Midnight Monday

I sure would like to get onto this page before this time of night, but everything is so busy.

Our first day of work today. What an eyeopener, and really emotional experience. We get the lowdown for each day at a reflection session we hold each night for an hour (starts at 8 or 8:30) out on our patio.

Four groups of 17 people were sent to locations to work. After meeting at a local church (former church that is) and listening to a truly tragic and sad story from Kathy (more later) we headed out.

Group one to Lower 9th Ward; Group two, three and four to East New Orleans (near lake Pontchartrain) and each with very different assignments.

In Lower 9th a home not attended to at all since August 2005. All goods had to be removed, walls to be torn down etc. But, job should be complete by end of Tuesday. Mrs. Sawyer, ask what Brooke's favorite part was!! Ask any of those working at that site what he/she thought of the life jacket hanging from a second floor window, or about another house in the area where the front steps now sit under the front window not the door!!

Group three given a house with a cleaned interior but needing the walls and ceilings to be torn down. That house will also be completed on Tuesday.

Group four arrived at their house to meet the owner who had visited several times but still had not seen any of her possessions removed. At first she said that did not want to keep any of the items---she was just glad that it was going to be gutted. The group started to show her certain items and she began to change her mind. Mrs. Bachmeier you can be particularly proud of Ryan ( I think). He came across a photo album that appeared to have only ruined pictures, but he found one clear picture. He took it out to the lady and she realized the picture was of her mother and it was the only one that she now had left!!! Several members of that group spoke during the reflection about the fact that this excursion was broadening their circle of friends/acquaintances.

Group two was the last to be deposited at its site. We also met the house's owner, real name is Handsome--no kidding, and he told us he has moved his family to the other side of Baton Rouge and he commutes to work each day---$150 a week on gas. He was so happy to know his house was to be readied for reconstruction. We worked at breakneck speed and had the interior goods removed and several of the walls torn down. We took a group break with an hour to go so we could plan our tasks for the final push for the day. Not five minutes into the break the ceiling in one of the bedrooms collapsed. After the arrival of two supervisors it was determined that the termite damage was too severe for us to continue and the job was stopped. The owner returned shortly thereafter tio receive that bad news. Our spirits fell with his and the impetus for work during the last 60 minutes diminished significantly. We'll get a new site tomorrow.

Several adults have expressed how impressed they are with the 'adult' approach the boys and girls are taking. Tasha Nimmo is my hero--you should have seen the gusto at which she attacked those drywall partitions and brought them down. There is no gender discrimination on the job site!! Samantha Rao has found a hero also in the supervisor whose real name is Amy, but to Sam she is Hercules!

Subway is providing some good breakfasts and lunch is nothing to give awards for but supper is on the kids and they know how to look after themselves. Adult interests are giving students several choices. After the reflection tonight the kids had a chance to go swimming and that was a big hit. Same schedule tomorrow.

I know you are looking for pictures and I'm anxious to get them out, but time is not on my side.
I have the greatest intentions, but you all know what road is paved with those. I'll try tomorrow.
Til then, have a great day ya'll.

PS: Kathy..Sadly Kathy lost everything in the hurricane,as did her mother. But more importantly her mother was dying from cancer at the time Katrina struck and she asked if she could stay in New Orleans and die in her hoem. Medical experts said no; she was evacuated and died in Memphis away from her daughter!!

PPS: When people here in NO say "Thank You" we can really sense the sincerity.