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| From Katrina 2009 Team |
This is Mo’s 3rd of our (so far) three trips to Biloxi. This time, at SUMA, the temporary home for habitat volunteers, he had an interesting encounter.
At the construction site we were told that there was a possibility that a future Habitat for Humanity homeowner might be eating dinner with us. They told us to be a little considerate and not bombard them all at once. I hoped to be able to shower before dinner, but we got back after 5 and dinner was at 5:30 (others were already using the shower). So, I did the best that I could to wash my face and make myself presentable in the dirty clothes I was wearing. I figured there would be little chance that I would be able to sit with one of them anyway, but God had other plans.
When I got my meal, surprisingly there was a seat next to a little boy and a woman who apparently was his mother. So, thinking that God had plans for me to sit there I put my tray down. Eric, Chris and Gary were already at the table sitting opposite them. The woman was Alex and the little boy was PJ her 2 year old son (who will be turning three on May 19). Alex was very friendly and more than willing to answer questions of us curious Asians. She also brought her two older daughters ages 9 and 4 and her sister. They sat at separate tables so they could be accessible to more people who came to dinner.
Alex is working towards qualifying for a Habitat for Humanity home. She has to put in 250 hours in working on Habitat for Humanity homes in order to qualify. As a result of Hurricane Katrina, Alex lost her home, but her sister’s home was spared. Out of a desire to help Alex get into a home, her sister helps Alex put in the 250 hours of sweat equity. So far she is about half way to that goal. She is going to school to become a nurse and should be complete with her classes in July. She has even been able to have some of her classmates help her to put in the sweat equity.
Alex was just married two days before Katrina hit and her home was destroyed. She didn’t say what happened to her husband and none of us wanted to pry into that part of her life. It was clear that she was looking to start a new life and having a home of her own was part of that plan. For now she is living in a FEMA trailer and doing what she can to raise three young children while trying to make a better living for all of them. Because of where she wants to live, none of the homes we have directly taken a part in building will be what she is looking for, but it was quite a privilege to meet with her and her young son, and to get to know them.
During dinner her 4 year old daughter came to Alex and said she wanted ice cream. The kitchen staff and her Mom convinced her that there was no ice cream, but providentially, Brent Kajikawa walked in with ice cream to celebrate Roy’s birthday, so we all had fund eating ice cream and sharing it with Alex and her family.
Before we left the cafeteria, we were all able to surround them and pray for them. Meeting the Barnes family was a wonderful opportunity to put a human face to the ministry we came to Mississippi to do. God bless the wonderful time we had tonight.