Reflections - Day 1

We don't want you to just hear from me (Jay) about our trip, so we're going to post comments from other team members, along with pictures. Here we go!

Gary - Christ UMC
What struck me today was the weather, which by Quad City standards was beautiful, warm, and sunny. This was in direct contrast to what I saw. Six months after the hurricane there are still boats in trees, demolished cars piled on top of each other, houses & businesses in shambles. Debris is strewn everywhere. Yet, with all of that, at the end of our first work day a neighbor stopped by to thank us for helping. From my perspective, they will need our help for a long time to come.

Kathy - Orion UMC
Julie, the Millen family, Pastor Don, and Walt worked with our group at Geneva Silver's house today. Geneva will be 90 on Wednesday! Geneva has 15 children. We repaired some electrical problems, and worked on the drywall at her house. The drywall was already up when we arrived there this morning. We mudded and sanded. We saw so many houses that were damaged by Katrina. We were located 5 miles north of Lake Ponchartrain and most of the damage in Slidell was done by the flooding after the dikes broke. We eat our meals at Aldersgate UMC. Sue and Jan are our cooks. We miss our families, but also feel like we are really here fulfilling a need as we are helping impoverished people get their homes back. We are spoiled at home!

Rich - Orion UMC
Dan, John, Tom, Ken, Ray, Steve, Aaron, and I worked at a house that had flood damage up to six feet in the house. We met the mother and young son when we arrived. She had moved into this house 3 days before the hurricane, and she left before the flood, but ended up in a hotel near New Orleans. She is presently living in a FEMA trailer in her driveway, as are most of the families in this area. We worked with drywall for most of the day, and hopefully after tomorrow, we will have much progress visible for the family. Even in this short time, I have had a wonderful experience in meeting good people with a common goal; helping people that need help, and sharing while strengthening our faith in God. I love doing this, but miss my family.

Linda, Christ UMC
Day one, and blessings are abundant. Our group has been making a difference for Geneva. She and her son Peter have an amazing story to tell (we'll be interviewing her tomorrow on video). Geneva will turn 90 on Wednesday, March 1. She and her son have made our work very rewarding. Geneva claims she is so blessed to have each and every one of us to cross her path. I say we are the ones that are blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer our time to make her life easier and less complicated.

Don, Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
What an exciting experience it has been to see our United Methodist connection at work here in Slidell. The United Methodists are definitely getting something done. We got here Sunday afternoon and the Slidell AldersgateUMC was open and ready to provide us with lodging. This morning, all 28 of us met at the UMCOR office, where Phyllis gave us our assignment with dispatch and great professionalism. She shared a time of prayer with us and by 8:30, we were on our ways to our worksites. The team I am on is repairing the home of Geneva, an 89 year old widow. Her house is one of very few that is being worked on in her neighborhood. UMCOR has made it possible. Today we cleaned, sanded, and mudded drywall and did some wiring. The devastation still here after 6 months is unbelievable, but thanks to you all, the presence of God is real and tangible.

Kathy, Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish
It is a whole lot easier traveling with adults than with youth! We had an uneventful trip here, and all arrived in Slidell in time for supper on Sunday. Our group is terrific; lots of hard working, good spirited people. I have been working with Jay, Patty, Judy, Dennis, Gary and Tony on a parsonage. The water in this home was 65 inches deep: that is as high as the top of my head. The pastor that lived here is in Baton Rouge now. They lost everything in the flood. We heard stories today of how a wall of water came rushing into the neighborhood. The devastation is unbelievable. The good news is that the UMC is here. We are one of the very few organizations that is able to provide both materials and labor. Most groups that want to help are only able to provide labor and many folks simply do not have the resources to buy the needed materials.
Tony and I had a contest to see who could wear the most drywall mud. I think I won! I did get in the shower first. Two members of our team are devoting their time to feeding us. We are so grateful to them.
Please keep us in your prayers.