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Caren McCullough's Mississippi Missions
April 04
WOW!!! Can you believe that this journey is almost over? I know I certianly can't. In a way, I've been waiting for this to end since before it began. Do you know how scared I was before I left and how long I thought 3 and a half months was going to be? It seemed like forever. Now, it seems like it was only last week that I was packing up my stuff and heading out. I can remember names and states that the very first group that I worked with...they were from Mississippi and had really awesome accents and Steve called me "K-Ren". Most of the time, the teams and weeks all blend together, but there are some that will stick out in my mind forever.
This experience
has been one of the most rewarding and life-changing events of
my life. My walk with God has grown into something that I have
always hoped and prayed for. I have suffered some heartbreaks
and lonely times, but I now know that my faith in my Lord will
always be there for me, even when people and things are not. It
has been a humbling experience that I'm not even sure I could
begin to describe. To live a life with barely anything, in a
place where most people wouldnt ever consider, doing something
that is out of your comfort zone with people that you never
would have thought you would meet...it's life changing. It's
amazing. It's spiritual. I love it.
Last night was one
of those moments where you just had to praise God that it
happened when it did. Lately, I've been struggling with the fact
that I come home in 8 days. Part of me is super excited about it
and then the other part is super sad. I have come to love this
lifestyle that I have here and I don't want to lose it when I
get home. I also really miss my family, friends, and my church.
But this place has become my family and my friends. I had a long
term volunteer friend my first 3 weeks here and when they left,
it was the most heartbreaking experience that I had and they
were only here for 3 weeks. When Howard, who was another long
term volunteer left on Saturday, it was, once again,
heartbreaking. He was here for a month and a half. I came to
look at him as a grandpa and a very spiritually uplifting
friend. That same day, Brandon, who has been my pal since day
one, left and won't return until after I leave. That, again, was
heartbreaking. When I leave here next Thursday, I'm leaving
Stephanie and Theresa, who have been my only constant
girlfriends here. They have come to be like sisters to me and,
at times, like mothers who comforted me when I needed it. We
have all grown to be so close to each other, because everyone
else leaves after a week. It is amazing to see how God has put
all of us together for a purpose and I'm now seeing that purpose
come to life. It is truely amazing. I don't think I could thank
God enough for what He has done in my life over the last 3
months.
I had the
opportunity to go back out on the job site with an awesome group
from North Carolina a few weeks ago. I had a chance to talk to
the pastor of that church and get advice and guidance from him.
This week, we have another amazing group from Virginia that has
been a total God-send. Last night, we all got to experience the
wonders of Christ. We walked down to the beach to see the
sunset, but we were too late. We weren't able to watch it set,
but boy we got to see the most amazing moon rise ever. It was
big and orange and it was right over the waters of the Gulf. The
waters that, 19 months ago, destroyed the town we are
rebuilding. We sat out there, guitar in hand, and just praised
our awesome God for the wonders that He has created for us and
the moments that have given us a renewed spirit.
These homeowners
are amazing as well. Some of them just want a place for the kids
to grow up. Some of them want to be back to normal. Some of
them, just want SOMEthing done. They are so grateful that we are
here to help. Volunteers come back to camp talking about the
moments where they walk into a gas station and the workers or
other customers see their shirts and tell them "Thank
you" and "God bless you". To us, we aren't doing
anything anyone else wouldn't do, but to these people, we might
be the only face of Christ that they see. We represent the
highest of greatness and I think our volunteers are doing an
extraordinary job of it. The jobs that they are doing are things
that most people wouldn't consider to be amazing, but for these
homeowners, who have been living in FEMA trailers, it is their
answered prayers. They do everything from repair the leaky roof,
to installing new floors, to fixing eletrical problems. If it
weren't for these volunteers, nothing would be getting done. The
only people that are helping out are the churches. The
government has pulled out and so have the "nice people of
the neighborhood". The churches are getting people back
into their homes. That's Godly love right there!
