Utah service is balm to the weary By Erin Stewart
Deseret Morning News
Michael Brandy, Deseret Morning News Members of various religious denominations attend church services with hurricane survivors at Camp Williams on Sunday.
Kennedy sang his familiar Baptist hymns along with fellow refugees who packed the auditorium at Camp Williams on Sunday evening for a nondenominational church service. Utah's newest evacuees worshipped hand in hand with members of several local Baptist and Catholic congregations who shared their choirs and clergy with the hurricane survivors.
"I hope that this can lift people up and keep them there, not just until the next sermon but for the rest of their lives," Kennedy sad.
Pastor France Davis of the Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City aimed to do just that by coordinating the mixed-faith event that for most hurricane victims was their first worship service since Katrina hit.
As Davis read the 23rd Psalm, evacuees and Utah natives joined to repeat the words of the famous passage, shouting out with force, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
"People were busy trying to meet their physical needs and their food needs. I am convinced for the long term and the best well-being, the spiritual needs must also be met," Pastor Davis said. "We hope they will be strong and trust in the Lord."
For hurricane survivor Alcidia Johnikin, that spiritual balance had been lost along with her home and job in New Orleans. After hearing the congregation ring out the words of "Oh, how I love Jesus," Johnikin said not only were her spirits lifted, but she was able to feel a little piece of the hometown she left behind.
"I was really despondent. I'm so far away from home, and even though I know I couldn't go back, in the back of my mind I wanted to go home," Johnikin said.
Katie Scott, a Riverdale resident and member of the Calvary congregation, hoped the love of the ministers and the congregation would help ease some of the refugees' minds and help them realize "they're our brothers and sisters."
More than anything, Scott said she wanted the refugees to feel that although Louisiana and Utah are states apart, the love for Utah's expected 2,000 refugees will forever tie the two regions together.
"When I met one lady, we hugged and were so happy to see each other," she said. "It was like I've known them forever and we've just met."
The sermons and remarks of several local clergy and Utah dignitaries echoed the idea that Utah has a special bond to the refugees who have already arrived or are expected to fly in through the next few days.
As Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert read from the Bible about service, he thanked the evacuees for giving Utah the chance to assist and care for them.
"You were strangers before, but I'm here to tell you now you are friends of Utah," Herbert said. "I appreciate the enthusiasm we hear today that is chasing down that doom and gloom." CAMP WILLIAMS  Jerome Kennedy raised his hands, swaying to the final words of "Amazing Grace" as he allowed himself to feel hope for the first time since Hurricane Katrina left him homeless and stranded in New Orleans."I'm in here jumping up and down, thanking him," said Kennedy, who arrived in Utah Saturday night after spending the week in the Superdome until the stench and the chaos drove him onto the street. "It's a relief  and we need it."Kennedy sang his familiar Baptist hymns along with fellow refugees who packed the auditorium at Camp Williams on Sunday evening for a nondenominational church service. Utah's newest evacuees worshipped hand in hand with members of several local Baptist and Catholic congregations who shared their choirs and clergy with the hurricane survivors."I hope that this can lift people up and keep them there, not just until the next sermon but for the rest of their lives," Kennedy sad.Pastor France Davis of the Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City aimed to do just that by coordinating the mixed-faith event that for most hurricane victims was their first worship service since Katrina hit.As Davis read the 23rd Psalm, evacuees and Utah natives joined to repeat the words of the famous passage, shouting out with force, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.""People were busy trying to meet their physical needs and their food needs. I am convinced for the long term and the best well-being, the spiritual needs must also be met," Pastor Davis said. "We hope they will be strong and trust in the Lord."For hurricane survivor Alcidia Johnikin, that spiritual balance had been lost along with her home and job in New Orleans. After hearing the congregation ring out the words of "Oh, how I love Jesus," Johnikin said not only were her spirits lifted, but she was able to feel a little piece of the hometown she left behind.Now, Johnikin said she can once again feel hope that her city will be rebuilt."I was really despondent. I'm so far away from home, and even though I know I couldn't go back, in the back of my mind I wanted to go home," Johnikin said.Katie Scott, a Riverdale resident and member of the Calvary congregation, hoped the love of the ministers and the congregation would help ease some of the refugees' minds and help them realize "they're our brothers and sisters."More than anything, Scott said she wanted the refugees to feel that although Louisiana and Utah are states apart, the love for Utah's expected 2,000 refugees will forever tie the two regions together."When I met one lady, we hugged and were so happy to see each other," she said. "It was like I've known them forever and we've just met."The sermons and remarks of several local clergy and Utah dignitaries echoed the idea that Utah has a special bond to the refugees who have already arrived or are expected to fly in through the next few days.As Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert read from the Bible about service, he thanked the evacuees for giving Utah the chance to assist and care for them."You were strangers before, but I'm here to tell you now you are friends of Utah," Herbert said. "I appreciate the enthusiasm we hear today that is chasing down that doom and gloom." E-mail: estewart@desnews.com
Evacuees from New Orleans arrived on Sunday and have continued to come to Utah, utilizing the facilities at Camp Williams, the training facility for the Utah National Guard, to house the incoming people.  Flights from New Orleans to Salt Lake City International Airport provided by JetBlue Airways under a contract from FEMA have been shuttling people from New Orleans to many destinations throughout the United States, including Utah.  

