I have been tole the primary contractor in Pass Christian for Kartina cleanup names AshBritt stands for Ashley and Britaney Chaney, daugherts of the Vice President. Is there any truth to this?

I heard from a friend in Waveland who is receiving help from a roof repairing group of volunteers. In the end, we can't wait for the government to help. That holds everyone hostage. Good kind acts and small gifts can go much further than you know and can provide hope and a sense that they are not alone in this tragedy. Help in any way you can. It's good for all of us.

Thanks for sharing this story. I went down in November with a group from my church to aid in the clean up in both these towns. We continue to send teams there. This brings such an encouragement to me and those of us who have gone to help, to know the spirit of the people is alive and well as they rebuild. Keep the stories coming. I love staying in touch with what is happening there. I'll probably return again this spring.

Amen, to giving God the PRAISE!! I am so delighted to hear of German Baptist responding to The Holy Spirit (and stepping out of their box of manmade rules)and being able to go help in the missions as Gods Word has so plaining stated we as Christians are to do. God Bless All His Children!

Thank the lord there are still people untouched by our greedy gov"t. These people through god have done the virtually impossible. Restore hope to a community that our well paid gov"t has chosen to overlook.THANK YOU LORD ABOVE!

i beleve this blog has brought more goodness in everyones comments...all ya need ..is love

Thanks for all you are doing to rebuild Mississippi! We are so grateful for every volunteer. And, in defense of FEMA, they could never have imagined the disaster that we are experiencing. We were not in a flood zone, but our entire home is gone. We have begun negotiations with a wonderful contractor and are praying it doesn't take six weeks to get a building permit in West Pass Christian!

If you want to help rebuild, you may be able to stay with us at our home in Diamondhead, MS. Especially students or church groups who want an alternative spring brak experience.Contact us through our link at www.perryand covington.com.

Without the many wonderful volunteers of all shapes, sizes, religions, genders, and colors many of us in Mississippi would be sleeping wet and cold tonight. We thank them all from the bottom of our hearts!

Our organization, "Refuge Missions, Ps. 91:2", has been coming to the Mississippi Gulf Coast since mid Sept. We try to come every other weekend and bring supplies (food, water, clothes, crock pots, electric skillets, fry daddy's, irons, mixers, dishes, silverware, pots & pans, cleaning supplies, Bibles, hygiene products, sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, hand towels, washcloths, dish towels, dishcloths, etc., etc.)to the communities of Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Clermont Harbor, Lakeshore, Ansley and most recently Pearlington. In each of these areas we have met many people continuing to endure the wrath of Katrina, but through it all they are perservering. Our entire goal is to reflect the love of Jesus Christ and do as He would do. Most all of the people we have talked to attribute a large portion of there help to churches. We plan to continue the weekend endeavors will do everything we can to make sure no one forgets.

Thank you so much MSNBC for caring about these two (once beautiful) and always charming cities. My hometown of Waveland, MS is facing a real crisis. I just read an article in the Sun Herald, our local Gulf Coast newspaper, and it says the leaders are going to do a study to see if they should merge to become one city! Dear God, I cannot imagine my hometown being anything other than Waveland! To think Waveland could be forced to have to drop the "Wave" and become "Bay" land?! One part of me thinks that is so silly! The other part of me sees the grim reality we are facing after the wrath of Katrina. People cannot conceive the level of devastation unless you have seen it with your very own eyes! I would love to know where our famous fellow Mississippian (Oprah) is? She came once (in the very beginning when the Katrina story was "hot") and left, never to be seen again! She never popped a tent or brought the Gulf Coast relief. Trust me, I was there every weekend helping any way I could and picking through the muck and mud for pieces of my childhood. I never saw her and/or any of her people (Angel Network). I just don't understand how someone in her position (not to mention being raised in Mississippi) would not chose to have more of a presence in her homestate? I feel (in many ways) she has let her homestate of Mississippi down. I challenged her to come to the Gulf Coast (without the cameras) and roll up her sleeves and get dirty with the rest of us. She has never taken me up on that offer. I was always a fan of Oprah until now. Why is her southern heart not calling her home to help? Oprah always says, "Do what you can." Well, I truly believe she is not doing all that she can. I pray someone out there (who has the financial resources) will adopt either Waveland and/or Bay St. Louis, MS. I absolutely love these two towns and they were such a joy to be raised in. Please, someone help us! Don't let these two towns (each with their own unique charm and history) have to become ONE! Thanks for reading and again... Anyone who can save the day, "Please step up to the plate!" WE NEED YOU! And, I thank you (ahead of time) from the bottom of my big southern heart! God, if you are listening... We deserve a second chance when it comes to making wonderful memories with our family and friends, as well as just feeling like we have a comfortable, charming place to call home once again.

