This past week was one of the hardest and most challenging that I have ever experienced. I am not just saying that either... I wish. But I honestly learned so much about integrity, leadership and self control. Each week we have around 50 students and leaders come out to Texas in order to spend a week serving in Hurricane Ike relief.

 To many people the picture that comes to mind when you say "hurricane relief" is a male youth with a hammer ripping out insulation and gutting houses. They think of the rough construction work that everyone wants to do. The perfect slide show that will be presented to their churches on the following Sunday mornings.

The Galveston area is a different situation. Many of the houses were not only completely destroyed but lost in the waves. If you don't have money then you don't have anything. So there are houses with some work to do yes, but many people are living in trailers on their property. They literally have nothing and are fighting with insurance companies that will only give them 11% of the net worth of their houses.

So where do you go from there? To all of you who need to know, yes we have found some "intense labor" jobs. But what Galveston needs is not hammers. It needs compassion and hands. It needs people to come and pick up debris, talk to the residents and hear their stories.

Many groups have grabbed these relationships and absolutely loved their week with us. One story that specifically touched my heart was for this little lady named July. She lost her home and store in the hurricane. She is now restarting her business but is illiterate. She has no way to read or organize, work on the computer or encourage her small business. A group discovered her, fell in love and served her all week. That is what they took away from their time. Not roofing stories, but a relationship!!! Wonderful.

So please pray for me as I have a few days off before starting my next group. I love you all very much and can't wait to hear from you.

Love, Emily Tissot

P.S. I wrestled (or helped catch an alligator)