THE STEPS TO AN AERIE IN THE SKY  

In November of 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, a group of volunteers, sponsored by the Helping Hands Care Team of Lehigh Presbytery, left Allentown for a work trip to Mississippi. They left with excitement, a wondrous feeling that they would accomplish great things, and a sense of trepidation at what they would discover. What they found was a devastated wasteland. Homes and businesses were nothing more than heaps of rubble. Their emotions were raw at this overwhelming sight. How could they begin to help all of these wonderful, hopeful people?

The first steps to recovery in 2005 began with Bill & Hilda. Their house had been destroyed. They were living in a FEMA trailer but the steps were too high for Bill to manage. A Helping Hands crew arrived to build them a wooden set of steps and a ramp leading to the trailer. Some of the Helping Hands volunteers have stopped by and visited Bill and Hilda on their many trips since 2005. Many steps and steadfast friendships were begun on this first trip to Mississippi.

In October 2009, Helping Hands made their ninth trip to Mississippi. They traveled to Long Beach and saw another set of steps rising into the air. Lloyd and Sherry's house was folded like an envelope and moved into the next lot by Katrina. Over the summer volunteers started work on a new home for them. Their house had to be raised thirteen feet due to new regulations. A Helping Hands work crew took the house one step closer to completion by tiling the bathrooms, utility room, and kitchen, as well as completing work on the entryway. The last day they were there, the electricians were completing work and on Monday the kitchen cabinets were being delivered and installed. Lloyd and Sherry were now planning a family Thanksgiving together in their new home.

Another Helping Hands work crew worked on a prefab house that was built in Erie, PA and shipped to Mississippi. It had been sitting unassembled under a leaking tarp since last spring. The crew experienced multiple problems from rotted wood to poor design, but after two weeks, the decking, frame, and trussess for the roof had been completed. Jackie should be in her new home soon.

During the second week in Mississippi, the Helping Hands volunteers were pulled off their current jobs to help Mississippi Presbytery with an emergency situation. Carol's house was going to be condemned and razed by the town of Gulfport. Carol had been living in her home since Katrina. Volunteers got started right away removing the moldy carpets, drywall, ceilings and insulation. A new roof was started. The volunteers marveled at how Carol had managed to live in her home for four long years. It was estimated that work crews would be able to finish remodeling her home in six weeks. Carol has one friend and no family. The biggest step for Carol was to realize that people did care about her.

Since the baby steps taken in the first trip in 2005, the volunteers have seen many homes completed and major steps on the completion of numerous other homes. The Helping Hands volunteers have worked in D'Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Diamond Head, Mississippi and have been able to visit with some of the homeowners they have helped since the beginning. People were now living in their new or refurbished homes complete with steps!

In June 2010, recovery operations will come to a halt in Mississippi. On March 6, 2010, Helping Hands volunteers will make their last trip to Mississippi under the auspices of the Mississippi Presbytery.

Steps, yes, baby steps, major steps, high steps, and old steps have been taken by all volunteers as they stepped out of their comfort zones to help those in need.

Gwen Johnson

     

 

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