Smelly Carpeting

I spoke with Tom today to hear how his family and neighbors are doing and what their needs are. He says they are fine because they have the Lord, but their town is still unbelievably ruined. He has been working at helping other families rebuild.

Their home is thoroughly disinfected, and at this point they are awaiting the insurance adjuster to assess the damage and make a hard decision about what will be covered and what will not. Since they were not insured for flood damage, they are hopeful they can be covered some other way.

Today his children spotted Air Force One in Gulfport and President Bush spoke to the people there. His comments were that for those wishing to help out, money is the most convenient gift to send. That way folks can get what they need. At the risk of sounding mercenary, Tom had to agree. A family could then go right out and purchase the washing machine or couch they need that would fit into their particular rooms.

He has insurance covering his trucks and has money now, I think, to get another for his business. All his cordless tools will need to be replaced. His impulse hammer and pneumatic drill and all are shot. Hopefully an insurance man will be there next Wednesday.

Two of the three Wal-Marts in the area are gone, but there is one open in Biloxi. Also Home Depot and Lowes are open now. The citizens have plenty of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's) and water given to them free of charge. Their own water is still not drinkable, but they shower and wash with it.

If a church wanted to send a volunteer team down, there is plenty to do service-wise. They need help with clean-up, sheet rock, pulling up smelly carpeting - could use maybe 120 guys a week. They feel so blessed to have air matresses to sleep on and electricity to run their water and turn the fan on at night to blow the perspiration off. They consider themselves not among those who are devastated, although their front yard looks like it with its pile of rubble.

Some families are simply not returning, but Tom feels he has no choice. He has his business established there, and under normal conditions has plenty work. Now, of course, he has more work than he wants and not the kind he enjoys much. It is exceedingly hot on the rooftops repairing in the blazing sun.

It is hard to appreciate the extent of the damage and destruction by viewing the TV news, though their family has no television, so don't really see the coverage. The town of Pass Christian where he has worked is 75% gone. Stately antebellum homes have vanished and 200 year old live oak trees are uprooted and washed away. One man he knows in Ocean Springs lost 14 people on his street.

Tom is naturally tireless and strong, but he admits that now and then the clean-up gives him "very wearying thoughts." "It takes the steam out of you," he says. However, the time for crying is past, the children are in good spirits, and since the option of leaving is not open to them, they continue on.

Please pray for stamina, both physical and emotional. Thank God he can do all things through Him Who strengthens us.