WAVELAND, Miss. -- Christmas won't slip through the cracks for the children of Waveland and Bay St. Louis this year if Margaret Raker, founder of GERT Ministries, has anything to say about it.
Operating at the margins of bigger, more organized relief efforts, Raker practices a kind of guerrilla relief. The Temperance, Mich., woman founded GERT (God's Emergency Response Team) on a shoestring, funding the three-person relief effort out of her own pocket and operating out of a "mobile command headquarters" cleverly disguised as an aging RV with threadbare tires and a wheezing eight-cylinder engine.
This is Raker's third trip to the region since Katrina hit.
"I go back to my hometown and ask everyone I know for donations," Raker says "This time we named the trip 'Christmas for Waveland.'" She also sends out a newsletter asking people to drop off donations at local businesses.
GERT's efforts are dwarfed by larger Christmas missions aimed at the area; at least two different groups have loaded up tractor trailer trucks with toys that have been distributed here already. But judging by the response, those previously delivered toys have barely made a dent in the need.
Raker's RV is parked in front of a blown out hotel just off the main highway here while her niece, Shealee Moore, stands along the side of the road holding a handmade cardboard sign advertising "Free Toys!"
"We've had a 100 or so people by already and it's not even noon," Raker says, nodding to the few remaining boxes of toys awaiting distribution. "And we started out with about 400 toys this morning."
Far from being disappointed that she doesn't have more to give out, Raker is anxious to have her inventory cleared out so she can get back, load up and make another trip.
"I'm looking to get bigger," Raker says. "I'm on a mission from God."
A bit of Broadway by the Bay
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Margaret is for real. She despertly needs a new motorhome to continue her ministry. Her only reward is the smile and thank you she receives when she helps someone. She wants poeple in need to know someone cares about them. She has very little funds to continue, but I assure you that wont stop her. Please help her in any way you can.
R. Cooper (Sent Dec 15, 2005 7:00:59 PM)
Please keep this site open for as long as you can, more people need to read about the type of work that gert minisitries has been doing. At Christmas time people need to know that the sprit that was born so many years ago still lives. God Bless you Miss Maggie. I count myself lucky to be your special friend and sister in the Lord. Rhonda
Rhonda Rankin, Luna Pier, MI (Sent Dec 17, 2005 8:23:11 AM)
I have friends and family in other states that have not even gotten in touch to see how things are going now that several months have gone by. They say, "we'd come down and help out but we have so many holiday events going on". They were also too busy before. Miss Maggie is a good example of someone that just gets in there and gets it done.
arlo, long beach, ms (Sent Dec 18, 2005 4:11:18 PM)
So where would you sent toys if you wanted to donate to Miss Magie?
I have been blessed this year and want to spread it around a bit.
E W Montgomery Drew, MS (Sent Dec 19, 2005 3:49:34 PM)
E W Montgomery of MS, check www.gertministries.com and/or email compassion@gertministries.com
anonymous (Sent Dec 20, 2005 4:53:38 AM)
On behalf of a 7 man team that came from Massachusetts to help rebuild "Lutheran Church of the Pines" in Waveland MS. The team wants to thank all of you for the faith and strength everyone showed us during the week we were in Waveland in February. To have gone through such a tradegy and have such an up beat attitude says many things of the type of people who live in your town. I daily think of you and pray to our ALMIGHTY GOD that he will provide what you need as you continue to rebuild your lives. The town of Waveland and the members of Lutheran Church of the Pines were a tremendous blessing to our team. You touched us all in a powerful way, spiritualy. I know that I will be back in the near future to do what I can, but until that time I will continue to pray and think of you all daily. God bless all of you in Waveland and the surrounding communities effected by the storm. You will never be forgotten.
Tony Luna/Lowell Massachusetts
Tony Luna, Lowell Massachusetts (Sent Mar 2, 2006 9:14:36 AM)
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