Katrina Mission Team - Day 1
Monday - March 16, 2009:
Orientation for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) at People’s United Methodist Church started at 9:00 am. We were introduced to the staff that would be assisting our crews and given a little background as to how UMCOR and its volunteers have made a huge difference in the recovery process. They estimate that the area is about 50% recovered. They still have a long way to go but the progress is obvious. Our team was divided into 3 site crews and given our assignments. Two crews are in Violet in St. Benard Parish (parish is the same as county). One crew is working with our partner church, Covenant United Methodist. The last crew is in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans. We arrived at our sites in time for a lunch break and then set to work scoping out our projects and made decisions on what materials were needed, etc. During lunch John’s crew unfortunately got to know some unsavory neighbors a little too intimately – red ants! Lynnette and Robert unknowingly stood on top of their hill when eating lunch and when they decided to have a seat in their van to finish their lunch they had ants crawling all over their shoes and so therefore the ants ended up crawling throughout the van and all over Robert and Lynnette! And yes, they bite! Luckily, they weren’t fire ants! Our crew learned a valuable lesson – don’t walk on the grass!
John’s crew met a neighbor named Bitty. She has lived in the area for her entire life of 57 years. She lovingly called it “her quiet little village”. She and her family had been displaced by the storm for 9 months. She and her husband have 6 children, 9 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Many of her neighbors are still waiting to move back into their homes and others will never return. The neighborhoods are full of abandoned shells of houses, some demolished completely only leaving behind a concrete slab. And right next door to some of these would be partially remodeled or completely brand new homes. As she shared a bit about herself she graciously invited us to come in to her lovely home. She cares a lot about her neighbors and let us know how much they appreciate the help they are getting from volunteers like us. The crew eventually got to meet one of the site homeowners, She’ron (or Shea as she likes to be called), when she came home from work. She told us about how they had waited a long time for the aid and were very grateful when UMCOR started last June with taking measurements, etc. She is married to Wayne and they have 2 sons. They are living in the house now even though it’s got a long way to go before it will be finished. They have power and plumbing, so they’re making do until it’s all done. They are grateful to be out of the FEMA trailer and have such a great attitude. There have been a few mix-ups with paint colors and such, but as Shea likes to say “It’s all good!”. They are very thankful for what they have and are not about to complain about the minor stuff.
Bill’s crew had a very productive day at their site in the lower 9th ward. They met the homeowner named Clifford. They worked on drywall today and were blessed to be able to learn a lot about Clifford and his family’s experience during and after Katrina. Clifford and his wife have 15 children and 30 grandchildren! He touched the crew’s hearts with his stories about his family’s survival during the storm. Clifford is a tall man, about 6’4” and he said the water that day was chest high on him. His family stuck together literally by holding hands and never letting go as they fought the current to get to higher ground. They witnessed so much devastation and death along the way, even the drowning death of a neighbor who they were powerless to help. In the end, they were all safe and sound, but got separated as people were boarded onto buses and having no way to contact each other to find out where they were. They were in many different parts of the country, but were eventually brought back together. Clifford promised to share more of his experiences as the week progresses. He also plans to treat the crew to an authentic Cajun lunch on Wednesday, as he is a chef and this is his way of showing his appreciation.
The other crews have not as yet met their homeowners. Ken’s crew had some plumbing issues to deal with. They installed toilets and one out of two bathroom sinks. Liz and Noella put the second sink completely together, had it all caulked and then found it was not the right size! They had to remove the caulking and take it all apart! We are definitely learning as we go!
We enjoyed red beans and rice for dinner back at the Center. Later we joined everyone for devotions, music and the sharing of our experiences of the day.
Who we are working for:
Orientation:
Planning the day and at the site:
Sites from where we are working:
Devotions:
View from where we are staying:
