Great Valley Presbyterian Church

Mississippi '06

Introduction

These photos tell the story of our "Mississippi '06" mission trip. In August, the twelve of us from Great Valley Presbyterian Church in Malvern, Pennsylvania travelled to Waveland and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to provide assistance and spiritual comfort to the folks there who survived last year's terrible Hurricane Katrina.

The Philadelphia Inquirer accurately described Waveland as a place where "time stands still... In many respects it is still Aug. 29, 2005." As of our visit (August 13-19, 2006), nearly one year had passed since the hurricane struck, and yet the whole region is still reeling and struggling to rebuild. The scope of the disaster is staggering and mind-numbing, and it can make any possible assistance from a dozen out-of-towners seem so, so tiny. But for the handful of residents in whose homes we worked, we were able to have a positive impact, and that's something.

Perhaps just as important, though, is the impact that Waveland and Bay St. Louis had on us. This was an incredibly memorable experience that touched us all in ways both expected and unexpected. Amidst all the hard work, the heat (Mississippi in August -- 'nuff said), and some minor personal discomforts (like Mississippi mosquitos that had a Yankee feast!), we formed new bonds of friendship with each other and with the residents we were helping. We heard stories of terrible suffering and lingering uncertainty for the future. We saw devastated neighborhoods that were truly more reminiscent of the Third World than the United States. But we also saw signs of hope and resolve among a people determined to reclaim their towns, their schools, and their homes... as one woman's T-shirt urged, to "Get back to where we once belonged."

So, these photos tell the story of our trip... but they only tell part of the story.