Through the Eye of the Storm: A Book Dedicated to Rebuilding What Katrina Washed Away

We all have seen the news - we saw the unbelievable destruction that Mother Nature bestowed upon the Gulf. We saw the raw emotion - and sometimes lack of - on the the faces of the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who called the Gulf home. Many of us jumped in to help - mostly by writing a check, or sending donations. And, some of us did nothing. For those of us who stood back not knowing what to do, here's our chance. Cholene Espinoza - Pilot, Air Force Academy graduate, Reporter, and ultimately, Humanitarian - chronicles her unbelievable mission to the Gulf Coast in the book "Through the Eye of the Storm". Cholene was able to round up supplies and manpower to head ultimately to Delisle, Mississippi to see what could be done. The mission that Cholene was on may have started out to help others, but she comes to realize that she is ultimately the one being helped. Cholene discusses in her book the inward battles that she faces regarding her faith and her country. Ultimately, Cholene's spirit and soul are renewed by the strength in the people that she meets along the way. So, now you must be wondering where we come in - after such an amazing mission, how in the world can we help? You may be saying to yourself "I don't have the strength that Cholene demonstrated" or "I have nothing to give". Well, it is so simple. Buy the book. Save the money you would have spent on a couple Latte's this week. Pack your lunch for 2 days. ALL, and I mean ALL proceeds are going to help build and support a community center that is going to be built in Harrison County, Mississippi. There are 5 acres of land that will be developed to help the children in the area get their GED, job training, and other skills that they so desperately need to help get them through not only the rebuilding of their community, but real life skills that they may otherwise not get. The community needs this center. The children need a safe place to go that gives them the room to grow and be nurtured.

I read the "Storm" in one sitting. Everyone needs to read this book to remember what one person can do and the incredible human spirit that rebuilds a town and oneself. If you need inspiration that one can rebuild oneself, meet challenges, find a better life, question one's preconceptions - this is the book for you! If you have given up all hope, this book will give hope back to you - for yourself, for the world. I can't recommend it more.

Any mom out there who was watching the coverage of Katrina on tv, wishing they could do more, here is your chance. Not all of us have the guts that Cholene and Ellen did to rent a truck, fill it with goods and drive down to the middle of a disaster zone. But we can all thank God they did. And we can all open our wallets and buy this book. Besides the fact that it is a great read, all the profits go to build a community center for the children hit the hardest in the gulf. Surely, you all can swing less than $15 for this. This is a call to action! Order it now and do your part to rebuild hope for these kids. Even though it still is not enough. It is the least we can do. You will read just how horrific it was for the people in the gulf. And how quickly we have forgotten. So tonight when you cozy up in your bed with your laptop think of all the children still living in shelters, homeless, and they will be that way for a very long time coming. Together we can at least give them a place they can go visit to play some ball, use the computer, and socialize in a clean, decent environment. Have a heart. Hit that order button.

I just finished Cholene Espinoza's book and in addition to the beatiful writing style and the engaging story contained in the book, I found it to be an incredibly thought-provoking and fascinating journey through one woman's life. Ms. Espinoza's struggles with herself were quite familiar to me as I expect they will be to many people. However, I was truly impressed with the way that she chose to act upon those struggles to make life better for those around her. The kindness and fervor with which she tackled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was absolutely inspiring and I hope that many people read the book and feel compelled to do their part to help the people of Mississippi. I highly recommend this book for not only an amazing story but for the kind of inspiration that seems to be missing in so many parts of the world today.

This is one of the most remarkable accounts of one person's struggle to heal a broken world that I've ever read. An Air Force Academy graduate, the author has confronted man-made battlefields, notably in Iraq during OIF-I, where she accompanied the invasion force on the road to Baghdad. But nothing prepared her for Nature's wrath from Hurricane Katrina. In responding to the needs of those hit hardest by that disaster, she found a human community worth connecting to. While this was the experience of many who went South after the storm, few are able to write as evocatively and eloquently about the experience as Ms. Espinoza. The result is a beautifully told story of disaster, faith, recovery and healing, an account unabashedly rooted in the finest traditions of Judeo-Christianity. A must read.