A few pictures from the trip to New Orleans

This view is looking over the lower 9th ward. You can see the construction on the levee on the left side of the picture. These pictures were taken 7 months after hurricane katrina. At this point they are still taking bodies out of the rubble and there are several thousand people unacounted for.

This picture is of the mold in one of the houses we worked on along with a lot of personal belongings that we had to sort through and discard

This is the first house we worked on and all of the safety equipment we wore.

Back to life again

Now that I have returned from New Orleans it seems surreal to be returning to life as usual. It feels as though I am repeating the entire withdrawl that happened when I returned from Kenya. When that happened I managed to redefine who I was as a person and who I hoped to be. This time the trip was much shorter and while the devestation was much greater many people who had their homes devestated will be able to rebuild. However I feel for the ones that cannot. Those in the lower and upper 9th ward and families who are too impovershed to move back even though this is their home and has been for generations. It is difficult to put my feelings and thoughts into words. I want to thank all of you who were praying for us and keeping us in your thoughts. We did a lot for several families, but there is still much more to be done and I hope the city and the people of New Orleans will not escape your thoughts though they have escaped the news. I will leave you with a prayer that was posted in the house that we stayed at.

O God,
Today I will be with those who are suffering and frightened and possibly alone. Some will have no one to talk to today, Lord, but me.
May my arms be strong to give someone a hug, my hands comforting and warm to hold anothers hand and through my eyes and smile may someone know I care.
But most of all, Lord, give my heart the compassion and understanding that will calm anothers fears, dry a tear, and give strength to face what lies ahead.
I am only one person, Lord, but you and I both know that one person can and will make a difference in another's life.
And if I can do that for someone today, when my head lies upon my pillow tonight and my eyes close I will be at peace.
Amen and Amen

Check out the blog from the New Orleans trip I'm on

The address of the blog from the trip I'm on in New Orleans is www.hamlinehurricanerelief.blogspot.com

There are 30 students on the trip and most of them have added comments to this blog so be sure to check it out!

Thoughts and reflections

We are about to head out for a few hour drive up and then back along the coast that was damaged. I am looking forward to this tour but I don't want to talk about that at this moment I want to talk about a few things that happened at our group discussion. There are 30 of us down here like I had said before and only 3 of us are not white. One of the african americans started talking about race as it is a huge issue down here and many people here believe the levees broke where they did for a very specific reason and that this natural disaster showed the unnatural disaster that perpetuates american life. The idea about being black and being uncomfortable in every day life was brought up and we were all challenged to think about being uncomfortable in our own lives (black or white).

The disaster here is devestating and it is merely a perpetuation of things that are wrong with our culture and our american way of life.

First New Orlean's Blog - sorry its so late...

Well, we made it here safetly and are staying at Felicity United Methodist Church (the perish house). It is right in New Orleans and a wonderful location.

We arrived on Friday and drove to our current location and got into our rooms (8 bunks per bedroom).

Saturday we had an orientation with the organization that we are working with (UMCOR a United Methodist organization) and then went to our first work site. This was a site where a woman lived with her 5 kids in an middle upper middle class neighborhood. She had gotten someone to gut the house but then realized that she would need to have the ceiling taken out as well due to the amount of mold there. So we took off the ceiling and delt with fiberglass and nails all day then Saturday evening we went to the French Quarter and Burbon Street to "support the local economy" (I didn't end up spending any money but enjoyed listening to this awesome jazz band - I have video if anyone cares to see)

Sunday was church at RAYN United Methodist where the pastor preached about tearing down walls that keep us segregated especially in the aftermath of Katrina. I was astonished that this disaster still plays that large of a role in the every day life of a New Orleanian (I'm learning some awesome slang). Then we walked around on Magazine St. (an area similar to Uptown in Minneapolis) and then accompanied a tour given by a member of RAYN church. The tour was supposed to look at some of the hardest hit areas in N.O. In reality it was a tour of what Katrina did to New Orleans according to Doug (the member). We saw a lot of disaster, but didnt' really look at the 9th ward (upper or lower). It was disapointing but interesting to note that even right next to one of the levee breaches there were many homes that had been damaged but were back to looking normal (including landscaping) I have to tell you this was a very rich area and I found it rather interesting.

Monday (yesterday) we worked on a home of a woman who was really friendly as well but we didn't really get to meet her in person. We talked to her on the phone and it was really great to hear how excited she was about everything. Her house was similar to the house that we worked on on Saturday. Most of the house was gutted but there were still fixtures in the kitchen and in both bathrooms. One of the bathrooms had a shower that had been put in a very long time ago (it was cemented into place and had lots of chicken wire and plaster around it and was extreemly difficult to remove). I also removed a sofet from the kitchen similar to the one I helped dad remove back home in our own kitchen. Monday evening we went to Tulane University where we listened to a panel of 6 people answer questions regarding Katrina and the aftermath. One of the panelists was a professor of Geology at Tulane and since the hurricane he has been focused on the levee breaches and has agreed to take us on a tour of the levee breaks on Friday morning which I am looking forward to!

