the first week

hi folks!
This is Friday of my first week here in Mississippi. The church group from home leaves tonight around 7.
Notes have been kept from each day-
Last Saturday, before leaving at 6 PM, was spent packing and loading the car-an exhausting, all-day job, for not everything was packed yet, plus it all had to be carried up to the car level.
The Lord blessed us with 70 degree weather, in Ohio, in March.

After the all-night drive, we arrived at the Christian Life Center around 12:30 PM. Last year, it was 3 PM when we arrived, so we cut the trip shorter. Praise The Lord. We had the rest of the day and evening to ourselves. Some went to New Orleans: I had done that last year, and elected to stay in the area. Tim and Connie Garber, Geri Frascone, Helen Bradshaw and yours truly rode around the area , recognizing changes. The shore line of Pass Christian once again has homes, and looks "normal"in many places. There is more money there for various repairs, I am told. Tim told us that three years ago, nothing existed on that shoreline-it was all washed away. Some of Waveland's streets still are not paved, due to lack of tax base.

The early afternoon was spent finding the room to which I was assigned and getting various essentials inside for the night. The room is not big enough to bring everything at once. For supper, the viewing group went to a local restaurant-we wanted some of the local cuisine, rather than McDonalds, or any other fast food chain (They are popping back up.) The food was too spicy hot for my taste-I expected the seasoning on the meat, but it went through all the vegetables as well. A mixture of corn, rice, peas and shrimp, which I would normally like, were "ruined" by hot spices, in my opinion. Of course, the locals must expect it.
After cleaning up from the hot, sweaty day, we played "13" , a rummy-type game in which the wild cards change with each hand.

Back in Ohio, Deb says they are expecting snow.

Monday: In the thrift store, I am assigned to sit with the cash register while the men on staff move furniture and boxes of books that are in a tent that flooded last week.
I rang up over $100. in sales: others did more. It was a good day. The rest of the day was spent sizing jeans and putting tags on them. David is still here! He was manager of the thrift store last year, and I was not sure whether he would be here. His son Gage arrived in January. Greg is the other man who works with us.
Physically, I have not felt well all day.
We were served enchilada pie for supper, very good. Peggy and Del work volunteer from early October to around April 1. Peggy is our excellent cook: Del does a number of things, including maintaining the coffee bar in the kitchen and working in landscaping in the community.

Tuesday
Last night, I was sick with chills. Helen, who has been sick all week, rode with me in the car a good part of the trip. I do not know if I caught something from her. I am improved, but still do not feel "normal."
The Christian Life Center ordered crab for Thursday night. We had the choice of hard shell or soft shell, so I ordered one of each, just for the experience, not really understanding the difference.
I am invited to lunch tomorrow with other staff. Del and Peggy plan to leave for Iowa early on Friday morning, and want the whole day Thursday to pack. She pulls a fifth-wheel trailer, in which they live full-time, and he pulls a trailer behind his dump truck on which he hauls his tractor. Professionally, he is a landscaper, moving his business seasonally. They have been here for three years (see above). They told us they park in Walmart lots as they travel. Camping folks know that Walmart allows this, without hookups, of course.
Wednesday
Finally, I am feeling like myself again. PTL. We are still praying for Helen, who has been sick all week. Apparently, whatever we had, it was not related. After working in the store, I went to lunch with the others, as planned. We went to a Chinese buffet, and enjoyed it very much.
The coffee house, a Christian Life Center event, is held on Wednesday night. The cafeteria is totally transformed into a low light, coffee house with an unbelievable menu, waitresses, servers, lamp-light. etc. Tables are decorated with old bags that held coffee at one time-similar to the old-time flour sacks, but made of burlap and labeled for coffee from various parts of the world.
One of the customers said she has grandchildren in two schools: One of their families was totally flooded out of their home, the other family only suffered damage to the home. Of the schools they attended, the ones who were flooded out got nothing, the others, who did not need it, were given gifts over a long period of time. One grand-daughter, in the flooded family, was distraught because her best friend moved out of the area, her pet drowned, and everything she ever owned was gone. The girl was 12, I understand.
The coffee house ministry is intended to invite the community to a non-church event to become acquainted. It has existed for several years, and is very popular. Last year it was being served by volunteers: this year, teens from the community served the refreshments.