Here’s Lookin At Hallelujah 2007 – St.Stephen’s Mission to UnBog New Orleans: The Blog
What difference does it make? We ARE the difference.Archive for workin'
Finishing Strong: We Don’t Waste a Minute
So, today was our last day of work here in New Orleans. We’ll be heading back to Seattle tomorrow and, for me, it will be with a heavy heart. There is so much more I wish I could do here, but never the less, it has been an amazing experience. Over at Doris’ house, we finished the flooring and framing today. We had an entire wall (as in 40 feet at least) of framing left to do, but we got it done. It’s an indescribable feeling to see the look on the faces of those you help. Their houses are so far from liveable, but they’re just so greatful you’re there it’s like they wouldn’t care if all you did was clean up after the last group. You truly can’t understand the experience of New Orleans unless you come, so COME! Anyone can help out down here and if everyone would step up, people could get back on their feet. A shout out to the whole group here: thanks for opening your hearts and minds and never giving up. We’ve proved that what may seem impossible is attainable with dedication (and perspiration). I will depart with a quote of mine (God’s really; I don’t think, I just listen) that our group really seemed to respond to: New Orleans has its own spirit, a living breathing culture. Hurricane Katrina and the devistation that entailed is like a deep wound, slow to heal and extremely painful to all those involved. People have tried to slap a band-aid over this huge wound to cover up the true depth of its destruction. The media saying it’s “being dealt with”=band aid. The superdome getting rebuilt while houses remain in ruin=band aid. The big businesses rebuilding while local stores struggle to pay for the walls that were washed away=band aid. Our group came here and saw the truth. We spent the first two days peeling away the band aids and discovering the mess beneath. We took our time and worked our asses off every day to make the biggest difference we could in the little time we had here. It’s hard to leave these houses half done, but we got four houses closer to being liveable. So if we remember nothing else on this trip, I hope and pray we never forget how we peeled away the layers of lies, exposed truth, and began to help heal. Four stiches.
God Bless, Now and Always
-Alix
A Hard Days Work
“Today we probably created the most, not that we haven’t been working the entire time but working in general is much different from actual creation. It was a situation of sort of mixed emotions in my mind because of what we did and its conflicting effects on Miss Dorris. I personally felt really good because we were creating something new for her and we were rebuilding what the storm took away. However, when we went to show her the house at the end of the day she seemed very sad to see her old house gone. She appreciated the new house and all the work we were doing but at the same seeing all the house she previously lived in being torn out she was sad. I didn’t know whether to feel horribly guilty or horribly happy with the work we had done today, I don’t think I ever will. All the same, it feels good to help and I am glad that I am here.”
-David
