Parade on Bourbon Street
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Chastity
From Janice Branam:
As I read through the blogs of my teammates, Chastity’s face flashed through mind. Chastity was our “client” at the St. Bernard Project. When Katrina hit, Chastity was a divorced mother of 3 children: a sixteen year old son and eleven year old twins (one boy, one girl). Chastity supported her family through her earnings as a hairstylist.
Almost 3 years later, our team just finished mudding her house and began painting. Our Americorp site supervisor estimates Chastity will be in her house within a month, the end of the journey for the young woman who first evacuated to Baton Rouge, then Denver, and then Mississippi.
I can’t imagine paying a mortgage on a house that no longer exists and trying to find food and shelter for 3 children. Chastity’s hair clients of course, haven’t come back. She had to find a new career; in the time since the hurricane she has secured a job with emergency medical services. (As a paramedic, I think). She was able to get enough money to pay off the mortgage on the uninhabitable house, but she didn’t get enough money to make the house livable.
That’s where volunteers like us make the difference.
And that’s what First Congregational is all about. We make a difference…in so many ways to so many people.
Chastity has remarried. She met her new husband, a member of the National Guard, at the rescue shelter in Mississippi.
For Chastity, a new life has emerged from the muddy waters of devastation. We helped. Yes, we helped.
As I read through the blogs of my teammates, Chastity’s face flashed through mind. Chastity was our “client” at the St. Bernard Project. When Katrina hit, Chastity was a divorced mother of 3 children: a sixteen year old son and eleven year old twins (one boy, one girl). Chastity supported her family through her earnings as a hairstylist.
Almost 3 years later, our team just finished mudding her house and began painting. Our Americorp site supervisor estimates Chastity will be in her house within a month, the end of the journey for the young woman who first evacuated to Baton Rouge, then Denver, and then Mississippi.
I can’t imagine paying a mortgage on a house that no longer exists and trying to find food and shelter for 3 children. Chastity’s hair clients of course, haven’t come back. She had to find a new career; in the time since the hurricane she has secured a job with emergency medical services. (As a paramedic, I think). She was able to get enough money to pay off the mortgage on the uninhabitable house, but she didn’t get enough money to make the house livable.
That’s where volunteers like us make the difference.
And that’s what First Congregational is all about. We make a difference…in so many ways to so many people.
Chastity has remarried. She met her new husband, a member of the National Guard, at the rescue shelter in Mississippi.
For Chastity, a new life has emerged from the muddy waters of devastation. We helped. Yes, we helped.
Monday, May 12, 2008
beignets, getting lost, reminders
From Jim Arnow:
I believe (despite the fact that this is my first work trip here) that this trip has been unlike all others that have come before us. We share many things in common with the Boulder UCC groups that have preceded us – not only do we have members who have been here before, but we bring with us the intent passed along by many back in Boulder. However, like all trips, we have our own special twists to the experience. An example:
Thursday, because of logistics and whatnot, I split from my group (team #1) and traveled down to the worksites with one of the other two teams. We were running a touch late, but acknowledged the fact that beignets were necessary for maintaining our bodies, minds and spirits. So, as I attempted to navigate our way to the French Quarter to stop at Café du Monde, I managed to not only get us off the intended route, but also almost ran over a man working on the street wearing a bright orange vest.
As I drove closer, I realized that not only did he look familiar, but it was Herb, the dad of the family who will be living in the house we are rebuilding. After he figured out who we were, we went on our way. For me, this brought home the fact the St. Bernard Project is providing a way for families to get back into their homes while still maintaining their jobs.
Thursday also saw us take our Americorps site leaders out to lunch. These young adults have sacrificed huge amounts of their lives to spend it helping others. Without them, I think that the St. Bernard Project would not have made the huge progress they have so far (128 families back into their own homes with approximately 30 in progress and a huge waitlist.) Lunch was the least we could do.
Thursday afternoon, we went back to the St. Bernard Project offices and met with Liz McCartney. She helped to answer many questions that we had and gave us many insights into the lives of the people in the area. I didn’t take a picture, but you can read more about her at http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/05/08/heroes.mccartney/index.html and see a video about her that was shown on CNN recently. Speaking for myself, it seems that St Bernard Project is doing a lot of things right and allowing a huge number of people to assist them in helping huger numbers of folks.
On our way home, we attempted a tour of some of the locations near by, which included getting lost and also finding our way to a house that people on the first Boulder UCC trip worked on. Unfortunately, it has not progressed any since that trip and is currently being managed by the local government, likely to be sold or demolished. While there, we ran into a local newspaper writer/photographer (who’s name escapes me) who talked to us a little about the state of the neighborhood. In the block we visited, he said that there only a couple of people living in the area.
