WESLEY SPRING 2010 - Wesley Magazine - Wesley College

HIGHLIGHTS | student lifeYong DuanBiloxiDuesA Service Trip to MississippiChaplain Dr. Mark Pruett-Barnett gives a firsthandaccount of the Wesley College Spring BreakService Project Trip to Mississippi from March 1–4that he coordinated and then had the joy ofexperiencing with a crew of six Wesley students.If you were to drive on Route 90 around Biloxi, Mississippi,you would find it hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina hadmauled the businesses, homes and lives of so many people just4 1/2 years ago. Everything now is brand new—the shoppingmalls, the casinos, beautiful upscale homes—all within easywalking distance of the beautiful Gulf Coast beaches. However,when you go just a couple of blocks inland, it is hard to believethat so little has been done in the same time frame. People’shomes and businesses stand in dire need of repair. A differentkind of flood—that of volunteers—has been in Mississippi since2005 helping people get back on their feet.Over spring break, six intrepid Wesley College students—Yong Duan, Amanda Fetterolf, Amanda Hudson, SydneyKahan, Nicole Oyola, Bryn Warner—and I were privileged to goand play a part in the ever-ongoing recovery from HurricaneKatrina. We met the Volunteer in Mission leaders for our trip,the Rev. Dr. Richard Vance and Linda Culp, at BaltimoreWashington International Airport for our flight down to NewOrleans. After a pleasant flight, we took a van to Keesler AirForce Base in Biloxi where we would stay.“I became close to this small group and I understand everyonebetter now. This trip has changed my views of the damage of thehurricane—the loss damage was to the people, not the land.”—Amanda HudsonFor four days, the Wesley crew worked on people’s homes.The first day, Monday, March 1, the crew worked at spreadingpesticide on studs and beams of a Katrina-devastated house inorder to get rid of mold. What a stench! Everyone wore respiratorsin order to keep the smell down. On the second day, thecrew had a very “concrete” experience—literally! While wearing10 WESLEY COLLEGE :: Spring 2010