Doing My Part to Rebuild the Gulf Coast...You should do yours...

With Gustav approaching the coast, I can’t help but remember my trip to Waveland, MS after Katrina in 2006.

I remember how absolutely shocked I was. You will see in the photos that little had been accomplished when we had arrived. I couldn’t understand why people in this country were not rushing to the aid of these towns that were buried under debris. Homes and families were torn apart and displaced. Photos, memories, and reminders of life were literally littering the streets. Many elderly were living in FEMA trailers with no access to running water, or even drinking water. It was as if I had stepped into a third world country.

I have attached photos from my trip so that you can get an idea of what I saw when I volunteered there. This is the reality that may face our coast this week, and I want to encourage anyone who can do something to be proactive if this storm hit’s the gulf coast.

I met heroes that year. Below is a true story that I uncovered during my time in Waveland, and it is one that I will tell my children and grandchildren. I will never forget Mrs. Suzie.



Ms. Suzie: I know he watches me

In most parts of Waveland, MS, the water swells reached up to 32 feet. Ms. Suzie (83 years old) and her paralyzed elderly husband were some of the residents that were caught in the storm. With the water rising quickly, they were literally washed out of their home. Suzie was pulling her paralyzed husband in the wake to a nearby oak tree. There, she managed to tie herself to the tree while holding her husband on a door frame (you'll see it behind her in the video), and clung for dear life for 2 days, until rescuers could reach her. When I met her, she was living in a trailer with her husband with no running water.

When I first met her, I had heard how much she loved music. She gave us a special concert, and I weep every time I watch it (below). I didn’t leave Mississippi without making sure I did my part to help Suzie and her husband. When I asked her what I could do for her…all she wanted was a tape player with batteries. She said that she wanted to use it to sing in church again.

In life, we have to remember that our journey in this world is to listen to the human spirit within us, and follow our hearts when we feel called to act. We must contribute to the progression of the world. We must reach out, beyond our differences, to improve the challenges that face our fellow man and our country. We must make the difference….Please pray for our fellow Americans!