I’d wrongly assumed that Ferry Place had been impacted by Katrina. It had not, my RHINO friends told me. Broken windows, unhinged doors and other scattered remnants of lives lived in abandoned houses near the Ferry Place houses we were working on were not evidence of flood waters that had long since retreated, but of another not-so-natural disaster that has traditionally plagued New Orleans…poverty. A friend from the Delaware Presbyterian church said she learned when she lived in New Orleans that no neighborhood in the City was ever more than about five or six blocks from a “project” (low-income housing). The contrast between very rich and very poor are in constant evidence in NOLA.
Archive for the ‘RHINO—Rebuilding Hope in New Orleans’ Category
FINAL Addendum…
Monday, November 24th, 2008Touch-down!
Monday, November 24th, 2008It is now about 14 hours after the 10 of us intrepid RHINO-riders touched down safely on a Rochester tarmac near midnight last night (with only perhaps a few of us feeling tired and/or arthritic). We returned safely with all of our digits and humor intact, and undoubtedly strengthened a few muscle fibers while we were in NOLA.
Having been with nine other wonderful Christians from the PGV and 15 from Delaware, dedicated to loving service to those whom they will probably never meet, it is natural and easy to abide by Paul’s exhortation in Philippians to “consider [these] others better than” ourselves.
Speaking of our little troupe, Christ is clearly and beautifully visible in each—Allison (“Al”), Brian, Dave, Emerson, Ginger, Jake, Margaret, Patrick and Saara. And each gave more than 100% to the combined RHINO/Habitat for Humanity effort at Ferry Place. I could not help but smile and thank God for each one as we sat on the plane, preparing for take-off on Sunday evening. Dave and Patrick: we especially salute, honor and thank you for having the vans ready for boarding early every morning, for your successful driving efforts, for keeping us safe, and for getting us, always promptly, to the “there” we needed to reach every day.
We learned that age has nothing to do with service. If the heart is willing, and the body is still functioning, to whatever degree, much can be accomplished to nurture, support and sustain the lives of others. Emerson proved that the age of 70+ is the new 20+ (while Lisette felt in her joints, bones and sinews that 40-something is closer to 70-something). Emerson is her new role model.
We met many role models in NOLA, and we are indebted to all of them, including our hosts at SCAPC, especially Jim and Bonnie, and our Thursday-night dinner hosts, the Vorhoff family; our RHINO coordinator Kate; our terrific Habitat for Humanity supervisors, Adam and Jeremy; and our friends from First and Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware, for being such fine co-workers and laborers in the field, in which they truly were “out-standing.” Our Presbytery also continues to be indebted to Linda Badger-Becker, who evidently loves to handle the million details involved in scheduling these trips…thank you, Linda!
And so, the work goes on…
Friday’s child is full of grace.
Friday, November 21st, 2008“Friday’s child is full of grace.” Friday was indeed full of God’s grace and mercy, although it started out cold by almost anyone’s standards…somewhere between 40 and 45 degrees…shiver-me-timbers cold for this tropical locale. For those of us older folks who felt a little more out of shape, we weren’t quite sure that we were up to eight hours of bending, leaning and all the calisthenics required at construction sites. But by grace, we found new strength and enthusiasm, and we prevailed. (Although no one on the Delaware team performed the back flips and Mary Lou Retton moves they’d previously planned to wow us all. But tomorrow is another day.)
Today’s physical feats included completion of the insulation of the undersides of both houses by the three-person “OCD mole patrol” (two PGV members and a friend from the Delaware church), so named for their take-no-prisoners approach to working at the speed of light. The NY/Delaware crew completed one porch/set of steps and began another, and another crew began and nearly completed the wooden support for the HVAC systems for two homes. All that’s left for tomorrow is to finish putting chickenwire beneath the insulation on one home, complete the porch and set of steps, and wrap up the HVAC supports. Afterwards, we will discover the delights and delicacies of the French Quarter…in a decent and orderly manner, of course.
At lunch today, we mulled the progress of the recovery efforts, and the reasons why so many homes are still standing abandoned throughout the area devastated by Katrina. Many of our group plan to join upcoming jaunts to NOLA to continue the work of reclamation and hospitality. They are drawn by the city, the gracious city dwellers and members of SCAPC, and so many other things, tangible and intangible, that make New Orleans the destination it is. ...’til tomorrow.
