A Memory by Natalie Sinclair
After Hurricane Katrina hit on August 28th, 2005, you may remember there was a response to provide help from all across the country. I was on one of the first Red Cross busses of nurses to visit the area.
We were housed in a church in Pass Christian. Some of the group stayed in the sanctuary. I was in the gym. We all just slept where we could.
I was later moved to Gulf Port, Mississippi where we set up first aid stations and worked with the Red Cross to establish a dining tent and, well, an entire temporary village.
Eventually I was moved to Ocean Springs to help with creating a kitchen/dining unit. In all for that first trip, I was in the disaster zone nearly three weeks when suddenly an emergency at home required my presence.
We had no cell phones at that time. There were all kinds of transportation issues! With a lot of help I made it to an airport and flew home — to find my husband in the hospital!
Ted was ok and eventually I returned with a group from church. Then Ted and I went alone on a mission trip of our own. While we were there we made friends with an older gentleman and went back again later to finish his home. I know there was another group trip, and at some point we were in Biloxi.
In all I was able to go five times. The church itself was involved with multiple trips that various members made helping rebuild in the gulf after Katrina.
