5
14, 2015
We are still there!
w
atrina:
ater
The Salvation Army developed spiritual
and emotional care teams for the first
time during the Katrina recovery. Majors
Melvin and Esther James spearheaded
them. “It was a new concept,” said Major
Melvin James. “When people came for
material help ... almost without exception
the people wanted to talk to spiritual and
emotional care people.” Majors James were
there six years, setting up teams to go
door-to-door praying with residents.
2.6 million
people received
assistance
After the Gulf Coast was
ransacked by flooding and
riddled with emotional wounds
that wouldn’t soon subside,
a promise was issued: “For
many years, New Orleans
has been called ‘The City that
Care Forgot.’ We want to send
the message loud and clear,”
said Major John Jordan, then
community relations and
development secretary. “We
have not forgotten. We are still
there!”
Throughout the AlabamaLouisiana-Mississippi Division’s
coastal communities, the USA
South has remained true to
its mission – answering God’s
call to make radical followers
of Jesus Christ who love
inclusively, serve helpfully and
disciple effectively.
Loving inclusively
Immediate needs were of
first concern to Majors Rob and
Janine Vincent, appointed about
a month after Katrina made
landfall as the South Mississippi
recovery commanders. “We
provided the basic necessities
of food and water, emotional
and spiritual care and long-term
assistance with helping people
restore their property and their
Services provided over 10 years:
5.6 million hot
meals served
“The resiliency, tenacity and commitment of the people of southeast Louisiana to rebuild lives, structures and community prevails.
The community, and The Salvation Army that serves it, are flourishing once again and are using yesterday’s tragedy as the basis
for realizing tomorrow’s triumph.”
Captain David Worthy, area commander for New Orleans
THEN
THEN
lives. It didn’t matter what their
economic background was
because everybody was equal on
the Gulf Coast,” said Major Rob
Vincent.
Serving helpfully
Newly commissioned
Lieutenants Damon and Jennifer
Graham both served in New
Orleans as employees of The
Salvation Army. Damon worked
under the leadership of now
retired Majors Melvin and Esther
James as an emotional and
spiritual care counselor; Jennifer
was the social services and
outreach director under Majors
Mike and Theresa Hawley.
Jennifer enjoyed serving other
churches in NOLA parishes.
“The pastor and his wife
welcomed me to set up shop.
Her words were, ‘I don’t know
what we would’ve done had
The Salvation Army not asked to
set up here.’ Most of the church
members were experiencing
loss, the pastors were affected
and I was so grateful the Army
was there to help them carry the
burden,” she said.
Major Ethan Frizzell, who
served as the area commander
from 2008-2011 in New
Orleans, said, “We took an
New Orleans Center of Hope
Biloxi, Mississippi Corps
NOW
NOW
Ministered
through pastoral
care to 275,000
individuals
emergent solution approach; instead of
suggesting that we had all the answers,
we actually supported emergent
solutions. People or agencies that were
doing great things, we supported
financially.”
Discipling effectively
Major Frizzell praised Major
Mike Hawley, who preceded him
as the NOLA area commander, for
the partnerships he set up. “He was
instrumental in extending the strengths
of many non-profits by partnering with
them,” said Major Frizzell.
Major Hawley shared how one
such partnership – with international
performing arts company 13th Floor
– helped the Army introduce a man to
the love of Jesus during Christmas 2005.
Unlike the typical Christmas pageant,
13th Floor’s Homecoming depicted
high school students who dealt with
life’s trials by cutting themselves.
“We invited thousands of families.
Victory Fellowship Church offered us
their pastor, their facility and 200 of
their people to pray.” In addition to the
performance, Major Hawley arranged
for each family to receive a food box.
“I asked one man who was carrying
his food box back to his vehicle what
he thought. His response made my jaw
drop. The man put down his box, rolled
up his sleeves and said, ‘That show in
there was just for me.’ His arms were
covered with scars from the wrist up to
his shoulder. If for no one else among
the thousands who came… this man
knew God had spoken clearly to him.
A team of people from The Salvation
Army, Victory Fellowship and youthful
actors from South Africa [and] Atlanta
all gathered in Louisiana on one day …
to reinforce what we know to be true
about God: how far he is willing to go
to reach someone with his redeeming
message of salvation and hope!”
Brooke Turbyfill
890,000 hours of
service provided
by officers, staff
and volunteers
Voices of remembering
One guy came in and said, “This used to be a store. It’s my birthday and I came in to buy a shirt for my birthday.” He asked if he
could talk to someone. I said, “Sure.” So he talked to my husband
for about 20 minutes and then came out and said, “Guess what? I
am going out a brand new man in the same old shirt.”
Major Esther James
I remember going down to our city hall where one of our
advisory board members, who was the assistant fire chief, had a
satellite phone. I asked if I could use it to call our divisional headquarters. I simply couldn’t get through. I tried to get in touch with
the state of Mississippi for wat er and ice. I couldn’t get through. I
couldn’t make contact with anybody.
I didn’t know what to do, and I just fell on my knees in city hall.
With tears in my eyes, I just asked the Lord to please send me
water and ice. One of my volunteers came in to city hall to tell me
that I needed to get back to our slab (what was once the Biloxi
Corps). There were two tractor trailers – one with ice and one with
water – and they needed a place to park. It was simply a miracle.
Major Don Wildish
When I arrived in Baton Rouge, where we had established a
disaster service center moving canteens around New Orleans, a
boy around 8 years old came up to me with his father. He had his
piggy bank they found in the rubble of what had been their home.
He handed me the piggy bank and said, “Major, will you please use
all my life’s savings to help someone worse off than we are?” When
I could choke back my tears and clear my throat I thanked him for
the greatest gift I had received from any donor so far.
Major Dalton Cunningham