WWW.FEMA.GOV IS ONE PLACE YOU CAN GO TO GET LOTS OF INFO,ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF THIS TERRIBLE DISASTER.YOU CAN REGISTER A CLAIM FOR HELP AND CHECK YOUR CLAIM HERE.THE TOLL FREE # FOR FEMA IS  1-800-FEMA(3362)  (TTY )1-800-462-7585(SPEECH&HEARING IMPAIRED)
 THE AMERICAN RED CROSS 1-800-HELP-NOW
DISASTER HELPLINE 1-866-438-4636
MISSING PERSONS:THESE AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFO ARE AT THE END OF THIS POST.

PART 1
WOW ! WHAT A HORRINDOUS EVENT!!!!
                          THIS IS THE WORST IN AMERICAN HISTORY....
I LIVE RIGHT ON THE LOUISIANNA/TEXAS LINE AND I REALLY FEEL WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT KATRINA DID NOT HIT US! HOWEVER,OUR DAY IS COMING AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED.I ONLY HOPE (FOR THE SAKE OF THE KATRINA VICTIMS) THAT WE DON'T GET HIT ANY TIME SOON,WE WOULD BE IN A TERRIBLE BIND TRYING TO EVACUATE.THIS WOULD PROBABLY CAUSE A HUGE PANNICK.THERE ARE SO MANY  EVACUEES HERE STATE WIDE AND I'M PROUD OF ALL THAT OUR STATE IS DOING TO HELP.(PROUD TO BE A TEXAN).
ON ANOTHER NOTE: I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS TAKING SO LONG FOR OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET TO THESE AREAS OF DISASTER! THESE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING TREMENDOUSLY.I HAVE RECEIVED 3 EMAILS FROM A FRIEND OF MINE IN MONROE,LOUISIANNA WHO HAS BEEN THERE TO HELP AND WHAT HE IS ABLE TO DO IS LIMITED,TODAY HE  LEFT TO GO FURTHER IN TO AIDE MORE (IF HE CAN) HE IS A PASTOR SO, I KNOW THERE ARE UNLIMITED PRAYERS GOING UP,HOWEVER HIS HEART IS VERY HEAVY SEEING THE AGONY THESE POOR PEOPLE ARE IN.I PRAY FOR GOD TO HAVE MERCY ON OUR ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND THAT WE WILL REMEMBER THAT "HE"IS IN CONTROL!!!!
AND I PRAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN "ENUFF" DEATHS! THIS IS WORSE THAN 9/11 AND IT IS "OUR TSUNAMI"..WE NEED TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES! WE TAKE TOO MUCH FOR GRANTED SOMETIMES(MYSELF INCLUDED)
ALSO,BEWARE WHO AND WHERE YOU GIVE DONATIONS.MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT ALL THE FACTS ABOUT ANY WEBSITES YOU ARE CONSIDERING DONATING TO.ALL THE ONES I HAVE LISTED ARE DEPENDABLE ONES AND I WILL POST EXTRA ONES AS SOON AS I FINISH CHECKING THEM OUT WITH THE BETTER BUISINESS BUREAU.GOD BLESS ALL WHO HAVE HELPED AND ALL WHO WANT TO BUT CAN'T.I HOPE THIS POST MAKES SINCE TO ALL WHO READ IT.IT'S HARD FOR ME CAUSE MY HEART IS HEAVY ALSO AND I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL FOR THESE PEOPLE AND TO PRAY!THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER!!!!
I WILL CLOSE FOR NOW SO I CAN CHECK ON ONE OF MY JOURNAL CONTACTS FROM MISSISSIPPI,I HOPE SHE AND HER FAMILY ARE OK.

PART 2
SEPTEMBER 9,2005
HELLO AGAIN,I FINALLY LOCATED TONYA,THE ONE I MENTIONED ABOVE AND READ HER LATEST POST.THANK GOD THEY ARE OK.THEY HAD SOME DAMAGE AND LOST POWER FOR A WHILE AND ARE MAINTAINING.HER JOURNAL ADDRESS IS http://nikkinmiss.bravejournal.com/  I FEEL ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED SHOULD GO AND READ HER POST "THE BIG ONE" BECAUSE SHE HAS TOUCHED BASE ON SO MUCH THERE AND IT HELPS DEFINE WHAT I'M ABOUT TO POST HERE TODAY.
WELL SINCE 8/31/05,I HAVE BEEN MAKING AN OUTLINE FOR WHAT I WANT TO ADD.THERE ARE SO MANY EMOTIONS I HOPE YOU CAN READ BETWEEN THE LINES AND UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT POINTS I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE AND PLEASE SEE THE POSITIVE SIDE TO IT ALL.THANKS.......