Afterwards, we were treated to a dinner by our hosts at St Paul’s. In addition to filling our bellies, they also told us all about what they do, the struggles they encounter and some of the support they have gotten from around the country. This assistance means the world to many of these people who feel rejected and abandoned by their government and country.
Friday, my team went back to our house and did a lot of finishing work: including texturing, priming and applying the first coat of paint. We really feel like we made a lot of progress this week, but again, we were extremely lucky to have come in on the project at a very productive stage.
During the day, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Carmelite, her husband Herb and their daughter Dakota. Dakota had been in the emergency room all night last night, but still was in great spirits when we saw her. Since she’s having her fifth birthday party this weekend, we bought some small gifts and gave then to Carmelite to give to her. Here’s a picture of Dakota out front. She’s pretty camera-shy. ;-)
Afterwards, Jean and I wandered around the Lower 9th, visited the levees around the Mississippi and wandered around.
While it made us run a bit late for dinner, we did make a stop at a house that a previous group (the second, I think) had worked on Burbank Street. We were pleased to find a work permit in the window and fresh drywall inside.
So, despite the fact that we can’t always see it or the fact that sometimes the work doesn’t bring about what we’d like, there is progress going on, and we’ve now had a had in it.
This will probable be my last post from New Orleans as we leave tomorrow, so I will end with the following comments from Zack at the St Bernard Project:
Remember that the people down here want two things:
1. Know that the people down here a good people and work hard to take care of themselves
2. Don’t forget them.
For these two things, all I can add is that we need to not only keep coming down here to work and sending money to get this area back to where is should but we also need to be coming down here to show the people of New Orleans that we haven’t forgotten about them.
-Jim Arnow, NOLA 5, Team #1
I believe (despite the fact that this is my first work trip here) that this trip has been unlike all others that have come before us. We share many things in common with the Boulder UCC groups that have preceded us – not only do we have members who have been here before, but we bring with us the intent passed along by many back in Boulder. However, like all trips, we have our own special twists to the experience. An example:
Thursday, because of logistics and whatnot, I split from my group (team #1) and traveled down to the worksites with one of the other two teams. We were running a touch late, but acknowledged the fact that beignets were necessary for maintaining our bodies, minds and spirits. So, as I attempted to navigate our way to the French Quarter to stop at Café du Monde, I managed to not only get us off the intended route, but also almost ran over a man working on the street wearing a bright orange vest.
As I drove closer, I realized that not only did he look familiar, but it was Herb, the dad of the family who will be living in the house we are rebuilding. After he figured out who we were, we went on our way. For me, this brought home the fact the St. Bernard Project is providing a way for families to get back into their homes while still maintaining their jobs.
Thursday also saw us take our Americorps site leaders out to lunch. These young adults have sacrificed huge amounts of their lives to spend it helping others. Without them, I think that the St. Bernard Project would not have made the huge progress they have so far (128 families back into their own homes with approximately 30 in progress and a huge waitlist.) Lunch was the least we could do.
Thursday afternoon, we went back to the St. Bernard Project offices and met with Liz McCartney. She helped to answer many questions that we had and gave us many insights into the lives of the people in the area. I didn’t take a picture, but you can read more about her at http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/05/08/heroes.mccartney/index.html and see a video about her that was shown on CNN recently. Speaking for myself, it seems that St Bernard Project is doing a lot of things right and allowing a huge number of people to assist them in helping huger numbers of folks.
On our way home, we attempted a tour of some of the locations near by, which included getting lost and also finding our way to a house that people on the first Boulder UCC trip worked on. Unfortunately, it has not progressed any since that trip and is currently being managed by the local government, likely to be sold or demolished. While there, we ran into a local newspaper writer/photographer (who’s name escapes me) who talked to us a little about the state of the neighborhood. In the block we visited, he said that there only a couple of people living in the area.Afterwards, we were treated to a dinner by our hosts at St Paul’s. In addition to filling our bellies, they also told us all about what they do, the struggles they encounter and some of the support they have gotten from around the country. This assistance means the world to many of these people who feel rejected and abandoned by their government and country.
Friday, my team went back to our house and did a lot of finishing work: including texturing, priming and applying the first coat of paint. We really feel like we made a lot of progress this week, but again, we were extremely lucky to have come in on the project at a very productive stage.
