Bay St. Louis

After Hurricane Katrina hit, Christ Church made its first pilgrimage with some parishioners to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to serve in the ravaged areas. Since then, we have been taking several annual trips per year as a parish. Parishioners have also journeyed with larger groups organized by our Diocese. Parishioners stay at Mission on the Bay, a Christian community of faith that provides hospitality, lodging and meals to volunteers. Mission on the Bay operates recovery and reconstruction missions for those in need on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Volunteer work crews composed of all levels of skill and ages are organized daily to go out into the communities to help residents. Mission on the Bay welcomes volunteers and groups that have volunteers under the age 16. There are construction projects; however, they are currently concentrating on "de-mucking" and clean-up crews, allowing our younger volunteers the ability to work in the community with-out previous construction skills.

The recovery process has been approximated to take a minimum of 10 years. Volunteer help will be needed for years to come. Please keep not only Mission on the Bay in your thoughts and prayers but those in the community whom have been given such inspiration from volunteers all across the globe. Volunteers are able to stay in military style Quonset huts, sleeping in barrack style bunk beds. Both male and female units are insulated as well as heated and cooled (there are separate male and female sleeping buildings). Volunteers are also provided separate, male and female, bathrooms (private showers, toilets, and sinks). Three meals a day are provided to volunteers as well as snack foods, bottled water, and beverages. We have a suggested donation of $20 per volunteer per night.

"Until you have been in a FEMA trailer, you cannot imagine its smallness and the impact on its occupants. Unbelievable that someone could survive over 2 years living in one. There is still so much to be done but there has already been so much accomplished."
- Helen Godwin, Participant

"The needs in that part of the world are still huge. It is very rewarding to help someone get closer to moving into their home 2.5 years after the storm."
- Kate Hill, Bay St. Louis Participant 

Click here for pictures from Bay St. Louis.

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