Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Hours of Joy houses 28 hurricane victims

The Hours of Joy, on East Main Street across from Rehkopf's Hometown Market, is now the residence of 28 hurricane evacuees from New Orleans, La.

According to their pastor, Jimmie Smith Sr. of First New Zion Travelers Baptist Church, New Orleans, the group has plenty of food and clothing, but most are in the process of moving and will need furniture donations.

"We are getting a group of apartments at Pine Ridge Manor, off of Kansas Road on Michael Lane," he said. "Our people need living room furniture, beds, tables, chairs, things to set up housekeeping with."

According to Smith, around 26 of his group have decided to stay in the Gurdon area on a permanent basis.

"We took shelter in Gurdon on Wednesday, Aug. 31, and we had been in Arkansas since Sunday, Aug. 28. The storm hit New Orleans on Monday morning, Aug. 29. We got out before it hit," he said.

"We have 26 out of 28 living here that are members of our church. We are not planning to go back to live. One or two are, but most are looking for something permanent here."

Smith said he and his congregation received a warning about the hurricane at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28. The group had some information before then, "but at that point it was definitely headed to hit us."

"We drove out in our personal vehicles. Arkansas was the closest place that had vacancies in hotels," he said. "We brought about half men and half women, with eight or nine children, ages 3 to 14."

Superintendent Bobby Smithson said Thursday six of the children are now registered and attending Gurdon's public school system.

Smith said occupations of the adults range from pastor to teacher to carpenter.

The pastor said he connected with Gurdon because two of his church members met one of the associate ministers of Mt. Canaan Baptist Church of Gurdon at a Red Cross get-together at the Arkadelphia Water Park.

"We met the Rev. Johnny Harris and the rest is history," he said. "It has been wonderful for us here in Gurdon. The church response, and the response from the community itself has just been great. This is a nice place to raise children."

Dayna Collins, 37, of New Orleans, also stays at the Hours of Joy.

"I was a special education teacher for an elementary school," she said. "My husband, Allen Collins, is also a special education teacher and coach, but for high school. The superintendent of Prescott schools has been considering us for jobs."

She said the couple taught at John Ehret High School in Jefferson Parish, New Orleans.

Collins said, "Gurdon has been unique for me. The people have been so giving to strangers. They have never met us before, yet they are giving their heart, body and soul with open arms. It is a wonderful feeling to express."

She said her and her husband will be moving into one of the 16 units at the Pine Ridge Manor Apartments.

"We are in the process of rebuilding our lives," she said. "We are taking it one day at a time, trying now to make employment decisions. All we can do is see what each day brings."

The Rev. Smith said he would like the Rev. Harris to adopt the traveling congregation.

"We would go for an adoption, as we sure have been treated right," he said. "Aunt Margie, across the way, has been good for our waste lines too."

Smith said Central Arkansas Development Council has been good to help evacuees in the area with reduced or free SCAT bus rates, but his congregation has made good use of the Rev. Harris's church van as a primary way of getting around.

"The senior citizens, from the center across the way, have checked on us, brought us things, and helped all they can as well," he said. "Most of us are convinced that becoming a Gurdonite would be a pretty good thing to do."