Day 3…Touring NOLA
Thursday, November 20th, 2008This post must necessarily be brief. We just returned from a two-hour tour of the city by van, and as the medical library here at Ochsner closes very soon, I have time for only a few notes. Day 3 at the site was rather arduous for most of us in some way or other.
We capped off a half day of leisurely painting of trim for some and grueling placement of insulation under the house for two others with a drive-by tour of NOLA. For this writer, a native New Orleanian whose family roots go back into the early 1800s in this delta soil (not nearly as long as any one of the hundreds-of-years-old live oaks, though), it was really so very heartbreaking to see so many cement slabs where houses once stood (and to see building where building really should not be taking place)...and the houses that are still standing bereft and forlorn and broken down, waiting for some decision re: their future from long-departed homeowners. But having seen the news footage, and comparing it to today’s bustling downtown streets, and suburban streets lined with contractors working on house after house, there is much good news here.
Before departing for our trip on this 75-degree day, we were fortified by a delicious luncheon of po’ boys (native subs) prepared again by SCAPC Chef Jim, and consumed on the front steps and rocking chairs of the Land building’s grand porch. We dine tonight at a church member’s home, will return and seek out the hotel’s only two sets of washers/dryers, and conclude our Bible study on hospitality, which this group of 10 is so committed to sharing with others…with enthusiasm, joy and humor.
On the second day…
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008And on the second day, there was much work. And the work was doable and completion of it was within the realm of possibility. And a few of us learned some new tasks, and met some exotic New Orleanian creatures in the course of our work, like midnight salamanders and a beautiful land snail.
Ginger, our photographer, who appears to be as comfortable on scaffolding as Spider Woman, helped finish putting up and painting the siding. Allison and Jake were exceptional lunch/coffee/snack-masters and can-do carpenters. Margaret, Dave and Lisette helped clear backyard jungles of tenacious-looking weeds softly rooted in sand, which was a weed-yanker’s dream. Emerson was the embodiment of hospitality, graciously helping wherever he could lend a hand.
Patrick and Brian collaborated on building stairs, with Margaret pitching in and showing them a thing or two about drills. With a few powerful women from Delaware, Lisette learned how to insulate the underside of a house (more comfortable than we imagined, as all the houses were erected on pilings, giving us a comfortable clearance).
While it was no surprise, we discovered that Saara is indeed the exemplar/poster-child of the Protestant work ethic, taking on whatever task was requested of her, scurrying around like an automaton. We can see why Saara has her own business, and believe that she must be successful. If Rome was built in a day, it is because Saara was there.
We learned that two families will be moving into two nearly completed houses in the Ferry Place neighborhood in time for Thanksgiving, according to a SCAPC photographer, who was busy snapping photos today, an especially beautiful day. The church is immensely excited about this, as one soon-to-be-homeowner has put in an immense amount of sweat-equity, working about 800 hours on his house, untold hours past the requirement. It is a testimony to the uneven progress here that directly behind these houses are several others that remain uninhabited, with sneakers, clothing and chairs remaining where the flood waters left them on the floor, near open doors and broken windows.
At our Bible study last night, we discussed the biblical mandate of hospitality, and discussed what our churches are doing well in terms of being hospitable, welcoming places that embrace newcomers, and make them feel that, in God’s eyes, there truly is no distinction between our natural family and our spiritual family. We will discuss that topic more tonight, and will look at the particular gifts each of us has been given that we can use to welcome strangers and turn them into family.
Tomorrow, we will take a tour of the still-blighted areas of the city which have yet to be reclaimed and reinhabited. For those of us who haven’t seen the devastation (which is nothing like the first year but still heart-breaking), we expect it will be a shock. Perhaps it will break our hearts enough to spur us to return like several others on our trip, including Allison who is making her fifth trip here this November.