So here I am, 8
days until I go home, and I'm having mixed emotions about it. I
pray that this experience won't be lost once I get back. I also
pray that I'm able to come back to "the real world"
without much struggle. After talking to a few people, they have
assured me that life will be different and I'm preparing myself
for that. But then again, I tried to prepare myself for this
trip and it was totally different than anything I could have
ever hoped for. This will probably be my last update while in
Mississippi. I'm planning to write another update about a week
after I get home, but I'm not sure yet. If not, then I want to
thank each and every one of yall who have been praying for and
with me over the last few months, even before I left. It has
been prayers that have gotten me through some of the hardest
times here and even the hardest times preparing to leave. This
experience has been life altering and God filled. I hope that
you have been blessed by this experience, even though you
weren't here PHYSICALLY with me, but you were here spiritually.
Thank you for everything you have done. I love you all. God
bless you!!!
In Him,
Caren J.
McCullough
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality." -1 Thessalonians 4:3 March 5 From Caren Hello
everyone! I wanted to
let you know how I’m doing down here in There is still so much work that needs to be done and you almost get an overwhelming feeling. Some of these houses haven’t even been touched in 18 months, but we are working as fast as we can to reach as many people as we can. UMCOR can only do so much and then it’s up to other groups, but we are making a difference and with your continued prayers, YOU are making a difference. I miss you guys so much. The church here is great, but sometimes I want to hear Richard preach. The church is made up of..um… “mature” people. It is mainly traditional, complete with robes and one lone piano. I miss Michael’s guitar! We read out of the hymnals, but the pastor is young and trying to go towards the contemporary style. The people here are great and everyone is grateful we are still here to help. Most of the other groups have pulled out and UMCOR is the only one left. There are so many different types of jobs to do here. Everything from roofing to flooring, to painting. Lately, I’ve done a whole bunch of sheetrocking, mudding, and sanding. The confirmands sent me a few cards that they made me and it made my day! We have some amazing young people in our church and I have been blessed by your kids. Keep praying for the disaster response down here. Your prayers are helping. I miss y’all so much and I’m excited to see you on April 14th. Love you all! In Him, From Feb. 28th Hi everyone! 8
weeks tomorrow! There has been quite a lag in my updates and it is
mainly because nothing has really been going on too much. I have
moved from working on the sites to working in the office. One of
the long term volunteers that was helping Brandon out in the
office left to go back home after being here for 6 months, so here
I am! I like it, for the most part. I help answer phones and
answer the questions that the volunteers have. It's the inside
stuff that nobody sees, but needs to be done. I miss going out on
the sites, but My parents
came in this past weekend and it was totally amazing. Just to hug
them and to see them and talk to them was awesome! I felt bad that
I didn't have anything to entertain them with but the thing people
need to remember is that I'm living a pretty simple life. I took
them down to Being in the
office, I see a lot of what other volunteers don't see. I see how
hard I'm not missing home as much as I was before because I have adjusted to life here. I'm excited to go back home and see my sister and my family, but I know when I leave here I'll miss this. I love the cards and letters that you all keep sending me. They mean so much to mean and I don't think I could thank you enough for them. I love hearing from you guys so keep e mailing me! I hope that you have a wonderful and blessed day. God has been
working some wonders in my life. He has put some amazing people
here in
In Him, Caren McCullough February 2, 2007 Hey guys,
As far as the clients go, I know
their stories, only because I am friends with the case managers.
Some of them have different organizations that have helped them
out and then when that group can do as much as they can, they are
passed on to us. When we do as much as we can, and then we
pass them on to someone else. Some of these people will wait
months and months before another group can come and fix their
house. UMCOR has a $5000 limit on rebuilding a house. They have to
give proof that they lived in that house prior to Katrina and how
they used their FEMA money. Some of the people are taking
advantage of the system by using the money to build additions to
their houses, but for the most part, people are ligit. The
homeowners are asked to help in their own recovery so if they are
able, we can provide the supplies and they can do the work. Or,
they can help with the work. Sometimes, the clients will make the
teams lunch, or snacks, or drinks or whatever. I was on a team
this week where the next door neighbor made us a pound cake. We
were working on her daughter in law's house and she was so excited
to have us there. When we wear our green Methodist shirts, people
have positive attitudes towards us. They wave and come by and ask
what we are doing and if they can help. A lady at the gas station
paid for the teams lunch because they "were doing a good
thing and had worked hard all week." It is surprising. Some
of these neighborhoods are really rundown, but when they know that
we are from the church and are helping out, they are extremely
respectful. It is surprising at how many people have not been
helped yet. There are still homes that have been gutted for a year
now and nothing else has been done to it. Some of the homeowners
are anxious about getting back into their homes, but when they
know help is on the way, they are very grateful for what we are
doing. I am hoping to see one of the clients in her house before I
leave. It has gotten to the point now where we need professionals
to come in and do some work. The volunteers have done everything
they can, but its the need for electricans, plumbers, cabinet
makers, and stuff like that is making the move in process delayed.
