Gustav # 2

I am about to go to bed and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow my son John will leave for the MS diocesan center in Jackson to spend the night and day – waiting out the storm His home in NOLA is likely to be flooded as NOLA is looking at a probable surge of 20 ft. That will be deadly for the city. Winds in NOLA are expected in the 135 mph range. Winds in Baton Rouge expected to be 100 and winds here are expected to be about 80. The storm has picked up speed. I am told that the faster it arrives the further east it will bend. It is already the worse case scenario for NOLA except that the storm is coming in at low tide. NOLA is under mandatory evacuation as is Biloxi’s Point (where Redeemer is located). We plan to have church tomorrow. And then I will come home. Helen Gordon has arranged for a video conference at 4:30 CDT. If you would like to log in with us the instructions are below. Once that is finished I will drive to the shelter and am working there throughout the storm. Miss Kitty will stay in the house in my closet. (She prefers to be far away from the thunder and lightning.) My son Will is with my sister in Shreveport and will make his way down through MS to return to NOLA ASAP.

Right now I am just tired. It has been a long day of sandbagging the back door, taping the windows, and moving in the outside stuff. I am as prepared as I can be. I spoke with Nell Bolton of the LA Disaster Response and there was both sadness and worry in her voice. We will help them in any way that we can.

Off to bed with me. The wind is supposed to begin by morning. Landfall is about 36 hours away. We have done all the right things to get ready. The diocese of MS has been so attentive and helpful. I am really thankful for Bishop Gray’s love for us. And now it is time for prayers.

What will I pray tonight… I wonder about those who are homebound and who have no access to news. I am sure there are some even with the door to door warning. I pray that they will be safe. But you know I mostly pray that they will not be afraid. Life is hard sometimes and right now it seems especially hard. I pray that we will all feel the warmth and the strength of God’s presence and that we will act as Christ to those with whom we work and wait. I pray for patience as I help people into the shelter and I pray for the safety of those who are traveling. I give thanks that I am doing exactly what I want to be doing right now. I am serving and loving those to whom I have come as priest. I give thanks for Bishop Bud’s phone call. It lifted my spirits. I give thanks for Helen and her technology and for all those who have emailed and called and expressed concern. I know that God will watch over us in the coming hours. “Comfort every sufferer watching late in pain, those who plan some evil from their sin restrain. Through the long night watches may thine angels spread, their white wings above me watching round my bed. When the morning wakens, then may I arise Pure and fresh and sinless in thy holy eyes,”

http://gulfcoastpartnership.blogspot.com/

PS

Here is a link to an interview with one of my parihsioners. She is Lucy Denton.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26471140#26471140