All good things ...

It is amazing how quickly time has flown this week. It feels like only a few days since I published my first post about our work, and now here I am with an end-of-week wrapup. The weather has gotten better each day, and the relationships among our team have gotten stronger. I want to especially acknowledge the newcomers: Maryann, Regina, Marcia, Dave, and myself. We've now been initiated and are proud to be a part of such esteemed company. I also want to recognize two new friends, Francy and Tom from Ascension Lutheran in Tucson. It has been a true joy to work and socialize with them this week. They're in town for a whole month, and we hope they have as wonderful a time in the coming weeks as we had with them.

It's been a day to finish work and celebrate a job well done. Norm, Randy, Maryann, Mom and I went to Joseph and Pauletta's house this morning. Harlan, Dave, Marcia, Francy, Tom and Bob went to Karen's place, while Regina stayed behind at Peace Church. At Joseph and Pauletta's we first posed for photographs and then went to work. We witnessed an argument two houses down that got so heated that someone called 911. We weren't afraid and were never in danger, but this episode reminded us that we are working in a city with its share of urban conflict.

Once inside the house, we primed, painted, and installed concrete flooring. I developed a new affinity for power tools.

We were joined by the contingent from Karen's house for lunch, and gave the newcomers a tour. I switched teams and returned to Karen's house to finish some mudding I had started the day before. We finished around four, returned our tools to the Bethelehem Volunteer Center (site of our orientation) and came home.

We returned to find the others standing outside by Maryann and Norm's truck with celebratory beverages in hand. It was a beautiful late afternoon, too nice to go inside quite yet. After we'd cleaned up we joined the group. A flurry of hugs and cheers ensued. Several of the newcomers were awarded aprons signed by the rest of the team. I really wish I had a photograph to share, but I'm experiencing technical difficulties at the moment. For now, just picture a bunch of tired, happy people with their arms around each others' shoulders. I'll post the image later.

All in all, it's been a great experience. We've had the chance to see the progress being made, while being reminded that there is much more to do. Many of us have vowed to return. Dave's son wants to join the group, so there could be a mother-daughter and father-son team in the future.

I may write a final reflection after I've returned to the Bay Area. For now, I'll post one parting picture. This is a mural from the Bethlehem Volunteer Center, made by a delegation of three Wisconsin churches. The mural portray's Loren Eisley's famous story of the star thrower. For those unfamiliar with the tale, here's a paraphrase (source: http://www.schsf.org/content/)

"At dawn an old man was walking along the beach, where thousands of starfish were stranded and lay dying because of the low tide. The man saw a little boy throwing them back into the sea. Thinking himself very wise, he said to the boy, "Why are you doing that? It won’t make any difference." The boy bent down, picked up a starfish, threw it back into the sea and said, "It makes a difference to this one." "

This is one of my favorite stories in part because I discovered it around the time I was applying to Lutheran Volunteer Corps. My grandfather told me about the original source and gave me the book in which it appeared. I was thinking about the star thrower before leaving for New Orleans and was glad to see a similar sentiment expressed on the walls of the volunteer center.

We know that much has been done to rebuild New Orleans and that much remains to do. We realize that what we have done could be eradicated by the next flood or hurricane. And yet we came hundreds or thousands of miles to serve, some for the first time, others for the third. We have faith that what we are doing will have an impact, not only for the people we work with in New Orleans, but for the friends and family, congregants and colleagues with whom we share our stories. All those who have served in New Orleans, donated money to the cause, or simply thought about or prayed for the evacuees have joined the ranks of the star throwers. We have all made a difference.

A taste of New Orleans

The delegation has returned from a night out in New Orleans and we are now in a collective food coma. We had dinner at Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter, followed by beignets at Cafe du Monde. On our way to the cafe we ran into a jazz parade and bead-bearing revelers happy to share their prizes. Several of us were well-adorned by the end of the night.

Earlier in the day we had lunch at Elizabeth's, another favorite from previous delegations. The proprietor remembered some of us and asked about Phil, the retired pastor from Wisconsin who had first introduced us to this fabulous restaurant. The night before we were treated to New Orleans specialties prepared by members of Peace Church. Lots of amazing food and great conversations. Let the good times roll!


Today was also marked by some much more serious food for thought. We worked half a day at our respective sites, then stopped around noon for lunch and a drive through the Ninth Ward. There is some reconstruction in the area we toured, but most of the buildings have been abandoned or destroyed. Wild grasses and weeds have grown up in lots where children once played and neighbors visited. The only evidence that some lots ever had homes is a front step or section of concrete driveway. It's very sobering.

Amidst the devastation, we are seeing signs of renewal. People in our delegation who have been to New Orleans in the past have noticed more construction debris outside of homes than ever before. That's not a bad thing. It means that people are beginning to restore what was lost and that eventually they'll be returning home. Where there is debris, there is also hope.

A horse - and a house - of a different color

In true Lutheran style, we have become creatures of habit here. After three days, we are already sitting in the same places in the car, sitting at the same table for meals, even sitting in the same corner of McDonalds to eat our lunch (it's the closest place with restrooms to our worksite). Part of our morning ritual involves passing by some of our favorite houses. One is lime green with a dark purple porch. The house next door is a bright, almost fluorescent orange. Within shouting distance is a creamsicle house bearing teal trim. These are all vibrant signs of New Orleans' rebirth.

Before we drove through this kaleidoscopic neighborhood, we paid a visit to Patty's house, which the St. Stephen delegation helped renovate last October. Her house looks habitable from the outside, but there is still a trailer in front of it. We wondered if anyone at St. Stephen's had heard anything from Patty, if anyone knew whether she had moved into her home.

