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Hurricane survivors celebrate Advent with joy

Dec. 16, 2005

NOTE: Photographs and a related report, UMSN story #701, are available
at http://umns.umc.org.

By Betty Backstrom*

GRETNA, La. (UMNS) - Every week during Advent, the Rev. Hadley Edwards
hosts a Tuesday evening Bible study in his home for the members of
Bethany United Methodist Church, just as he has in previous years.

The biggest difference this Christmas is that there is no church
sanctuary or education building to go to on Sunday morning. Bethany
United Methodist Church in New Orleans, located less than two miles from
Lake Ponchartrain and four miles from the 17th Street canal, was
severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina, with close to 11 feet of water
flooding the church complex.

Tony Childers, a Bethany member and administrative assistant for the New
Orleans District of the denomination's Louisiana Annual Conference, sits
in his pastor's living room and reads aloud from the Advent guidebook.

"Not even affliction has the ability to dampen our joy," he reads.
"Because the Lord has done great things for us, we rest assured of God's
love."

Every head in this circle of study nods in agreement, and several
members quietly say, "Amen."

As this small group of church members gathers in front of the crackling
fireplace in their pastor's home, just outside New Orleans, Edwards
mentions that this evening's meeting is the first time he has seen
"Sister" Percieann Rodney since the storm.

"I was like a little kid, just jumping up and down when she was coming
out of the car this evening. She was one of the sheep I hadn't seen,"
said the elated pastor. Rodney had evacuated to Houston when Hurricane
Katrina hit. Her home suffered wind damage, and she is living with her
mother in uptown New Orleans until repairs are made.

Edwards makes the point that especially now, folks need to be around
positive people. "It is wonderful to see all these smiling faces here
tonight, to be able to share the joy of the season. Thank God we are
coming together."

Audrey Lawson, who sits close by the fire this evening, shares her
philosophy on prayer with the study group. "I thank God every morning
for waking me up to live another day, especially after everything we've
been through. I talk to him just like I'm talking to you."

The 79-year-old member of Bethany evacuated to Lake Charles with her
niece when Hurricane Katrina hit. Lawson was one of thousands who
escaped weeks later from Hurricane Rita, which struck the southwest
coast of Louisiana. She lives temporarily in Harvey, La., with her
niece, and plans to rebuild her house in New Orleans East, which
received six feet of floodwater.

Barbara Gibson, also at the Advent study, expressed gratitude for the
prayers of friends and family. "People called me from all over the
country. I truly saw and felt the love of others," said the young woman,
who plans to pursue a career in ministry.

Gibson, a resident of New Orleans for 13 years, recently experienced
several major challenges, including the death of her mother and her
husband's brain surgery. "Almost every nine months, there was another
tragedy. The last blow was Hurricane Katrina. But I truly believe that
these experiences have strengthened my faith," she said.

She told about the joy she felt when the group from Bethany United
Methodist Church first got together a few weeks ago. "I can't even
describe how happy I was. We probably spent the first hour hugging and
kissing each other. We've had lots of communication by phone and e-mail,
but it was wonderful to see all these faces," she said.

"Rev. Edwards has his house beautifully decorated for Christmas. It made
us all so cheerful that I immediately went home and decorated my house,
too."

Edwards closes the evening's study with news about displaced church
members. Leonard Merriman III is living in Tomball, Texas. His mother,
who is battling colon cancer, is in a nursing home in Texas. The study
group plans to send her cards and a care package.

Mary Allen is still hospitalized in California, but is doing better.

Marion Anders is still in Ruston, La., but her sister, Naomi Martin, has
made it back to the area and is living in Harvey. Edwards shares their
dramatic rescue story, which involved a helicopter rescue of the two
women who had decided to ride out the storm in Anders' house in
Ponchartrain Park.

Prayers are said, and Edwards sends the group forward into the chilly
December evening, with promises of homemade gumbo and Italian cream cake
for their next meeting.

*Backstrom is editor of Louisiana Now!, the newspaper of the United
Methodist Church's Louisiana Annual Conference.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470
or newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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