Dedicated to Mr. Lee Smith

I realize that this is supposed to be my "life" blog, not my "Katrina" blog ... but, just for today, they're being merged. Deal with it. It'll make sense shortly.
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Wednesday, October 18, 2006

The Autodesk Volunteer Team had a good day today.

Yesterday late in the afternoon, we received a very cool invitation to join our Tualatin volunteer friends at a home they've been working on ... so I need to write about Mr. Lee Smith.

Lee is in his 50's, living in Biloxi about 2 miles from the coast. When he bought his home, his realtor advised him not to buy flood insurance. Flood waters hadn't been seen in that part of town in over 40 years -- even prior to Hurricane Camille. Lee has significant health issues, and he's raising his two daughters as best he can. Since he was purchasing a home that he knew he'd need to do work on, he decided to take his realtor's advice and use that money to fix up his home and to pay his growing medical bills.

He hadn't yet taken the plastic wrap off his new couch when Katrina came into Biloxi. The Smith home was moved 15 feet away from the original foundation and into the middle of their street. The contents inside were "blown out the back of the building" and into their yard. (I'm quoting here because it's what I was told and it's a very accurate description.) The demolition of this home was fairly quick - it was literally cut up into smaller pieces and then hauled away.

It'd be easy to say that the Smith Family lost it all, but it wouldn't be accurate.


Lee Smith made lunch today for about 50 volunteers. He started his BBQ at about 6am this morning and cooked all the side dishes the previous day. He served all of us - each one - standing at his BBQ and he shook every hand and thanked every person for joining him for lunch in his backyard. Some were people he’s never met, who haven’t worked on his home (like the Autodesk Volunteer Team) and others were people who he now regards as his extended family. Lee Smith has friends, family, faith, hope, an amazing heart, and a generous spirit. He also has SERIOUS BBQ skills.

We feasted on ribs, chicken, sausage, macaroni salad, collard greens, bean salad, and corn bread (two kinds - with and without peppers) ... all provided by a man in poor health who is living with his daughters in a trailer next to their new home, which is still just bare studs.


It’s October 2006 now - maybe the Smith Family will be in their home by Christmas this year. But, more importantly, they will be together and they will be safe, which is more than they had last year. Progress is slow ... but it IS happening.

Yep - the Autodesk Volunteer Team had a very good day today.
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January 28, 2008
I awoke, thumbed through the newspaper, and turned on my Blackberry. A message from Jim Pringle was waiting. "Hi Jules - just a short note, as I’m running late. News from Mississippi - Lee Smith died last night. At least he had a year in his new Earthly home - and now he’s gone home for eternity."

And a quote from a stud inside the walls of Lee’s home.
Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.