Greetings to Everyone

This trip logged lots of highway miles, but was very fruitful. It started with a quick appearance before the Indiana Senate subcommittee hearings on a law requiring weather radios in mobile homes. The law passed and was forwarded to the full Senate; more on this in the near future.

Ten days were spent in Enterprise, Alabama in the midst of a community that lost nine people in a deadly tornado. Eight students were killed when the only high school in their town was totally destroyed. Locals estimate Enterprise population to be around 20-25,000.

In such a close community there was no one who did not know one of the victims or their families. I worked with Pastor Mike Shroades in assisting recovery for community clergy as he spearheaded outreach. Pastor Mike is senior Pastor at Potters House and director of Love in Action ministries along with Ken Tuck.

Pastor Mike was actually in the school when the deadly storm struck. School was in session and students were being ushered into hall ways as a result of the tornado warnings from city officials. After the storm passed, he was able to safely locate his daughter who is a Junior at the school.

The event was incredibly traumatic as one can imagine, but Pastor Mike began immediately assisting students and faculty in the process of evacuating students to safe areas and accounting for students and their whereabouts, a process in itself that is very trying as the reality sets in that many are injured and some unaccounted for.

I spent quite a bit of time with Mike and his family; they're terrific folks and have handled an incredible incident well. Along with Mike, we met with many of the pastors in town and put on a “Care for the Caregivers” session to assist them all in dealing with these events as well as being able to take something back to their congregations.

Love in Action was also instrumental in getting supplies and volunteer help in the weeks afterward. Pastors Larry Arnold and Harold Smith from Eagles Nest Ministries in Atlanta brought a crew in as well as a trailer of supplies.

In addition to being with Mike and the others during the day and preaching in Potters House for the Sunday service, I made rounds with the Enterprise Fire Department and spoke with Enterprise Chief of Police. A big salute goes to Chief Byron Herring EFD, and Chief Thomas Jones EPD.

Mike's comments to me were, “We have responded to a number of disasters, but we have never had one in our own backyard. Thanks to your expertise, we were able to correctly respond to the needs in our community. Responding immediately with the cleanup efforts and supplying food and hygiene items was very important, but you took our efforts to a much greater level - long-term spiritual assistance.”

After leaving Enterprise, the next stop was Bay St. Louis, MS. Since Hurricane Katrina, I have worked with countless people and organizations in the gulf area. One family I grew fond of was Garth and Bonita Keely and their two daughters Brittany and Kameron. Their home was completely devastated in the storm and left the family with a total loss except for their very lives.

There were very extenuating circumstances. Bonita was battling cancer that had metastasized, and Garth's job was now in Ocala, Florida. He is a theater manager and there was simply no place closer to work. As you may not know, the eye of the storm passed over the Bay St. Louis/Waveland communities. Homes, schools, businesses, and churches were all destroyed. These are the foundation and heart of any community.

We (United States Emergency Chaplains Corps—USECC) came along side our good friend Jeff Parness and New York Says Thank You and assisted in the rebuilding of the Keely's home. Bonita was a special lady and patiently oversaw the rebuilding of the home and its remodeled decor.

I had several conversations with Garth and knew it was especially tough on this father and husband to see his family go through this from a distance. Yet he drove the 700 miles each week to be home for weekends with his girls. Brittany (16), and Kameron (10), were real troopers as well as Miss Becky, Bonita's mom and her sister, Judy.

Garth was offered a new position the first week of December in Slidell, Louisiana just 25 miles from the house. The house was actually just finished and everyone moved back in. Garth had just hired most of the new theater staff by the second week of December. I got a call December 13^th saying that Bonita had died.

I was very moved at the news but she had battled with super human determination to see the house through and prayed long and hard something would open for Garth closer to home soon. “Very Soon,” as she would tell me. “I want all this settled before I go.” Little did I know.

In memory of this remarkable woman and her family, Bonita's Wish was formed to assist cancer patients rebuild in the gulf area. Jeff Parness brainstormed the idea, called me, we talked and it took off from there.

The week of March 25, 2007, fifty five people from different walks of life and across the nation descended on Diamond Head, Mississippi to lend volunteer support for the first house done for Bonita's Wish. Shirley Paulus was the first recipient in what we hope will be a long list of others benefiting from these efforts in the years to come.

Shirley is a 64 year old darling of a lady battling Leukemia. Her son and grandson are contractors that spearheaded the project. When asked what she thought her new neighbors would call her after seeing all the attention that weekend, she replied, “Blessed, I hope, for I really am.”

Sunday morning, March the 25^th, I led a service for everyone in attendance over the weekend in Shirley's new “home.” It would have also been Bonita's 40^th birthday. We used her bible for the readings and did a butterfly release in her honor after the service. It was without a doubt one of the most emotional weekends ever for me.

After a quick visit and fantastic crab boil at the home of Tony and Robin Nata whom we met after Katrina, and also assisted in the rebuilding of their home for their son little Tony, who is a six year old Leukemia survivor, it was on to New Orleans to visit some of my guys from SELA-TF1. This is the search and rescue (USAR) unit I spent so much time with doing rescue and recovery work after Katrina.

Everyone is doing well. We went back into some of the neighborhoods and those in the Lower 9^th Ward where we recovered hundreds of bodies. The area has changed so much both before and after Katrina. Lots of memories come back and my salute will always be with these guys and that unit. More on this to come in the future.

The next stop was a visit with Pastor Scott Gilbreth in Dumas, Arkansas after a tornado damaged so much of his town including his own home. Thankfully, there were no fatalities in Dumas. However, since so much of the small town's business area was affected, it is having a great negative impact on the local economy. Several major employers incurred major damage and destruction.

I also met Mayor Marion Gill who is finally getting some state and federal assistance. According to the mayor the town was not thought to be able to receive FEMA help. After much investigation by local and state officials, they now are getting some aid and FEMA housing trailers. Rebuilding is progressing but industry is not sure as to what road they will take at this time. Pastor Scott and I are in touch and future plans being thought out.

Home. The week of Easter, a great time and one of personal significance for me personally. Although not a large group, we did have our usual Seder dinner that week and a glorious Resurrection Sunday.

Please keep all these in your prayers as our work in the Chaplaincy continues. USECC makes a difference in lives and communities. Our experience and expertise are playing a greater role in lives of our First Responders, local pastors, community leaders, and everyone we come in contact with, even the unchurched. I ask you to remember me personally. My Mom had a mastectomy this month and my Dad is still in (and most likely not coming out) of a nursing home. My time is a premium and I don't always get things done in the timely fashion that I would like.

Our financing has been down and our work load up with early storms this season. The fact is we are no where near the worst tornado time and hurricane season isn't even here yet. Anything your church or organization could do on a one time or regular basis would be greatly appreciated and much needed.

Next up....................In the next issue look for developments we'll be announcing with other organizations, travel accommodations (hopefully), more trips, interviews, and ways you can be a part of things. Be sure to look at a few of the attached photos. Thanks for your prayers, until then................ I'll be..........

Responding to the call............Chaplain Steve Holden