Wow! Hard to believe it's *still* like that. How were the
people's spirits?

Scotty


"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
We've returned from the Gulf.
The devastation can't be fully described without being there.
We knew we were getting closer when we say a sea of blue FEMA
tarped roofs
that started 150 miles inland

We were permitted access to the restricted areas and rode along
Route 90;
for miles and miles we saw nothing but destruction.
We witnessed:
armed guards at points of entry and barbed wire along the
railroad tracks
footprints of former homes, concrete pads and cinder block
columns, now just
markers.
cars and trucks tossed, crushed, and flipped upside down
eerie MSDS-like codes, spray painted on houses to mark where
bodies lay.
fallen trees that cut in half the buildings that got between
the trees and
the ground.
a Wal-Mart with no walls
a McDonalds golden arch sign standing but no McDonald's to be
found
a concrete bank vault standing alone, the bank itself blown
away
signs of the times
- insurance adjusters promising to fight for "wind damage"
claims
- home made signs attempting to lift the spirits of those
who've
survived
homes spray painted with requests such as: "don't bulldoze me"
volunteers from all other parts of the country bringing help
and supplies
a place near Biloxi called God's Kitchen, where anyone may eat,
for free or
donation
travel trailer communities courtesy of FEMA, reminiscent of
Grapes of Wrath
scenes
a house that "floated" over another house and came to rest as
if
professionally moved
truck parades of mobile homes and pre-fabbed buildings on all
major highways
a lone sailboat way out in the Gulf; and nothing but trash and
menacing
debris along the coastline
nature trying to reclaim the land as government workers and
contractors
fight back with machines

We entered an elementary school in Long Beach, MS, and saw
mold, mold, and more mold
bulletin boards set up in August, under sea water for days, but
promised
that this year would be "a great year!"
a water mark on the walls that was well over my head
a floor that looked like the bottom of the ocean had been there
power wires that had been cut off forever
steel beams bent by the force of huge falling trees
a playground that looked like a scene from Hiroshima
a large propane tank that had traveled a mile to rest in the
school yard

and so much more
Scout

"Scotty" wrote
Wow! Hard to believe it's *still* like that. How were the
people's spirits?

The people we met were awesome. Everyone we had contact with seemed to be
doing the work of half a dozen people. Even though we were there to help, at
times we felt like a burden because we needed direction regarding the
dispatching of supplies. In spite of good intentions, we were adding stress
to someone's already overloaded work schedule. In true Southern spirit, our
hosts were never anything less than gracious.
Scout