                                        "A NEW BEGINNING"

I BELIEVE PART OF THIS IS A TEST...WHO WILL PASS IT?
JUST BELOW IS A COPY OF THE LATEST EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM MY PASTOR FRIEND IN MONROE,LOUISIANNA.I CAN SURELY UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS SO HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS WHAT HE WITNESSED BECAUSE IT IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO PUT INTO WORDS WHAT I'M FEELING FROM WHAT I'VE WITNESSED,WHICH IS NOT THE SAME.

Hello All, My name is Christopher Handy and I am the Pastor of The New Testament Bible Church here in Monroe, Louisiana. Saturday I traveled to New Orleans with a group of Ministers and Lay Persons to rescue the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I have been reluctant and unable to write since I arrived back from New Orleans. The images of devastation, death, and hopelessness which I saw and the stories from the people we rescued have been difficult to put into words. I can only say in one word what I experienced which is "Horror"... I will not at this time share with you the nightmarish images but I will say that it much worst than the news media and others have stated. As a Minister I would like to say that we need to take the time and come together and pray not only for the victims but for ourselves. That we will be able to look beyond the man made barriers and look at people. What I saw in New Orleans was not about color, political or social status but human suffering. One day we all will be judged by St. Matthew 25:42-45; For I was hungred, and you gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visted me not. Then shall they answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye did it not to the least of these (THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA), ye did it not to me. So where ever you are today please take a few moments to say a prayer for all of the victims and especially the children who are separated from their parents. Please remember the elderly who are displaced and frighten not knowing what comes next.. Oh yes in your prayer remember those who lost their life in this tragedy and that God will comfort the survivors. Please pray that I can get a peaceful good night sleep...... God Bless All.... Pastor Handy PS. The evacuees are in need of luggage of any kind most of the people came with their belongings in trash bags and pillow cases. Contact your local Red Cross or Salvation Army for more details.

"A NEW BEGINNING" (CONT'D)
THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE HEAVY ON MY HEART......
      THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF FAMINE,POVERTY,PESTOLENCE,ETC.....WHERE KATRINA HIT IS WHERE IT ALL BEGINS(,HOW WE HANDLE IT,I BELIEVE WILL DETERMINE WHAT "GOD"DECIDES TO DO NEXT.)--AND--IT IS (AND WILL)BE SPREAD UNTIL THIS HORRIBLE TIME IN PROPHECY HAS COME TO PASS.THINK ABOUT IT,EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON HAS ALREADY BEEN SPOKEN AND WRITTEN ! THERE'S A VERY STRONG URGE INSIDE OF ME TO MAKE THIS AWARE TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.MAKES ME WONDER HOW MANY OTHERS FEEL THIS SAME SPIRIT...
I HAVE TO FIGHT THE FEAR INSIDE TO SEE THE TRUTH IN IT ALL.THIS IS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THIS COULD ALL TURN OUT DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY "GOD" SEES FIT.ON THE POSITIVE SIDE THERE IS (LONG OVERDUE) AMAZING LOVE BEING SPREAD TO KEEP OUR EYES ON "GOD".AND ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE,IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEGINNING OF AN ALL OUT WAR.IN THE NEWS,THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO TURN THIS INTO A RACIAL ISSUE WHICH WILL BRING ON "RACIAL WAR" WORLDWIDE IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE TO PREVENT ALL THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS AND IT'S UP TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF US NOT TO ENTERTAIN THESE UN-NEEDED IDEAS!!!!!
IS IT NECESSARY TO USE WORDS THAT CAUSE ILL FEELINGS?
IS IT NECESSARY TO ALWAYS LOOK FOR BLAME EVERYTIME SOMETHING HAPPENS?

THIS WAS A "NATURAL DISASTER" !!!!!........HELLO!!!!!!!!!!

YES,THERE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE BUT HINDSIGHT'S 20/20.
I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS MIXED EMOTIONS FROM THE "SHOCK" OF IT ALL AND THAT'S FINE,HOWEVER WE ALL NEED TO GET A GRIP AND BE WARE NOT TO GIVE INTO THE NEGATIVE,IT SPREADS LIKE WILDFIRE!

