The Synod of the Trinity helped with 
travel expenses for 36 people from four Presbyterian Churches (Heritage, Hiland, Mt. Nebo and Northminster) of the Pittsburgh Presbytery to travel to Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina relief with the Presbytery of Mississippi.
We were there from Feb. 19-26, 2006 and we stayed in the Long Beach Presbyterian Church. We were marvelously hosted there and we truly experienced "Southern Hospitality" at its finest. Rev. George Barnett and Chris Barnhardt, the work site coordinator, took very good care of us.
We worked on 12 different work sites doing everything from roofing to roughing in 
electrical, siding, and drywall. The days were long and the work was hard but we all returned to Pittsburgh touched by the lives and families we met there. Each house had a story, each survivor was unique and we were able to share with them on a more personal level - sharing dinner and worship with communion on the last Friday night there.
One of the greatest things about our trip is that we have decided - as four churches - to keep working together as a team with Hosanna Industries in the Pittsburgh/North Hills area in mission. We have continued to raise funds and have worked on two additional houses locally.
We are planning to return to Mississippi within the next year to continue the rebuilding and we are reminded of a powerful truth we heard at dinner at Katrina's Kitchen - a meal service run by volunteers from all over the country initially started by a Mennonite worker - "That the rebuilding of the Gulf coast is bigger than anything the government can do, only God can see this through".
