2007 VIM trip to New Orleans
by Jessica Storer
When: November 10-17
Where: New Orlean's West bank
What: Disaster Recovery and Rebuilding
VIM=Volunteers in Mission
What an awesome blessing to be able to attend my second mission trip to the Gulf States affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The two trips were so different yet we were working for the same cause and towards the same goal. The biggest difference in general was TRAFFIC and what a great sign that is. With traffic comes people traveling to jobs, stores, restaurants and friend's and family's homes. They are certainly getting there, but there is still a long long way to go. Some parts look barely hurt at all, and some look as though they have been abandoned and forgotten with little hope of any rebuilding.
Last year when working in Slidell, we were working on flood damaged houses with water lines 8-10 feet up the sides of the houses. We worked through the Northshore Disaster Recovery Inc. run by Dale Kimball (learn more) and it was not surprising to see hundreds of FEMA trailers more than a year after the hurricanes hit.
This year we worked in the heart of the Bayou in Jefferson Parish. We were housed by an open armed friendly as all get out church in Algiers called Aurora UMC. Kathy, the main coordinator, was awesome and awe inspiring. Not only did she sneak back into town after being evacuated to check on her church and community, but she felt that it was her mission to turn the church into a disaster recovery hub to house, feed, inspire and motivate volunteers which she did as soon as she was able. The woman is a ball of energy. They will be shutting her down as a hub and moving all her cases and case workers closer to the heart of the worst hit areas and combining forces with the NDRI and other UMCOR disaster organizations. Though it is sad to see this amazing mission ending for her, it means that so much has been accomplished.
Instead of working on a flood damaged house we were working on a wind damaged house. Of course once the wind blew the roof off, it also became a water damaged house. And before any of the hurricanes came anywhere near, the termites were hard at work eating away at every piece of wood. The house sits only a block away from the intercoastal waterway but luckily the winds of Katrina actually kept the water away. The owner is Marion Jackson, she lost her husband this past February and she is still living in a FEMA trailer. Well, she was still living in it up until a week before we got there. The doctor forced her to leave it because of all the respiratory problems it was causing her. Some of us got to see the trailer up close and personal. It is almost impossible to imagine living by yourself or with one other person for two years in that tiny space and there are some families of 3, 4, 5 or even 6 people in one single trailer. Marion has many family members up and down the street and even around the corner. We met her sons, daughters-in-laws, sister-in-law, cousin, granddaughter and even great grand daughter. All of whom were the most gracious and grateful people. Marion even treated us to a huge pot of homemade gumbo complete with the traditional Louisianna side dish - potato salad. The most wonderful thing is their testimony to the glory of God. They praise His very name every chance they get.
Our tasks included: spackling (muddin'), sanding, some drywall and taping, fixing many weak spots in the floor and giving her a whole new sub floor (i got to use this AWESOME hardcore drill), more sanding, more mudding, priming the walls and popcorning the ceiling. The whole team accomplished so much in the short time. The house is ready for the next group to come in a paint the walls, install moldings and baseboards and doors. She still has a pretty long way to go, but just knowing that it is being worked on has given Ms. Marion a whole new outlook. Soon that FEMA trailer will be hauled away with all the bad memories of the past two years and all that will be left is a fresh start and a chance for things to be normal again.
The main thing is that there is so much still to be done. They have made the new center with the expectation that the need for it will be around for at least another 10 years! The more hands, the lighter the work and luckily the volunteers have only slowed slightly. Some of the locations are booked through 2008!! How awesome!
While we were in New Orleans (pronounces Nawleans) our eyes were opening to the vast poverty throughout the area. This is nothing new, the residents have been living below the poverty line for decades with little to no help and even less sympathy. Children with no lunches to take to school and empty bellies when they go to sleep. I had no idea, I was completely ignorant to what has been going on.
I urge everyone to keep all of the areas hit by Katrina and Rita in your prayers and hearts. Do NOT forget about them. Just because Mardi Gras continues does not mean that all is back up and running. There are many families that will never return to live there again and others who have given up all hope of rebuilding. Some have fixed their houses so that they are livable again, but now as they drive down the street or even look out their new windows, all they see is devastation impossible to forget or ignore.
Please pray for them and if you are ever given the opportunity to go down and participate in the rebuilding, remember that you are rebuilding lives. The best tools you can take are your open arms willing to hug, ears willing to listen and a heart that can understand and aid without judgement or prejudice. Thank you God for this awesome opportunity!