4/26/06 A NOTE FROM SUE

My Waveland Experience

I arrived in Waveland on Friday April 14, 2006. I was immediately welcomed into the Bourgeois/Perkins/Cato families, with a fantastic southern meal complete with Diane's seafood gumbo; sorry Mark, you missed this meal. It was the beginning of what would become the most incredible journey; one mixed with heartache, laughter, emotional lows and spiritual highs.

The Easter egg hunt and festival for the kids was a huge event. Stacey Cato worked relentlessly for this day. Her enthusiasm, hard work, boundless energy and lively personality all contributed to the day's success.

Easter morning was pure joy. I was baptized by a Baptist Marine chaplain from Wisconsin. We were invited to join the group from Wisconsin (A.C.T.S) for Easter service on the beach. The afternoon was one of those emotional lows: walking among the personal belongings of what remained of a family's home.

The beach cleanup Monday was another great success, thanks to local volunteers, and the group of high-energy kids from Wisconsin. Two days later we saw beach chairs and an umbrella on the spot we cleared.

The remaining week was spent meeting and befriending a few of our applicants: families we WILL get "adopted" by groups of people back home. I instantly fell in love with the people of Waveland. It saddened me greatly to see the destruction, hear hurricane survival stories, and know that their lives are still incredibly hard. I saw first hand the positive impact Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot cards made to the residents. I met people made homeless by Katrina; the donated gift cards allowed one man to buy clothes, because all he had were the ones on his back.

These people DO need homes. They also need the gift cards, to help ease their daily hardships. I shopped at Walmart often that week; it offers everything people need. Lowes is coming to town and Home Depot is 30 minutes away. So if everyone out there reading this were to contribute just one gift card, imagine the impact it would make! More details of the lovely Waveland residents I met are forthcoming, so y'all can see the folks you are helping.

Sue Johnson

Please visit our family page on the website to meet some of our wonderful families. http://www.thegivingcircle.org/family.htm We need groups to adopt a family – church groups, business, a circle of friends. Please help!

To order gift cards or make a cash donation to help our friends in Waveland, please visit our donation page http://www.thegivingcircle.org/donate.htm Thank you ALL.