Wonderful News from Pearlington!

GREAT news out of Pearlington!

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), one of the founding members of C.O.D.R.A. under the skilled local direction of Charlie Holmes, has announced a new grant of $250,000 from American Baptist Churches - USA. Two of their representatives visited Pearlington a few weeks ago and were clearly touched by the needs there. Nell Nation sends the photo below, of Kenneth George (left) and Vickie Goff posing with Rev. Rawls at the Missionary Church, where they're still serving lunches daily.

Three cheers for CBF! More details will be shared as they become available.

Upcoming Volunteer Trips to Pearlington:

Curt Liedel posts this:

"We have 25 to 30 folks from Howell, Michigan heading your way on Nov. 4th. We will be at the PDA camp with 40 or 50 other folks from Michigan."

John Chickering sends this:

"Franklin United Methodist Church is probably going to head back to MS in 2007. In fact, I'm working on two trips. One is the week of March 10th - 17th. The other is the week of July 7th - 14th. Let's plan on around 20 each time. I've just started the sign up process for the March trip. We'd like to head back over to the Pearlington Recovery Center."

Larry Charbonneau logs in also, with this:

"We are also starting to think about a trip in February or March. I will keep you all in touch."

CBF Activities:

Nell Nation sends along an update on their activities:

"The team from Winter Park Bapt. Church, Wilmington, NC, is there (AGAIN) doing what they do best....foundations and getting houses ready for finish work. What a great team! Some of them have decided to stay thru next week! They even have some folks from New Hampshire helping out.

The most telling clue of success was the number of people who had lunch at First Missionary Bapt. Church. The building was full, and volunteers kept coming. There are a lot of workers in Pearlington building houses. In Sept. the lunch crowd was down to fewer than 15. November is looking good.

We visited Lois and Debra Kelly. Their house is about 4-6 inches off it's foundation and to repair it was going to be a nightmare. Some group has taken on this repair job [Bucks-Mont Katrina Relief Project - more on this later - Ed.], so we will move on to the next project.

One of the teams coming in next week is Calvary Baptist - Denver (our Colorado hurch). We will be there to greet them Sunday....

Next Thursday evening a truckload of furniture, appliances and other goods will be arriving from Rome & Cave Springs, GA. Driver is Barbara Elliott, choir director of Rome Presbyterian Church. She & two friends will be staying overnight. Then on Saturday 11/11, Lynn Lusk (Beauregard United Methodist Church, Wesson, MS) will be bringing more furniture. Things are taking shape in Pearlington.

Thanks to all who are helping out!"

Plea for Help:

Linda Edwards of Pickin’ Up The Pieces, is urgently asking for help:

"Pickin' Up the Pieces is continuing relief efforts in Pearlington, Mississippi. We just had 10 volunteers return from a very successful rebuilding trip October 1-5.

We are returning to Mississippi Nov. 17 - 20. We will be leaving Savannah Friday evening, working Sat. and Sun., returning no later than mid-day Monday. Our plan is to finish up a home (see photo below) that was started by the One House at a Time Project. The home primarily needs some electrical and plumbing work done before the family of 7 (including 1 wheelchair bound family member) can move into their new home. Be a part of enabling this family to spend their first holiday in their new home!

We desperately need an electrician, a plumber and a generally handy person to accompany us on a very short (4 day) rebuilding trip. If you are one or know of one, please contact us ASAP.

We are also planning other volunteer trips in the upcoming months. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, if you want to be involved, or know of an organization and/or person that would be interested in accompanying us, we would love to share our information."

Gulf residents still need our help desperately.

www.pickinupthepieces.org
Tel: (912) 429-4220

Speaking of One House At A Time, please check out this link to their organization. They need out support!