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Tommy’s DC Hammer Reflection


Tommy, a veteran from ’07 and ’08, was co-leader of this year’s team. Maybe more importantly, he was the escort for DC Hammer

I brought DC Hammer down to Biloxi hoping to pound many nails in honor of my friend and last year’s team leader Dennis Cho. Tuesday morning as we started to assemble top and bottom plates of wall sections, I hammered a few nails more concerned about accuracy than honor. After settling in to a routine, I paused and lifted a prayer for my friend. It felt good as I imagined that each blow was somehow killing a cancer cell. After a few more honorary blows, DC suddenly changed. Here I was using a hammer to pound nails to honor my friend, hoping to Defeat Cancer. But wasn’t it a hammer that drove the nails into Jesus’ hands and feet? DC became the Death of Christ. It was surreal for a while as I hammered nails visualizing Jesus outstretched hands and realizing it was because of my sin that Jesus had to be nailed to the cross. After remembering that Jesus resurrected on that Easter morning, DC became the Deity of Christ.

Every morning, this year’s team leader, Craig Kakihara, led us in a devotion (more DC’s – Devoted Craig, Dutiful Craig, Dependable Craig and Dedicated Craig). I appreciated the devotions and the authority with which he delivered them – authority that comes from speaking forth the Word of God. He reminded us that if we are Devoted to Christ, then there should be Deeds for Christ. These deeds should not only be physical (like building houses) but also in sowing seeds that will lead to Decisions for Christ.

So all of this pretty well summarizes this year’s experience down in the Gulf Coast. I began with a single idea and God redeemed and multiplied it beyond what I could think or imagine. DC began with my wanting to honor a friend and it ended up blessing me beyond measure. It reminded me that God is good and Definitely Compassionate and God is great and Divinely in Control.

I was truly blessed to be led on these two trips by two very good friends. To see them put themselves out there for God’s use was very inspirational. I was humbled and privileged to realize that God has allowed me to be a part of their life, a life which they are living fully for Him.

Humbled, grateful and privileged,
Tommy

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Biloxi Katrina Footage

While working onsite, we met locals who talked about some video that was available on the internet.

Here’s one that shows the Beau Rivage, a casino about 1/3 of a mile from where we were working this year..

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Day 6 – Return to Los Angeles

We spent the night at Antioch House, which was a blessing in itself.

The home was comfortable, peaceful, enormous and a fantastic value.

We had our morning devotional and breakfast with our hosts, and took a picture outside with Stanley.

We flew back through Biloxi, Houston, and arrived at LAX.

At the Biloxi Airport, we saw people arriving for the JRCWP, and Paul was more than eager to shake hands, smile, and let them know that he had helped prepped the work they were about to do..

Met some nice people on the plane back, and Peter once again almost flew back on a different plane. This time he volunteered to be bumped, which was later found not to be necessary, but he and Kevin enjoyed his meal voucher at the Houston airport.

We arrived to find a large contingency of family and friends waiting for us at baggage claim. Some had signs, some had smiles, some had tears…

It was great to be back, and we thank all our supporters.

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Day 5 – Day Off and Debrief

In preparation for the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, all volunteers were given Saturday off.

That meant we had the day free to explore New Orleans.

We had coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and then toured the French Quarter, having lunch/dinner.

While standing in line for lunch, we ran into the girls from U of Findlay again.

We did a little shopping, with Will telling us how much money we could save at the flea market, and we thought we lost Steve O at Margaritaville, he was actually buying an alligator head, and a special tie for his fake son…..

We returned to Pass Christian, to the Antioch House, a Christian Retreat Center. After an orientation meeting with Stanley, we talked about the NBA playoffs..

We had our debriefing meeting, scheduled to last 60 minutes, it went on for over two hours… Peter had to apologize the most, but you already knew that.

Here are the photos of the day…

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Day 4 – Paul’s Reflection



Paul “V-Neck” Liu reflects on this last week…

As our time winds down here in Biloxi, I’ve had some time to reflect back on our experiences tonight. The one word that keeps coming to my mind is fortunate”. I am fortunate to be here to serve, to be able to eat the food they provide me, to sleep in a trailer with 16 other guys, hanging out in the makeshift living area under the concrete stadium bleachers, to be able to get blisters on my feet, sunburn on my body, sore muscles, and everything else that has happened during this great week. I am fortunate because this experience has made me realize even more how short life is and how important it is to make a difference in our limited time here on earth. One volunteer named Keith shared yesterday that we all have a beginning and end point represented by birth and death in this life, however, it’s the line in between that really counts in this life and what you do with it.

I just also read about Millard Fuller who was the founder of Habitat in the late 60s in a book tonight. He was a millionaire at the age of 29 but eventually sold everything he owned and gave the money to the poor. He started Habitat with the thought of “partnering housing” where those in need of homes would work side-by-side with volunteers to build simple, decent homes. This crazy idea has turned into a successful venture where they have housed over 100,000 families worldwide. It’s amazing what God can do through one person’s life.

Thank you all again for your prayers and support.

God Bless,
Paul

Be very careful then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.. -Ephesians 5:15,16a

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Day 4 – Steve C’s Reflection



Steve Chen and his thoughts about his work here in Biloxi….

The Katrina team (known as Evergreen team here in Biloxi, Mississippi) has been staying at Habitat Village’s sleeping quarters. We walk on gravel paths to the barracks. Since the 1st day we got here, I noticed that there were oyster shells on & by the gravel. I didn’t think anything of it. Then I was perplexed as to the reason for the oyster shells being there since the Village is about 3/4 mile away from the beach. I soon realized that these oyster shells came from the ocean during the Katrina hurricane. How unusual to gather shells off of grass, pebbles and walkways.