They are starting to ask teams to bring at least one person that
has the professional skills or knowledge to be able to do certian
things. If you or anyone you know has professional skills in the
construction area, then I would encourage you to encourage them to
make a trip down here and see what kind of help they can give.
If you are recieving this and you
know someone who would also like to recieve my updates, please let
me know so I can put them on my list. Also, if I'm leaving
something out that you would like to hear more of, let me know so
I can be sure to include it. I hope you have a blessed weekend and
thank you, once again, for all the prayers and support that you
have given me. I love you guys!
In Him,
Caren McCullough
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality." -1 Thessalonians 4:3
January 31, 2007
Hey Everyone!
Wow! Can y'all believe I've been
here for 4 weeks now!? Ok, well actually it will be 4 weeks
tomorrow, but still. This past week has been an interesting week.
After being here for 3 weeks with the same person, it was kind of
hard to see them go. It was amazing how much I have grown in the
past few days. As some of you know, I get close to people pretty
quickly and I make friends even easier. This was especially hard
for me to say "bye" to a friend of mine because it was
the only thing constant in my life here. But now, I'm doing so
much better and God has taught me to be strong and to trust in
Him.
I have started doing my bible
studies at night, when it gets most lonely and depressing, and I
have come to enjoy it better than in the mornings. I go to sleep
peaceful and I wake up refreshed because His mercies are new
everyday! (Jeremy tells me that all the time!)
I have been extremely blessed by
the people that I have come across over the last 4 weeks. I have
worked with teams that have completely changed my life and this
week has been one of those groups. God sure does know what He's
doing, doesn't He?!
Thanks to my mom and dad, I was
able to enjoy a little bit of my mom's brownies! YUMMY!!! Anytime
y'all would like to send me food or letters or money or whatever,
please feel free to do so!!! just kidding. I have actually really
looked forward to checking my e mail everyday and seeing that I
have letters from y'all. It really brightens my day. It rains here
almost daily, so the e mails give me a little bit of sunshine!
Ya know, I wouldn't be here without
most of you guys supporting me and praying for me. I can feel the
love that I get from you and I know that I'm getting my strength
from God through your prayers.
Some of you have asked how my wrist
is and I'm happy to say that it is doing much better. It gives me
problems only 80% of the time (just kidding)! I found out last
week that my mom fell and broke her arm, so, if you would, keep
her in your prayers. From what my dad tells me, and by the sound
of her voice, she is in a lot of pain. My mom has never broken a
bone before, so this is a whole new concept for her. For me, it's
a yearly thing!
Ya know what I miss most?
Watching my sister get bigger from being pregnant. Everytime
I saw her, I would touch her belly and I miss that so much. From
what I've heard, you can start to feel the baby even more.
She is due in like 3 months and I'm super excited! I'm also having
some St. Andrew's withdrawls. I can't tell you enough how much I Ioved
getting hugs from everyone. Sundays were always my
favorite day of the week because so many of you made it special
for me. I miss the Confirmands and the youth. I guess
you never really know what you have until it's gone huh?
I will be sending my parents a CD
with all my pictures that I have taken so far this trip. I plan on
sending it once a month...at the end...so you guys can know what
I've been up to. I took a whole lot of pictures in New
Orleans that I think they will shock some of you. I am waiting on
a friend of mine to send me pictures from another camera so I can
send those home. I hope to hear from you soon. I'll keep y'all in
my prayers and I hope that you will do the same. I love you guys
so much and thank you for supporting me. God bless you! I love
representing Texas, St. Andrews United Methodist, and most
importantly, our awesome Lord and Savior!
