The church which I attend supports a relief effort in Pearlington, Mississippi, just about a stone’s throw from the Louisana border and about 35 miles from downtown New Orleans. The area got hit hard by Katrina and it still shows. I visited there this week with a very small group from my church to conduct the worship services at Pearlington Church of Christ.
Every other week their regular minister is on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. This leaves them without a preacher those Sundays. We filled the gap this Sunday.
I was asked to lead singing for the congregation. I tried to pick out songs which were common favorites among those we were with. Their church building was constructed this summer. There remains some parking lot paving which needs to be done.
Like many before us, we slept on air matresses with some of us on pews. There was a youth group from Lafayette, TN there to help clean up the area around the church.
The area of Pearlington could be described as swampland to those uninitiated. Large trees with moss hanging from them. Somehow the area could be a great setting for a horror movie.
And yet sometimes I couldn’t tell where the devistation of Katrina began and where the packrat mentality ended. I mean every town has that redneck neighbor that keeps their car up on blocks in the front yard. But somehow it seemed that every house looked junky, except for maybe those really nice houses which were already fixed up. Apparently they had insurance.
Still what goes through my mind is what would compel someone to built their house in a obvious flood plain/recovered swampland. I saw lake front homes built along the coast of their lake where the shoreline came up practically to their backdoor, while on the otherside is marshland. No doubt these houses would be first to go once a major hurricane got near.
I did get to put my feet into the Gulf of Mexico – Gulfport, MS, was a detour for us on the way back. The negative was that I didn’t bring my swim suit. Oh well…next time.