First work day in NOLA
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008Greetings from a very unseasonably cool New Orleans (which made for a great and comfortable day of work…sans mosquitos & humidity)! We all arrived safe and sound yesterday, with only one minor glitch, which we were able to take care of by the evening. It really was nothing short of a miracle that it was a gorgeous day yesterday, that neither rain nor sleet nor snow figured in any of our travel plans (we just missed Rochester’s snow), that we made all our airline connections, and that we actually arrived in NOLA when we were expected to. These days, such events are tantamount to miracles. And we thank God for them!
We are all tad bushed and bewildered after yesterday’s day of travel, a late-night Cajun dinner at Frankie & Johnny’s, orientation, and our first day on the worksite. But we’re enjoying lovely company, and benefiting from some very skilled leaders on the worksite. We’ve joined together with a Presbyterian church from Delaware, which sent 10 women and 5 men to work with RHINO, for their second trip. A true story: while dining at Frankie & Johnny’s last night, a large group processed past our table. They looked like a fine upstanding group of people, and indeed were. They sat down decently and in orderly manner, and after questions were posed to them, some raised their hands, again in a very orderly manner. I said in hushed tones to the others at our table…”Look, I bet they’re Presbyterians!” Sure enough. I stopped at their table to ask if they were “the” Presbyterians from Delaware with whom we would be working at the RHINO worksite, and indeed, they confessed they were.
We’re working on two houses at Ferry Place which basically need “just” finish work. However, our “manly-man” men (grunt, grunt) were relieved to find a little heavy-duty, high-skill work to do. So all God’s children are happy. Kate Snider, our SCAPC/Habitat link, packs a lot of intellectual brawn and construction know-how in a diminutive frame, and would certainly have my vote if she runs for any elected office after this job.
The Brent House, the hotel at Ochsner Hospital, is bona fide treat. It belies its plain exterior by providing luxurious lobbies and rooms, and direct access to any medical services we might need after a hazardous day on site. (No, Linda, we’re all fine, and being very safe. 
)) While no one seems to miss living in a dormitory and waiting in line for a shower, there is some nostalgia about the porch and rocking chairs that we left behind at the Land House. Everyone seems to be coping pretty well, nonetheless.
We will be having our first dinner tonight at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, followed by a Bible study. We’ll be studying hospitality, which is one of New Orleans’ greatest gifts to the world…loving people as they are, making them feel welcome and part of the extended human family here. We will check in again with you tomorrow. Until then, laissez les bons temps roulez!
RHINO VI Fall Mission to New Orleans
Monday, November 10th, 2008Ten Presbyterian from seven churches throughout the Presbytery travel together to New Orleans to continue recovery effort with the St.Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church (SCAPC) and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH). Rev. Lisette Maginn (Dewey Avenue PC) is the onsite group leader for pilgrimage.
Monday Mayhem
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007We had a nice weekend getting better acquainted with each other and with NOLA. We worshiped at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in the morning. Meals out in the neighborhood and in the French Quarter were wonderful. Another group arrived on Sunday evening from New Hope Presbyterian in Willow Springs, North Carolina; they drove fourteen hours!
This morning we headed out in earnest to work with Habitat. It was a early start at 7:00am. We arrived at the main site in Musician’s Village to receive a short orientation and our assignments. There were about 250 people! Organizing that many people is more than chaotic. We wound up being the last group assigned. We put up some fencing at the site, built some flower beds, and did some landscaping. Mostly we did a lot of waiting. It was all a bit disappointing. While we told ourselves that every little bit helps, we wanted to be more fully engaged in meaningful work. Perhaps tomorrow will be better.
Steve Surer (Director of Evangelism at New Hope) and I are sharing leadership of the evening devotions. He is leading a bible study in James and I am providing the inspirational slide shows. James tell us to “count it all joy” when we meet trials of any kind. Considering the evident trial and tribulations of this sad city, the disappointment of today’s experience pales in comparison.
Thought for the Day: Lord, forgive us for being so easily annoyed when we are inconvenienced. Help us to honor you by counting it all joy just to be here and to be a part of your work on this earth.
