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Katrina bus leaves Dec. 26 |
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Wednesday, 12 December 2007 |
Cliff Buchan
News Editor
Give Pastor Ed Wheatley a bus and there is no telling where the Stacy preacher will end up. But there is a good chance the bus will be filled with good-hearted folks who want to do some good while having fun.
Such has been Pastor Wheatley’s mantra for the past 30 years as he has led delegations far and wide, exploring fun sites, but also doing good deeds to help those who may be down and out.
And on many of those trips, the pastor from St. John’s Lutheran Church drives the bus.
It’s just another job and another way to serve the Lord, Wheatley says.
He’ll be behind the wheel of the Vermilion River Camp motorcoach on Wednesday, Dec. 26 when the next Katrina Relief trip begins its seven-day mission to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana.
The late December trip will mark Wheatley’s seventh to the Gulf Coast region that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Time has passed and many may assume life is once again normal in the Gulf Coast, but for many in the region it is far from normal, the pastor said.
That’s the reason for the seventh trip to be sponsored in part by St. John’s Lutheran. The relief mission is in partnership with Lutheran Disaster Response and Vermilion River Camp, Inc. St. John’s is one of 17 churches to partner with the camp.
“There are more than 500 families (near Biloxi, MS) still waiting for help,” Wheatley said. “The big boys have gone on to other disasters.”
About the trip
In six previous trips to the Gulf Coast, the St. John’s delegations have included a wide range of adults and youth, including college groups from Bethany Academy in Faribault and Concordia Academy in St. Paul.
“We’ve had volunteers from 13 to 81,” Wheatley said.
The trip is a chance to help folks in need and also see some of the tourist attractions in the area, he says. Most of the time, however, is spent on work.
The group will stay at Camp Victory, the base camp near Biloxi. Workers will live dormitory style and eat meals prepared in the camp kitchen. The days will be spent working on home repairs.
The jobs include sheetrock work, taping, painting and general cleanup. Much storm debris still remains, the minister said. Tools are provided and some camp jobs must also be filled.
The delegation will arrive in Ocean Springs, MS on Dec. 27. Three drivers will be used for the non-stop journey. After orientation, the work schedules commence.
Three long days of work are scheduled, Wheatley says. On Sunday, Dec. 30, the group will sightsee in New Orleans and eat dinner on Bourbon Street. On Monday, Dec. 31, the group will depart for home.
A way to help
The trip requires a commitment of time and money. Cost of the trip is $299 which covers transportation, lodging and all camp meals.
“This is our opportunity to do something for someone else.”
So far, the pastor says, 21 residents from throughout the area have signed up for the Dec. 26 trip.
“We need 40 people, but we can take up to 90,” he says. “We have two buses. With the price of fuel, we need to fill the bus.”
Wheatley is hoping to recruit more area residents who are willing to sacrifice some time and money to help those in need. Donations to help others are also welcome.
A Hugo woman who has helped in the past this month sent a $1000 check to the church to help with scholarships. “I’ve got people out of work who would love to go,” Wheatley said.
Those willing to help but unable to make the trip can send financial donations to St. John’s Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 308, Stacy, MN 55079 in care of the pastor’s discretionary fund.
A spring trip is also being planned, he says.
For more information, call 651-462-7729 or 651-248-3469.
Efforts rewarded
On an earlier trip, Pastor Wheatley saw first hand the suffering and heartache that many in the region were experiencing. The St. John’s delegation came across a young woman who was trying to resume her life. She had gone back to her job only to later learn that her income exceeded federal guidelines for assistance by $568.
She was given an $18,000 estimate for repairs with no guarantee when the home could be repaired. The home had been condemned for removal.
In a nine-hour period, the St. John’s group of 20 hauled away tree debris and furiously charged ahead with interior repairs which were completed.
“We saw the condemned sign come down,” Pastor Wheatley said.
It’s such small steps that work in big ways, he says, and the motivation that keeps the big bus rolling, with Pastor Ed behind the wheel, looking for some good to do.
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