HAVING SAID ALL THAT,I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVERWHERE I TURN I SEE AND  HEAR ABOUT SO MANY PEOPLE GIVING OF THEMSELVES AS WELL AS MONETARY AND NON-PERSIHABLE GOODS.
SO,FAR THIS IS MY BEST EXCEPT FOR PRAYER..THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER...
I AM IN THE PROCESS OF" SPRING CLEANING"..
THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS I'LL BE GIVING TO A PLACE ABOUT TO BE OPENED RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM ME.THIS BUILDING WAS A SCHOOL AT ONE TIME AND HAS SAT EMPTY FOR ABOUT 4-5 YEARS..AND NOW WILL GIVE A SINCE OF HOME TO QUITE A FEW PEOPLE AND IT WILL BE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FOR ME AND MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WHO I AM HOME SCHOOLING.WE WILL TAKE SOME PART IN THIS FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON,AND ONE OF THEM BEING TO TEACH MY DAUGHTER "GOOD CITIZENSHIP"
THERE IS A SMALL LOCAL STORE ON THE CORNER WHERE WE DO LOTS OF SHOPPING AND I SPOKE TO SOMEONE THERE WHO SAID SHE IS MOVING BEACAUSE SHE DOESN'T LIKE THE IDEA OF THIS SCHOOL BEING OPENED FOR THESE PEOPLE..."WHAT IF IT WAS HER????????? !!!!!!!
THAT MAKES ME SO ANGRY INSIDE,BUT MAYBE SHE;S JUST SCARED,I DON'T KNOW BUT WHEN WE JUDGE,REMEBER,WE WILL "BE" JUDGED!
AT FIRST,I MUST ADMIT THAT MY FEELINGS WERE MORE NEGATIVE THAN POSITIVE BUT I HAD TO GET A GRIP ON REALITY AND REMEBER "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON"
"WHATEVER WILL BE,WILL BE" HOW WE HANDLE IT IS WHAT "GOD" IS LOOKING AT AS TO WHICH STEP "HE" WILL TAKE NEXT.I'M NOT MUCH GOOD AT QUOTING SCRIPTURE BUT I HAVE READ IN THE BIBLE WHERE "GOD GRANTED 15 EXTRA YEARS TO A MAN WHO WAS ON HIS DEATH BED.THIS IS A GREAT STORY(IN THE OLD TESTAMENT).PLEASE READ IT IF YOU CAN FIND IT.THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE IS..."GOD" CAN AND WILL CHANGE HIS MIND SOMETIMES.

LET'S ALL PLEASE CONSIDER COMING TOGETHER INSTEAD OF FALLING APART!!!
"LOVE" (CHARITY) IS THE GREATEST GIFT GOD HAS EVER GIVEN AND HE WANTS US TO SHARE IT.PLEASE HEED TO THIS MESSAGE....HE IS WATCHING US.................
UNTIL NEXT TIME,GOD BE WITH US ALL...REMEMBER,LOOK UP,LOOK AROUND,AND OPEN YOUR HEARTS........  

MISSING PERSONS:
1-(800) WEFIND
1-(866) GET-INFO
(225)925-6626
(337)234-7371
(225)925-7402
(877)LOVED-1S(877-568-3317)RED CROSS MOVEMENT FAMILY LINKS REGISTRY.

THE-LOST(800-843-5678 ) NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING CHILDREN
NATIONAL MISSING PERSONS REGISTRY,FINDING LOVED ONES,LISTING OF MISSING PERSONS HOTLINES AND SITES.

NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER 1-800-424-8802,1-202-267-2675..NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER SHOULD ONLY BE CONTACTED TO REPORT OIL AND CHEMICAL SPILLS.

UNITED HEALTHCARE CRISIS HOTLINE 1-866-615-8700  OPEN 24/7 FOR AS LONG A NECESSARY WITH COUNSELORS STANDING BY FOR ANYONE NEEDING AND EAR OR GUIDANCE THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE TIME OF SORROW.

LOUISIANA:
STATE POLICE ROAD CLOSURE HOTLINE 1-800-469-4828
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 1-877-453-2721
EVACUEES IN NEED OF DIALYSIS 225-387-1333
GENERAL VOLUNTEERS CALL 211 FOR ANYONE WANTING TO VOLUNTEER,FROM CELL PHONES DIAL *211 ,OUT OF STATE 1-800-749-COPE
MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS-OPH(OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH) 225-763-5763 OR 225-763-5762

PART 3
SEPTEMBER 13,2005
BEFORE I ADD THE NEXT PART OF THIS TOPIC,I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I HAD TO REALLY THINK ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEEM CONTRADICTORY...I FEEL ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN THIS PART OF MY POST IS TO USE IT IN A "POSITIVE MANNER"

