The Education Team

One of our three team leaders, Dr. Cassandra Broadus-Garcia, has deep roots and family in Mississippi. Ten days before our arrival there, Cassandra shares some of the tasks that her team will be facing:

"We have been charged first and foremost with being flexible. So, I'm trusting that God will place us where he wants us to be and, if we end up doing all of these things, then so be it. The VIM Katrina Disaster Response Team from Simsbury United Methodist Church will be working in various locations completing various tasks presented to them.

"One location includes Main Street Methodist Church in Bay St. Louis, MS. This quaint little town on the western coast of Mississippi found itself in the eastern eye-wall of Hurricane Katrina, resulting in extensive devastation and loss of life in this community. Main Street United Methodist Church has begun the recovery process -- slowly, but surely-- with only approximately 1/3 of their membership having returned at this point.

"Before Katrina, the church housed the Methodist Day Care Center, an early childhood learning center for children throughout Hancock County. This center received extensive flooding damage and has not resumed operation since the storm. This facility also is the location for the church's Church School program. Thus, the church has not been able to have church school since the storm. In addition, there are currently only two day care facilities that have reopened in all of Hancock County. This important service is greatly needed to further help the community.

"Log onto http://risingfromruin.msnbc.com/the_towns.html and scroll down to see the Slide Show which includes before and after photographs of Main Street Methodist Church in Picture #6. To get a sense of this community, see MSNBC.com's "Rising from Ruin" which focuses on the communities of Waveland and Bay St. Louis.

"The "Education Crew" of our Disaster Response Team hopes to be able to contribute to rebuilding the Methodist Day Care facility. Sheetrocking work and painting have nearly been completed, thanks to teams from the Kansas East Conference. Upon our arrival, we have several tasks that we hope to accomplish. This includes, but may not be limited to:

• finishing off the school's bathrooms and other interior spaces with decorative paint and wallpaper borders;
• cleaning and sanitizing salvagable school items, including plastic bins and toys that have been piled outside since the storm, to ensure they are again safe for instructional use;
• sorting through boxes and boxes of instructional resources to determine what must be thrown away and what is salvagable; and
• helping to set up the classrooms, including furniture and instructional resources.

"It is possible that other team members could be used for finishing work, including molding. Of course, all of this depends on time-lines, including whether or not the flooring has been put in by 1/18/06. After meeting with the center's interim director, Cindy Lowe-Villars, she is anticipating our arrival and the contributions that we can make.

"Visiting and Counseling in Mississippi City The Education team has also been extended an invitation to join Rev. Rod Dickson-Rishel from Mississippi City United Methodist Church for visitation to individuals who are suffering with various degrees of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Mississippi City UMC is located between Gulfport and Biloxi and the church is temporarily housed in "The Annex" - a gym that they've converted into a Church/Learning Center/Office. Their church was located a few blocks from the beach and received extensive damage from the storm surge.

"Further information about the Mississippi City United Methodist Church can be found at http://mscityumc.com/. Rev. Dickson-Rishel is in great need of help to visit with individuals who have lost their homes and church. He has asked us to consider completing visitations in which we will offer a gift of cookies or candies and simply sit and listen, talk and pray with individuals. In addition, while in MS City, it may be possible for the Education team to arrange a puppet ministry at "The Annex" for children who attend at Wesley Academy - MS City's early childhood learning center. "