Before and After

Search and rescue teams spray painted a large X on all the residential homes searched in the days and weeks after Katrina. In the top quadrant is the date of search, to the left is the initials of the rescue organization and the bottom was the number of flood victims found. In some neighborhoods, the signs can be seen on the roofs as entire houses were under water.

One of powerful moments of the trip was witnessing the X on Miss Mary's house being covered by a fresh coat of bright paint.

Thank you for reading the blog and taking this amazing journey with us! If you have any questions or would like to talk about any of the posts, please do not hesitate to email me at smithla@plu.edu and I will pass them along to the group. PLU students have seen and listened to the New Orleans community, and they are telling the stories! -- Lace Smith

We have returned--what did we bring back?

We have returned! It is now that I have to ask myself a few questions. To begin with, was my time in New Orleans valuable? Next, what have I brought home to remember my experiences? Finally, did my time in New Orleans positively affect others?

In general, I gauge the value of my time by the relationships I am able to build. At this time, I am unsure if I will ever see Darryl or Miss Mary ever again. But I learned much when I was with them. Darryl epitomizes the story of the Good Samaritan. Darryl was relatively unaffected by the storm or the flooding that occurred as a result of the levees that broke. His mother and sisters, though, were displaced from their home for over two years. Darryl spent over a year renovating the inside of their home, replacing the plumbing and electrical lines, and making sure that his family had a home that was sufficient for their needs. The final step to complete the home was outdoor painting. As this became our task, Darryl worked with us and gave us the opportunity to get to know him. He told us his story and asked us ours. While he valued the work we were doing, he put as much importance in getting to know us. It was the family with whom we worked that made the time in New Orleans valuable.

I think that many of us brought back little souvenirs and trinkets, but the most valuable item that we brought back is not material at all. Rather, the sights we saw will stay with us forever: visiting the Lower Ninth Ward--once a bustling community--and seeing open fields and the skeletons of very few homes, seeing the remains of major corporations (like Wal-Mart) that have left various locations closed, and seeing that the majority of homes still have the Search and Rescue symbols spray painted near the front door. The material items that I brought back simply cannot compare to the sights that I saw.

Finally, I believe that I was able to positively affect others. In actuality, though, the people with whom we spoke affected me more than I will ever know. There is a hope that remains in the hearts of the people in New Orleans. As we entered a restaurant on Friday evening, there was a large group of people dining near us. As we filed in to our table, I overheard one of the women in the other group saying how thankful she was for all of the volunteer groups who were coming to restore New Orleans. We were not identifiable as a group of volunteers other than the fact that we were a large group of youth. We also had the experience of driving on the interstate and having people give us a "thumbs-up." In addition to these experiences, I learned much from Darryl about giving to others and to the community. I also learned from others in the group: how to recognize that even the most menial of tasks are important, how to be thankful for the skills of others, and even how to cook.

While my experiences in New Orleans are over, I will be taking these experiences and learning for life.

-Kyle A. Franklin, Campus Ministry Program Specialist

Shauna's Friday Post

We finished painting today. Tonight we will go to the French Quarter to eat dinner. I already miss Cayse and Destiny. They helped me paint the front of the house. They also gave me a rose and danced the Tango. These last couple days I have felt productive and connected. The houses now look like homes. It has been wonderful to get to know the families and hear their stories. The hospitality that we have been shown has been beyond expectations. People have shared many meals with us, and given us their stories. The events of and following Katrina are not light subjects. That has not stopped our hosts and new friends from being willing to share with us. This city still needs a lot of work. These people still have a lot of building to do. I pray that the hardships of New Orleans will be addressed in the time ahead of us. I pray that I may share the uplifting attitude of appreciation, hospitality and strength that I have been shown in this journey.