                                                          "BATTLE OVER NEW ORLEANS"
THIS INFO WAS PASSED TO ME,I AM PASSING IT TO YOU... When I lived in Shreveport, I learned early own that when one was put on the “Levy Board” it meant that “he” (always a man) was well known in the Democrat party. It was almost always a life appointment for favors performed! Each levy had its own board and no two levy boards worked together. I am sure that, should the truth be known, any plan of action that was in place would not have worked because of this separation. 37 years ago I recall the need to improve the levies. Taxes would be raised for these needs but little upgrading was ever done. It was just a way to get more money for the favored “board” members. These members had many favors returned for personal profit and no income. I remember one member getting over one million dollars of improvements to his land for flood control. The truth was that 2000 acres was cleared and drained for his cattle operation. The property was in a flood zone and would always flood and still does so today under heavy rain. This man was a friend and would tell me some of the things where tax money was raised for a given purpose and yet be spent on entirely a different project most always to the benefit of the “chosen few”! I believe that as things unfold (if it really happens) we will discover how this one example will become the standard of corruption in many other ways. LA is a corrupt state from its very core and has always been so. I wish that I could relate all of the corruption that I was aware of just in the Shreveport area, but I moved over 25 years ago to protect my family and myself. This is really all that I wish to relate. Some of you know the “rest of the story” and if you really wish to know, I would be willing to share this life experience as “one on one” bases. I do hope that “truth” will prevail from that terrible event! What you read below is as true as it gets! I hope that you can use this in a positive manner. Dick

Subject: Battle Over New Orleans On Friday night, August 26, 2005 before the Hurricane hit, Max Mayfield of the National Hurricane Center took the unprecedented action of calling Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and Louisiana Governor Blanco personally to plead with them to begin MANDATORY evacuation of New Orleans and they said they'd take it under consideration. This was after the NOAA buoy 240 miles south had recorded 68' waves before it was destroyed. President Bush spent Friday afternoon and evening in meetings with his advisors and administrators drafting all of the paperwork required for a state to request federal assistance (and not be in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act or having to enact the Insurgency Act). Just before midnight Friday evening the President called Governor Blanco and pleaded with her to sign the request papers so the federal government and the military could legally begin mobilization and call up. He was told that they didn't think it necessary for the federal government to be involved yet. After the President's final call to the governor she held meetings with her staff to discuss the political ramifications of bringing federal forces. It was decided that if they allowed federal assistance it would make it look as if they had failed so it was agreed upon that the feds would not be invited in. Saturday, August 27, before the Hurricane hit, the President again called Blanco and Nagin requesting they please sign the papers requesting federal assistance, that they declare the state an emergency area, and begin mandatory evacuation. After a personal plea from the President, Mayor Nagin agreed to order an evacuation, but it would not be a full mandatory evacuation, and the governor still refused to sign the papers requesting and authorizing federal action. In frustration the President declared the area a national disaster area before the state of Louisiana did so he could legally begin some advanced preparations. Rumor has it that the President's legal advisers were looking into the ramifications of using the insurgency act to bypass the Constitutional requirement that a state request federal aid before the federal government can move into state with troops - but that had not been done since 1906 and the Constitutionality of it was called into question to use before the disaster. Throw in that over half the federal aid of the past decade to New Orleans for levee construction, maintenance, and repair was diverted to fund a marina and support the gambling ships. Toss in the investigation that will look into why the emergency preparedness plan submitted to the federal government for funding and published on the city's website was never implemented and in fact may have been bogus for the purpose of gaining additional federal funding. As we now learn that the organizations identified in the plan were never contacted or coordinating into any planning, though the document implies that they were. The suffering people of New Orleans need to be asking some hard questions as do we all, but they better start with why Governor Blanco refused to even sign the multi-state mutual aid pack activation documents until Wednesday, August 31, which further delayed the legal deployment of National Guard from adjoining states. Or maybe ask why Mayor Nagin keeps harping that the President should have commandeered 500 Greyhound busses to help him when according to his own emergency plan and documents he claimed to have over 500 busses at his disposal to use between the local school busses and the city transportation busses - but he never raised a finger to prepare them or activate them. This is a sad time for all of us to see that a major city has all but been destroyed and thousands of people have died with hundreds of thousands more suffering, but it's certainly not a time for people to be pointing fingers and trying to find a bigger dog to blame for local corruption and incompetence. Pray to God for the survivors that they can start their lives anew as fast as possible and we learn from all the mistakes to avoid them in the future. Thom Ridnour, Senior Vice President, Trizec Properties, Inc., 1201 Elm St., Suite 3838, Dallas, TX 75270 thom.ridnour@trz.com, Phone Numbers: 214-571-6260 (Direct), 214-571-6277 (Fax), 972-523-2120 (Cell)

MOM!!!!its a great post!!u are a really big help.i love ya..

awwww! thank god there all ok! well you have a very good site here and that was a brilliant post!

yeh girl wasnt it.yes and thank god those people are okay!!!but their not ALL okay..

Charlene, I'm so glad you visited my journal & left a link back here! I really enjoyed reading your post, you really hit on some great points here!

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