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removed debris, wrecked cars, and trees from
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the parking lot
surveyed the community and discovered
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immediate needs
organized and hosted planning meeting for
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80 local pastors and community leaders
set up a supply depot with food, water,
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clothing, diapers, cleaning liquids, toiletries,
school supplies, tents, and cots
volunteers cleared Vietnamese Martyrs
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Catholic Church, Main Street Baptist Church
established a supply depot at Vietnamese
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Martyrs Church
began daily `Kids Kamp' o ering in atable
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games, rides, sno-cones, popcorn, lunches,
songs, crafts, and Bible lessons
hosted ve services under the Big Red and
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White Tent for local churches
visited families and children on the streets,
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handing out toys, food/drinks, and o ering
words of hope and encouragement
cleaned Light House Apostolic Church on
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Mis-
sion Street, removing sheet rock and debris
took doctors and nurses to make house calls
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cleaned out Selenac Houses for elderly
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and shut-ins
More of God's love would arrive the next
week, including the supply of 135 brand new
mattress sets, special requests from the residents
of the community. e church volunteer teams
continued to respond to City Light teams
from all denominations meeting on the parking
lot of First Church of the Nazarene to head out
to Biloxi. In the fourth week alone, over 1,000
people were helped through warehouse services
providing cleaning and hygiene supplies, over
100 people were counseled for spiritual needs,
and over 450 boxes of food were distributed.
Another surprise arrived from God in the form
of Olivia Octopus, a hand puppet and creation
of Auntie Karen. Olivia is a jazz-singing oc-
topus who has overcome a great tragedy in her
life and has been transformed by the caring of
her sh friends who give her wonderful hugs.
Because she has been transformed by their love
and care, she begins to give to others what she
herself has received, love and compassion com-
municated through a hug.
Redfern introduced me to Karen Alexander,
At a time when racial tension was high because
of church burnings, Ku Klux Klan activity, and
the Confederate ag ying over the State Capi-
tol Building, a group of people got together and
began to pray that God would heal our land as
promised in II Chronicles 7: 14.
is was an historical event: for the rst time
in the South an African-American preached to
80,000 people with the racial ratio of the at-
tendees 60% white and 40% black. Also, for the
rst time, many denominations worked side by
side for this cause. God began the reconciliation
process that has been on going to this day. City
Light has continued to exist to act as a catalyst to
bring the people of God together to empower the
local churches for service to community. Christ
e storm of God's love that has
already hit Biloxi can hit all over
the world when God's people come
together as One to lift up Christ
and show compassion to others.
Central Ministries began at this time too and has
been a partner with City Light ever since.
I hung up the telephone and called Red-
fern and told him about my conversation with
Jimmy. He agreed to lead the church volunteer
teams every week. I called Rev. Craig Winesett,
Compassionate Ministries Director in my church,
First Church of the Nazarene, Columbia, South
Carolina. With Craig's gift of administration and
organization, it was a blessing to hear Craig say he
would help organize the church teams. I called
my pastor, Rev. Geo rey Kunselman, and asked
for his support in this endeavor. Just like always,
he showed his support for this move of God and
encouraged us in it. us began the storm of God's
love that headed toward Biloxi, Mississippi.
Only a couple of days after Katrina hit the
Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast, Com-
passion Central was set up in Yankie Stadium
on Division Street. e devastation was unbe-
lievable, but the love of God that showed up in
the people of God was unbelievable too. e
people of God began to respond in the same
measure that Katrina had arrived.
In the rst week, Compassion Central had:
established a visible community presence by
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setting up the Big Red and White Tent
cleared Lee Street Stadium of debris
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