Media tends to sensationalize those things that aren't getting done, but as part of 50 volunteers from Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, and Pennsylvania, it is clear that things are getting done, albeit slowly, progress which transends into hope is moving forward. Praise be to God for believing and non-believing volunteers helping families rebuild. If you can swing a hammer, please go and help!

For those who unselfishly gave their time and efforts for rebuilding Waveland and Bay St. Louis, may God be always with you. And to you my dear folks of Waveland and Bay, your faith and your willingness to accept what happened will be repaid in a different and mysterious ways. Hang on to your faith. God is not sleeping.

What a wonderful thing you're doing!! God bless you folks. I was asked by the American Red Cross to be a Shelter Manager in Ocean Springs, Ms. last Sept. It was the first time the Red Cross had partnered with a church.....our shelter was in the Christus Victor Lutheran Church....and it was very successful. I decided to stay until we could place everyone in trailers or relocate them to other cities so I stayed 40 days!! The people in Mississippi were wonderful! They never felt sorry for themselves, never complained and always wanted to help each other. Stressful days, sleepless nights, no pay but it was worth it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

ALright, I just can't resist writing, As Kenny stated we want all praise to go to GOD, the only ONE who deserves it. My son and I spent a week working on Jeff and Rose's house, and what an incedible week it was! We went to be a blessing, but feel like we ended up getting the greater blessing. I'll admit when I saw the desruction, I thought how easy it would be to say, where is God in all of this, instead, I heard Jeff say "When people would ask us , how could God ever allow this to happen, Jeff would respond with, It just happened, we just thank God that he gave us the sense to get out." I guess I was getting to the point of being a little cynical with life in general. We boarded the plane in Seattle, and from that point on it was a real experience. We sat beside an 86 year old woman, who was reading a book titled "When will Jesus return?" We attended services on Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Bay St Louis, and heard a powerful message, the church was crammed packed full. Full of believers, local members, new coverts and volunteers. GOD IS AT WORK ON THE GULF COAST!!! Then after a rewarding week building we headed back to the Northwest, I was contemplating the sad fate of these people and the scam from the insurance companies, when a women sitting beside me in Dallas asked where we were headed, I told the story. She responded by saying "The Church has been katrina's finest hour" Well said mam' It's not about our denomination, but about the Holy Spirit being alive and well and working in men's hearts. There were 15 men from a Nazerene Church in Seattle on our plane, who had been there too. Bless you all! I have a little better feeling that there is alot of salt left yet :).

I spent a week in Pascagoula, MS. We heard at least a dozen times that if it weren't for the church groups, they would have no help. Everyone at home says, "We're so proud of you!" I didn't volunteer to make people proud of me; I did it to serve God and others, just as we Christians are instructed to do. My calling came from God, not a selfish need to please others.

On the subject of insurance; we are not to judge. Many areas are not in a designated flood zone and therefore residents could not purchase flood insurance even if they had wanted to. So yes, the insurance companies are at fault. You can't purchase insurance that isn't even offered to you.

Katrina didn't discriminate, God doesn't discriminate, and neither should we. Katrina attacked rich and poor both. I volunteered in a working class neighborhood and an upscale one along the coast. All of these people are in need, insurance or not.

I pray for strength for all the volunteers still working along the coast. What a blessing it was to serve you. To God be the glory!

Susie Davis, I'm in total agreement with your thoughts on how we pay homeowners insurance from DAY 1 yet when we need to make claim on the policy, these MEGA MONSTERS always find a way to deny you. It's a SCAM - just like most everything else that those higger up require we have.
God Bless you all and keep up the good work on our Mississippi Gulf Coast!

How can we help? My husband is a Contractor with a trailer full of tools and a big Christian heart to serve - We live in Southern
Oregon where work is slow - if there could be compensation for our house and truck payments he could try to round up a crew and would gladly stay down there until the jobs are done. We have been involved in collecting household items to take them down to Jackson County where several Katrina families have recently
relocated and want to do more. Any ideas please e-mail us at churchbuilder1@juno.com and may God Bless you all!

I want to so thanks to the Baspist Germans,from Ohio,who came in the name of God to help those in need of help,I have a aunt,Irene Larmeu,who lives in Waveland,if anybody knows her,tell her Ilove her very much,and she can send me e-mail at the address below. May God be with you and all the volunteers.