Going Back to New Orleans
Monday, May 14th, 2007Indeed we have all arrived safely. I asked everyone to be sure to wear their Presbyterian Disaster Assistance name tags to the airport. Actually I have asked them to wear them as much as possible around the city as well. One reason is that we do not yet all know each other well but the main reason is that they provide a public “witness” to what we are about. They help to start conversations like the one Peter had with the flight attendant from Rochester to Atlanta. She saw the tags and asked if we were going to New Orleans to help. It turns out that Corene is from Gentilly, an area in the northeast section of New Orleans. It was one of the hardest hit areas. She’s living in Atlanta now but she’s trying to fix up her home. Right now her two sisters are living in the FEMA trailer on the property. One is pregnant so they hope to have the house habitable by the end of summer. She thanked us for going to help her city.
That’s the way it works, Our nametags say “Yes we are Presbyterians; we are Christians; we are here to help.” We witness to the power and grace of Christ working in us and through us.
Thought for the Day: What does your name tag say? How will you witness to the grace and power of Christ today?
Return to New Orleans
Monday, May 7th, 2007Sixteen Genesee Valley Presbyterians will travel to New Orleans May 12–19, 2007 to assist with continuing recovery efforts. Hosted by the St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church (SCAPC), participants will work with the church’s RHINO (Rebuilding Hope In New Orleans) project in conjunction with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH). Watch this blog for regular reports.
Team Members:
- Linda Badger Becker and Merl Galusha, Presbytery;
- Sherry Shafer, First Honeoye Falls (and sister Dayle Quarfot);
- Jacob Morris, Bill Dassero, and Alison Gilday, Gates;
- Dianne Brown, First Pittsford;
- Susan Orr, Peter Orr, and Cathy Warren, Laurelton;
- Len and Judy Hoiles, Scottsville;
- Judy Jacobsen, First Batavia;
- Josh Schoenly and Shelly Carithers, South;
- Neil Frood, York
Tip of the Day: We go to make a difference. Where will you make a difference today?
Thoughts upon Returning Home: Speechless
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006We returned late Saturday evening. By the time I got home my voice was failing. It only got worse on Sunday along with the post-Katrina cough. I cancelled my plans for the day and went back to bed. Both Sunday and Monday were spent quietly at home recuperating. Talking was difficult so I didn’t even spend a lot of time on the phone.
If you know me, you know I am not a quiet person. I think out loud most of time. But since I hardly know what to say about the situation in New Orleans, it’s just as well that I lost my voice. The circumstances there are so complicated and frustrating, that it is depressing. In many ways, there is so much to say that it is hard to know where to begin.
Our team was amazing and we had a wonderful experience of spiritual community and comraderie. As Millie summarized for us in a recent email ”five families in New Orleans are in a better place than when we arrived; several animal friends were cared for and loved; we met many people who just needed someone to share their story with; and we lived out and can pass on the mission of the St. Charles Presbyterian Church.” People helping people, rebuilding hope—that’s making a difference right now.
I’m better now, back in the office, and finding my voice again. The photo gallery is posted on the web. I’ll offer an interpretation at the next Presbytery meeting November 28th at Batavia, First. And yes, I am planning to return, one more time. (watch for details.)
Thought for the Day: What circumstances in your world need your voice? Find your voice and remember to use and your feet and hands as well.
Tough Day
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006It was a tough day and a good day. We went to the neighborhood called affectionately “Backatown.” It is a colorful neighborhood dotted with “shotgun” houses. These are long narrow homes that just go straight back. The idea being that you could shoot a gun right through the house without hitting any walls.
The home we worked in had been partially gutted and Evila Alvarez is still living there because she has no where else to go. There is a tarp on the roof but water still gets in. She has two young Mexican workers living in the house with her paying a little rent. She and her friend Victor had been at the Superdome. They are both from Cuba and have been friends since childhood. Evila’s niece Fay has been trying to get her to leave. The morning was complicated by the fact that Evila speaks very little English and was not expecting us today. Still she was grateful.
It was very difficult work. We had to remove all of the belongings and put them under a tarp to protect them from the morning rain. These would all have to be returned at the end of the day. We were asked to remove and save the cypress wood baseboards and painted door frames. These are expensive to replace, so while it was hard work for us, it will help a lot in the long run. Then there was the plaster which is so much harder than drywall. And then there was the beautiful “tongue-in-groove” cypress wood paneling put in with what Peter can only describe as “freakin’ railroad spikes!” Very tough work and we had several nasty injuries! Sarah and Bev have been earning their keep nursing all of the wounds.
