Barren land, wind ravaged homes, washed out dirt roads, sulfur water and swarms of gnats that attack every bit of showing skin; sounds like the description of a third world country. But this is not a third world country, a group of 18 (16 college students and 2 adult leaders) found out. This place is Pearlington, Mississippi. 
“I had no idea there was a place like in American” said Stella Sang, an English as a second language student from Korea. Pearlington is located in Hancock County right along the coast and is one of the poorest counties in Mississippi with 18.7% of families below the poverty line. On August 29,2005 the eye of Hurricane Katrina made direct contract with Pearlington leaving the town devastated. It has been nearly three years since that devastation and the event has faded from public consciousness. Many people have assumed that the after effects of Katrina have been fixed but as the Carson Newman bus rolled thru the town littered with bright pink M.E.M.A. (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) it was apparent it takes longer than three years to repair what it seems like a forgotten community.
The first thought in most of the members’ minds after a long twelve hour bus trip was what I have gotten myself into. As soon as those pesky gnats started biting, thoughts about how they were going to make it thru the week began to surface. Upon arrival at the job sites, these thoughts disappeared. It became more about working to improve the lives of those of Pearlington. Work they did and every day at 11:30 stopped for the best free meal around. Missionary Baptist Church provided some the best southern food around for the volunteers. Different dialects echoed thru the small one room church with volunteers coming from all around the country ranging from Pennsylvania to Wyoming. The minster and his wife made sure to say thank you, even if the food was enough.
“I had no idea there was a place like in American” said Stella Sang, an English as a second language student from Korea. Pearlington is located in Hancock County right along the coast and is one of the poorest counties in Mississippi with 18.7% of families below the poverty line. On August 29,2005 the eye of Hurricane Katrina made direct contract with Pearlington leaving the town devastated. It has been nearly three years since that devastation and the event has faded from public consciousness. Many people have assumed that the after effects of Katrina have been fixed but as the Carson Newman bus rolled thru the town littered with bright pink M.E.M.A. (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) it was apparent it takes longer than three years to repair what it seems like a forgotten community.
The first thought in most of the members’ minds after a long twelve hour bus trip was what I have gotten myself into. As soon as those pesky gnats started biting, thoughts about how they were going to make it thru the week began to surface. Upon arrival at the job sites, these thoughts disappeared. It became more about working to improve the lives of those of Pearlington. Work they did and every day at 11:30 stopped for the best free meal around. Missionary Baptist Church provided some the best southern food around for the volunteers. Different dialects echoed thru the small one room church with volunteers coming from all around the country ranging from Pennsylvania to Wyoming. The minster and his wife made sure to say thank you, even if the food was enough.
There seemed to be someone saying thanks every time one turned the corner. Rather it is Josephine whose house one part of the group put siding on or Larry Randall whose porch the other group completed or the Missouri high school students volunteering who needed bug spray there were plenty of thank-yous and bless yous to go around. Along the way, a lesson in perseverance was learned. If the spirit of the community could survive then surely so could the S.P.O.T.S. group. If Pearlington had hope so could anybody.
"What I found amazing was how every time a citizen of Pearlington told me, 'Thank You," I always felt compelled to say, "No, thank YOU," back to them. In a lot of ways I felt like the impact left on me by the people and the situation down there outweighed the impact of my service done for their community” said junior, Heath Trentham. In the end, a thank-you should be offered to the community of Pearlington and what they taught about hope.
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