Katrina Task Group - November's Mission Trip to D'Iberville, Mississippi

	Updates on the Work Trip to Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina Cleanup, November 11-20, 2005
Date	What's happening

Sunday, Nov. 20	Outside Farragut Presbyterian Church of Farragut, Tennessee. Members of the Farragut congregation graciously hosted us en route to D’Iberville, MS. We left Farragut, Tennessee and our host families earlier this morning to head for home. The drive was long but we made good driving time and all arrived safely back at the Lehigh Presbytery Office at 7:00 pm. The emotions of the day were bittersweet as we thought back through our time in D’Iberville, MS during the long drive. Though it was wonderful to see and appreciate all that we as a group were able to accomplish, it will be difficult to leave the fellowship of our group, the other wonderful volunteers who worked alongside us and the many people of the Gulf Coast we have met who still have an incredible need for help in recovery from Hurricane Katrina. The entire trip has been mentally and emotionally overwhelming: it is difficult to fully process at once all that we have seen and heard. The extent of the devastation from this one storm, Hurricane Katrina, is unfathomable. The images we have seen and the stories we have heard will stay with us long after we are back home and settled into the regular routines of our separate lives. Yet despite all of the devastation and hardship we have seen, the hope and faith of all of those affected is stronger than any of us could have imagined. The people of D’Iberville and the rest of the Gulf Coast will recover, and will find a way to do it while smiling. It was honor and privilege for our group to be able to provide these remarkable people a small service and a glimmer of hope on their way towards recovery. Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make our trip possible. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Saturday, Nov. 19	After a goodbye to all of the other volunteers and to our honorary member Sam (a lone member we adopted into our fold), we finished packing the vans and left D’Iberville, MS for Farragut, TN to see our host families again. We made great driving time and hit very little traffic en route. Our fast driving time allowed us to sit down for dinner in Sweetwater, Tennessee. Part of the group ate at Cracker Barrel, and the rest of us ate at a Chinese buffet restaurant. We fortunately chose just the right place and time to eat. None of us had to wait in line, but just as we were leaving a number of Volunteer fans came flooding into both restaurants from the Tennessee football game in nearby Knoxville. The entire day went by quickly, mostly because almost all of us spent the majority of the time sleeping (or attempting to become comfortable enough to fall asleep) in the vans. The only major CB radio transmissions we made from van to van were score updates from the Penn State vs. Michigan State football game we received via cell phone from Terry’s wife. All of the PSU fans in our group were happy to see Penn State win the game. Go Lions! We met again with our gracious hosts from Farragut Presbyterian Church in Farragut, Tennessee and headed home with them for delicious food, hot showers and warm beds. Our time with the vibrant congregation of Farragut Presbyterian Church has been one of the highlights of our trip. Thank you to Valerie and all of our hosts for your warm hospitality. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Friday, Nov. 18	A Biloxi home completely leveled by the storm. Two of our work groups returned to homes where they have been working on projects with residents the past few days. Rich, Dick, Ted and Bonnie continued construction work and Carl, Terry, Mike, Gene, Alice and Sam finished debris removal and mucking. The rest of us (Ed, Eileen, Ellen, Joanne, Bill E., Bill B., Phil, Diane, John, Gwen and Dawn) had finished the projects to which we had been assigned and took the opportunity to get into one of the vans and head to Biloxi and some of the neighborhoods of D’Iberville to view the full scope of the devastation by Hurricane Katrina and the progress of the recovery effort. Words and even pictures are not able to adequately describe what we saw. As we drove through the town of Biloxi we began to see the same signs of destruction we could see in D’Iberville. Huge piles of debris were outside the homes and many buildings were visibly destroyed or ripped down to their framework. As we got closer to the coast, the destruction continued to escalate. Buildings were completely destroyed by wind and water. We could see the sign for a hospital but the building had been leveled; the sign was all that was left where the hospital had previously stood. Military checkpoints had been set up to enclose and secure the area close to the beach: we showed our badges to enter Highway 90, which runs along the entire Gulf Coast. Highway 90 creates a natural divide between casinos on its left (coastal side) and the town buildings, businesses, churches and private homes on the right. The drive seems surreal due to the extreme dichotomy in the rates of recovery in the buildings on either side of the highway. The casinos to the left were able to hire large out of state contracting firms (you can see their large banners and dozens of trailers parked at each building) and are nearly