Millie found her ministry caring for the two dogs in the yard. One had a small litter of puppies. She also encountered a stray dog and will report that to the animal rescue folks. Millie will spend tomorrow, our day off, at the rescue shelter helping out.The highlight of the day was the arrival of the lunch truck from Trinity Episcopal Church. Volunteers prepare sandwich lunches and bring them to the work site on Tuesday and Thursday. They go wherever they are asked and always have enough food for neighborhood folks who drop by. Again we find the people of New Orleans to be so grateful for our presence here. One of the volunteers thanked us publicly saying, “There has been so much good that has come out of this.” We had lots of conversations all day about this a particular house. Is it worth saving? Aren’t we just making her living conditions worse? Evila sat outside all day watching us literally tear her home apart and trying to engage us in conversation. Many of us nodded politely saying “si,si” as she told her story in words we could not understand. At the end of the day, she went back into the house to look at her kitchen which had been stripped to the bones and said “Beautiful!”
Thought for the Day: We are not called to be successful, we are simply called to be faithful. (…thanks to Merl)
Living is Giving
Monday, October 16th, 2006Okay, first I want to finish yesterday because it was just a rich day on so many levels. I sent the blog out before worship to get a message out there so you would know we are here and well.
And then came worship, which was wonderful. The St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian congregation is worshipping in the fellowship hall while extensive repairs are being made to the sanctuary roof and ceiling damaged by Katrina winds. It happened to be stewardship Sunday and Pastor Frampton offered a sterling sermon on giving and living, portions of which I will shamelessly steal. It was also RHINO volunteer recognition Sunday. Pastor Seelman introduced our group and also recognized several pillars of the congregation who have helped to sustain this important program. Each received a stuffed rhinocerous.
What a warm and amazing and committed congregation. This mission is a huge undertaking and yet they expressed so much gratitude to us. Hmm…living is giving.
We had the rest of the day off and some people went to the Audobon Zoo, while others went straight to the French Quarter. About eight of us went to visit some houses that Peter and I had worked on last March. First on my list was the house on Perelli Street in New Orleans East. It was the house that I had been the most emotionally attached to, probably because it was our first. It was a bittersweet experience. The neighborhood was showing some signs of life but it was still pretty empty. Nothing more had been done to the Vicky’s house since we left it. I wanted to cry. But then I saw Leonard.
Leonard Frasier was the next door neighbor who came in to the city on the weekends to work on his home. Volunteers from RHINO had gutted his house and he was doing much of the rebuilding himself. He had bleached the studs (five times) and treated them with a special coating. This weekend he was re-wiring.
We first met Leonard when we were working on Vicky’s house. His wife Gloria came over to pray with us. Somehow he remembered who we were, or at least wanted to. He was just so thrilled to see us and grateful that we had returned to check on the neighborhood. He took us into his home to show us the progress and told us his story. He even called his wife Gloria on the cell phone so I could say “hello” to her. Our presence just means so much to these people. It is humbling. This pretty much made my day although I do have to say the meal we had at Café Pontalba, blackened Cajun shrimp with shrimp and crawfish étoufee, was the icing on the cake!
So now for Monday’s activities! We launched at about 7:00 am and headed to Gentilly to work on Debbie’s house. She is a preschool teacher and her husband works for Lowes. Their home is so very near the lake. It was under @10 feet of water for a month. We proceeded with the usual work of emptying belongings, removing cabinets, baseboard, fixtures, drywall, and insulation. This was all accomplished by noon. However, it was not without drama. Merl took a fall in the neighbor’s yard, stepping into a hole about one foot deep, falling and hitting the side of his head, and somehow putting a hole in his earlobe. It looked worse then it was but still Sarah and I took him to a doctor’s office (Wes Alden is a church member who offers his services to RHINO). Luckily he didn’t need stitches.
The next house was not far way in Lakeview. Jake was diagnosed with cancer three months before Katrina so he is on medical leave. His wife Eileen is a school teacher. Though Jake is not supposed to be doing this work he is slowly chipping away at the task. The front half of the house was gutted. We went to work on the back and probably saved him 50 hours of work. He was grateful. We ended our work day with prayers for Jake and Eileen.
