Gulf Coast folks have to endure a lot to live here. The church pictured above was built in the post Civil War era. When this Long Beach, Mississippi Baptist congregation was founded they lived without the comforts we take for granted like air conditioning, electricity, and instant communications, but they more than survived as they experienced the "good life" in food and music and fellowship with one another. And every now and then just as today they endured the furies of storms that loom up out of the southern skies and bring destruction, pain, and sometimes death.
Our little band of workers have come here for a short time to enter into that fellowship, to share something of the good life as we know it, and to learn even more about living well through service to others. We sleep on hard beds (but we have beds), we endure punishing heat and sun (but we have cool waters and shade), we labor with our hands (but we have our physical strength to share), and we pray together, not just with words but with actions. Hallelujah! AMEN.
I want to thank everyone back home who supported our mission this week with prayers, dollars, care packages, cars, and comments. I hope this blogging from the field has helped give a sense of the work we have done and the people we have met in the spirit of fellowship. It has been an unbelievable healing for me to help in this small way to offset the terrible impact of these merciless storms that can roll in from the south. When we lean on one another, even the mightiest winds have trouble pushing us down.
..Love.. Joe
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
2 comments:
Just catching up with your blog, Joe. Thanks for keeping us all up to date with the facts and your reflections.
Quite an inspiration, both the group that's helping and the folks you are there to help.
-Mikalene
Just catching up with your blog. Thanks for posting and keeping us up-to-date with the facts and with your thoughtful reflections.
Very inspirational, all of you…both our group that went down with love to help those in need and the folks whom have faced so much but still venture on.
Wishing you safe travel home.
-Mikalene
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