Live from Pearlington - 2

Pearlington, Mississippi
Monday, October 31, 2005

It seemed a little less cold last night, but plenty cold enough. The reception, however, has been warm and residents keep coming up to welcome Canada Jon back to town. I'm doing what good I can and Nancy spent some of the day taking an inventory of all the supplies still on skids outside the Aid Mart. It was there she discovered The Great Travesty.

I'll leave it to her to share all the details, but I need to tell you a little to explain what came after that for me. There are three skids here from a certain children's group that supposedly contain Care Kits for kids. Inside, Nancy discovered things like mustache wax, tanning dye, upper lip hair bleach....things like that. In fact, there was NOTHING in the care kit that a child could ever use, let alone a child in a hurricane situation. Everybody is incensed. Nancy is all over it and we'll keep you posted.

I met a woman standing quietly outside the Aid Mart, waiting for it to open. Her name is Theresa. Theresa lost everything in the storm - her home and her business. She has nothing. I discovered she has a beauty salon, a business she started to feed her family after her husband left. It will take some time for all the cleanup to get her up and running again to make a living. In the meantime, she took some work with a company contracted to do repairs and does secretarial work for them. She is a strong woman who has never had to ask for help and we chatted over breakfast and we cried together.

Her faith in God touched me. She recently was selected by a travelling team of carpenters to be the recipient of their services and 21 of them worked to strip out her salon and home for a full day. It would have taken her alone more than a month to do the same job. She believes God sent them. She believes He'll provide. Over biscuits, grits and ham we talked quietly; about faith, Canada, children, deadbeat Dads and hope. Then I had a thought....

I took her over to where The Travesty had unfolded and filled her truck with beauty products from the so-called children's care kits. They might as well do some good for somebody. She'll use the material to re-stock her business and will send over other colleagues who could do the same. She's offered to come on Karaoke Night (Friday) and cut hair, do makeup and nails and generally offer some of the local women a chance to feel pretty again. She got some groceries at Aid Mart and left smiling, for the first time in weeks. Theresa is good people and God DOES provide. Just ask her. There is a young boy here named Buster. He was befriended by Frisco Jen, when we
were here in September. Buster is a member of some kind of Junior Fire Club thing and has attached himself to one of the units here fighting fires from out of town. He spends the day in his junior firefighter boots and jacket, running errands and "being in charge of the unit." Just ask him.

The men are kind and generous to him and he sits like them, works like them and eats with them. Yesterday, he was climbing on the back of a four wheeler to head out somewhere. He lost his balance and reached out for the man's shoulder sitting in front of him. Steadying himself he sat down and patted the man on the back in thanks. It was a small, intimate moment for a small young man and it had me instantly in tears. Buster's doing well, Jen. He sends his love. He wants to know when you're coming back.

Speaking of Frisco Jen, her Dad and his wife are here. In fact, they've been here a month and do a tremendous job. Joe Clark runs the Aid Mart now and his wife Sharon is a nurse. Joe is the go-to man here and has his finger on the pulse of everything that could benefit these people. He has facilitated water pumps and trailers and now trailer kits to fill those FEMA trailers up with useful appliances and tools. He's a great guy and has befriended me, giving me a solid base from which to work. The Red Cross workers are likewise caring and hard-working, regardless of what politics and fumbles that agency commits. We are all here doing what we can and trying to love Pearlington back to life. Joe even has locals working in the Aid Mart to help their neighbours. If there is something you need....just ask him.

Today, Nancy is out in the community with Lynn, a woman she met, delivering food and supplies where needed and making sure those who can't get into town get what they need. I have some home visits to make and I'll be working on the Pearlington blog. Of course, things will come up and I also believe God will provide.

Just ask me.