessing" of her home. Ducksworth, together with the Trinity volunteers gathered to pray and celebrate that her reconstruction was complete.
Need evolved quickly
For Trinity UMC, the need for aid and volunteers evolved quickly. Immediately after the hurricane, the church opened its doors to distribute what little resources they had available.
"We started feeding 50 people at first then it went up to 1,000," explained member Huntley Biggs. For Trinity volunteers, it dictated creating a facility to house individuals to help in the recovery effort.
"God challenged us. It was the greatest opportunity to serve, love each other and our neighbors," said Biggs.
Since the storm Trinity has served 35,000 meals, provided lodging for over 3,150 volunteers from across the country. Volunteers have logged almost 420,000 hours. What began as a cleanup effort has now transitioned into a rebuilding effort. As of August 2006, 525 homes have been rebuilt either in part or completely finished with many more to come.
As recovery continues in the Gulf coast states, each volunteer group, including Southport UMC, passing the baton to the next volunteers where "God calls you to faithful," says the Rev. Mark Fisher, pastor of Southport UMC.
According to Southport member Dick Bender, closure on the needs of Katrina survivors is not necessarily easy no matter how many volunteers go down to help in the reconstruction.
The Mississippi Office of Volunteerism sites more than 250 organizations nationwide have deployed volunteers to assist in recovery relief for an area engulfing over 90,000 square miles of destruction.
For more information on volunteering at Trinity UMC in Gulfport, Miss., contact Courtney Allen at www.callen@trinityUMC.com.
Sharon Dunten serves as a photojournalist and writer. She lives in Indianapolis.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008