restored and ready to reopen. On the other hand, many of the private homes and businesses on the right appear to have been completely destroyed and abandoned or are still waiting for rebuilding assistance and appear to be close to their original damaged condition. To the right of Highway 90 lay the greatest evidence of Katrina’s power: two huge casino barges the size of cruise ships, which had been floating just offshore before the storm, were wrecked by the wind and then swept by the 20 foot storm surge which deposited them over 500 yards from shore on the other side of Highway 90. None of us could figure out how the City of Biloxi will remove the barges from where they now stand: on top of their size, they have iron hulls. For now the barges appear to be a fixture of the town. The oceanfront homes and hotels along Highway 90 showed the full force of the wind and waves. Many of the homes are ripped down to just the framework on the first 2 or 3 stories, while the levels above appear untouched. Concrete structures were crumpled with gaping holes and piles of rubble. A park bench and a historical marker are all that is left of what looked to have once been a brick memorial in a town square. A microscope from who knows where was sitting nearby, along with a pile of seaweed mixed with a string of lights that had been hanging on all of the trees. If you put all of these observations into the context that it has been over two months since Hurricane Katrina hit Biloxi, you can only begin to imagine the full amount of devastation. The First Presbyterian Church of Biloxi was a beacon of hope on Highway 90. The structure of the church withstood the storm remarkably well, and the church continues to hold services while hosting 100 volunteers in its classrooms who are working on homes in Biloxi. Volunteer work through the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) in Biloxi is headquartered in the First Presbyterian Church office. This is yet another active church group we have seen providing relief in the region. On the way back from Biloxi we also drove along the D’Iberville coast. Here the devastation was in some places worse than we saw in Biloxi. We saw several blocks of streets whose homes had all been leveled. What probably was a neighborhood of about 50 homes was gone: even brick homes lay in piles of rubble. A factory on the bay coast filled with tons of seafood was wrecked by the storm and all of its contents were released into the surrounding neighborhoods. Many of the neighborhoods near the factory and along the bay have been declared Health Hazard Areas by the government. Many if not all of the homes here have been condemned. The group of us in the van also had the opportunity to see the homes helped by our work groups during the week. It was amazing to see what just the 20 of us were able to do. At the street the piles of debris removed from all of the homes were stark evidence of all that was done. Inside the homes we could also see the extent of all the mucking completed: most of the homes were gutted to the framework, which will be mold treated and moisture tested before putting up new sheet rock. It was heartwarming to talk and take pictures with one of the residents whom we helped. He was so appreciative of our help and we were grateful that we could leave him and his home one step further on the road to recovery. In the face of such total devastation, it was touching to see this glimmer of hope for the future. In the afternoon, many of us returned to camp to assist in preparing the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) camp for winter by helping to assemble new heated tents. This proved to be quite a complicated process: the tents arrived at the camp in pieces and had to be fully assembled at camp. The manager of the tent company was onsite and showed some of us an elaborate dance of bending, folding, and collapsing the large sheets of plastic to prepare them for final assembly. It was like creating large-scale origami. Other groups prepared the flooring of the tents and assembled the heating ducts and tent doors. We truly learned a new meaning to the word flexibility (which our camp manager warned us we would need most this trip). In one week we saw our volunteer accommodations change from tents at our camp to cots in the town’s recreation center to heated tents at our camp for winter, but it is encouraging to see that Presbyterian Disaster Assistance will continue to help the people of D’Iberville for the long haul of recovery and not just the first stages of disaster assistance. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thursday, Nov. 17	The debris we removed from a single home during “mucking”. Most of our group continued mucking and removing debris, working industriously the entire day. By the end of the day, the piles of debris we removed to the street were enormous: over our heads, 15 feet wide and 40 feet long. Gene was climbing in the rafters, and Gwen and Ed were knocking down walls with kick boxing techniques that proved to be very effective. The work included heavy lifting; for example we carried a 100-pound oxygen canister across the street on a ladder we used as a stretcher. We also had to take down some huge trees. At the camp, over 50 tents had to be taken down in order to prepare for the new heated tents that arrived for winter. The tents will be greatly appreciated; last