The end of the trip

Hello again from your weary yet overfed friends in New Orleans. Yesterday started at Canal Street Pres. We finished cutting down trees and cleaned their prayer garden – were thrilled to see the sanctuary getting its new coat of paint. Things really feel like there coming together here – that it won’t be long before Canal Street can worship in their sanctuary again. We also finished at Cricket’s house – cleaned out an attic stuffed with many things including 10 Christmas trees. The understatement of the day was Cricket proclaiming how she loved Christmas – John, in particular was moved to hear she would continue to “celebrate” Christmas again. While most things went smoothly, we did endure a war against the cast iron tub which had to be removed. In the end we won, and as Bill put it – St James:3, Katrina:0. We prayed for Cricket and were blessed with a gift from her – homemade individual pound cakes which many proceeded to devour. Phylis even had to stop Phil from eating hers and his.
From there we toured the 9th Ward and parts south – carefully skirting the city to avoid “W” and his entourage. Many may think his visit was big news, but New Orleans was consumed with the recommendations of the committee on how to proceed with reconstruction. There is much to sort out – titles to houses that had simply been passed from one generation to another, property values that had been based on original purchase prices, some a hundred or more years old, – an issue New Orleans had already been wrestling with pre Katrina attempting to correct huge disparities in property taxes - negotiating with banks regarding mortgages, defining “neighborhoods” and their viability, and, at the center is this underlying division of races that has plague New Orleans for centuries. Oversimplified, there is much at work to pull this community apart at a time when New Orleans really needs to come together with a vision. Last night we were taken to dinner by members of Canal Street Pres – the generosity of this community continues to pour out on us – and at the end we walked along the 17th Street canal and saw first hand the break that devastated the Lakeview neighborhood where we had spent this past week working.
Today found us actually building – dry walling the basement of the home of one of the members who has an inner city ministry. His office was devastated and plans on using the space we were finishing for his new office. The program works with inner city children – uses volunteers from Americorp - but most of their children remain in Houston. One blessing from Katrina has been the schools in Houston. New Orleans is plagued by one of the worst public school systems in the country, but their children have the opportunity to experience the Houston school. The hope is now that the kids has experienced better, there will be a stronger movement for improving school aided the governor’s decision to take over the school system and make all schools charter schools.

There are many stories to tell and a deeper understanding, but with the realization that there is still so much unknown. This has been a FULL week, filled with blessings, opportunities and challenges of all kinds. But best of all, new friendships and the beginning of planning for returning….

Jan 11 2006

Today was a little more painful. We worked on Cricket’s house, a house that, until today, she had not had the courage to go into. Understandably as it was overwhelming. Water had moved everything into piles, and because it had flooded to the ceiling, the ceiling had already fallen. It was difficult shoveling and much was stuck together in mass piles and still damp. Dry wall came down off walls and most of the furniture fell apart all with a slight tug. It was still delicate work as we searched for anything that might be saved – of the 2 cut glass bowls that were most precious, one was broken, one saved. Most trying was this kitchen. Unlike Bub’s house, this refrigerator had not been moved let alone opened. I have never been so happy to be wearing the uncomfortable mask – and for having spent the money for the expensive one. It was a smell even outside was strong – had to eat lunch down wind – let alone the sight that caused many to dry heave. Along with the refrigerator were a rat and a few cockroaches. As overwhelming as this little house had been, by days end it was completely gutted with only the attic to clean and nails to pull tomorrow (pulling nails is not so easy with them being so rusted through that the heads break off), and a pile much larger than the one left at Bub’s. The exciting news from both days is both of these families were friends of friends of church members. Most of the members house have been taken care of and now, Canal Street Pres. is able to use groups for greater out reach into the community of Lakeview.. Also heard last night the house where we have been staying has been booked through July with groups coming to help. So much hope and yet we were told the suicide and divorce rates are growing due to the obvious overwhelming situation, but also families trying to live in close quarters – hotel rooms and FEMA truck - and trying to make the tough call to either stay or move – many husbands and wives on opposite sides. Please pray for continued hope, strength and endurance for those who, unlike us, can’t leave at the end of the week.

It's Tuesday already!

Tuesday January 10th –

Today was a good day, filled with hard, hard work. We had the privilege of helping a family clear the damaged goods, walls, and ceilings out of their home in Lakeview. Their future is uncertain. Although they had flood insurance, and plan to rebuild, many of the homes in the neighborhood will remain empty. This once charming and beautiful older neighborhood with huge trees looks like a ghost town or something from a war zone.

Imagine clearing out your kitchen to move, except you are hauling everything to the trash instead of carefully packing it in boxes. Every cabinet that once held treasures and necessities is now filled with ruined, soggy, moldy junk. We made a pile of trash on the front curb that grew to about 6 feet high and 30 feet wide, and before the day was done, the trash haulers began moving it away.

As we continue to process and try our best to understand the magnitude of what is happening here, we find ourselves being blessed beyond measure. We have been overwhelmed with hospitality, gratitude and good food. Tonight “Jase” from the host church stopped by the manse where we are staying to say hello and to share more about life as they know it post-Katrina. He asked us to pray because the suicide rate is rising rapidly in the areas hit by the floods.

Our team is amazing. They might be the hardest working people you’ve ever known! Lunch breaks are short, and it’s hard to get them to leave at the end of the day. We are cherishing this time together, and know that God is giving us a special blessing.

Please pray for strength, as we certainly felt the fatigue today. When there’s more time, I’ll tell you about yesterday at Canal St. Pres., which was filled with even more incredible stories and experiences. Too much to take in! Praise God!
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January 8 2006

Sunday January 8, 2006

The four flyers ( KatherineHenschen, Phil Field, John Mahler, Stan Moore) spent the day exploring.

We had coffee at a café in the French Quarter, then joined Canal Street Presbyterian at their service. They are meeting in a side room, the main part of the church having been damaged when part of the roof blew off. Their congregation is growing due to people drifting back to NO. They are extremely grateful for support from St James and other churches.

After the service and a quick bite of lunch, we drove to the “Ninth Ward.” This is the part of town which flooded severely, and of which we all saw pictures of folks stranded on roofs.

The destruction almost defies description, but here goes: Imagine blocks of your neighborhood swept clear of houses, phone poles, cars….And imagine that two blocks away, there are piles of rubble 10 or 15 feet high. Those piles of rubble are shredded wood, furniture, cars, and possessions. Also, houses, cars, trucks, buses, barges (!) are piled higgledy piggeldy, at all angles and in all states of repair, throughout the area.

We are already meeting many people and everyone has a unique and difficult story to tell. There is so much hurt, and yet there is a lot of hope and gratitude.
Tomorrow we start to work. Hope to post some pix.

The rest of the team (drivers) arrived safely today, and jumped into the mix. We are sharing the house with a group from First Pres. Boulder, so there are fellow Coloradans here! Praise God for safe travel and a good start….