BURGAW, N.C.�Judy Ballard of Pender County, 20 minutes south of Wilmington, rose Sept. 24 to clean up. She walked to family members� homes and checked on everybody. She cut her grass and her grandfather�s.

"When I woke up, the water was up to here outside," said the single mother of three, pointing to her waist. She grabbed her children and her wallet Sept. 16, as the water rose. As rescue boats made their rounds, her youngest son was frantic, she recalled. "He has Downs Syndrome and I was terrified," Ms. Ballard said. Finally, a boat reached her home and they were able to navigate the murky, snake infested flood water to safe ground. Bussed by the National Guard to a shelter, she focused on her children, keeping them close by. Hundreds of families were already there. Disaster hung in the air.

"If we have to rebuild somewhere else, I don�t know where we would ... we don�t have property anywhere else," she said.

Unable and not ready to go back to work, residents in the small, tight-knit family community of White Stocking are leaning on each other and faith in God to get through the disaster. It has taken some 50 homes, most cars, nearly all valuables and the stability that comes with food and shelter.

They saw a serious flood in 1961, but the river never seeped into their homes. This time they drove most cars to a nearby graveyard, thought to be high ground.

Forced to abandon their homes, frantically throwing bare necessities into their vehicles, they prayed to get out before water rose above car level. In the end, some caskets floated in the water.

When they left, residents thought they�d be home in a few hours. Twelve days later, their homes are still soaking in infested waters, and rain began again the morning of Sept. 27. "The worst part is that we can�t go and stay with relatives because we all lived in the same (now) flooded area," said one resident.

Kathy, of White Stocking Road, shared a neighborhood with about 40 families. With her house still under water, the 35-year-old woman was angry at federal officials. They had "no concern for us," she said, pointing to the back of her brown-skinned hand. "FEMA was in other areas four days before they came to our area," she complained. A few canned goods, some clothes and shoes sit in the small VFW post residents had secured.

Rev. Sandra Gurganious David, whose nearby church was under water, stopped by the VFW building. She is concerned about the future but joyful that lives have been spared. Three of her church "sisters" are staying at nearby Camp Kirkwood until they find permanent shelter. Other church members are paying $50 a night at hotels and renting cars to get around, she said.

But most of her parishioners are in bad shape, Rev. David admitted. "The people need clothes, new undergarments, toys and school supplies ... and they need a place to stay and some transportation," Rev. David said.

Many people only have the clothes on the backs and whatever they can find from donated materials, she explained.

"It�s a grievous thing, child, a grievous thing," said an elderly church matron, who was with Rev. David. "But God is good�and we are still alive!" she added.

Disappointed, but determined to survive

I�m disappointed," said Deborah Malloy, of the Moore Town section, Burgaw, N.C. Standing guard against looters in knee length boots, jeans and a shirt, and visible weapons, she was determined not to be further victimized by thieves stealing from the 25 homes in her community.

"Nobody came to get us, and to this day, no one has come to see if we are even alive," she said. The angry 30-something-year-old woman stood at the edge of water that seemed to stretch for miles behind her.

Several row boats residents used to save themselves sat on the edge of the contaminated water. What seemed like hundreds of tiny fish twisted and turned in the two inch-deep water on the road. The further out you went the deeper the water. A rancid stench gripped nostrils and seemed to weigh heavy in the chest.

Thankful that her home is basically dry inside, Ms. Malloy was saddened by the destruction of other homes in her neighborhood. Some 25 brick homes were up to their first floor windows in water that had receded after 11 days. "Thank you for caring and wanting to tell our story," she said.

He woke up in the middle of the night, swinging his legs off the bed Instead of plush, dry carpet, cold sticky mush met his feet. William Roberts quickly realized his home was being flooded. He padded quickly through his mobile home to check on his mother. Her wheelchair sat stuck in the wet carpet. She was asleep.

"When the water reached my pants legs, I started getting a bit uneasy. The phones were out," said Mr. Roberts. His sister and brother-in-law shared a mobile home on one side of him, his niece and two children in one on the other side. They all came to his home, calling 911 on a cell phone. The water reached nine inches. They reached 911, but were told to wait�there weren�t enough boats to reach them. "I�m looking across my yard�it�s about 80 yards and all I see is water," Mr. Roberts said, of the community 45 minutes west of Wilmington. He and his family members were eventually rescued.

By Sept. 24 most rescue efforts were for stranded animals or people trying to get through flood water. Tetanus shots were being given out wholesale. Over 100,000 hogs and 1 million chickens drowned in the flood, their waste also filling the water.

Caskets from grave yards popped up and sewage backed up. The Wilmington, N.C., Morning Star reported a possible mercury spill.

One Pender County man was boating out to feed his 5,000 hogs, which hadn�t eaten for nearly a week. North Carolina is the country�s second largest hog-producing state. Recent reports of hog waste spillage and growing conflict with neighbors over the smell has plagued the area for some time. Now, at least 100,000 hogs are dead and more could die.

Some children have nightmares and some cry when the rain starts, or the wind gets strong. Many have no school supplies or school clothes, but schools in Pender County opened Monday, Sept. 27, for those who could reach roads to board buses.

The Nation of Islam Study Group in Wilmington has started a relief effort, the first batch of donations was delivered Sept. 25. And although the plywood is off of windows, it�s stored close by. Hurricane season is not over until Dec. 1.