night the temperature dipped to 30 degrees. The lighter tents will be shipped to a PDA site in Guatemala. The set up for the new tents is quite complicated. with folding and riveting and sealing the creases. We are sending a scouting team to other camps in Orange Grove, to see how it is done, but in any case setting up these tents with be a hug endeavor. At devotion tonight Ed requested that we pray for mechanical enlightenment for get the tents up tomorrow. Please pray for us too. We share our amazement and pleasure that we have been received so graciously. People have seen the signs on our vans and flagged us down in parking lots and gas stations to say thank you for being here. As we talk to the residents of D’Iberville, we are awed, overwhelmed and inspired by their sheer resilience, positive spirit, and unyielding faith in God at a time of such devastating loss. As John said tonight, our Thanksgiving will never be quite the same. We now have such a different perspective on all we truly have for which to be thankful. It has also been such a pleasure to work with and get to know the other groups that have been here with us. We have truly become family and friends. We met two people today one from Hands and Feet Ministry and an other from the Methodist group. They were so kind, and offered us help in the work we are doing. They even gave us a hot water heater for our cold showers. Both groups are doing similar ministry, construction and deconstruction and serving meals. We are so happy that all of the volunteers, whatever their background or religion, are coming together to coordinate their efforts. Please keep these groups in your prayers as they work alongside us. It is shocking to realize that tomorrow is our last day here. The time seems to have gone by so fast, but the memories of our work here will remain with us as we go back to our own lives. Note for everyone who has been sharing this website: Thank you for your continued support of our group and your patience in receiving our updates. Please be sure to check this site again after we return so that you may view some of our pictures from the trip. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Wednesday, Nov. 16	Bill removes water damaged drywall from a home. We had an extremely productive day today. With POD (point of distribution) closed for distribution, almost all of our teams were out working on homes. Alice and Eileen, finished painting the ramp that Mike, Gene Terry and Carl, built. Ted, Dick and Bonnie continued new construction on a home that had been ripped up badly. Diane used a hammer for the first time today. Most of our group was out mucking and cleaning debris, including Ed, Bill E., Bill B.and Sam. The mucking job was intense; Ellen said she pulled out over 5,000 nails, in the process of ripping out flooring ceilings and walls! Most of the jobs will continue through tomorrow. Many of the jobs are very emotional. The owner of the home we were mucking, told us,” I am 62 years old, and everything I own fits into a Rubbermaid container.” The devastation, to all of these lives was absolute. Rich and Phil went to do sheet rock today and lost time obtaining the proper permits and certifications. On top of losing everything residents have to deal with bureaucracy. Permits were required, and EPA certification for mold remediation. Residents and volunteers have to deal with all the paperwork from the city, state and federal government. It can add to an already difficult situation and can cause delays. Our breakfast crew of five have joined other volunteers to make and serve Red Cross meals to residents and volunteers. Ed and Bill B have been part of the breakfast crew everyday. They have served everything from grits to eggs. Today was oatmeal for breakfast. It was a “loaves and fishes” evening meal. The stew ran out and volunteers worked quickly to prepare chicken salad in huge mixing bowls for the rest of the crowd. Dawn and JoAnn helped Kay in the office. JoAnn called the residents and Dawn worked with Kay to help coordinate the work. Sometimes in the chaos and confusion, things have appeared just where they are needed. In the midst of the mucking job, a priest arrived to give communion to residents. This evening we all had the chance to attend worship at Gautier Presbyterian Church, about 15 miles from here. Our group of about 30 (we were joined by our friends from the New York team and Sam, a member we have adopted into our group. Sam came here with a group from North Carolina, and stayed. He is one of the most selfless and dedicated volunteers we have met.) Some of us had to sit on the floor of the church and share the hymnals and bulletins. The small sanctuary was filled to overflowing. It was a wonderful service. Gautier Presbyterian Church has been so giving. Their pastor has lost almost everything and has been working all day on homes while still holding services. The church meeting room itself will have to come down due to damage and there are cots in the chancel of the sanctuary being used by volunteers. They are giving all they have and then some. We are looking forward to working tomorrow and will carry with us the spirit of the people we have met to give us strength. