By Harold "Sandy" Roth, Jr.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, my wife, Oraine, suggested that we send a check to Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). I agreed, but added that I wanted to go to Biloxi as an LDR volunteer. Several days later, my long-time friend Bobby Raidline and I were headed to Biloxi, Mississippi, with a loaded-to-the roof motor home and a small car.

A friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous, contributed the motor home and car for us to leave in Biloxi. We had accumulated donations from many caring individuals and organizations, and the motor home and car were packed with goods. I had chosen not to tow the car with the motor home, so needed a second driver. Bobby volunteered and was a gift worth his weight in gold!

Bobby and I left Hecktown at 5 a.m. on Monday, September 12, and completed the 1,248-mile trip to Bethel Lutheran Church, Biloxi, at noon on Wednesday, September 15. We had an excellent trip on several major interstates and had only one blowout on the car and experienced only one major two-hour traffic delay near Biloxi due to Katrina storm damage on the famous US 10.

In Biloxi, both vehicles were titled to the Rev. Gerald Bultman, pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church. Pastor Bultman is chair of the board of The Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen in Biloxi. He will see that both vehicles are put to good and frequent use.

Bethel Lutheran Church sustained damage to the roof, but otherwise was not seriously damaged. The Bethel Distribution Center is located in the church social hall. This center offers water in various sized bottles (water is in great demand because the Biloxi water system is currently contaminated). It also provides nonperishable food items and household supplies of all types. The health clinic, in the church's library, is operated by a volunteer doctor and several nurses. All services and supplies are provided free of charge.

Most victims had extensive damage to their homes; many lost their homes completely. Teams of volunteers from Bethel Lutheran Church and visiting volunteers like Bobby and me are currently aiding in the clean up of storm damage for those victims whose homes are repairable. More than 300 lives were lost in the Biloxi, Gulfport, and Long Beach area, an area comparable to the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area.

The cleanup in the Biloxi area will take many months and lots of effort. The unfortunate storm victims — and there are many — will need continuous aid and supplies. Bethel Lutheran Church continues to distribute a tractor trailer load of food and supplies each day as well as operating the medical clinic. These supplies are being provided by LDR and other local community and church organizations, as well as groups, churches, and organizations from states as far away as Pennsylvania, Washington, Maine, Florida, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, and California.

The heavy rains of Hurricane Rita aggravated the Katrina damage to the temporarily repaired roof. The volunteers at Bethel are currently working hard to secure the roof.

Bobby and I returned home by plane on Wednesday, September 21, avoiding Rita, another nasty storm affecting our Gulf Coast brothers and sisters.

The eight days of volunteer service with Lutheran Disaster Response were a wonderful experience, offering us extreme emotional highs and lows. The folks who received the various services and supplies were extremely appreciative. We shared many tears and expressions of thanks with them.

I plan a return trip to Bethel Lutheran Church as an LDR volunteer in mid-November, returning to Hecktown by November 22. We are also looking at ways we at Trinity can continue to help our sister congregation, Bethel Lutheran Church, in Biloxi, Mississippi.

My heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to the members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Hecktown, our interim pastor, David Newhart, and my very helpful and supportive wife, Oraine. Thanks, too, to friends and relatives for their generous financial support, donations for the victims, prayers, and words of encouragement. Without all of this support, our trip and help to the victims would not have been possible.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about our trip, you may contact me at 610.759.0923 (home) or 610.442.4394 (cell), or email me at sandyroth@enter.net.

(The author, Harold “Sandy” R. Roth Jr., and his wife, Oraine, are members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Hecktown. Sandy retired four years ago from Lucent Inc., after 40 years of service. Currently he works at Caring Connection, Inc., as a caregiver for seniors and as a board member.)