During the day, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Carmelite, her husband Herb and their daughter Dakota. Dakota had been in the emergency room all night last night, but still was in great spirits when we saw her. Since she’s having her fifth birthday party this weekend, we bought some small gifts and gave then to Carmelite to give to her. Here’s a picture of Dakota out front. She’s pretty camera-shy. ;-)Afterwards, Jean and I wandered around the Lower 9th, visited the levees around the Mississippi and wandered around.
While it made us run a bit late for dinner, we did make a stop at a house that a previous group (the second, I think) had worked on Burbank Street. We were pleased to find a work permit in the window and fresh drywall inside.So, despite the fact that we can’t always see it or the fact that sometimes the work doesn’t bring about what we’d like, there is progress going on, and we’ve now had a had in it.
This will probable be my last post from New Orleans as we leave tomorrow, so I will end with the following comments from Zack at the St Bernard Project:
Remember that the people down here want two things:
1. Know that the people down here a good people and work hard to take care of themselves
2. Don’t forget them.
For these two things, all I can add is that we need to not only keep coming down here to work and sending money to get this area back to where is should but we also need to be coming down here to show the people of New Orleans that we haven’t forgotten about them.
-Jim Arnow, NOLA 5, Team #1
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Martie's week
From Martie McMane, Senior Pastor:The week started with a trip to the Jazz Fest – a true New Orleans experience. Thousands of people come to listen to all kinds of New Orleans’ favorite musical genres: jazz, blues, gospel, rock – here the crowds await Gallactic Indian Chiefs accompanied by steel drums march through the crowds.
A smash hit at the Festival was jazz singer Diane Reeves. Martie officiated at the wedding of her pianist, Peter Martin and his wife Kelly ten years ago, so it was a treat to see them again and get to sit back stage.
And then to work – Wanda is the woman whose home we are helping to rebuild. She has lived with her husband and teen age daughter in this FEMA trailer (yes, the ones with the infamous formaldehyde) for two years.Her in-laws lived in the other one, but the father-in-law had a stroke and so they had to move to a care facility.
This house is across the street. The one on the left is fixed up nicely, becausethe woman who owns it had some flood insurance. She lived in a FEMA trailer for nearly a year, fighting off the rats, mice, and snakes that had nested in her house that had been sitting under water for three months until she could come back home. The two houses next to hers still remain empty, as do many on the street. During the flood, her neighbor right next door drowned in the eaves of her house; her son survived but could not save his mom. They had been neighbors for 34 years. No one came for the body for three months.
Directly across the street, four houses have been completely demolished. The county has an aggressive demolition program now to avoid pestilence and the blight on the neighborhood that empty houses signal. You must show that you are beginning some work on your house now or the county will come and bulldoze it down.
It will be three years this August, and though there is definite improvement, the ravages of the flooding are still evident everywhere in the neighborhood.
And so we do what we can. Our crew was taping, mudding, and sanding the drywall in this house all week.
Our crew captain was a fine young Americorps volunteer named Bret. He had been growing his hair and beard since November. Time out for a haircut and a shave – brave young man that Bret!
The traveling barber and a happy Bret sporting his new look!
This is Musicians Village, a Habitat for Humanity Project.They’re beautiful, with their bright colors and friendly front porches, don’t you think? Yet some longtime residents of the neighborhood are skeptical and said to us, “Who are these people who will be moving in here? We don’t know them.” The destruction of the storm and flooding disrupted whole communities where people had felt comfortable and had known their neighbors for generations.
Even so, everyone seems thankful that real progress is being made, and the connections between people who come to share their concern are creating healing throughout the area. The human spirit is resilient. The people we met were overwhelming grateful and were able to find surprising blessings in all they had been through. One thing we heard over and over again, was “Thank you for not forgetting us.”
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Orientation
From Jimmy Stanley:Hey Everyone,
This picture was taken on our first morning when we went through our orientation at the St. Bernard Parrish Project. Zack was very excited to receive the donation from our church to help support our project. We were divided into three teams for the week. One team of five, one team of six, and one team of seven. The teams were assigned to houses in different stages of development.
Team 1 was given the home if Carmelite Sievers and her husband and their two children, son, Dillon age 15, and daughter, Dakota, age 5. The Sievers are very excited that their house is getting near completion and they stop by after work each day to chat and check on progress. It is exciting to see the joy in their faces as they look at the progress from one day to the next. They are very positive in their outlook and look forward to life returning to normal.
Peace,
Jimmy Stanley
Don't forget us...
Unfortunately, our wireless connection has gone from sporadic to completely down. I'm on the pastor's computer at the moment. For now, you'll just have to do with a quick update...
Our team (team 1 of 3) was lucky enough to have a house slightly ahead of the others so we started texturing walls yesterday and may do some painting today.
