Katrina Volunteer Ministers - Katrina Disaster Relief

Success story

"A woman was in extreme muscle pain.  She was in so much pain she didn’t want to lay on her back. I started delivering the assist and she finally told me she was astonished that her pain stopped. 

She almost jumped off the table with joy. She stood up and had a big huge bright smile and said the pain is gone. 

She told me she had so much therapy and doctor after doctor and test after test and that even a Chiropractor never got this kind of result.  She also wants to help her husband and wants her friend to learn this technique."

Success stories

Here's a success story another volunteer shared with me:

"A relief worker was unable to work due to a knee injury, it was swollen and painful. After icing his knee for 20 minutes, I did a touch assist during which he turned on twitching.  He originated his knee feeling looser so I ended the assist.  Two days later, I saw him and inquired about his knee.  He said it was much better and showed it to me.  The swelling had reduced and he was back to work!"

Heat exhaustion

Some of our volunteers have been experiencing heat exhaustion. We're all working very long hours, most of it in the sun, and some of us are simply not used to this heat. I am being careful to take water, potassium, etc. in large amounts.

Gulfport

I am now in Gulfport, MS. This whole area has been hit really hard by the hurricane - a whole strip of 27 mmiles from the coast has basically been obliterated. Just a few miles below the I10 there's no electricity or running water. There's a town not too far where, out of 7,000 houses, only 2,500 remain standing. We have been working in the food distribution centers, many of them manned by locals who are volunteering. We constantly meet regular folk who show a tremendous dedication.

PRC Compassion

We've been working alongside an excellent group of volunteers called PRC Compassion (www.prccompassion.org) - they do excellent work, many of them are very young and are really an example of civic duty. I just wanted to commend them for their efforts.

Rev. Jackson

Today I met Jesse Jackson and shook the man's hand. I felt honored to be in the presence of a man who's been a true example of leadership and courage. He spent some time touring the facilities, talking to the refugees, answering questions from media. Dressed in casual clothes, he fit right in with the rest of the volunteers. One more man come to help.

So many of us!

I am impressed to find so many Volunteer Ministers already at work at this center. Everywhere I go while working I run into new faces, wearing our famous yellow t-shirts. I don't know how many of us are here, it's been too busy to figure it out - but in every task where volunteers are participating, any initiative, I see one or several of our guys helping out. Makes me truly proud.

Will and Jada rock the house

Today the day has been made a little brighter for the refugees by the graceful presence of Will Smith and Jada Pinket. Both are shaking the hands of refugees, signing autographs and bringing a message of hope and life. The seem tireless - even as hundreds of refugees surround them they keep on smiling and greeting them, encouraging, hugging.

Pizza time!

Papa John's pizza has made huge donations of pizza - there are two huge Papa John's trucks parked alongside the building.

River Center, Baton Rouge

I've been working in the River Center - it's a big convention center in Baton Rouge. We're working closely with the Red Cross to do everything possible for the 8,000 or so refugees here. Aside from usual VM duties, today I'll be helping the Red Cross volunteers feed the refugees.