This morning we had our first of several meals at Xavier University and then our first real chance to see the damage of Hurricane Katrina. We drove through the 9th Ward area hardest hit by the flood waters and saw abandoned house after abandoned house. Our hosts, Dr. Simmons, Reggie Jackson (from Omaha) and Cornelius Dumas (a local resident and officer in the Louisiana Laymen's Movement) explained what they saw and found when they first began the now three-year ongoing process of rebuilding their homes.
We saw markers on each house, an X with each of four quadrants representing key information for those who would enter: the date the home was searched, the name of the crew doing the search, and in the lower quadrant the number of people found dead inside, if any. Just seeing house after house with this marker gave us a sense of the magnitude of the devastion here and the daunting task of restoration.
Our worksite for the week would be the home of Deborah Cola. She, like so many others, has been working for three years to rebuild. She is persevering to provide a home not just for herself but for her 80+ year old father and aunt living with her. She spoke to us about her experience since Katrina, of the mental anguish that she and everyone in New Orleans continues to experience as they go about the process of rebuilding their homes while going on with the daily burdens of normal life. She urged us to tell people back home that Katrina is not over, the suffering continues. No longer the physical struggle as much as the mental and emotional struggle. Deborah is a woman of faith, hope and strength and is endeavouring to redeem this home for her family. We are blessed to be a small part of the process, part of our redemptive purpose.
We spent the day pulling electrical wires, salvaging bricks, moving dry wall and insulation into the prep area of the home and other tasks to get ready for major work the rest of the week. Dinner and the second night of the revival capped our evening.
