2010 Mission Trip Day 4
Logan and Aaron almost finished . . . and then the last piece!!
Things around the Barlow home — everyone on break; then Keith and one of the Americorp volunteers showing us something?; RJ and Tim installing baseboard in the biggest family room ever; and then giving our team t-shirts to the site supervisor, Kim, and the Americorp volunteers.
This is Ervin — from the house we worked on two years ago! He came for a visit. The the Arabi team gave their site supervisor and Americorp Volunteer one of our t-shirts; followed by Aaron and Logan getting their hair moosed by “the girls” (sorry the light was too bright behind them).
Wonderful benets at Cafe du Monde, in New Orleans!! Ah sweetness!
On Friday, at our host church, we participated in their traditional crawfish boil!! Yum, yum!
(Note: Sorry this day’s post is coming so late. We had challenges that the blogger didn’t know how to address with the pictures. Many thanks to Diana Schuman for getting us going again!!)
We’re all up and ready on time — psyched to get to our last work day in St. Bernard Parish. It’s sunny and warm once again — just perfect working conditions. We’re back to our same sights.
When the Arabi team arrived, they found another team of folks had arrived to work with us. They were from a combination of two teams — a group from a United Church of Christ congregation in Connecticutt, and some from the Church of the Brethren team (gathered from all over the country). There were a total of about six people who came to work alongside us. They stayed till about 1:30 PM — and then went on a tour of New Orleans.
While we continued many of the things we had started earlier in the week. There were some milestones reached by our Arabi team this week. Logan and Aaron had the distinction of completing the bain of our existence, the long worked on master bedroom floor! They completed the installation of the laminate!! Praise God! See the picture above. After they finished Aaron was witnessed simply lying on the floor — relishing its completion! And Tibby was able to begin laying the peal ‘n stick tiles in one of the bathrooms. We had hoped to complete all the flooring in the house, but alas we came up a little bit short. Those who come next week will have that privilege. With the help of the new crew members, we were able to begin installing doors as well.
At the Barlow home in Meraux, we came “dangerously close” to finishing the whole project. It’s not quite complete, but if feels like you could just reach out and touch the goal line. Maybe if we hadn’t taken so many trips across the street to the Snow Ball stand (the cool treat that’s sort of like a slush puppy), we would have gotten it. (Note: You might be able to tell that this blog was written by someone from the Arabi crew!) Doors, trim, painting, caulking, cleaning, etc. We never did get to meet the family that will live there, but we’re happy for them nonetheless. We signed some of our team t-shirts and gave them to Kim, our sight superviser, and the two Americorp Volunteers who have worked with us all week. There’s a picture of that up above as well.
Did we mention in previous blogs that the Arabi home almost butts up to the back of the home that our 2008 team worked on? — the home of Ervin Carr? We had tried to find him home, to stop in to visit, but he hadn’t been there. Well today, Patrick found him home — and was he surprised and pleased to see us! His picture is up above on this page — look for him. He went on and on about the struggles he had getting more work completed after we left — and that even today, not all the finish work was completed. But Ervin is a story teller, and we’re not entirely sure of the accuracy of his tale. But it was a treat to see him. He asked if we could stay another week, and work on his house!
After supper, and a quick round of showers, we headed into New Orleans. On the way, we went through the Lower Ninth Ward — the lowest portion of the area, and the poorest. This is the area that is right beside the levee that was breached — which delivered 20 feet of water on the community. In some respects it looks as though the hurricane took place there just last week. The rebuilding of that area is MUCH further behind than St. Bernard’s Parish. Many homes are untouched. Some have been removed. Others are in the process of rebuilding. And part of the area is where actor, Brad Pitt has been offering his assistance — building the Swedish designed, energy effecient homes that have been subsidized. They are very nice, architecturally unique, colorful homes. But even though more are being built, the area has a very long way to go.
We wound our way into the French Quarter; proceded to the famous Cafe Du Monde for our annual benet excursion (Remember that benets are sort of a fried dough pastry with white powdered sugar on them). How many restaraunts do you know that have just one item on the menu? Well, that’s the case with Cafe Du Monde. All they sell are benets — with no variation. You get a plate of three benets, or you get nothing. You can get coffee, or decaf, or milk or bottled water to go along with them, but benets are the order of the day! And the large facility was packed all evening long!
After our sweet-teeth were satisfied, we broke up into a couple groups and wandered around the French Quarters with all the sights there are to see. One group came across a gift shop run by a Pakistani Muslim, who had lived in New Orleans for 26 years. His home is in Kenner — about 16 miles northwest of downtown New Orleans — right on the shore of Lake Ponchetrain. His home was totally destroyed by Katrina, but for him and his family, returning was the only thing they could do. He, like many people we have spoken to, said that the people of New Orleans are the best people in the world. And it is truly home. Mark asked him about being a Muslim in this VERY Christian culture (i.e School Board meetings in St. Bernard Parish are opened with devotions based on the New Testament, and prayers offered in the name of Jesus Christ). He said that he and the others in his Mosque have always been well respected, and treated wonderfully.
We got back to “Reaching Out in Love Center” about 10:45 PM — said good-bye to Mark, who was flying out early in the morning — some watched a movie and others reflected some more on the experiences of the week. It is good to have seen the face of Christ in the people of St. Bernard Parish and the surrounding area. It is good to have been his hands and feet and voices for the people that we met. Tomorrow we head to the Fairgrounds in New Orleans for the Jazz and Music Festival. Good Night.