First Waverly Mission Trip

Joe Dabroski is head of our Mission and Benevolence sub-committee.  He and his wife are very active in all aspects of our church life.  After the hurricane he was searching for what we could do to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Joe had discussed things with the members of his committee.  He asked in church (Sunday 4 September) that anyone who might be interested in going to help those in need in the Gulf area to meet with him after church.  There were about 12 people who expressed interest.  Of course timing, other commitments, etc would impact individual availability...   We discussed the possibility of using the remaining funds left to the church by Edna Howe upon her death four years ago.  We have a little over $23K left from the bequest that is earmarked for M&B use only.  In conversations that day Sue and Mitch Trigger mentioned Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) working out of Louisville, as they had some prior knowledge of their operations.

That day or the next Joe searched out information on the PCUSA web site about PDA and then (I believe) talked to folks out there.   Last Sunday the Session held a meeting and voted to give Joe and his sub committee full discretion to use the $23K as they saw fit in sending funds and / or people to help with the hurricane.  Joe then got a call from Louisville late Sunday or Monday and they wanted to know if we could send a group of approximately 8 people and get to the Gulf Coast by early next week.  Joe called around and we managed to get 7 of us who said we could go.  Sue Trigger also emailed Presbytery (at least I think that is how she did it) to see if any other churches might want to have a couple people go with us.  We got together late Tuesday afternoon for a coordination meeting.  The group from Waverly will be Joe Dabroski , Colleen Kinney, Jim Kinney, Don Jayne, Dale Anthony, Mary Ellen Barber and Dale Barber. As far as I know right now Tim Devine (hope I have the name/spelling right) and up to two more people from Endicott are going; we will pick them up on the way about 7 AM Sunday (September 18).  Joe got a call this evening and Steve Thane from Groton (elder at Christ Presbyterian in Cortland) will be joining us also.

At the meeting we went over immunizations we needed, the email from PDA that I will paste below, travel plans, figured on some ‘extras' that needed buying, etc.  We split up the effort and different members of the group are taking care of different items.  One church member is donating a large van for the trip, another contributed lots of needed items (gloves, dust masks, etc).   Our group has a wide range of experience – some have done mission work in Haiti, some have previous disaster support, while for others there will be many first time experiences in difficult situations.  But it is a cohesive and caring group.  We all have known each other for a long time (for example – I am 56 years old and one of my scoutmasters (he was a young scoutmaster) from about 1963 is another member of the group – he will be the elder of the group!) and are all looking forward to doing what we can to help those in need.  And we are also looking forward to getting to know our new friends from Groton and Endicott.

We are looking forward to the journey that the Holy Spirit has led us to.  Thanks for keeping us in your prayers, but I think we all need to really keep those who live on the Gulf in our prayers even more.  I pulled up some satellite photos of the area we are going to (Gautier, MS).  I have some topography and disaster background, and we have been told the church next to the field we will be tented in had a 3 to 4 foot water surge go through it – my guess is the area is really devastated.  Try this link – www.maps.google.com and use the address 1009 Highway 90, Gautier, MS, then click in on the satellite image and zoom in and out.  That is the address of the Presbyterian Church there, but it appears to be off just a little by my reckoning.  It is all pre-hurricane, but you can see how close they are to the Gulf and river.                       

Waverly First Pres Mission Group Arrives Safely in Mississippi

We received word on Monday night, September 19 that our mission group arrived safely in Gautier, Mississippi, one of the first mission sites established by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.  On our News Page , you can find out more about this mission trip, deep in the heart of the area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.  We are thankful for the church members who initiated this trip and lead the group, the first such group from our presbytery.  As you can see from the photo below, the group will be staying in first-class accommodations!  Check back with us for more up-dates... FIRST UPDATE 9/21/2005