In addition, Utah Air National Guard relief missions transporting food and other supplies to New Orleans relief efforts have also been returning with people in the cargo areas of the airplanes on return flights.   "In keeping with our mission to assist in the security and safety of our homeland, we stand trained, ready, and able to respond to the call to assist our fellow citizens in Louisiana, Mississippi and elsewhere," said Maj. Gen. Brian Tarbet, Utah National Guard Adjutant General.

The people on board the airplanes had no idea where they were going.  In one case the airplane was headed to San Antonio and at the last minute while still airborne the destination was changed to Utah.   Peter Coroon, Salt Lake County Mayor: "Some of the people look dazed. Some of them are just happy to be out of where they were. Some of them are eager to find their loves ones they've been separated. Some of them weren't sure where they were going when they left New Orleans." 

Governor John Huntsman, Jr. utilized surplus state funds by declaring a state of emergency to begin efforts housing and clothing people coming to Utah, however some of this will likely be reimbursed by the Federal Government at a later date.  He announced that Utah was willing to take up to 1,000 people at shelters in Utah, and that amount was later increased to over 2,000.  On Monday, President Bush signed an executive order granting the emergency declaration in Utah to provide Federal assistance for the evacuees in Utah.

After arriving in Utah, one evacuee said "I want to thank the people of Utah for their hospitality and for restoring my faith in America."  Another evacuee said "it seems like heaven, looking at the mountains and getting a breath of fresh air and saying, 'Thank God we made it.'"

Not all evacuees were pleased with the move to Utah.  "I knew where Utah was, but nobody told me that's where we were going. Nothing personal. It's nice. But I don't know anybody here," said Bergeron, among the first batch of 152 evacuees to arrive at the Camp Williams Utah Army National Guard training site.

The Utah chapter of the American Red Cross has been training volunteers over the Labor Day weekend, and according to one official they have been overwhelmed with community support to help the evacuees.  The line of volunteers to receive the training helping those at Camp Williams was litterally out of the door at the Red Cross offices today.  One volunteer, Kayelynn Wright said, "The last couple of days we’d talked about it and said, 'What can we do?' So when I saw it (a call for volunteers) last night, I called (my neighbor) this morning and said, 'We gotta go!'" The Red Cross has asked that you contact the local office if you plan on volunteering or donating any new clothing and other items to help the evacuees.

Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday gathered at the LDS Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake to assemble more than 50,000 hygiene kits for hurricane victims.  Plastic bags were stuffed with toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, soap, washcloths and hand towels. The supplies will be shipped to a church-owned storehouse Georgia for distribution. 

Transportation requests are also being honored by the Utah state government, and evacuees are having transportation to anywhere in the United States paid for at state expense.  In addition, a small amount of extra money is being donated directly to each family to help with immediate expenses.  The Utah Transit Authority has already established a regular municipal bus service between Camp William and downtown Salt Lake City, which will begin formal service starting tomorrow morning.