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tuesday, Nov. 15	Today our entire group was able to participate in work on homes in D'Iberville. The groups from yesterday continued the construction they were doing, and a new group began assessing homes. Teams of 2 from the group were sent door to door to talk with the residents regarding their needs. The majority of the stories that we found at home said that they were “blessed and had no needs”. Some did express needs for their fellow neighbors, however. Later in the day some of our group had a chance to try their hands at mucking. Mucking is pulling the drywall off and allowing the studs to dry and then applying a mold inhibitor. The floors are covered with slimey mud that sticks to everything. We were about to pull off the drywall when we received a call to return immediately. A huge thunderstorm is approaching and there is a danger of high winds. We had to evacuate camp and down all of the tents. The entire camp (all 70 of us) relocated to a Rec Center for the night at the Sports Complex – men in one area, women in another. We were hoping for a co-ed pajama party but it was not to be. The temperature is supposed to drop to the 50s and 40s tomorrow so we will have to see what tasks God has for us then. We had an amazing devotional led by one of the members from the New York team. He talked about how we may not have been doing the work we expected or wanted to do, but that serving God is not always what we expected, wanted or planned. Our frustration at not getting what we want is nothing compared to entire lives being destroyed. We will keep that in mind as we complete the tasks given to us tomorrow, whatever they may be. TO EVERYONE BACK HOME: Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers. We are so grateful that we can rely on your strength and support as we complete this critical but emotionally demanding work. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we serve the people here. Thank you also for being patient with our updates. We hope to continue them, but there may be another delay. Check when we are back home: by then we can place up some pictures of the work we’ve been doing every day. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Monday, Nov. 14	Carl, Mike and Rich build a ramp for a FEMA trailer. Today was the first chance some of our group members had to do some work on houses. One team performed some new construction on a home and cleared debris from yards. And down here the word debris does not mean leaves and a few small branches. They cleared refrigerators and air conditioners that had been left on a lawn by the storm surge. The team also came across a set of bleachers from a school 2 blocks down the street that ended up next to the bedroom window of a home. They cut them apart and moved them in pieces to the street to be carried away. So much debris was left by the storm surge that flooded the town during the hurricane. The surge in some places was 20 feet high. One of our work groups spoke with an older gentleman who was in his home during the storm. The water rose in his living room to the ceiling, so he was able to make his way to the second floor. The water then continued to rise. He was eventually able to use a shotgun to shoot his way out to his roof to escape. Our group was also able to construct a ramp for entry to a couple’s FEMA trailer. The man is older and mobility impaired and was unable to safely climb the steps to enter. The guys designed a ramp and one set of wide steps with a good hand railing, got the materials, and had it built that afternoon. We’ll start painting it tomorrow. The recipients, Bill and Hilda, were so gracious. It was a pleasure to get to know and help them. About half of our group stayed at the POD (Point of Distribution) to continue to sort and organize the donated goods. Dawn especially learned some new things such as which brands are men’s and which womens, that a T after the size stands for toddler (or for Tall), and which side of the shirt the buttons are on men’s vs. women’s clothes. We worked hard, and with help from a team from Carlisle Presbytery were able to get through quite a bit of the warehouse. Truman, a volunteer from Indiana, is in charge of the POD and runs a tight ship, but it is because of his organization that things are finally getting organized. As the sorting got tedious we made the time pass by finding shirts with slogans that fit our team members and had a display of amusing fashion items. We all got together after the camp’s evening devotional to share our experiences of the day. Everyone had a powerful story and we all left with a sense that God is with us helping these people to recover from this devastating loss. Hearing how we could play a small part was inspiring. We’re also continually humbled and inspired by the dedication of the volunteers down here, particularly Kay, who has organized all of the work projects we’ve been doing. Despite losing everything of her own and the destruction of her family’s homes, she is working tirelessly to bring help to her neighbors. We are happy to be a part of that help. