Our 4th Trip: June 27-July 4, 2009

Click here to visit our 2009 trip Blog!

In the first week of July 2006, a group from Old Pine Church went to Pearlington, Mississippi to work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance on post-Hurricane Katrina recovery. The trip "stuck." We've headed down to the Gulf Coast each summer since. Last year 18 members and friends headed down July 4-11 , 2008 to continue the rebuilding process, bringing hope to the folks of this small town. For 2009, our team of 19 once again returned to the small town of Pearlington to renew old friendships and continue the recovery efforts.

We are mostly unskilled workers with nothing but our faith and a willingness to learn. Over the three trips we've insulated, dry walled, framed, put on the final trim and helped Pam and Bubba, Mary, Mama, Matthew, Jack, Izzy and Mary, Terry, Whitney, Hezekiah, Lester and Miss Lily return home again. In the end, we received far more than we gave.

Pearlington is a small town (population 1600) located about an hour northeast of New Orleans. It was directly in the path of the eye of Katrina and experienced 10-20 feet of flooding from the Gulf and the nearby Pearl River. Many trees fell, and the mud damage from the floodwaters meant that most houses had to be gutted. While some homes have been rebuilt, much work remains to be done. Those who could afford the building materials have had their houses begun or even completed. Many can not afford to buy the materials and have had to wait for grant money. Many folks in Pearlington continue to live in FEMA trailers, waiting.

Pearlington touched our hearts and so we return again and again and again until the work is completed and the townsfolk are out of FEMA trailers and in their homes.

For more information please visit Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.