Amid the heart-wrenching tales emerging from the storm-batteredGulf Coast are nuggets of events that can reaffirm one’s belief inmiracles and faith in God, a pastor said.

One man, Michael Trosclair, has helped to rescue hundreds ofthose stranded in the flood waters of St. Bernard Parish inLouisiana and inspired others to continue their struggle ofsurvival or to redouble their efforts to reach those whose livesare threatened, said Jerry Wayne Dillon, pastor of ParkwayPentecostal Church in Madison.

“He’s a true hero as far as I’m concerned, brother,” Dillon saidof Trosclair, who has led Oak Grove Pentecostal Church in Jayessfor nearly six years.

Trosclair, 59, lived in St. Bernard Parish for more than 40years, working as a commercial fisherman and raising four children.He said when he heard of the condition Katrina had left the parishin he worried about family and friends.

He did more than worry, though, he came up with a plan.

Parkway Pentecostal Church helped the men purchase a boat andthey proceeded south. When they reached Jayess, they were short ongas and joined a gas line at Thornhill’s Snack Shack. When those inline realized what the men were up to they moved aside and let themgo to the front of the line, Trosclair said.

The men put into shore on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.Trosclair said he took a winding course to reach those he knewwould be stranded – shrimpers hoping to ride out the storm on theirboats in a cove they had used in previous storms. Luck was withhim, he said, and he found a break in the levee.

“Because of his efforts and finding the hole in the levee manypeople were able to be saved,” Dillon said.

He threaded his way to the shrimpers and wasn’t disappointed.More than 200 people were stranded on boats and other structures inthe area. Their hearts were heavy with despair, he said.

“When they seen me come in they knew there was hope,” Trosclairsaid.

It was a small boat and he took five people with him when heleft, he said. They went to the emergency command centerestablished at a Mobile refinery where they met Parish PresidentHenry “Junior” Rodriguez.

“He couldn’t believe we were there,” Trosclair said. “He keptasking how I got there because every way they tried they hadpeople, looters I guess, shooting at them.”

Larry J. Ingargiola, director of Homeland Security operations inthe parish, made him a member of the department’s team on the spot,Trosclair said.

Emergency workers provided him with 10 more boats and he ledthem to the shrimpers and others stranded there.

“Within two hours, we had rescued more than 200 people,”Trosclair said.

He was then asked to help evacuate the Chalmette Medical Center,where more than 40 hospital staff and patients were stranded on thesecond floor after the first floor flooded.

Trosclair also helped deliver cases of insulin and othermedications to the command center, where a field hospital had beenestablished.

“The biggest problem has been communications. I’m bringing somesatellite phones in there today,” he said Wednesday. “I’ve neverseen anything like this in my life and I’ve rode out a lot ofhurricanes there.”

Somehow, in between trips to the coast, Trosclair is alsohelping to operate the shelter at Parkway Pentecostal Church.

Parkway has also taken in active role in hurricane reliefefforts. In addition to helping fund Trosclair’s trips, the churchrented buses to help residents of the area evacuate. Those rescuedwere distributed among several shelters, but the church took onebus load back with them. The church has also sent more than$130,000 worth of items to the relief effort.

“We’re just trying to do our part,” Dillon said. “We’re nodifferent than anyone else trying to help.”