RGPC PDA Mission Trip
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Saturday Night in Cedar Ridge KY
Greetings from our Saturday night stop over. We are at a Presbyterian Camp just outside of Louisville KY. We had a great day for travel,...unlike the weather at home it was 60 and sunny most of the way. We logged 660 miles today and have about 350 left for Sunday....ETA should be somewhere around 3 EST. Thanks to all who logged into this blog...your posts of encouragement. The team is tired but satisfied...we made a difference down in MS...lives are getting better each day as is life in the Gulf still a long way to go though and many more missions in the future. I will relay this one story that Ella told me as I sat in her FEMA trailer on Friday..when we were in MS last Nov she really wanted to get out of MS and never go back.....but the day we completed gutting out her house was the day things started turning around...Rick told her then that there were a lot of folks from Michigan praying for her and all of our Gulf Family...because they are all our family. Ella said when Rick...a Reverend...a man of GOD said that to her she knew things were going to be all right....and now a year later they are much better and getting better by the day....Ella asked that I thank you all for our prayers and support...and God Bless Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church
¶ 11:28 PM
Coming Home!!!
Sometimes technology is really cool! This is a picture taken on a cell phone and e-mailed to me- entitled "Lunch in 'Bama" So the group got off OK this morning, and they are on their way back, to arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon (Sunday)in the church parking lot, after quite a productive week, with loads of pictures and stories to share. YAY!!!!!
Ellen Leigh ¶ 4:19 PM
Sometimes technology is really cool! This is a picture taken on a cell phone and e-mailed to me- entitled "Lunch in 'Bama" So the group got off OK this morning, and they are on their way back, to arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon (Sunday)in the church parking lot, after quite a productive week, with loads of pictures and stories to share. YAY!!!!!
Ellen Leigh ¶ 4:19 PM
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Mike Koelzer's Team
Mike- tasting, er, um, I mean testing the thin set
Since Monday the Koelzer team has been at the home of Pinky Powe. Pinky makes her living as a Phlebotomist at a hospital in Mobile Alabama. There are countless family members ...sisters, nieces, nephews who live within a block. Pinky has a 5 bedroom 2 bath house in East Biloxi. The water reached 6 ft and the water damage was extensive. Pinky had just carpeted her house prior to Katrina. All the floors and walls were damaged and have been replaced. All the floors are now ceramic tile and we bring an expert Tile man Mike Koelzer to the job. Mike has very patiently showed New RGPC member and Katrina II veteran Beth Wadsworth the ins and outs of laying tile. Beth has proven to be a quick study and has done great work on the job
Beth- tiling the floor
Mike's Mom Ruth has extensive experience as does Ed Gottron, a colleague of John Cargill at Garden City Hospital. Ed is also very adept at finish carpentry and has cut and installed crown molding throughout the house.
Ed finds thin set to his liking too. Ruth smokin' in the bathroom.
Mike- tasting, er, um, I mean testing the thin setSince Monday the Koelzer team has been at the home of Pinky Powe. Pinky makes her living as a Phlebotomist at a hospital in Mobile Alabama. There are countless family members ...sisters, nieces, nephews who live within a block. Pinky has a 5 bedroom 2 bath house in East Biloxi. The water reached 6 ft and the water damage was extensive. Pinky had just carpeted her house prior to Katrina. All the floors and walls were damaged and have been replaced. All the floors are now ceramic tile and we bring an expert Tile man Mike Koelzer to the job. Mike has very patiently showed New RGPC member and Katrina II veteran Beth Wadsworth the ins and outs of laying tile. Beth has proven to be a quick study and has done great work on the job
Beth- tiling the floor
Mike's Mom Ruth has extensive experience as does Ed Gottron, a colleague of John Cargill at Garden City Hospital. Ed is also very adept at finish carpentry and has cut and installed crown molding throughout the house.
Ed finds thin set to his liking too. Ruth smokin' in the bathroom.
I am the 5th member of the team and have concentrated my efforts on holding the stupid end of the tape measure, nailing molding around the ceiling and mostly entertaining my new little buddy Q a delightful 3 year old who has served as field boss for most of the job. Q was without the proper equipment so the team bought him an apron and Safety glasses. 
