Reflections: The Gulf Coast Tour
Words really are inadequate to describe the devastation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We began seeing real damage when we got to Hattiesburg. Blue roofs were spotted here and there as damaged houses were covered with blue tarps. That would become more and more common the farther south we went. As a matter of fact, on the radio we heard it referred as "The Blue Roof Blues."
There were times we would look at the east side of highway 49 and everything looked normal. Then we would look to the west side and see miles of trees bent and broken, leaning down toward the north. It was as if we were looking at the very edge of the storm path (and we may very well have been).
We made it down to the city and it was surprising to see life definitely coming back to both Gulfport and Biloxi...stores re-opening and re-hiring. Lots of traffic. When you turn onto I-90 at Gulfport, however, things change dramatically.
My first view was of First Baptist Church, Gulfport which is completely demolished. The picture posted here doesn't begin to do justice to the destruction, but as you can see, one is able to look directly through this very large church sanctuary. It is surreal.
From there, it is more of the same. As we were driving east along the beachfront highway, we looked about 75 yards or so at the houses that were gutted and half standing. Suddenly I realized that I was looking past about two blocks where houses used to stand to the houses that were a block or two away. Absolutely nothing but slabs remained of businesses and homes that had lined the highway. Huge steal beams from business signs were wrapped around like ribbon on a package.
As we continued east down the road, we passed a very large structure on ourleft that was severely damaged. As we got about halfway past it, we noticed it was a barge...a casino that had been lifted and deposited onto the north side of the street, opposite the side of the ocean in which it had previously been anchored. Once we figured it out, I tried to snap a picture but the borrowed camera we were using didn't work (!)
By the time we got halfway down 90 to Biloxi we were essentially numb. Our minds couldn't adequately process all we were seeing. The best (though inadequate) analogy is that of a war zone. It really looked similar to the pictures I have seen of London after being bombed in World War II. Nothing but hollowed out buildings and homes, stairwells standing with no buildings attached, partially demolished hotels...completely demolished hotels.
There was a casino that looks like a ship that is still sitting where it was originally placed and, coming from the west, you can see the ocean-side part of it which looked essentially intact. Then going past it, you realize from the north side, it is hollowed out as if a bomb was detonated from the inside. When we reached the other end, close to the Beau Rivage casino, we had seen about all we could take. Karen had literally developed a bad headache from the time we got onto the highway until we got off, which was nearly 30 minutes. One could feel the stress and heaviness in the air. It was a very oppressive atmosphere, in spite of the warm, sunny day. Though there was heavy traffic, it was very subdued, as if people were filing past a corpse at a funeral, paying homage to a loved one.
Nevertheless, there is a sense of resilience in that place as well. There is a determination to rebuild and become stronger than ever. It's on the billboards, on the radio, on the signs placed on what used to be front yards. It is also evidenced by the fact that so many people have come back and begun the process of re-establishing their lives. Everywhere you go there are piles and piles of trash and the ever-present blue tarps...but there are also people. To look into the vehicles passing by and see the faces; to walk into the businesses as people come and go, do their shopping, whatever, it is almost as if nothing ever happened. I don't want that to be overstated, but I did get a real sense that people are ready to live again...to get on with it. It was encouraging.
In the midst of massive destruction, there is encouragement that life will someday get back to normal. Until that time, though, there is a tremendous need for help that remains. Financially and otherwise. Please continue to pray for these people all along the coast. They have endured some truly unbelievable conditions and their nightmare is far from over. The Coast will be rebuilt, but it is going to be a very difficult process.
There were times we would look at the east side of highway 49 and everything looked normal. Then we would look to the west side and see miles of trees bent and broken, leaning down toward the north. It was as if we were looking at the very edge of the storm path (and we may very well have been).
We made it down to the city and it was surprising to see life definitely coming back to both Gulfport and Biloxi...stores re-opening and re-hiring. Lots of traffic. When you turn onto I-90 at Gulfport, however, things change dramatically.
My first view was of First Baptist Church, Gulfport which is completely demolished. The picture posted here doesn't begin to do justice to the destruction, but as you can see, one is able to look directly through this very large church sanctuary. It is surreal. From there, it is more of the same. As we were driving east along the beachfront highway, we looked about 75 yards or so at the houses that were gutted and half standing. Suddenly I realized that I was looking past about two blocks where houses used to stand to the houses that were a block or two away. Absolutely nothing but slabs remained of businesses and homes that had lined the highway. Huge steal beams from business signs were wrapped around like ribbon on a package.
As we continued east down the road, we passed a very large structure on ourleft that was severely damaged. As we got about halfway past it, we noticed it was a barge...a casino that had been lifted and deposited onto the north side of the street, opposite the side of the ocean in which it had previously been anchored. Once we figured it out, I tried to snap a picture but the borrowed camera we were using didn't work (!)
By the time we got halfway down 90 to Biloxi we were essentially numb. Our minds couldn't adequately process all we were seeing. The best (though inadequate) analogy is that of a war zone. It really looked similar to the pictures I have seen of London after being bombed in World War II. Nothing but hollowed out buildings and homes, stairwells standing with no buildings attached, partially demolished hotels...completely demolished hotels.
There was a casino that looks like a ship that is still sitting where it was originally placed and, coming from the west, you can see the ocean-side part of it which looked essentially intact. Then going past it, you realize from the north side, it is hollowed out as if a bomb was detonated from the inside. When we reached the other end, close to the Beau Rivage casino, we had seen about all we could take. Karen had literally developed a bad headache from the time we got onto the highway until we got off, which was nearly 30 minutes. One could feel the stress and heaviness in the air. It was a very oppressive atmosphere, in spite of the warm, sunny day. Though there was heavy traffic, it was very subdued, as if people were filing past a corpse at a funeral, paying homage to a loved one.
Nevertheless, there is a sense of resilience in that place as well. There is a determination to rebuild and become stronger than ever. It's on the billboards, on the radio, on the signs placed on what used to be front yards. It is also evidenced by the fact that so many people have come back and begun the process of re-establishing their lives. Everywhere you go there are piles and piles of trash and the ever-present blue tarps...but there are also people. To look into the vehicles passing by and see the faces; to walk into the businesses as people come and go, do their shopping, whatever, it is almost as if nothing ever happened. I don't want that to be overstated, but I did get a real sense that people are ready to live again...to get on with it. It was encouraging.In the midst of massive destruction, there is encouragement that life will someday get back to normal. Until that time, though, there is a tremendous need for help that remains. Financially and otherwise. Please continue to pray for these people all along the coast. They have endured some truly unbelievable conditions and their nightmare is far from over. The Coast will be rebuilt, but it is going to be a very difficult process.
Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 12/29/2005 12:00:00 AM
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2 Comments:
You should hear what FBC Gulfport has done with their services and format. They're adapting, and I'm so glad. It's beautiful, really, to see how they've grown (maybe not in numbers, but certainly spiritually) through this.
As all of us have, who were living in the region.
I don't know about everybody else, but I would love to hear some of those details, Joe. Would you be willing to either tell us more about what FBC Gulfport is doing or point us to a post at yours or another blog where we can read more? Thanks for posting.
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