In Him,
Caren McCullough
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality." -1 Thessalonians 4:3
January 19, 2007
Hey guys! Well, I've been in Mississippi for 2 weeks and 1 day. It has been a roller coaster of events and people. I've met people from all around the US...from at least 12 different states. So far, I'm the only one from Texas. And speaking of Texas, I got a package the other day from a friend of mine back home and part of the letter said, "I know how much you miss home, so I sent a piece of home to you. Fly is proud!" It was the Texas flag! I was super excited to get it and hung it up in my RV. Yep, I have my very own RV for the next 3 months. I thought I was going to be sleeping on a cot for 3 months, but when I got here, they handed me the keys! It's awesome! I took the chance last weekend to go to New Orleans with a few of my new friends and what I saw was completely unreal. We went to the 9th Ward and, guys, words cannot even begin to describe what I saw. Pictures on the news don't do it justice. We did not have much daylight left, so I will be going again tomorrow to take pictures all day. Once I learn how to resize them, I'll send a few of them out so you can see. If you have never taken the trip down there, I highly recommend it. It is a completely humbling experience.
The first few days I was here, I
fell and sprained my wrist. For those of you that know my track
record on mission trips, this is not surprising to you. To save
myself the embarrassment, I will spare the details, but I can
assure you, I did not fall from working...I was just being clumsy!
The people here were super great to me that week and took great
care of me.
I am making so many friends here.
The people that run the center are 23 and 25. They are wonderful
people from Indiana. Brandon is the site coor. and Stephanie is a
case worker. They are newlyweds and have been here since
August. They are the only few people here that are my
age, so they are introducing me to their friends. It is pretty
wonderful.
The type of work I've been doing?
Well, I started out building a wheelchair ramp, but after I sprained
my wrist, they put me on painting duty. After I took my splint
off, I was able to do a little manual labor, ie moving things from
the warehouse to the living center, moving beds around. This week,
I was able to do some destruction! We gutted a house and had a
blast doing it! Yesterday, I put up sheetrock. Most days, I go
between sites to see what everyone needs. The site coor. can't
make it out to the sites, so he uses the long term volunteers to
be his eyes out there. I may take over the kitchen, though. Right
now, they don't have a full time volunteer to run the kitchen, and
since I've been on so many mission trips, I'm not a big fan of how
they are running it right now. They mentioned they needed some
help, so I offered. I should know next week.
I miss home so much. This is the
longest I've ever been away and sometimes it kills me. I miss my
family so much. My parents are coming here in Feb for my dad's
birthday and I'm super excited about it. There is so much here
that I want to show them.
Please feel free to e mail me
anytime. I love getting e mails from people. It has become a daily
pleasure. pure_abstinence@yahoo.com
I am also able to get snail mail too...
Attn: Caren McCullough
Disaster Relief
16020 South Swan Rd
Gulfport, MS 35903
I hope to hear from yall sometime
soon. God bless!
In Him,
Caren J. McCullough
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality." -1 Thessalonians 4:3 January 03, 2007
Hey everyone!
I
just thought I should keep yall updated on my 3 month mission
trip to Mississippi. I want to start out by thanking everyone for
the support, be it as money or prayers or even just someone that
I've cried to. This trip could not have happened without each and
every one of yall. It is now 12:21am on Thursday and I should be
sleeping since I leave in 6 hours! I wanted to let yall know what
my plans were for my departure day...
6:00am: leave my parents house
12:00pm: eat lunch at my
grandparents house in Beaumont
7:00pm: arrive in Biloxi
After that, everything is a
mystery. I am looking forward to this "trip of a
lifetime" but I'm also very much scared. Having never been
away from home before, this is going to be a true test of my
faith. I am ready though! So keep looking into your inboxes for
random update e mails from me and I hope you enjoy taking this
trip with me. I will keep all yall in my prayers and if you know
of anyone that would like to receive these amazing updates, let me
know so I can include them on our journey! Feel free to e mail me
anytime and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can. I don't
know how available my internet access will be, but I can promise I
will try my hardest. Have a wonderful day and I'll be praying for
yall!!
In Christ's Name,
Caren J. McCullough
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality." -1 Thessalonians 4:3
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