just a moment....

Check out Garron, who is working like a brilliant maniac here at the shelter's blog manofideas.blogspot.com

The shelter is quiet right now, and I charmed my way onto the computer for a moment to just let you guys know a bit about being here in Biloxi Mississippi.  (Actually, we're just outside of Biloxi.... Biloxi is just about gone.)  I know when you see pictures of debris (not the cat, the storm damage...) it all kinds of blends together and you numb yourself to it....   I have a ton of images that I will upload when I get to my computer... but let me just say that it's (everything you can say sounds trite) unfathomable how wicked this storm was. 

    Let me also say two more quick things.  A: if in anyway, you live close to a shelter or any place you can help-run do not walk, RUN to help--they need it.  They still need it now, they will still need it in a month... and longer.  If you can come, or donate anything--seriously nothing is too small.  (a box of baby wipes marked Hurricane relief  Biloxi, MS would be AWESOME.)  and B.  I am so so frightened and concerned for the people here-trying to live in unimaginable conditions-they will certainly get sick.  There's no way you can live in three feet of mud, without part of your roof, and no windows (obviously no power or water) and not get sick.  When I upload pics of Helen, who hung from her house by her cable wire-and Wendy, 12, whose Aunt Niecey's body is still missing- and the pool with the two bodies in it, at the historic birthplace of Barq's root beer--I'm hoping you'll get that if you're still thinking, "I'd like to do something, but I feel so helpless... " you'll find a way to do anything to help.

   That being said, A LOT *is* being done.  Tears welled in my eyes today when I talked to Dane from Oregon who didn't know a soul in Mississippi, but came here because like Garron from NC and Dennis from Texas, he "Got tired of watching it on TV and had to do something."  I told him, "I am so amazed you are here, this is my backyard... I had to come, but you came from so far..." 

"There's no place else I'd rather be," he smiled at me 

   When you hand someone ice and they act like you've handed them a million bucks.. the feeling is amazing.  I am so glad I came, I don't know how I will leave as scheduled tomorrow-but I know I will be back. 

   My old boss said, "There's two kinds of people, those who write the checks and those that unload the trucks.  And you need both.  The guys that unload the trucks are the guys who don't have a life or a career--and can take off like that.  Without the check people, there'd be nothing to unload.  And if the check people just wrote checks there would be all money and no one there to do the work."  I don't know if I agree completely with that, but there's some truth.  People have lives they can't get away from- I feel so blessed to have been close enough to just drive down in a couple of hours.  If you can't leave-then at least look at the pictures, pray for the people you see, talk about this encourage others to give whatever they can. 

   I don't know what else to say, it already sounds like a sally struthers commercial.  but I also want to say that your comments make the folks at the shelter laugh and I show them sometimes if I surf the web on my phone.   I love you guys-your encouragement is so uplifting.

thank you--more pics to come...