Volunteers made a difference in New Orleans and Biloxi, one piece of insulation at a time.

As our nation marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on the Gulf Coast August 29, we must not forget that critical needs for rebuilding and renewal in the area remain, even though the storm’s fury has faded from today’s news. Katrina was America’s costliest natural disaster ever, taking around 2,000 lives and running up a bill of more than $80 billion.

Through its ecumenical partnership with the National Council of Churches USA (NCCC), National Ministries ABCUSA still stands with those on the Gulf Coast whose suffering continues in the wake of Katrina’s destruction.

Dr. Laura Miraz, National Ministries’ associate executive director for Board and Staff Services, and Victoria Goff, national coordinator of Volunteer Ministries, participated in an ecumenical workweek sponsored by the NCCC’s Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast (www.ncccusa.org/justrebuilding/), August 19-25.

Founded immediately following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in September 2005, the Special Commission focuses on ensuring that justice and sustainability are incorporated into rebuilding efforts. Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III, executive director of National Ministries, represents American Baptist Churches USA as one of the 16 commissioners.

“We stand in solidarity with residents of the Gulf Coast who are there right now and those who are in the diaspora, waiting to come back,” says Miraz.

Hope— encouraged by prayers, volunteers and churches — springs eternal.

The workweek team, numbering about 50, had three goals: work, worship, and witness. Serving in both New Orleans, La., and Biloxi, Miss., they helped to reconstruct several homes, carrying out projects such as putting up insulation and installing subfloors. They met in the evenings for prayer and to hear messages from local pastors.

Also, the Special Commission sponsored a listening session in Biloxi where more than 30 representatives from various agencies providing help to area residents gathered to share success stories and identify future needs.

Putting the rebuilding effort in perspective, Goff points out that teams of American Baptist Men were on the ground within days of the disaster—even before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Red Cross arrived. Since then, her office has coordinated work trips for more than 1,500 American Baptists to help residents of Katrina-affected areas (www.nationalministries.org/katrina/).

Goff sees a current transition from rehabbing damaged property to building affordable new housing. Many of the poorest area residents, who did not own their own homes before the hurricane struck, are now having difficulty even finding apartments to rent. The need for affordable housing will only become greater as government financial assistance for transitional housing begins running out this October. Focusing on the needs of the poorest citizens is truly “just rebuilding” and a hope for social renewal in the Gulf Coast.

As Miraz points out, while it would be easy to become overwhelmed by the needs, it’s important to see Katrina relief as “an opportunity for the church to be the church.” The process of putting people’s lives back together has taken distressingly long. But as one Mississippi resident told Miraz, “Were it not for the church, we would be so much farther back.”

The need for assistance in the region will remain for years. “We need volunteers — individuals and groups, short term and long term, skilled and unskilled,” says Goff. “We also need more designated giving to Katrina relief through One Great Hour of Sharing. And, of course, we need prayer. There’s so much that still needs to be done.”

“If it takes years, if it takes decades,” says Miraz, “we have a commitment to be there.”

For more information about volunteering to help, write to vgoff@abc-usa.org or call 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2449.

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