Today was for me the most emotionally challenging day thus far. We entered a home that had not been touched since the hurricane. There were still some cups and things with water inside them and the house we were in was a house of a pack rat. This was an older woman and her husband and they lived in the upstaris and used the downstairs for storage. There were a lot of things she was storing and it was very daunting when we first looked at the task at hand. There were many things that I saw tonight that made me want to cry. There was a thing of salt in the kitchen, little kids books, and a mother's day card (then my mom called and I was on the verge of crying - if she didn't know that before now - she does now!) This woman was having such a hard time dealing with the disaster and it was hard. She didn't want to throw away very many things and she really couldn't keep them due to the damage they had and the mold that was all over them. It was really hard and very difficult for me to explain it in words. I did take a lot of pictures and I'll have a lot more to say when I get home but for now I'm going to sign off and hand the computer to another person so they can either blog or check email. Have a wonderful day and if you get a chance think of us while we're down here. There are 30 of us and we could use your thoughts and prayers!

Katrina talk at Hancock Elementary

I just got back from talking with a 5th grade classroom about our trip to New Orleans. Their interests were rather different than I remember mine being at that age. We first asked what they knew about New Orleans and the hurricane etc. and received varying levels of information ranging from how Rita followed Katrina in the same area and did more damage to how many dead animals there were. We talked with them about what we'd be doing what precautions we would be taking for our safety and health, what the conditions were like as far as we knew, and took some questions then passed out those bracelets (you know the look alike livestrong bracelets) that say Hurricane Katrina Relief, Recover, Rebuild. They're pretty nifty. We will go back the week we get back to talk with them again about what we did and to share some pictures. You have to love elementary students - they're our future and there is so much I personally have to share with the next generation that I am excited about sharing with them. I am down to less than 24 hours before our plane leaves tomorrow and I am terribly excited! Just a few more things left to do; I have to finish my neuro take home exam, wash clothes and pack, and then I'll be all set to go! Wish me luck!

Getting ready for New Orleans

Well, here I am in the last 48 hours before I head out. I am excited, nervous, and anxious all at the same time. I can't wait to get down there and take a look for myself as to what the damage really is and what work has been done in the last 6 months or so. We fly out at 1:30 Friday afternoon. I will try to post often and let you know what we are doing and what I am feeling and what I am learning. I didn't realize how far in I was going to be until recently, just to share a little; we will be working 5 of the days we are there (Monday through Friday) while we work we will be wearing pants, tank tops or tshirts covered by full body tyvek suits, decent work boots, a respirator to keep the black mold out of our bodies, and ear plugs so the spores don't wind up in our ears. After the day of work we will shower and leave our clothes tied up in a plastic bag until the following day where we will put it all back on again and repeat. I am very anxious to see everything I can and I will have many many pictures and will be using every photographic skill I have in my body to see how well I can truly capture the devestation. We will be able to hopfully see many of the areas in and around New Orleans and see how each area was affected or not affected. I hope to look into race as one of the segregating factors, and since the focus of my particular trip is environment, I also hope to look at the environmental impacts that this natural disaster has instilled. I am extreemly excited and will keep you updated as much as I can! Meanwhile, I am finishing up several school related things before spring break.

SNOW DAY!

So, pretty much the most awesome thing happened! We have a snow day! Two days ago I was wearing skirts and enjoying the wonderful spring weather, and now we have 8 inches of snow and counting and all university classes and offices are closed (even the law school - which never closes). I haven't had a snow day since I was in elementary school! This is soooooo awesome! And now I get to spend all day catching up on homework I haven't had the chance to do yet :) (organic chem)!

WE HAVE A SNOW DAY!

When life gets busy

This morning while in church at Hamline United Methodist the president of Hamline University talked. The theme of her short speech was to not to keep the hustle and bustle of daily life from allowing you to experience good things. She talked about how we don't take the time to make connections with people that we see every day because we are too busy. And how we let being busy be an excuse for passing up opportunities. She told a story about a village. One of the roads in this village was blocked by a huge boulder and most people when they arrived at this block in the road looked at the rock and grumbled and went around it, however a pauper came across the rock in the road and put down his burden and pushed as hard as he could and moved the boulder off the road and out of the way. Under the boulder was a purse filled with money and a note from the king saying whoever moved the boulder was the owner of the money. When we push obstacles from our lives we don't pass up those opportunities that we might not have seen otherwise.

This really made me think, I've been so busy lately that I keep thinking to myself why on earth did I sign up to go to New Orlean's during spring break. I could really use that time to relax and get caught up. But then I think about what it is I'm thinking and realize how stupid I sound. The world does not revolve around myself and I need to maintain my compassion at all times, even when my own life seems hectic. So, here I am stressing out before my final week before spring break and trying to keep the big picture in mind and making sure I take time to reach out to people and reminding you to do the same!

First dinner party and a note of encouragement...

Well, my first ever grown up dinner party went well. There were many people who didn't RSVP, but luckily didn't show up. The conversation wasn't too terribly awkward (considering the company was myself, Emily, Dr. Bolon and his wife). I will have another soon, hopfully this time with better attendance.