Me and 'Q'
To date our group has installed tile in 2 rooms and hallways as well as replacing a number of wall tiles in the bathrooms and moldings in living room and hallway. We had a little extra time today due to a backorder on tiles for the hall...our hope is to get them tomorrow and finish up the job. We used the down time to tour much of East Biloxi. We visited St Michaels Catholic Church which is back up and running having services there 4 days a week. The church is consistently drawing between 200 and 300 to every service. We also visited the Katrina memorial which was created by numerous parties including the Folks from Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
As many of you know this is the third trip for 11 of us ....the second to East Biloxi. Yesterday my group got to see the fruits of our Labor from Katrina I. We visited the soon to be REOCCUPIED home of Reginald and Ella. They have been living in a FEMA trailer since last November and their home was our final project in Nov 05. It was the day that the whole Team Michigan Got to work together. We gutted out that house ...taking it down to wall studs and sub floor. I had long wondered what had become of Reginald and Ella and their home. We pulled up in front of their house and I walked around to the FEMA trailer and knocked on the door. I heard a woman's voice and asked if that was Ella and she said it was. As I started to identify who I was she came to the door and Said YOU CAME BACK. She seemed genuinely happy to see us and insisted on taking us on a tour of her home. Habitat for Humanity has redone the entire interior...adding a second bath and making it a place that Ella can hardly wait to move in to .....with any luck that will happen next week. 
"You came back!"
More to follow
Warm Blankets, Warm Hearts
The women of Rosedale spent well over 2000 hours knitting and crocheting a total of 27 patch work blankets to show people devastated by hurricanes how much they really care. The blankets were all sent down along with the 22 on the trip to be delivered to people in need of warmth and cheer. Each family helped this week received one such blanket to warm them on a cold night.
Ellen Leigh ¶ 10:42 AM
The women of Rosedale spent well over 2000 hours knitting and crocheting a total of 27 patch work blankets to show people devastated by hurricanes how much they really care. The blankets were all sent down along with the 22 on the trip to be delivered to people in need of warmth and cheer. Each family helped this week received one such blanket to warm them on a cold night.
Ellen Leigh ¶ 10:42 AM
Tuesday and Wednesday Updates Leo's Crew
Greetings on the night the Tigers got rained out. Today was another busy day out in the field. The Team Lead by Leo Ouellette...our friend and Brother from Allen Park Presbyterian Church has spent the past 2 days Antonette Gines...a single lady with no children. Antonette purchased her home before Katrina...She spent every last dime and all of her energy making her fixer upper livable only to have Katrina take it all away. Over the past several months several faith based groups have helped to turn the chaos into hope for Antonette. Faced with 7.5 feet of water courtesy of Katrina Antonette's home was a total loss. Our role in the recovery of her home has been what Leo referred to as "doing the last 10%" Our group has hung doors, installed crown molding, hung ceiling fans and lights put switch plate covers on and tomorrow the crew will install her kitchen cupboards. Antonette works 12-14 hours per day and thus far the only communication with Antonette has been by letter and note. Leo spoke with Antonette on the phone today and she is thrilled and said the group has far exceeded her expectations. Crew Chief Leo says the house will be just about ready for move in by Friday....Since there is no Gas hookup Antonette will not be able to move totally in and will have to stay in the FEMA trailer on the side of her house until gas can be restored. Leo says no matter how hard they work...he receives more than he puts in and he speaks for the group...it is truly a faith based action. Crew Member on Leo's team include...Art Cole, Paul Franklin Amy Smith, Sue Witte ¶ 12:08 AM
Greetings on the night the Tigers got rained out. Today was another busy day out in the field. The Team Lead by Leo Ouellette...our friend and Brother from Allen Park Presbyterian Church has spent the past 2 days Antonette Gines...a single lady with no children. Antonette purchased her home before Katrina...She spent every last dime and all of her energy making her fixer upper livable only to have Katrina take it all away. Over the past several months several faith based groups have helped to turn the chaos into hope for Antonette. Faced with 7.5 feet of water courtesy of Katrina Antonette's home was a total loss. Our role in the recovery of her home has been what Leo referred to as "doing the last 10%" Our group has hung doors, installed crown molding, hung ceiling fans and lights put switch plate covers on and tomorrow the crew will install her kitchen cupboards. Antonette works 12-14 hours per day and thus far the only communication with Antonette has been by letter and note. Leo spoke with Antonette on the phone today and she is thrilled and said the group has far exceeded her expectations. Crew Chief Leo says the house will be just about ready for move in by Friday....Since there is no Gas hookup Antonette will not be able to move totally in and will have to stay in the FEMA trailer on the side of her house until gas can be restored. Leo says no matter how hard they work...he receives more than he puts in and he speaks for the group...it is truly a faith based action. Crew Member on Leo's team include...Art Cole, Paul Franklin Amy Smith, Sue Witte ¶ 12:08 AM