At lunch, one of the other teams was visited by John Booth (pictured). He talked to us for close to an hour about his experiences being trapped for 11 days, then rescued by the Canadian national guard at gun point, then sent to North Carolina (I believe) and finally reunited with his family. His descriptions of the struggles that many went through and are still going through really brought home a point that Zach (one of the founders of St. Bernard Parish) made to us -- the people here want us to take home two things: 1. That they are good people and 2. To not forget them. John described being able to talk to the people who came down to work at the Hippie Village as the thing that saved his life -- without being able to tell his story, he doesn't believe he would still be alive today.
John now spends his weekends volunteering at Camp Hope feeding the hundreds of volunteers who stay there and travels around talking to other groups telling his story to give them an insight into what happened and what's happening today. He is an amazing man, like so many others here. Every story he tells starts with a personal description folks he knew, and there are a lot of them. It really shows how tightly knit this community was before Katrina tore it apart.
Our team (team 1 of 3) was lucky enough to have a house slightly ahead of the others so we started texturing walls yesterday and may do some painting today.
At lunch, one of the other teams was visited by John Booth (pictured). He talked to us for close to an hour about his experiences being trapped for 11 days, then rescued by the Canadian national guard at gun point, then sent to North Carolina (I believe) and finally reunited with his family. His descriptions of the struggles that many went through and are still going through really brought home a point that Zach (one of the founders of St. Bernard Parish) made to us -- the people here want us to take home two things: 1. That they are good people and 2. To not forget them. John described being able to talk to the people who came down to work at the Hippie Village as the thing that saved his life -- without being able to tell his story, he doesn't believe he would still be alive today.
John now spends his weekends volunteering at Camp Hope feeding the hundreds of volunteers who stay there and travels around talking to other groups telling his story to give them an insight into what happened and what's happening today. He is an amazing man, like so many others here. Every story he tells starts with a personal description folks he knew, and there are a lot of them. It really shows how tightly knit this community was before Katrina tore it apart.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Construction & Demolition
From Jim Arnow:
Monday, we started by meeting the folks at the St Bernard Project. To date, they have finished building 128 homes and are currently working on around 30 more with a waiting list of over 100. We split into three teams (of 5, 6, and 7) and went to three different houses around the area. All of us were working on mudding and sanding in preparation for putting texture on the walls. These houses are getting close to completion. A number of the team members who had been here before commented on the fact that it was nice to be doing work like this rather than mucking out houses.
This is a picture of the house my team is working on. You'll notice the house next door has not only the white X from the original rescue team that came through over two years ago, but a sign with a big red X. That sign indicates that the owners have been given 90 days notice to clean up or their house risks being torn down.
This is a picture of the house my team is working on. You'll notice the house next door has not only the white X from the original rescue team that came through over two years ago, but a sign with a big red X. That sign indicates that the owners have been given 90 days notice to clean up or their house risks being torn down.
While we were working, the house three doors down was demolished. In a matter of two hours, it was leveled to only a concrete pad. There's a picture of that, and I've uploaded a video to YouTube at this link http://www.youtube.com/v/Nz163cIvFw8
Also included is a picture of Jean sanding the ceiling and our (sub) team with our "clients". I'm trying to get pictures off of other cameras but Alan's camera doesn't want to cooperate and it's about time to head out for the day. I'll try again tonight.
-Jim
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Animal Rescue New Orleans
From Jim Arnow:I've been here since Thursday, and the rest of the group arrived yesterday (Saturday.) In the four days I've been here, I've spent part of three of them volunteering at ARNO, Animal Rescue New Orleans. The people who work there are amazing and do a huge amount of work with very little. From what I understand, ARNO is the only no-kill shelter in the area and survives with no government funding.
I was honored to present a check on behalf of First Congregational Church and the people who donated at the Night in the French Quarter to Natalie, the Kennel Manager at ARNO. Natalie lives next door to the kennel in the industrial park where ARNO is located and, like everyone I've encountered there, is amazingly caring and dedicated to the cats and dogs they have housed in their cramped location. I'm attaching a picture of me handing her the check as well as a picture of the outside of the shelter.
I was honored to present a check on behalf of First Congregational Church and the people who donated at the Night in the French Quarter to Natalie, the Kennel Manager at ARNO. Natalie lives next door to the kennel in the industrial park where ARNO is located and, like everyone I've encountered there, is amazingly caring and dedicated to the cats and dogs they have housed in their cramped location. I'm attaching a picture of me handing her the check as well as a picture of the outside of the shelter.
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