By Lori EhdeKimberly Jones and her children had never seen snow, so last week’s blizzard was the perfect welcome for the New Orleans family who arrived in Luverne Wednesday, Nov. 30."We love the snow," Jones said Friday. "It’s just beautiful."Jones and her three children, Darrion, 10, Jordan, 6, and India, 2, are Luverne’s adopted Hurricane Katrina family. They lost their town home (where they had lived for eight years) in New Orleans East to the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina and have been living in shelters and campers since Aug. 28.Their connection to Luverne is through Foundation for Hope, a Christian organization that places evacuated families with communities willing to help them out.Jones said she felt as if God led her to Luverne. "I don’t know why I stopped at the Red Cross tent that day, but they were asking if anyone would be willing to relocate, and I said I would," said Jones, an EKG technician and medical assistant.She was asked to list three states she’d be willing to relocate to, and Minnesota was one of them."I’m a big Prince fan," Jones said. "I had all his albums — even the first one, ‘For You,’ and I lost them in the hurricane. They’re covered in mud and mold."She joked that the Minnesota-born artist might restore some of her collection if he knew what a fan she was. "I always said I was going to marry Prince," she said.Her Prince collection wasn’t the only thing she lost. Her entire town home, which wasn’t flood-insured, will need to be demolished. "The roof is off, and it has mold issues," Jones said.Through Foundation For Hope, Luverne’s Katrina Relief Group was matched with Jones and has been gathering donations to make the family feel welcome.They’re now living in a house on Jackson Street owned by First Baptist Church, which has agreed to waive rent for 90 days.The home is furnished entirely with donated household items and stocked with donated food, "It’s kind of like our own fun little game of ‘Extreme Home Makeover,'" said Luverne Katrina Relief Group member Cheryl Thacker.Further, the family is wearing donated winter clothing and they’re even driving a soon-to-be donated car."I’m just glad to have a roof over my head … but the home is beautiful," Jones said, searching for words. "I just can’t believe it."She and her children had been living near Baker, La., in a camper provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.Prior to that, she and her boys had slept on floors and cots in a Red Cross shelter in Baton Rouge, La.Their journey to Luverne took three days (Harold and Nancy Ver Steeg drove down to get them in a van provided by Jim and Frances Veldkamp).But it was nothing compared to their journey escaping the hurricane to temporary housing. They waited in long gas lines (and almost didn’t get a fill in time) and nearly spent the night in a car when lodging couldn’t be found.Needless to say, the Joneses are glad to be at home in Luverne."I stepped out on faith to come here," she said. "FEMA guaranteed me 18 months rent free where I was, but I figured the Lord hasn’t turned his back on me yet, and I know he won’t now."Families matched to communities through Foundation For Hope are meant to be temporary adoptions — for roughly three months until southern homes can be repaired or until they can find permanent housing elsewhere.But Jones already knows she’s home."I had been looking to get out of Louisiana already," she said, adding that the crime rate had been climbing near her neighborhood. "I think the Lord was giving me an opportunity to move."Both her parents are deceased and she doesn’t have strong family ties in the South.She’s hoping her medical skills will be marketable in the area. "I need a job," she emphasized. "I’ve always worked, and need to work."Her boys are enrolled in Luverne Elementary School, and when she’s employed she’ll seek daycare for India.When the Katrina Relief Group put out a plea for donations to help a hurricane displaced family, nearly every need has so far been met.Until Jones is employed, though, she’ll need help paying utilities on the house.An account has been opened at First Farmers and Merchants Bank, and people can donate to the "Psalm 121 Project." Psalm 121 reads, in part, "… Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. … The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever."Luverne Katrina Relief Committee members Wiley and LaDonna Van Aartsen are authorized account managers for the donations."We’re happy to be in Luverne and we’re happy the community has accepted us," Jones said. "I want to thank the whole community for everything they’ve done. … God bless them all."