Monday, October 23, 2006
Monday in Mississippi
Greetings from Camp Orange Grove. Today our team split up into 4 groups...3 went into East Biloxi and one group stayed at the camp to do much needed special projects around the camp. Our Boy Scout Troop donated a griddle for use at the camp. A group constructed a griddle table made from discarded wood and old pallets. Another group at the camp constructed a platform in a storage shed, another group made camp maps, procedure manuals and posters of the campgrounds to show the layout. By conservative estimates more than 4000 volunteers go thru Camp Orange Grove a Year...we're all here for a short time and by putting procedures and maps in place it will hopefully make the stay here much easier and productive. There are litterally thousands of donated items from lightbulbs to table saws and everything in between that are here in storage units...We'll be doing an inventory of those items to make finding them easy. Perhaps not the dirty sweaty work some expected ..that will come once we get into the field, but important none the less. Tonight because our favorite Baseball will be not be playing we'll be enjoying games of our own.....Euchre, Yahtze and assorted card games for fun and fellowship. Great prizes have been assured.....More later on ¶ 3:44 PM
Greetings from Camp Orange Grove. Today our team split up into 4 groups...3 went into East Biloxi and one group stayed at the camp to do much needed special projects around the camp. Our Boy Scout Troop donated a griddle for use at the camp. A group constructed a griddle table made from discarded wood and old pallets. Another group at the camp constructed a platform in a storage shed, another group made camp maps, procedure manuals and posters of the campgrounds to show the layout. By conservative estimates more than 4000 volunteers go thru Camp Orange Grove a Year...we're all here for a short time and by putting procedures and maps in place it will hopefully make the stay here much easier and productive. There are litterally thousands of donated items from lightbulbs to table saws and everything in between that are here in storage units...We'll be doing an inventory of those items to make finding them easy. Perhaps not the dirty sweaty work some expected ..that will come once we get into the field, but important none the less. Tonight because our favorite Baseball will be not be playing we'll be enjoying games of our own.....Euchre, Yahtze and assorted card games for fun and fellowship. Great prizes have been assured.....More later on ¶ 3:44 PM
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Sunday Night
¶ 9:59 PM
Greetings from Camp Orange Grove. All 22 are in camp anxious to get
started. Work begins at 9am. Will send a full report and pictures. GO
TIGERS
¶ 9:59 PM
Good Sunday to All
Greetings from La Grange TN. We are just getting our day started......its 6:40 TN time. We will be departing here around 8 with hopes of Hitting Camp Orange Grove by 4. Yesterday was long but was filled with a lot of laughter and good fellowship. We managed to play musical cars with just about everyone getting into all 3 cars in their caravan. Directions were good and aside from one person who will remain nameless getting pulled over by TN finest 10 miles from the camp for doing 42 in a 30 the drive was smooth....Said unnamed driver did NOT get a ticket and I promised er....um....that would be HE promised to watch his speed the rest of the time in sleepy hamlet of Moscow TN....for those of you travelling to Moscow...there is a speed trap just a holler from the railroad tracks...
We will try to update from the road and hopefully have some pictures uploaed when we get to Orange Grove.
God Bless and Thank you for your support
Team Michigan
¶ 7:55 AM
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Mount Up!
Team Michigan finished packing up this morning and piled into cars for the long trip down to Orange Grove Mississippi. They will be spending the night somewhere on route and finishing the journey on Sunday. Family and friends all turned out to see them off as dawn broke. So with a final prayer they're off on another adventure!
Some are old timers- having been on all three disaster missions so far, and some are new to the experience, but all are sure to have a wonderful time. And may God Bless!