We just watched the second act of Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke," and initially, all I can say is: Wow.
Nothing has hit me as hard as seeing the bodies of the dead floating in the flood water. Sure, the movie covered all of the politics, which was sickening in itself. But those images are haunting.
The other day I was asked how it felt to do this work to which I answered a lame, "It feels good." But as I thought about it more I was able to come up with more words to describe the feeling.
It's great to be able to help out, even the little bit that one person contributes makes a difference. I think the biggest thing is showing people that we care. It's been over two years since the storm and much of the country has forgotten the hurricane. It's great to be able to show the people of New Orleans that they are still cared about, that they haven't been forgotten. And you can see the gratitude in every interaction. People that drive by our van on the street honk and give us a thumbs up. Everyone that we've talked to has thanked us for being here. But we're just glad to be able to help out and show that we care.

-Krista

And another one bites the dust...

Thursday-the second to last day:

Highlights:
1) The ice cream man for the third day in a row (everyone loves those character shaped-cotton candy flavored Popsicles with gum ball eyes)
2) The progress on the houses was clear.
3) The trim on Miss Mary's house was painted which required more focus- for me this meant less paint spilled on my pants
4) Beautiful weather in the morning - warm, slightly cloudy with a warm breeze
5) No rain (good for the plants and the people, but bad for the paint)


Lowlights:
1) Sunburns from those tricky rays that bounce off the clouds
2) Dehydration
3) Numbers one and two combined with a slight lack of sleep and the sun beating down in the afternoon may have led to slight crankiness (which was fixed with a snack)
4) The fun part of painting (that first coat where you can see your progress because you are covering that ugly old color and nothing needs to be perfect or in the lines because you know you have a second coat to cover the mistakes) was finished and the serious work needed to be done.

With the group dynamic changed slightly, a countless number of small tasks, the mention of a delicious lunch, and an evening on the town, tomorrow promises to be a busy and rewarding day.

~Kate Burdekin

New Photos!

(Click the above picture for more experience photos
of the PLU Spring Breakers in New Orleans.)

A quick picture post before we roll out for the day! -- Lace

Leaving with more than I came with!

Today we continued the work on Miss Mary's house. We finished the second coat of paint and began the trim. The heat and the periodic breaks have made the work seem slower but I can see the progress achieved with our help. My favorite part of the day was when Miss Sally, Miss Mary's daughter, cooked us a delicious New Orleans lunch. We had red beans, pork, and rice. Miss Sally really showed us what true southern hospitality is all about. After we were done with work we got to what Miss Mary's family went through during Katrina. Miss Mary's son, Darrell, explained the tragedy of Katrina and Rita. He and his family were displaced in Huston for more than a year. He explained that New Orleans is not only is a historically rich city but it is most importantly a home to many! This community is taking their reconstruction one day at a time, but all the while many of them seem to be upbeat and hopeful. This attitude amazes me because after more than two years many of the homeowners haven't received their compensation from insurance companies or from the government, making rebuilding nearly impossible!

Sadly I'm leaving the PLU group early to end Spring Break in Colorado. Besides the observations regarding the people of New Orleans, the work we've done and my impression of this great city, I must admit that I've never traveled with people who are more understanding, caring, empathetic and who seek to serve their neighbor than this group of Lutes. I truly believe that this group has demonstrated what it means to be global citizens who epitomize leadership and care.

I am also sad to leave New Orleans. The people here have shown me the importance of community. Since we arrived we have been welcomed and thanked for our service to the community. After working in the Lower 9th Ward along side Darrell and his family I have seen that family and friends along with help from some Lutes can fix a broken community, despite tragedy and despair. I've learned that hope and trust are necessary to overcome disaster. But most importantly I've have learned that this community is still shattered; many businesses have no business, many churches do not have a congregation, many schools do not have students and many homes do not have families. Even two and a half years after Katrina this city, once filled people sharing in a unique history and culture, is only a fragment what it once was and of what it could be.

I am leaving this city with far more experience and knowledge than I brought. The most important thing I will take home is the knowledge that there are still people to help, work to be done, and hope to be shared.

Best of luck to the rest of the group as they continue their work, and thanks to Grace Lutheran, Lutheran Disaster Relief and to Miss Mary and her family!

-Kelly Ryan