What a blessing from the German Baptist church from Ohio. Wish I knew what town they were from so I could send their church some cash. I drove through the storm (the same day) coming back from Florida to Lacombe, La. I had no radio and I thought the storm had passed. How stupid I was. I was crossing the Mobile bridge westbound while watching the eastbound spans fall in the water...How Freaky! It seemed like the longest bridge in the world. I had to roll down my windows to keep from blowing over into the bay. I was terrified!!! I came to the tunnel and expected water but it was dry and eerily quiet after fighting the steering wheel against the Screaming winds and waves. I was the last vehicle to cross before all was shut down. We stayed under and overpass there for an hour or so along with 10 or so other vehicles. Since the interstate was closed and the bay water rising we all were scared. Then some guy said he knew how to get to highway 90 west. We all followed going around trees and other debris. After a long way we got back on the interstate. Glad I had 2x6's in my truck. One monster powerline was down across the road and some poor person hit it and flipped. He was dead and Fried....No way to get through. I back up the ramp and about 30 of us didn't know how to get under the Monster wires...Then I remembered my wet 2x6's. I poked at the arm size wires and I didn't get shocked. So I pushed the wires up (had a little help) just enough to get my truck under. I let about 6 or 7 cars and pickemup trucks through and left the wood there for the rest of the folks to use....Man, did I see destruction!!! I ran over hundreds of powerlines and had to brake for many tornaders. I made it to Lacombe and all the secondary roads were impassible except to the hospital blocks away. I talked the deputy into letting me drive to the Louisiana Heart Hospital (I told him I thought I was going to have a heart attack..lol) I really thought I was!! My friend and I parked there and walked five miles to my place. Must have climbed over 200 Huge trees and waded 150 yards in a snake infested swollen bayou...in the dark. We did have flashlights though...Snakes hanging from the trees everywhere. When I got to my place all four of my rentals got hit by Monster trees (about 35) but livable. I felt blessed with no flood there...To cut a long story short, I thank the German folks cause I'm German too. I will have a 4 bed house for rent soon....Non smokers. The Allstate people are being transferred. God bless. I just had to get that story off my chest.

Finally Christians who are living the faith, and not pointing fingers and blaming. It is so refreshing to read about Christians who are not spewing at the mouth about how wonderful it is to be a Republican. Finally Christians who dont want either praise or attention.....send that to fat Jerry Falwell, and Pat "it's ok to murder" Roberson!!! By the way..where have they been during all this...most likely at their fine homes raking in the cash. My praise to the Germans....baptist or not..they have lived the word...while W. sits on his butt and blames.

Finally Christians who are living the faith, and not pointing fingers and blaming. It is so refreshing to read about Christians who are not spewing at the mouth about how wonderful it is to be a Republican. Finally Christians who dont want either praise or attention.....send that to fat Jerry Falwell, and Pat "it's ok to murder" Roberson!!! By the way..where have they been during all this...most likely at their fine homes raking in the cash. My praise to the Germans....baptist or not..they have lived the word...while W. sits on his butt and blames.

I visited my daughter & son-in-lsw (The Chandlers) a couple of weekends ago and I still don't see all these articiles are telling people. The lived south of the tracks in Waveland, MS. The defastation is awesome. My daughter did not get any help from anyone. The are doing all their own work and still waiting for the insurance to give them what they should have. They were not in the flood plain and so were not required to have flood insurance. Their house and two other houses on their street (Pine Ridge)was left standing, but they had 9 feet of water in it. Of course the insurance said it was flood damage, not storm surge. They are working very hard to pay for a mortgage on a house that they can't live in and also pay rent in Diamondhead. FEMA has dropped the ball and they have not received any financial assistance since October of last year. FEMA has tried to give them a trailer, but have them living in some town in LA. What a government mess. The churches are the only ones helping the hard working people of the gulf coast. I had an uncle come all the way from CA to help, but our government can't help. Stop sending money to all the other countries and give it to the people of the MS Gulf Coast. And congress needs to remember that all the insurance companies that would not pay up needs to not expect any perks that government gives big companies. We little people know that. Please continue to pray and please help get help to the people who need it and not to the ones that have had government assistance all their lives and still want more for nothing. Get them out of the hotel rooms and get them working on cleaning up the gulf coast. It does not take many brains to clean up trash.

Our town of Milton Fl. "adopted" Waveland,Ms. after Katrina and offered much relief from fire department,law enforcement,etc.

dang, Harry Witt....if any need a place to stay ...on the way to the coast of my state...let me know ....i'll put ya up...for a nite or two...and i don't care if ya smoke...all are welcome at MY HOUSE!!!!....dangit....come you will be welcomed...i garontee