 Caleb Gugel, Wauseon, Ohio, pours concrete into one of the concrete pillars that will elevate a new home off the ground in Pass Christian, Miss. (photo by Lois Nickel, MDS) |
August 30, 2007
Hesston College students serving this summer with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) in the Gulf Coast heard many words of appreciation. "People in Pass Christian, Mississippi, were so excited that there are people who are willing to come from all over and help complete strangers rebuild a home in a strange environment," said Caleb Gugel, Wauseon, Ohio. "I'm glad that I had this MDS experience and am looking forward to next summer."
Gugel was one of six freshman students from Hesston College who worked with MDS in either Pass Christian, or Diamond, Louisiana, as part of their Summer Field Experience. They received three credit hours as part of the Disaster Management Program, a cooperative effort between Hesston College and MDS. MDS has been involved in the Gulf Coast with the help of long-term and short-term volunteers from the U.S. and Canada ever since Hurricane Katrina hit that area of the U.S. in late August 2005.
According to Russ Gaeddert, director of the Disaster Management program, the freshmen were involved in reconstruction of current homes or helping to build new homes. Tasks included demolition, mudding and taping drywall, shingling, installing trim, and concrete work, as some of the new homes were elevated off the ground with concrete pillars.
Ben Kropf, Oregon City, Ore., said drywallers from Virginia taught him and others how to mud and tape. "We did a good job and didn't have to do much sanding," he said. "I spent the next day at the local church measuring footers. I saw the water line left by the flooding. It almost reached the ceiling."
 Ben Kropf, Oregon City, Ore., uses a drill to install drywall in a home MDS is rebuilding in Diamond, La. (photo by Russ Gaeddert) |
Oliver Kropf, Oregon City, Ore., enjoyed the opportunity to fellowship with people in Pass Christian. "Each Wednesday, the Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church cooked for all the volunteers and residents of Pass Christian," he said. "The food was very good; one week we had catfish. It is amazing that these people who lost so much in a hurricane are so generous. Every week, they go to a lot of work to feed a lot of people, and they haven’t even recovered from the disaster."
Jackie Shaw, Croghan, N.Y., said she made many new friendships. "In certain situations, I had to talk to people about uncomfortable things," she said. "It strengthened me as a person and made me a better crew leader," she said. "They are people whom I still keep in touch with."
Amanda Koch, Colorado Springs, Colo., said her time in Diamond was an incredibly enriching experience "I met so many new people, including both long- and short-term MDS volunteers and people who live there," she said. "I grew closer to God and achieved a deeper understanding of myself. I was pushed out of what makes me comfortable and so developed a stronger work ethic and character."
 Jackie Shaw, Croghan, N.Y., works intently on demolition of a house so MDS can rebuild it in Diamond, La. (photo by Lois Nickel, MDS) |
The students will share about their experiences during chapel Wednesday, September 12. Chapel begins at 11 a.m. in the new sanctuary of Hesston Mennonite Church. Chapel is free and open to the public.
Meanwhile, six students who graduated from the two-year program in early May also spent 10 weeks in Pass Christian or Diamond. Gaeddert said the six, who completed their Summer Field Experience during the summer of 2006, had more responsibility this year as crew leaders of MDS volunteers. Those students were Chris Burkholder, Linville, Va., Josh Dean and Kevin Eby, both from Harrisonburg, Va.; Alicia Hertzler, Marietta, Pa.; John McTavish, Pottstown, Pa.; and Ryan Troyer, Lititz, Pa.
Gaeddert said John McTavish and Amanda Koch spent the month of July in a multi-cultural location in the heart of Toronto, Ont. (Canada). They served as crew leaders for youth groups who came to fix up a community center under repair.
This fall, the third year the Disaster Management program has been in operation at Hesston College, 11 students are enrolled in the program--four sophomores and seven freshmen.
Disaster Management Program