Letters From Sean

Sunday, All woke up, and got up and got dressed for church, got on the bus and went to CiCi's where the ladies have made another spectacular breakfast. Before going in I got off of the bus, I saw Tim Phillips walking off to take some pictures and I walked the other way and went to stand on a large slab of concrete, which used to be someone's home. While walking through the house I could decipher what room I was in by the flooring. Then I stood in the middle of the slab and I looked out to the gulf about one and a half football fields away and tried to imagine a thirty-five foot wave coming at me and taking it all away. Everything we worked for all my life came in a flash and thinking if it were me and I stayed to ride it out with my family that we wouldn't be here. Just trying to feel and think what it must have been like but I cannot. The only thing I can do is pray for the people of Mississippi and help and show the people the way to the Lord.

Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, and love these people in the Gulf areas, you can see in their faces even two years later, they are hurting and they need someone to just listen to their story so they can release that pinned up feeling inside and start to restore, not houses or businesses, but themselves. If you don't do that, it will just stop or slow down the healing process the need. Just be bold and talk to someone and show them that you do care and it will be a blessing for both giver and receiver. Today at Miss Whey's open house of the Rusty Pelican, one of the businesses we helped, we were bold, the group talked to strangers and made friends and just by listening showed the people others still cared and loved them. At the restaurant I met a man named Oyd Davis, an accountant from Long Beach. We talked and he told me his story. He tried to hold back the pain, but he released and I gave him a big hug. He told me the churches from all over are the best thing that has happened here. He said it seems like no one cares. "Glory be to God and his many churches." So many people see us, ride by us, stop by because they know why we are here and just say thank you.

Every Mission Trip I go on gets better and better every time my walk with the Lord is getting better and I see the students, the expressions, the eyes, they love the Lord. You can sense it, we all had a true bond with the Lord this week. I want to thank all the students. Tom, Paul, Thomas, Yeiri, Lexi, Jessica M., Jessica S., Whitney, Derek, Hans, Kate, Susan, Cassidy, Caitlin, Emma, Patrick, Meghan, Rebecca, Charity, Kolby, Kyle, Amanda. One challenge was to remember all the students names. You all are truly a blessing to me and the other adults on this trip.

Sean Swain
First Gulfport Trip

A Day of Rest

Breakfast all started out today in a warm dry place. Mrs. CiCi's generous donation of her house allowed us to have breakfast in a warm dry place this morning. We were so very grateful for having that. Church today was an impressive experience. There may not have been an abundance of members, but those that were there were on fire for Christ. I had never been in a church service that required a spanish translator before, but their translator broke down in Louisiana and could not make it. God made sure that our team member, Yeiri, was well equipped so that she could help minister to those that could not understand. Also the worship team sang through a couple of choruses in spanish for those there. After church we all traveled back to Mrs. CiCi's base to have a quick snack before heading back to camp to clean up and prepare for leaving Tuesday morning. At three O'Clock we were set out to visit an open house at The Rusty Pelican, the restaurant which many of us helped at all week long to help this lady get back on her feet with her establishment. Tonight at six we held a reunion party for all of those we helped since we have been coming down here. Although not everyone could make it, we had a great time reminiscing and going back through pictures and videos of trips past. Many of the students and adults shared about their experiences while they have made Gulfport, Mississippi their home.

God Bless

Kolby Dukes