Quick Day 4 Update

Everyone was late getting up this morning (8:30), so we all kind of meandered in as we got up and made our own waffles with fresh fruit (BEST thing ever!). We finally got to work about 9:30. One group went into the office to work on the drywall some more to get the texture up so it would dry by after lunch so the painting could begin. Another group went to the upper level of the church to help organize a bit and get the carpet laid out from the old office. Me, Judith, and Stacy all worked on labeling all of the tools because they kept getting left at the homeowner's homes. It was great! Judith and Chris re-organized one of the "closets" in here, which was GREATLY appreciated as before you couldn't even walk into the area. It was GREAT! We got a lot accomplished.

We were planning on heating up left-overs for lunch, only for one of the families from People's bring us a wonderful home-made lunch of red beans & rice, baked chicken, and salad. They stayed and ate with us as well as Pastor Eunice which was wonderful to enjoy their company.

After lunch the room got primed and a first coat of paint on the purple wall, the beige walls were completely finished. Stacy and I KP'ed and then made dessert - rice crispy treats and then stained some boards for the front of the church. Pastor Eunice also got a new desk that was built with some more organization upstairs.

Judith, Chris and I helped cook a dinner of pork chops, sweet potatoes, apples, and onions. I also cooked up a special treat of baked brie bread, which was quickly gone. After dinner we went over to the sanctuary for a service that Pastor Eunice and Rob put on for us. We talked about what we were getting out of being here this week, what our favorite praise songs are, and just had a good grounding moment.

The best part of tonight was that after the service, two of the congregation members (the same two who brought us lunch today) stayed and talked about what they went through after Katrina hit. It was absolutely heartbreaking to hear their story, but it was absolutely what we needed, I believe. It made this more effective as to what we're really doing here in New Orleans, why we're helping to work on this church. It brought home the devastation that the citizens of New Orleans faced during this horrible storm.

Their story is that the Saturday before Katrina hit, they drove up to their children's home off the coast and packed to stay there for 3 days, when Katrina was suppossed to be gone and it would be safe to come home. Katrina hit on August 15, 2005, and they were not allowed to return to their home until November 1, 2005. When they came home, they could see the water line in their house from where it had flooded. The water had come up and stayed at 3 feet above the ground outside the house, and had flooded and filled their house with water all the way up, just 3 feet shy of the ceiling. They lost their wedding pictures, all the clothes, anything that wasn't completely water-proof. When they went through their china and glasses, the glasses were still filled with water from their home being flooded, and they just threw them out because it had gotten so molded. They would have paid their home off completely in December 2005, but because they had to rebuild, they had to take out another 30 year mortgage in order to get their home back. It was only this week that they were able to move back into their home.

We all really enjoyed talking with them and hearing their story, and it was obviously difficult and the woman began crying thinking back on all they lost, but as she kept telling herself and her husband, "It will be alright." Her philosophy is one that everyone should remember and live by. If she can live through that and be alright, then anything we go through can turn out alright.

After the service and impromtu conversation, we all went back to the volunteer center and chatted. The younger crowd went out bowling and from what we gathered had a great time. Us old people (ha ha) went out to get more beignets. Chad leaves tomorrow morning and hadn't had them yet, plus Stacy and I wanted to get the mix to take home for family, so we conned Kevin in to taking us down there and let me tell you, it was a RIOT! Chad isn't exactly used to hanging out with us, so everytime he would go to take a drink, someone (mostly Chris) would say something and he would about spray his water out his nose. It was HILARIOUS! Then, while we were chowing down on our beignets, he went to take a bite and decided to inhale the powdered sugar that covers them and we thought he was going to die, but somehow couldn't stop laughing long enough to make certain he was alright. Kevin was laughing so hard we thought he was going to hack up a lung. I don't think any of us have laughed so much the entire trip, it was definitely a much needed break from the serious and solemn tone of why we are here. Of course, Judith has been feeling a bit under-the-weather, so we stopped and picked up some honey for her on our way and brought it home to her so that she could have hot tea.

Today was a good day full of insight, things to ponder, and the most important thing in life, lots of laughter. I thank each and every one of you that has taken part of this trip to make it what it is, you will all hold a special place in my heart and a special moment in my memory. I love you all.

Well ladies and gents, I believe I definitely need to get to bed now. I have been talking with Chris as I type this, which makes it difficult to pay attention to what I'm writing, so this has taken me much longer than I expected and need my beauty sleep, which will be much less than I originally intended.

We will see you all back at church this week, and I hope you all are enjoying this week as much as we have been!

Love and miss you all,
Joyce

written by  Joyce on March 12, 2008 from New Orleans, United States
from the travel blog: New Orleans Mission Trip
tagged Tom, Abbie, Tess, Jenn, Craig, Judith, Rob, Chris, Kevin, Chad, Stacy, Wayne and Tobie
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