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunday, Nov. 13	Joanne, Phil, Bill, Dawn and Gwen sorting the “stuff” delivered to D’Iberville to prepare it for distribution to residents. Before we started work today, we needed a little terminology lesson. D’Iberville - pronounced Dee-I-berville, with a long D and a long I. This is the town where we are working. A town of about 8000 residents and 1400 homes, over half of which have been destroyed or condemned due to water damage. POD - the Point of Distribution. A warehouse full of donated goods gathered for distribution to residents. Flexibility – This has taken a whole new meaning since we have been here. Even the best laid plans have been changed many a time throughout the day. We are learning to set aside plans and do what is asked for when it is needed. And the needs have certainly changed quickly. After sending a team to the Red Cross to help cook and serve breakfast and a morning devotional at camp, we all ate breakfast together at the Red Cross with residents. Our cooking crew did a great job! We had hot burritos with eggs, sausage and vegetables. It was excellent. Many of us have been saying that we may actually gain weight while we’re here instead of losing it while roughing it out in camp as expected. We are certainly well taken care of. We all spent most of our time at the POD (Point of Distribution). As above in the terminology, this is an abandoned grocery store that the town is now using to store all of the donations of “stuff” sent here – clothing, food, household goods, toiletries, toys, baby formula and other miscellaneous things. The town then provides different items to the public on different days: food, adult clothing, toiletries, kids clothing, toys, etc. In order to do this, however, all of the “stuff” has to be sorted into distribution categories. In a huge building filled with rows and rows of crates of “stuff” piled 6 feet high, sorting is a daunting task. This is where we came into the equation. Our group spent the day sorting the donations into distribution categories. We spent the day making a small dent in the huge section of clothing crates to be sorted. We saw more clothes of all colors, shapes and sizes than we ever want to see again. Sorting through this mountain of clothing did teach us something vital: how not to donate to disaster relief and volunteer organizations. Please keep this in mind: If at all possible, SEND MONEY, NOT CLOTHING: Though it is easy to clean out our closets and donate several items of clothing, the manpower it takes to get clothes sorted and to the people who actually need those specific items of clothing can often outweigh the value of the donation. Also, sending things rather than money makes it difficult to meet the needs of the residents. For example, the POD right now is filled with more clothing than can be used by the residents, while the food supply is far too low to meet the demand of the residents. Sending money allows the volunteer organization to buy exactly what is needed when it is needed with no additional work. IF YOU DO HAVE THINGS YOU WANT TO SEND: BEFORE YOU SEND ANYTHING, Call the organization to see if they are still accepting the item and if it is still needed. Warehouses can get full, and certain needs might be much greater than others. In D’Iberville we know that food is needed, not clothes. DO NOT just throw everything in a large box or bag. This makes it extremely difficult to tell what is donated and creates extra working sorting through your donation. DO divide your donation into categories. Put women’s clothing in one box and boy’s shoes in another. Putting like things together makes donations easier to distribute to people in need. DO label what you are sending. Be specific. Write as much information as possible on the box. Be sure the label matches what is inside. We sorted through clothing today in a box marked Kitchen Things. Today was an eye opener, but just a first look at the frustration and difficulties of helping people on such a large scale, despite the outpouring of support. Coming here is a huge education in how relief efforts work. We hope to use that knowledge to be better supporters in the future. Because of all the work that was needed from us today in the POD and the Red Cross Kitchen (our group not only cooked and served breakfast but served lunch and dinner) we were unable to attend a worship service, but were happy to find that we can attend worship at Gautier Presbyterian Church on Wednesday evening. Gautier is a town about 15 or 20 miles to the west of D’Iberville. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) also has a volunteer camp there. Though the work we did today was not the home deconstruction we had expected, it was still important to the community. We are learning that flexibility means doing what is needed, not what we expected. Bill, one of our group members, had a song that he remembered with very relevant lyrics: Inch by Inch, Row by Row, God’s Gonna Make His Garden Grow, One Helping Hand at a Time. We are honored to be those hands. Thank you to everyone for supporting us. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we do God’s work. