A Gulf Coast vacation - The United Presbyterian Church of Washington, Iowa, serves in Louisiana

by Clem and Vivian Griffith, work team members
April 2009

Thanks to the United Presbyterian Church for sharing this photo of their volunteer team, some of whom are return volunteers in the Gulf.

You know a vacation spot is special if you travel there twice in three years. The experience is even more memorable if the reason for your return visit is to help those who have been affected by a disaster.  A group of six retirees from The United Presbyterian Church, in Washington, Iowa recently returned from the Gulf coast after a week spent doing reconstruction work. For five of them, it was their second trip to the area. Their tasks included soffit and fascia work, painting, framing, hanging doors, and moving a family into an apartment.

Although the recovery work is coming along slowly due, in part, to the area being hit by four additional storms since Hurricane Katrina, the group was happy to be able to assist in any way they could to help rebuild the lives of the residents. They were rewarded for their efforts by being treated to an authentic Cajun meal prepared by the members of First Presbyterian Church of Bayou Blue.  Savory dishes of creamy crawfish soup, shrimp and fish creole, Cajun chow mein, Louisiana crab cakes, crawfish jambalaya and decadent pralines were served up along with a generous helping of gratitude and appreciation.

Vivian summed up the experience by saying that it was "a blessing to be in God's service and I would go again in a heartbeat."

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