LAWRENCE — When Hurricane Katrina struck, local volunteers and others from across the country went to Biloxi, Mississippi to help rebuild churches and homes.

Yesterday, members of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer and Main Street Baptist Church both of Biloxi, returned the favor when they came to Lawrence to clean the alleyway behind Esperanza Academy, planted flowers and painted two classrooms at the all-girl middle school on Garden Street.

"This is something that needed to be done," said Faye Jones, a member of Redeemer. "We wanted to do something to pay back for what people in Massachusetts have done for us."

The group, made up of 14 teenagers and 10 adults from both churches, arrived here Tuesday. Before getting their hands dirty, the youngsters talked about the experience of losing their homes, many of them with tears rolling down their faces as they described the pain of seeing their possessions floating pass them.

Then they got down on their hands and knees and began picking up the trash strewn in the alleyway. Using picks and shovels, they dug through the dirt to remove rocks before placing mulch and planting more than 30 yews on both sides of the alley.

Yesterday, the group built a picnic table and Bishop Barbara Harris of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts joined them, drilling a 2 1/2 inch long nail into the table.

"We live life in gratitude and appreciation for what God has done for us," Harris said. "As they help us beautify here, as we helped them, we're not doing it for someone, but with each other. That's what Christ ministry is all about."

The Rev. Jane Beardon brought a blue bird bath to enhance the new garden. Beardon, a native of Mississippi who worked in Massachusetts before returning to her native state, spearheaded the project.

After having lunch with the students and Biloxi volunteers, Harris blessed the garden.

"Jesus, our loving and good companion, often you withdrew with your friends for quiet and refreshments; bless the hearts and hands that gave and planted here, and be present with your servants who come to this place," she said.

Jim Walker of North Andover went to Mississippi in February along with other members of Christ Church in Andover. The group was assigned a home in need of repairs, which they stripped down and put cement siding and Sheetrock on.

"I think it's a marvelous thing for them to see how we live and how we can work together," said Walker, whose daughter, Chris Gray, a landscape designer, helped with the garden.

Juan and Minerva Perdomo, whose house abuts the school, were amazed at the transformation.

"This was full of garbage and now it looks beautiful," said Perdomo, who has lived on Garden Street for over a year.

"It's one of the ways people make sense of disaster," said Joan Campbell of Boxford, a member of Trinity Church in Topsfield. "It makes you better and stronger and gives you more respect for what you are doing here."

Laurie Bottiger, headmistress at Esperanza, said seeing the youngsters from Biloxi sends a strong message to her students.

"It builds bridges and inspires them to one day to do something for somebody else," Bottiger said.