Letter from the field/Bob Putnam
Today is May 4th 2007. It is a rainy overcast day here in Pearlington, MS and the 40 or so volunteers we have are concentrating on interior work in homes that are being either remodeled or rebuilt. It is estimated that their is 12% of the community living in permanent housing, another 12% that are in some phase of construction and the remainder still in limbo and unsure of how or when something is going to start happening for them.
I have been working with the Pearlington Recovery Center, doing volunteer coordination. Working on residential home replacement for those who had homes that were destroyed by the storm and helping those who are in some process of rebuilding houses that withstood the storm. The federal money designated for residents has yet to be distributed by the State gov and the majority of aid available for residents is coming from small grassroot and faith based organizations. The building process has been tedious at best. Getting residents connected to grants for building materials is a cumbersome process. After acquiring the materials, finding volunteers capable of using the product properly is another struggle. For every two steps forward, a step back is usually in order to correct errors. Although volunteers are welcome; most are not skilled in construction and allowances have to be made. Materials are being mis used and wasted because of it.
We are moving forward hour by hour, day by day. Slowly people are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Worrying about replacing their entire lives while dealing with the day to day curves that life brings has made some stronger but other are slowly withering into an abyss of uncertainty. We are here, trying to bring some semblance of order to their chaotic lives. It’s the can-do philosophy in life that keeps them going and me happy to wake another day.
Bob
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