In spite of another hurricane threat, CAP’s Operation Relief continued its mission in Mississippi this week.  The urgent needs of countless hurricane victims is motivating the relief group to give their whole heart and best effort to the task, despite rough conditions.

“This storm isn’t going to stop us,” said Sherry Buresh, CAP Assistant Director of Human Service Missions. “They need our help now more than ever,” she said.   Buresh is leading the relief team while working with local and national relief personnel and FEMA to coordinate efforts.

 At the recommendation of area officials, Buresh pulled CAP out of the relief shelter on Friday in anticipation of the hurricane.  Work was interrupted only for a day while Rita came ashore and dumped rain in the region. The group slept at a church in Montgomery, Alabama then headed back to Ocean Springs Saturday morning anxious to return to duty.

The applause upon their arrival back at the shelter spoke to the need in the area and the quality of work CAP provides.  “I’m so proud of our group,” Buresh said.  “I can’t get them to stop working at night because there’s so much to do. We have given almost 3,000 hours of service here in one week.” 

CAP is working at a church that is providing housing for those left homeless by Katrina. The church is also serving as a supply distribution center, medical clinic and soup kitchen.  Now thirty-nine strong, CAP workers spend their days cooking, serving, cleaning, organizing donations, unloading trucks and giving emergency supply boxes to hurricane victims.   Skilled work crews are also tearing out and replacing drywall in flooded homes, while others are distributing pickups full of supplies to poor neighborhoods affected by the storm.  Among those working with this week’s crew are several community volunteers and a CAP board member.

Working as a team, their efforts are making a significant impact on the Ocean Springs community that was ravaged just a few weeks ago.  Still, the stories are heartbreaking, and the needs are overwhelming.  Undaunted, CAP crews keep giving and smiling and helping. And at the end of the day, no one complains about sleeping on the floor because they know they have a home to go to when their work is done.  Their mission isn’t about comfort, but about showing Christ’s love through the work of their hands and feet.  By doing that day in and day out, they are showing a hurting community that “the Anchor holds in spite of the storm.”