Gulf Coast team checking in

Curtis told me I didn't have to update this and the myspace but I figured that I should, so here you go!

Our team is finally here in Biloxi/Gulfport Mississippi.
The ride down was smooth without much incident (minus the overly numerous bathroom breaks!) We went straight to the warehouse where we had already been told we were staying, but when we pulled up in the darkness of southern mississippi the warehouse loomed ahead with very little light and we were all a little bit terrified of what layed in wait for us.

Our living area consists of a few rooms with beds and dressers and everything we need, a living room area with a tv, full kitchen, bathrooms (with no lights but we still use them) and a shower room (but you have to go out in the warehouse to get to them). The warehouse is absolutely huge. It still has a lot of supplies in there that Major Vincent said we can use, so pretty much it's like living in a Wal-Mart where you don't have to pay for anything but there is a good chance that it is expired or has a funny smell. We are so blessed to be living here because it has absolutely everything we need. God has provided us an awesome place to stay.

Over the past couple of days we have been eating our meals at Yankie Stadium, an old football stadium that the Salvation Army purchased for a Kroc center just 5 days before Katrina. Here they feed a ton of volunteers everyday and house many of them in rooms converted under the bleachers. The food here is much better than you would expect..we are definitely NOT going to go hungry here. We took our very first trip to Wal-mart which was pretty exciting. We have been getting to know a few of the corps people and the people that help at Yankie Stadium so it is good to be making friends.

Tonight we were in charge of the youth programs here at the Gulfport Corps. Kirbi did an amazing job of arranging a lot of fun games with the message "Words have power." Before we started we walked around the neighborhood for a while and met 7 kids who came to the meeting and had a blast. Pray that they latch on here and become a permanent fixture at our youth meetings and Sunday meetings. We fixed pizza and the kids enjoyed that and apples, oranges, chips, capri sun, and some awesome strawberry lemonade that I made :-)

Over the next few days we have a prayer meeting, Bible study, Home League, nursing home visits, and a Sidewalk Sunday School (which actually is on Saturday). Be in prayer for those that God will work through them and it won't be our words but His.

The team is working very well together and we are getting along great. We are a pretty hilarious group so laughter is not something we are missing.

Hopefully our van is getting fixed as we speak. The engine overheats unless we have the AC on high all the time so Captain Monique went to get it fixed. The Gulfport Corps has given us their van for the summer to use so that is a blessing.

Well I think this is long enough for now. If you have any questions for the team then feel free to leave a comment or message or something!

In Christ,

Shannon Rogers and the Gulf Coast SSC team