devastation............

My husband and I have been living in Jackson, Mississippi now for about a year. I'm originally from Nebraska and he is originally from Houston. We were actually scheduled to move back to Nebraska next week. We don't know if we will be able to leave that soon.

I also had the chance the visit Gulfport and Biloxi in May this year. The destruction is unbelievable. These casinos and buildings that have been thrown onto to land and on top of other structures are massive. I'm not sure if people who have never seen these structures in person realize how massive they really are. The destruction down here is total and complete and the loss of possession and life incredible.

For those of you who are not familiar with Mississippi the state capitol, Jackson (were I currently live), is about a two-hour drive north of the coast. Now I do not want to take away from the tragedy on the coast but here in Jackson we have refugees from the coast housed in our coliseum with no food and no power. 80 percent of the city of Jackson and surrounding metro area is without power, almost as many also without water. Stores cannot open to sell supplies because there is no power. We have a "boil water" advisory because the water has been contaminated, and many homes have been damage, and are missing roofs. There is a gas shortage and 2 hr long gas lines at the few stations that have gas and the power to pump it.

What people don't realize is that its far worse and widespread than even the media can cover. If anything, the difficulties we are having here in Jackson should only further point of how badly the Coast needs all of our help. Please donate, it doesn't matter what organization or how much, just send what you can. And I agree, you can't let yourselves be overwhelmed by what you see on the television. Use the information to be motivated to help, I can't stress that enough.