Then back to the house for showers, a good meal of red beans and rice, and bible study. It was a full rich day and we are blessed.
Thought for the Day: Giving is indeed living. What have you given today?
Arrival Blessings
Sunday, October 15th, 2006We have arrived safely and are settling in to our wonderful home. The Land Building at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church is just a beautiful old palatial southern home that has been owned by the church for many years and used as a Christian education building and office … until Katrina. Then it was converted to a dormitory for relief workers. It is very comfortable living with spacious rooms and a nice front porch newly equipped with ten wooden rocking chairs.
New Orleans is a delightful quirky place and they seem to like it that way. Last night we had the compulsory dinner at Franky and Johnny’s. I had asked for several smaller tables but they wound up putting all twenty of us at a giant table with one waitress. And what a waitress she was! Sonia had a sweet spirit, delightful sense of humor, and devoted herself to our well being. She was a blessing!
I wrote a little thank you prayer in our prayer journal that we will keep for the week. We found out later that she has just received some bad news about her health. We will double our prayers.
Today we will worship at St. Charles, get oriented to the work, take a driving tour and enjoy New Orleans and its people. Each of our experiences will connect us with people like Sonia trying to rebuild a life here in the city and facing the daily trials that life brings. God bless Sonia.
Thought for the Day: The people that we meet each day all have the potential to bless us. You are blessed to be a blessing. Who will you be a blessing to today?
Fall Pilgrimage to New Orleans
Sunday, September 17th, 2006On October 14, I’ll take another group of pilgrims to New Orleans to join in the RHINO (Restoring Hope to New Orleans) recovery effort though the St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Sarah Bullard, Christ Clarion; Merl Galusha and Mike Capron, from Presbytery;Carl Dellafave, Paula Graham, Linn Hoover, Charlie Plummer, Peter Orr, and Jamie Smith, all from Laurelton United; Kay Fetterly, Bev Hoy, Nina Stevens, and Robin Woodams from Batavia,First;David Hale, Brockport, First; Bryce Kaiser and Millie Tomidy from Leroy, First;Tricia Monigle, Irondequoit; Dave Morgan, John Calvin; and Jonathan Wolfinger, Calvary St. Andrews friend.
Watch this spot for news from the floodplain!
Thought for the Day: We go to stand in the gap.
Blessings! LBB
GPC Dinner with two “Teach for America” young ladies from the Presbytery of Genesee Valley
Friday, May 12th, 2006The sixteen members of the Gates Presbyterian Church New Orleans Mission Team enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Mulate’s and invited two young ladies from the Presbytery of Genesee Valley who teach with Teach for America to join them. Amanda Poole is a member of GPC and Erin Schubmehl is a member of the Corfu Presbyterian Church. On the last night of the group’s trip to Nw Orleans, it was particularly beneficial to touch base with these two persons who survived Katrina and are in Louisiana as teachers.
GPC Group – doing the church proud
Thursday, May 11th, 2006The group from GPC is comprised of the hardest workers! Two of our group worked the entire day on one house installing new plumbing. Three (later joined by another) worked on a roof all day (see the previous blog from Sherry Nau) and will miss dinner as they try to get as much done as possible. The rest of the crew worked on Habitat for Humanity houses – some helping with siding, some erecting the roof trusses, some doing some interior wall work and still others caulking windows. I was considered “expert” enough to construct a dozen sets of saw horses – but did we ever make them solid and secure! In a couple of weeks, ten houses will be in different stages of construction and all of those saw horses will be in demand.
The land for these 75 to 80 houses was owned by the New Orleans School District. Ten years ago when a school and surrounding area was abandoned. Harry Connick, Jr. and Winton Marsellis recently purchased the land from the city and donated it to Habitat for Humanity.
Sherry’s on the roof with Joe Fish
Wednesday, May 10th, 2006Hi all,
This was my second day up on the roof – what an experience. It is hot -really:) We have been helping Percy ( the home owner) replace his roof that he lost in the storm. It has been challenging – ripping off the old shingles, today we put on tar paper, tomorrow we start with new shinges. Joe Fish has been working with me – if you see her on Sunday – ask her if she has been drinking enough water. She is a real task master. We are working with a group from the United Church of Christ – they are very nice. Jacob has joined us for a day, and tomorrow Wit will join us. We’ve had people from the neighborhood stop by and talk with us – everyone has a story – even the guy working at the sports store and the CVS. They all want to know what we are doing.