The photo album to the right (the one with the little camera on it) has some photos taken last night and this morning, and more are sure to follow, so be sure to check back!
Ellen Leigh ¶ 9:30 AM
Team Michigan finished packing up this morning and piled into cars for the long trip down to Orange Grove Mississippi. They will be spending the night somewhere on route and finishing the journey on Sunday. Family and friends all turned out to see them off as dawn broke. So with a final prayer they're off on another adventure!
Some are old timers- having been on all three disaster missions so far, and some are new to the experience, but all are sure to have a wonderful time. And may God Bless!
The photo album to the right (the one with the little camera on it) has some photos taken last night and this morning, and more are sure to follow, so be sure to check back!
Ellen Leigh ¶ 9:30 AM
Friday, October 20, 2006
Hurricane Katrina
Below are a few pictures taken of the hurricane 'Katrina' which struck August 29, 2005, near where Team Michigan is headed. Be sure to look in the photo album link to the right for photos taken this evening as they started to load up for the trip down to Mississippi on October 21.
Ellen Leigh
¶ 8:53 PM
Ellen Leigh
¶ 8:53 PM
Mission - where the rubber meets the road and Jesus isn’t the only carpenter
Stewardship Notes:
Wednesday night. 3 days till the K3 Hurricane Mission Trip. Many tasks accomplished, many to go. Excitement, concern, planning, phone calls, emails, preparation. Prayer for a safe and successful mission trip. Days pass in slow motion until the mission team gathers, and then the days seem to pass so quickly. We go to answer the great commission, to serve our Lord. Our lives will be touched, and we will touch the lives of others.
How does this happen? How do 22 people gather this time to travel over a thousand miles to the south – and back, work five days, and bond into an incredible efficient and effective team? How have we sent three hurricane teams to the south in just one year, youth to build homes and churches for many years, adults to improve Christian summer camps, and food and clothing deliveries to those in need?
With this hurricane response trip we proceed with support far beyond that of our 22 member team. We proceed with the support of our God, our families, and our Church. We proceed with financial donations, quilts knitted and sewn by dozens of faithful servants, music compiled to inspire us, food prepared for our journey, Bibles donated and collected, the loan of a trailer and scout equipment, and a massive propane stove for the camp. We proceed embraced in prayer.
How does “mission” happen? Mission happens when there is a Church, a faithful body of Christians, who recognize that their stewardship, their sharing of time talent and treasure, is how Christians translate words into action, faith into practice. Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian is our church, the stewardship of its’ members is our foundation, and participation in mission is our expression of Christ’s love.
Thank you for your faithful stewardship. For you support of the growth and mission of this church. Together we achieve good things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On behalf of the Stewardship Committee,
Brother John ¶ 5:09 PM
Wednesday night. 3 days till the K3 Hurricane Mission Trip. Many tasks accomplished, many to go. Excitement, concern, planning, phone calls, emails, preparation. Prayer for a safe and successful mission trip. Days pass in slow motion until the mission team gathers, and then the days seem to pass so quickly. We go to answer the great commission, to serve our Lord. Our lives will be touched, and we will touch the lives of others.
How does this happen? How do 22 people gather this time to travel over a thousand miles to the south – and back, work five days, and bond into an incredible efficient and effective team? How have we sent three hurricane teams to the south in just one year, youth to build homes and churches for many years, adults to improve Christian summer camps, and food and clothing deliveries to those in need?
With this hurricane response trip we proceed with support far beyond that of our 22 member team. We proceed with the support of our God, our families, and our Church. We proceed with financial donations, quilts knitted and sewn by dozens of faithful servants, music compiled to inspire us, food prepared for our journey, Bibles donated and collected, the loan of a trailer and scout equipment, and a massive propane stove for the camp. We proceed embraced in prayer.
How does “mission” happen? Mission happens when there is a Church, a faithful body of Christians, who recognize that their stewardship, their sharing of time talent and treasure, is how Christians translate words into action, faith into practice. Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian is our church, the stewardship of its’ members is our foundation, and participation in mission is our expression of Christ’s love.
Thank you for your faithful stewardship. For you support of the growth and mission of this church. Together we achieve good things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On behalf of the Stewardship Committee,
Brother John ¶ 5:09 PM
