and Carter's mom, Linda Robinson, Danny Dieth, our minister for youth and their families, and Tom Andrews, the designated geezer for the trip).
We had no idea what exactly to expect or what work we would do; we went simply because we felt called to "do something" to respond to the publicized crisis created by the hurricane and the collapse of the levies, and to show our caring concern for at least a few of those whose homes were damaged or destroyed.
We stayed in Mandeville, Louisiana, a relatively affluent community on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, which was affected by the hurricane in much the way Raleigh was affected by Hurricane Floyd. Our work was in another north shore community near there, in a semi-rural working class African-American community that had experienced damage from wind and storm surge, but not the month of standing water that New Orleans itself suffered. Nevertheless the home on which we worked had had water standing counter high for three days, and wind damage. Prior work crews had already repaired much of the damage.
Mary Stiles shares her experience at this home this way:
I was so glad that my mom and I went on this trip. I really liked working on the house of a Katrina survivor. We scraped, primed, painted, fixed the wood around the roof, cleaned the inside and around the yard. We also got to meet Pauline and her family, the woman who owned the house. She was the best and we all liked her so much! It made the work more meaningful to actually meet her and understand what the house meant to her. We also had devotion time in a church that had been destroyed. We sang and prayed and brought the church back to life for a little while. All the other people we met from other churches were so nice and everyone was glad to be helping to rebuild the community. I felt that God was right there with us and with the people that live there giving them hope and love.
Our work was made possible by New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Mandeville, a congregation of some 350 people, which Danny's parents have attended. Since December this church has been hosting work crews from all over the country, housing and feeding 50 to 80 people a week, identifying homes in need of repair, coordinating repair efforts, providing material and logistical support. With us during our week there were crews from St. Andrews Presbyterian Church here in Raleigh, a Presbyterian church from Taylorsville, NC, and churches in Orland Park and Bloomington, Illinois.
Linda shares her experience this way:
The fellowship of the group was so God-centered, and our devotionals so inspiring. The churches that we experienced truly redefined church for us. The churches where we stayed, especially in Mandeville, found ways to reflect Christ boldly through service against all odds, working to overcome unfathomable logistical barriers and remaining focused on their call. Then there was the abandoned church across the street from the house where we painted, left with Bibles still opened, pews overturned by the flood waters and its doors blown permanently open by the winds. Its members too have become a part of God's greater community, their displaced and disheveled lives now being lived out in various wildernesses. We were reminded of the empty tomb of Easter, knowing we serve a risen Christ who cannot be contained by any building or group of people, but lives through the lives of His followers.
On the way down, we had driven along the gulf coast of Mississippi, from Biloxi to Gulfport, where stately historic beach front homes and modern motels, offices and eateries alike bore the brunt of the strongest winds and greatest storm surge of hurricane. For several miles, no building was left untouched, many were utterly destroyed, a sign identifying a home as having been built "circa 1836" stood in front of a now vacant lot. Particularly poignant was a brief visit to the home of Linda's uncle, a sturdy modern brick structure, looking deceptively sound from the outside, but completely destroyed on the inside.
The day we left the area, we traveled into New Orleans proper and were guided on a two hour tour of the city by Danny Dieth's uncle, a life-long resident of the city. We drove first through affluent and middle class neighborhoods and then for miles through the huge areas of the upper and lower ninth ward and adjacent low income neighborhoods. All were hugely affected. Nothing appearing in the national media could prepare one for the vastness of the areas devastated by the flooding and standing waters of the broken levies, or the totality of the devastation. Two hours created an indelible shock, but no opportunity for any detailed knowledge of the true magnitude of the problems facing the people of New Orleans.
Tom shares his experience this way:
The individuals people we met stand out most in my mind: Pauline our home owner, who was scheduled for knee surgery on the day Katrina struck, subsequently experienced two botched operations and eventually a successful knee replacement, each time recuperating while living in her daughter's small home, and who radiated faith, courage and hope as she walked with us unaided around the grounds of her home; Duke, a member of New Covenant, who has been volunteering non-stop since before Christmas, heading up the church's relief efforts, coordinating all the visiting work crews, working seven days a week twelve hours a day with only one weekend off in four months; Ed, an eighty-something engineer who came out of retirement to spend his days on location at the homes being worked on, directing work, delivering supplies, befriending all, who became a true favorite of our youth; a retired couple from California, who showed up at New Covenant in their mobile home totally unexpected one day in January, parked it on the church grounds, have handled all the church's meals for volunteers since then, and are committed to stay through May; Danny's uncle whose caring, insightful comments as he guided us on our tour of New Orleans heightened and shaped the impact of that experience in a unique way. There are many, many more courageous, caring and dedicated people in the New Orleans area and across the country who are demonstrating, on day to day basis the redeeming possibilities of God's work in midst of human tragedy.
|