Now I would like to leave you with some song lyrics that are sung and written by Carrie Newcomer (folk type singer)

Take down your defenses
Like you've taken off your clothes
It's a glorious insurrection
Not to hold your secrets close

What's the use in counting errors
Or the help in counting sheep
I don't intend to live my whole life out
Just to find I was asleep

It's not the things I've gone and done
I'll regret or be ashamed
But the things I did not say or do
Just because I was afraid

How mysterious and wondrous
The strange circlings of the mind
And that I can see as far ahead of me
As I can see behind
Hindsight's always 20/20
But, we see what we want see
And I used to pray for wisdom
Now I know just what that means

I'm learning to forgive
And relearn it everyday
Every time I stop to gather stones
I straighten up and walk away

I don't have another message
I don't have anything to sell
And there are no easy answers
As far as I can tell
And I don't believe that Jesus was crazy
Or that it is Mohammad's fault
When something good can get so twisted
That there's no semblance at all

Just because the odds are bad
Doesn't mean you shouldn't risk
Don't believe it will not happen
Just because it hasen't happened yet.

This song makes me happy and makes me think :)

One of those days :)

Today was one of those days, you know when everything seems perfect and you notice all of the good things of life. The weather outside was a balmy 50 and I didn't really need a coat - even though I had one with in case it got cold. The stars this evening were amazing even though I live in the middle of a huge city. Everyone I came across today was smiling, and I am happy. Happy in the way that pretty much no matter what happens the happiness doesn't go away. I hope you have one of those days soon!

Stress update

Well, I have decided that perhaps stress has some use in one's life. By avoiding stress I don't seem to get quite as much done and I am much more tired. So, perhaps I will allow a small amount of stress back into my life, but not too much!

On a different note, my sister was talking with me about something very interesting last night, well it was something that I had to think once or twice about. She said something to the effect that you will lose every single person in your life in some way or another. Which to me initially sounded extreemly depressing and not worth thinking about, but then she expanded upon the idea. Some people may always be in your life, but you won't always have an unlimited amount of time with them. For example; my first gut reaction was that my sister would always have me in her life, but she quickly responded that when I left for college I had left her life, even if just a little. I had to admit that was true because we don't talk nearly as much as we used to and I always seem to miss her. We then discussed the degree to which a person can be lost to you ranging from friends committing suicide to people moving away to relationships that are broken by arguments and pain that can divide two people. The moral of this post not to be all depressing because really this is a happy moment, is to enjoy the time you do have with people and to enjoy what you are doing and to live in the moment (tribute to Mr. Baughn - an english teacher from 11th grade). I am seeing more and more how important that is. Thanks kid! This post is all because of you!

Stress...?!?!

I have decided that stress is useless. The more stressed I am the worse I feel and the quicker I get sick. This makes absolutly no sense especially when part of the reason I stress is because I'm getting sick and don't have enough time to sleep. Stress seems to perpetuate itself and make things much much worse. Stress is useless. It simply makes you feel bad about not getting everything done, and I am giving up stress from here on out. No more stress for me :) Lets see how this goes...

Thursday night

Hello all,
This evening will be the third night in a row that I am watching Pride and Predjudice (the shorter version of the movie). I am currently wondering why there isn't a Mr. Darcy for all of us, however I quickly am reminded that not all of the girls get married to him, only Lizzy. Whereas Lydia gets married to a womanizer who doesn't care for her at all simply the money he is allowed after he marries her, and Mary can't seem to find a man who understands her, and Jane gets a Mr. Bingley who while wonderful in his own ways, is not nearly as worldly or deep, etc. He doesn't compare in the slightest to Darcy. So, here I am awaiting my own Darcy while watching friends finding Bingley's, Wickham's, and Collins's. I supose waiting for Darcy isn't as bad as it seems. Or perhaps I have already met my Darcy and we are simply in the beginning of the movie rather than nearing the end.

On a very different note school is going well, and I have decided that if the homeless man decides to visit our home again I will have food available for him.

Also we raised $1910 from the Famine - which is amazing and I am so terribly excited about it! There is still some money coming in and I hope to send in $2000!

Plans are coming along nicely for the trip to New Orleans and I am becoming more and more excited about the work we will be doing every day. I am also looking forward to visiting several places that I visited last time I was there (prior to the hurricane).

I also think we should all call one another by our last names and I should be allowed to wear the clothes that women wear in this movie (still watching Pride and Predjudice).

Have a wonderful evening all!

Homeless

So, I have a moral dilema. There is a guy who comes to visit our house every once in a while. I think he has been here 3 or 4 times since we moved in. He is 30ish, black, and very thin. Each time he has asked if we have any money to give him because he is homeless. I don't think giving a homeless person money is what I would want to do because there is no way for me to make sure they buy food with it and not drugs or alcohol. I want to figure out how I can help this man without giving him money. Perhaps I could give him food rather than money. I want to figure out something to do for him, but I don't know where to start. Any advice?