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Saturday, Nov. 12	Many lots were covered in debris and devastation. After a wonderful breakfast with our host families and for many of us our final hot shower for who knows how long, we hit the road for D’Iberville. We moved around the passengers in the vans and enjoyed having the time to get to know other members of our group. We made great travel time in the morning and stopped at a small restaurant in Alabama for some delicious southern home cooking for our lunch. John also purchased a local delicacy, pickled pig lips, at the convenience store. Shockingly no one was brave enough to try them. This leg of our trip went much faster than before. We were able to make it to D’Iberville before dark and see some of the destruction of Katrina. As we drove through part of town on the way to our camp, things didn’t look as terrible as expected: it wasn’t until we looked past the cleanup and talked to the residents that we saw the devastation to both homes and lives. After we registered as volunteers with the city, we ate a hot meal at a Red Cross Station that serves both town residents and volunteers. It was the first chance we had of many to hear the personal stories of the people of D’Iberville. A few of us sat with a couple, Margaret and Tom, whose home was in the past of the hurricane. The entire first floors of the structure were damaged by the storm surge and debris. They’ve lost almost everything. Thirteen of the homes in their neighborhood were just bulldozed by the city after being condemned. Margaret says she’s still in shock and cries every day. But in the midst of all of this heartache, they are still hopeful. Margaret and Tom’s home is able to be rebuilt, and they have been reconstructing. Margaret smiled with true joy as she said that she got her first window today. Her house is starting to look like a home again. In every conversation we have had with residents, we have been awed and inspired by their resilience and deep faith. Some residents of D'Iberville have even said that they are blessed, despite all that has happened to them. We have settled nicely into our camp. We will be sleeping on cots in tents for 1,2,or 3 people. We met another group from Binghamton, NY who will be here with us for the week: others are expected tomorrow. We haven’t tried the cold showers yet, but heard they are warmest in the afternoon and are hoping the weather will stay warm when we return from work tomorrow. It’s a very small price to pay when many of the residents are living in tents or trailers. We all went to bed early, excited for the day ahead. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Friday, Nov. 11	Today was a full day of fellowship, travel and excitement for the work ahead. We met at the Lehigh Presbytery Office bright and early and accomplished the great feat of fitting all of our luggage and tools into the vans. It was quite the squeeze! We all were commissioned by our Teaching Presbyter and hit the vans for a full day of travel. It couldn't have been a more perfect day for the start of our trip. It was sunny and warm and the colors of the trees were a beautiful backdrop as we drove across the country. It was hard to believe it was November. We stopped for a few minutes at lunch to bask in the sunshine, but were halted midmeal by our demanding task manager Dick, now dubbed as "The Road Nazi." But his continual regulation of our stops allowed us to arrive in Farrugut, Tennessee ahead of schedule. We also learned about the limits of our CB radios, and the phrase of the day was definitely "Can you hear me now?" This evening we shared a delicious potlock dinner with members of Farragut Presbyterian Church and have been blessed with their generous hospitality of their members for tonight. We're all looking forward to a good night's sleep after a long day's journey. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
News Article	20 Local Volunteers from Lehigh Presbytery Head to D’Iberville, Mississippi To HelpWith Hurricane Katrina Cleanup Twenty local volunteers from Lehigh Presbytery will be heading to D’Iberville, Mississippi this week to assist people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. They will camp in tents with other work groups at a local softball park that is being used as a Camp and Volunteer Center run by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). During the week the volunteers will assist with debris removal, cleanup, and administration of the Volunteer Center in the town of D’Iberville. They look forward to providing help and hope to people whose lives have been devastated by the hurricane. The group will depart Friday, November 11 at 7:00 am from the Lehigh Presbytery Office (701 North Cedar Crest Blvd, Allentown, PA 18104-3494) after packing the vans with their luggage and tools and a Commissioning Ceremony by the Teaching Presbyter of the Lehigh Presbytery at 6:30 am. They will drive in vans to D’Iberville, MS and will stay with host families from Farragut Presbyterian Church in Farragut, TN (near Knoxville) the nights of November 11 and November 19. The volunteers will work at the Volunteer Center and in the town of D’Iberville November 13-18 and return to the Lehigh Presbytery Office November 20 at 7:30 pm. During the trip the group will post updates about the work they are doing and the region they are visiting. They look forward to sharing their experiences with friends and family back home who have provided funding and support. The trip is sponsored by the Lehigh Presbytery, a group of 35 churches in the Lehigh Valley and Eastern Pennsylvania. The 20 volunteers heading to D’Iberville are from 7 different churches: First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, The Church of the Mountain of Delaware Water Gap, College Hill Presbyterian Church of Easton, United Presbyterian Church of Pottsville, all part of the Lehigh Presbytery, along with 2 volunteers from St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church of Pottsville and Grace Baptist Church of Hazleton.