Tonight we relaxed a bit – played some Euchre – if you see Bill Dissaro as him how many cards we play with 
Tomorrow it’s back to the roof – we hope to finish – thankfully we are starting at 7:00 am because it is just too hot to work by 2:00 in the afternoon.
I hear it has been warm in Rochester.
I’m starting to miss home a bit – it seem like I have been away for a very long time .
Many hugs
Sherry
GPC Mission Trip – Hard Long Day
Tuesday, May 9th, 2006Two ladies (Jo Fish and Sherry Nau) worked on a hot roof all day. Bill Dassero hung sheetrock in another house. Bob Binko and Ralph worked on a third house (Bob underneath measuring for new plumbing – Ralph inside pulling out a toilet and moving belongings to the curb – then played taxi driver for the four separated from the rest of the group). These five worked with Baptist and United Church of Christ groups who together are also helping people rebuild after Katrina.
The other eleven removed the furniture and appliances and pulled up carpet and linolium from one house and then gutted the kitchen and bathroom of another house (and cleaned out a shed). Gutting involved removing all the kitchen cabinets, salvaging the granite counter tops, removing and salvaging all of the door and window trim, removing paneling and knocking out the plaster and lath to above the mold line. (Behind the kitchen cabinets, the lath was still wet!) Hard work for everyone.
Lunch was provided to the eleven by the people of Trinity Episcopal Church which has a classy refrigerated lunch mobile on a pickup truck. They supplied two sandwiches (peanut butter and jelly or lunch meat), an orange, chips, cookies and bottled water for each worker. Every day, they have some planned stops to feed groups like ours and they make about eighty lunches. What they don’t give on planned stops, they distribute to whomever they see that are working on their houses. They also have new stuffed animals to give to children of New Orleans.
Sherry’s impression of the destruction
Monday, May 8th, 2006The phrase that a picture tells a thousand words does not apply to what we saw today. It is unbelievable to be face to face with the destruction that water and wind can have on us mere mortals. Almost everywhere we went the impact of the storm was seen – in water lines, in broken windows, in cars that were abandoned. The most powerful scene that keeps playing for me is the x’s spray painted on the houses. The x’s showed the date and who inspected the house, and what was found ( 0 for none or 1 dead cat, or 1 body. etc). There were just row after row of houses, all deserted. It could have been a suburb in any town. Our tour guide shared that many of these houses were in the family for years, passed down through generations. So the owners often were professionals, but lived in the same neighborhoods where their families have lived for years. I have such respect for those who are coming back and trying – it sure takes fortitude and hope.
Tomorrow the real work begins!
Thinking of all of you!
Sherry
From Bill Dassero’s thoughts
Monday, May 8th, 2006From Bill Dassero –
Over the last 2 days the emotions have been all over the map. Yesterday several of us went to the 2006 New Orleans Jazz fest. We listened to Paul Simon, and the Zedeco Twisters, and eating some of the Jazz Fest foods. The jambalaya and fried chicken were great. Today we traveled through the areas struck by the hurricane and flood waters. Our caravan drove through areas from the abandoned affluent homes to the areas in the ninth ward where people’s homes were disintegrated. The only remnants of these homes were the GPS location codes. For each, the stark reminders were the water marks and the search team codes.
Having watched the news broadcasts, it is truly hard to grasp the devastation. One watches the news snipits, but once standing in the aftermath in the ninth ward and the other areas, it is hard to process it all. Yet, there are signs of life returning, from businesses to the flowers reaching to the sun. Tomorrow, we begin the work we traveled her for, from gutting 2 houses, plumbing, roofing and drywall. Here again, the signs of rebuilding, for the people to return to their homes.