Reflecting upon this scene, I felt that the 10 of us on the team is analogous to the oyster shells, OUT-OF-PLACE. We are OUT-OF-PLACE because we’re from California & are here in Mississippi. Although Katrina caused devastation here in the Gulf Coast, there has been waves of assistance/aid in the form of supplies & manpower to help in the recovery process. People from all walks of life from college-age students to retirees have been moved to make a difference in the recovery process. God is good.

The shattered lives/families of the Gulf Coast now may call out to God for help. With nothing left God saved victims by providing for people’s needs. He rescued them from near death & now they have renewed lives. From a spiritual perspective, we all should of drowned in our wrong doing (cesspool of sin), but Jesus saved us by sacrificing Himself on the cross for us so that we may live in abundance. God is good.

The survivors’ hearts filled w/ thankfulness. Remembering the frailty of our lives here on earth & it is only through God’s grace & mercy that we take our next breath. The destroyed bridge near by has been replaced by a new one. Jesus also build a spiritual bridge for us to be able to have a relationship w/ him. God is good.

The pulverized commercial & residential structures are being rebuilt with even more pride, security and beauty. The priceless & irreplaceable material possessions are replaced with less earthly emotional attachments, but turned towards heavenly things & eternity. God is good.

Furthermore, events like the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project next week is like the pearl that was washed up (see photo). Next week due to the project, there will be national attention/coverage placed upon the needs of the un-recovered, un-restored Gulf Coast which President Carter & the first lady will use to impart to the masses, pearls of wisdom that people effected by Katrina still need extensive assistance. Thus, if we are imparted the spiritual pearl, then we can acknowledge that God is our Lord & Savior and we can have eternal life. God is good.

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Day 4 – Done

We finished up at the beach…

We started today with doing our devotional with everyone on our work crew at the beach. It was quite an honor and great experience.

They took about half the work crew away, including the Findlay girls, to do more work in prep for the JRCWP in a few days. Meant more work, hard work, but we finished the job.

Note: Peter found out that the pebble in his shoe since day 1 was still in there all this time. Ouch. Also, he’s as red as a lobster (okay, Crawdaddy) .. another ouch. 🙁

Thanks for all your support and prayers.

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Day 3 – The News

A local TV Station came to the site today and shot some footage in preparation for the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work project… Some of our team can be seen in the video, but featured in the interview is our very own Steve C. Take a a look at http://www.wlox.com/global/story.asp?s=8292504 the content of the article:

Habitat Volunteers Participate In Framing Frenzy In Biloxi
Posted: May 8, 2008 05:58 PM
Updated: May 8, 2008 06:43 PM

BILOXI (WLOX) — In the parking lot adjacent to Biloxi’s historic lighthouse, several new homes are going up at an amazing pace. And despite all the hard work, the volunteers are having fun doing it. They even have a pet name for their unusual construction zone.

“They decided since we’re in such a gorgeous location on the beach, it’ll be banging beach,” says Site Manager Vic Fasolino.

But these homes aren’t staying on “banging beach.” They are just part of the pregame show for the soon to kick off Jimmy Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity. Fasolino calls this the “framing frenzy.”

“Normally during the Jimmy Carter Work Project, we have a bunch of houses that are getting built all at one time, from beginning to finish in five days,” says Fasolino. “And that’s the five days that Carter is present. In this particular case though, we’ve decided that we’re going to build the wall sections for the next 48 Habitat houses that are going to get built in the Gulf Coast area.”

That, combined with the 60 homes to be built or renovated across the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the coming weeks punctuates for volunteer Steve Chen of California the need that still exists on the Gulf Coast. A need that he says is too often forgotten back home.

Chen says, “Most people out there, they’re like, Katrina what?”

He and his fellow church members from Evergreen Baptist in Los Angeles say this is their way to remind people what big things volunteers can do in just a little time.

“A lot of homes have been rebuilt and renovated and those are positive signs,” says Chen. “But it looks like there’s a long way to go.”

The Carter project includes more than 250 homes to be built through the end of the year across the three state region affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

by Don Culpepper

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The Girls From Findlay

One of the benefits of working with this larger crew has been meeting new friends.

One group has been Lisa, Pam, Gail and Alicia. These four girls are officers and members of their local HfH chapter at The University of Findlay.

School just let out this week. Gail graduated on Saturday, by Sunday evening they began a fourteen hour drive to Biloxi, just to volunteer together. No church sent them, no Missions Support Groups.. just to serve.

All four of them have been so encouraging and inspiring to us all. Craig mentioned that at their age, his biggest concern was probably about his car. But to see these girls so outward-focused was quite humbling.

Tommy and Peter were able to work with Gail and Alicia

Pam worked with Will, Kevin and Steve C.

Lisa worked with Craig, Chris and others on the team.

To these young ladies, actions speak louder than words. Their thoughtfulness and unselfish attitudes have touched us all and their friendship has been one of many blessings and inspirations that we have encountered on our trip so far.

As thirsty guys, we had to go buy Gatorade for ourselves, and we offered some to all the other volunteers. The girls returned the next day from Wal-Mart with some Gatorade to replace the ones they had drank, this coming from students who paid their own way to come down here… Their selflessness extends from beyond their involvement with HfH to us.

Tonight, we were treated by them to ice cream they had bought specifically to share with us. We made it a point to return from our dinner to join them, but were treated to more…. The common room walls of Yankie Stadium, have turned into a virtual walk of remembrance for various volunteer groups. The Girls from Findlay made their own mark, with their names and a drawing, but also drew one for us, using the Evergreen logo, copied from the business card we gave them.

Not only was it a nice way for us to sign the walls ourselves, but more importantly, another witness of their generosity.

Thanks Gail, Lisa, Alicia and Pam, you guys have been really too kind.