Polly Moore’s reflections
Monday, May 8th, 2006Yesterday we went to the Jazz Fest that was great! On our walk back to the car we were determine how high the water level had reached. We stopped to ask an older woman sitting on her porch how high the water had been there. She told us the water that had reached the top stair and the house had not flooded. She was renting this home because hers had flooded and she was unable to live there. She had been offered a FEMA trailer but did not take it because there was no one left in her neighborhood and she was 72 years old and she didn’t want to be there alone. We asked when the electricity had been restored and were told just a month age. She felt the only reason they got the electricity was that it was needed for the jazz fest. “Shows you what is important in this town” she said. Then she pointed down the street to a very major intersection and she said the traffic lights were just fixed a week ago. We talked at great length about the insurance problems the citizens are facing. She told us she was given $10,000 for her house and $5000 for the contents of her home. She felt cheated because she said she had a piano and that was worth at least $1000. She told us her son received $10,000 from the government because he was renting and lost everything. This strong woman wanted to know why she had private insurance when the uninsured were getting more then she was. We talked about the upcoming mayoral election. We were told the pro and cons of each candidate. She said she wanted to stay in New Orleans because this was her home and wouldn’t want to live any place else. At this time it was unknown what was going to happen to her neighborhood.
As I sit here writing this, I am struggling with my thoughts because today we spent 3 hours driving around New Orleans looking at the devastation and I am unable to think clearly. I can not ever begin to put what we saw today into words. I was so moved by our conversation yesterday but tonight it seems so little—but it is a life story. What I want to say to everyone is that you think you know what happened here but until you actually see it you have no idea of the impact.
GPC Mission Trip – Monday Afternoon
Monday, May 8th, 2006Members of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church escoretd all of us on a three hour tour of New Orleans. We saw parts of the city that survived unscathed, parts damaged in part – and large sections that were completely destroyed – and have not been touched since Katrina came ashore over eight months ago. The lower ninth ward looks like a war zone – the oft printed photo of the house on top of a car is still overwhelming – and frankly no photos or TV coverage or personal accounts really prepare you for the sights and sounds (in the case of sounds the lack thereof) of this ruined city. And everyone is holding their breath as hurricane season commences June 1 but some major storms come early. The sense is that even a Category Three Hurricane hitting New Orleans any time in the next five years will be the city’s demise – as in “this city is beyond repair.”
Everyone else in the group has headed to the French Quarter to do some shopping – I have some phone calls and e-mails to make – four of our group (the more skilled ones) will be farmed out to another organization that needs a plumber, some people to do some roof work and at least one more to do some drywall work. Those who know Jo Fish will not be surprised that she will be one of those working on a roof!
GPC Mission Trip – Monday Afternoon
Monday, May 8th, 2006Members of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church escoretd all of us on a three hour tour of New Orleans. We saw parts of the city that survived unscathed, parts damaged in part – and large sections that were completely destroyed – and have not been touched since Katrina came ashore over eight months ago. The lower ninth ward looks like a war zone – the oft printed photo of the house on top of a car is still overwhelming – and frankly no photos or TV coverage or personal accounts really prepare you for the sights and sounds (in the case of sounds the lack thereof) of this ruined city. And everyone is holding their breath as hurricane season commences June 1 but some major storms come early. The sense is that even a Category Three Hurricane hitting New Orleans any time in the next five years will be the city’s demise – as in “this city is beyond repair.”
Everyone else in the group has headed to the French Quarter to do some shopping – I have some phone calls and e-mails to make – four of our group (the more skilled ones) will be farmed out to another organization that needs a plumber, some people to do some roof work and at least one more to do some drywall work. Those who know Jo Fish will not be surprised that she will be one of those working on a roof!
Sherry Nau’s Conversation on the Plane on the way to New Orleans
Sunday, May 7th, 2006Hi Everyone,
The journey of hope for me began when I boarded the plane in Chicago to New Orleans. As I was sitting down the woman next to me asked if I was a native of New Orleans. I explained why I was heading down. The man in the set ahead of us must have overheard (in my not so quiet voice J), he turned around and said, “Wow, Thank you” and just began to cry – it was so powerful – He just looked at me and couldn’t say anything else.
Since then I can’t believe the people who just walk up and say “thanks”.
Today was another great experience as I went to the Jazz Festival. Can’t wait till we begin working – there is so much to do – you can’t believe the destruction – and we haven’t even seen the worse part.
Hope everyone it doing well at home. It is hot and muggy.
Hugs, Sherry