Today, Marcia and Maryann switched places. Marcia stayed back at Peace Church and Maryann went to the worksite. The other team members returned to the work they'd been doing the day before. At Karen's house, we sanded and mudded, applied beading (aka., the "metal thingies" used to reinforce doorways and curved edges) and framed a closet. We think Mom got a little *too* into her work!

Maryann says that Mom looks like she belongs in that Rice Crispy Treats commercial where the mom splashes flour on her face to look like she's labored all day to make her family a snack.

Throughout the day we washed our tools in buckets of rainwater from Monday's storms. It's nice to see that the rain actually helped us with our work. We also marveled at the sunbeams entering some of the bedrooms in the early afternoon. I'm hoping that a cat will be lucky enough to live here and take advantage of the warm rays.

At Pauletta and Joseph's house, Randy, Norm, and Bob spent the day framing a window and the vanity space. They also fixed the door they had started to repair yesterday. Their trip home was slightly detoured by a touch football game being played in the middle of a street. One of the players threw the ball right into the van windshield, though nothing was damaged. In fact, the van's catch was so good that rumor has it that it's now being recruited to be the starting quarterback for the (2-4) Oakland Raiders ...

All in all, it was another packed day of work with tangible evidence of our accomplishments. While there is still a great deal to do throughout the area, New Orleans is returning to its former self. On previous trips, Mom was impressed by what seemed to be miles and miles of uninhabitable apartment complexes. She was pleased to see that many have escaped the wrecking ball and are now bearing banners inviting new tenants. People are returning the area. They've finally made it back home.

New Orleans is a vibrant, colorful city that never fails to impress and surprise us. My personal discovery of the day came in the most unexpected place. After we had finished our work and before we were ready to drive home, I took a walk around the neighborhood. I turned a corner and saw ... this lovely creature:

It was a surreal, delightful moment to see this horse in the middle of an urban, residential neighborhood. We think this horse might pull a carriage in Jackson Square, and this is its home in the off-hours. We're planning a night on the town tomorrow, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for this beauty.

A personal note to Sandy: we miss you and wish you were here!! Big, big hugs from Slidell!!

Less rain, more photos!

After a long night of rain, Mom and I woke up this morning expecting to be faced with water up to our knees. Fortunately the anticipated deluge did not darken our door; the ground was moist and the day overcast, but neither was nearly as bad as the rain on our roof had led us to believe.

We ate breakfast and headed out to our worksites. Maryann stayed back to help with cleaning and cooking. Today Randy, Norm, and Bob went to Joseph and Pauletta's house and Harlan, Regina, Dave, Marcia, Mom and I went to the other house (owned by a woman named Karen). Our group was accompanied by Francie and Tom, a couple from Ascension Lutheran in Tucson.

Here's a photo of our group before we went our separate ways.


From left to right: Randy, Harlan, Norm, Maryann, Kristin, Bob, Gerri, Regina, Marcia




At Karen's house, we sanded, mudded, hammered and cleaned. If you're unfamiliar with drywalling (as I was), here's a quick primer. Drywall comes in large sheets that are hammered to the frames with special screws. To seal the cracks between pieces, you have to apply special tape and then apply a plastery substance ("mud"). Because you're going to be painting over the drywall, you want the mud to be as smooth as possible. That's where the sanding comes in. It usually takes a couple of coats of mud and sanding before the drywall is ready for painting. Multiply multiple steps times five surfaces per room (four walls and the ceiling), times multiple rooms, hallways, and closets, and you have a lot of work to be done. We rotated tasks throughout the day and by the end we were all covered in mud. A cloud of white dust followed us everywhere. We all felt like the character Pigpen from the Peanuts comic strip. Need proof? Look at me after a morning of sanding!




How exactly did I get into this state, you may ask? Let Marcia and Gerri demonstrate:




By the end of the day we had made good progress. We hope to have at least some of the rooms ready for primer and paint by the end of the week.

In the meantime, the rest of the crew went back to Joseph and Pauletta's house to work on their back room. Yesterday we sanded and applied primer. Today, Randy, Norm and Bob painted the ceiling, applied another coat of primer, framed a window and "vanity space," and prepped the floor for tiling. The plan is to have the room fully ready by week's end. Joseph and Pauletta have a bedroom set that has been in storage for the past two years and are eager to set it up in their new room.

The team had the opportunity to talk with Joseph and Pauletta some more today. They were in their house when Katrina hit. The winds essentially twisted the roof and the rest of the house, hence the extensive damage to their back room. They were far enough above ground that they were not flooded, but they suffered damage when standing water seeped into their walls and floors.

Joseph was a high school custodian before the storm. When the schools came back into session, he lost his job when the high school outsourced his position to another janitorial company. He has since gotten his contractor's license and taken freelance work. Every cent he earns goes back into repairing his home. Pauletta is an adult daycare aide. This afternoon she brought her client, a 90 year-old man using a walker, to see her home. The man walked through the house surveying the repairs and kept saying "Nice house! Nice house!" We think he'll be even more impressed by the end of the week.

Tonight we were treated to a nice dinner (pot roast for most, black bean Gardenburger for yours truly) and entertainment from a local bluegrass band. Tomorrow we'll return to our respective sites and continue our work. It's hard, sometimes messy, sometimes tiring work, but very, very satisfying.

A soggy start to the week

FEMA trailers do not make for comfortable living.

This was my conclusion after a night in our home away from home. Mom and I each had our own bed. If one of us turned, the other one felt it because the whole trailer shook. Then again, the people sleeping in bunks had similar issues. If one person moved, so did the whole bunk. But we all managed to get some rest and made it to breakfast by 6:30 this morning.

It has rained here for most of the day. By evening there was serious flooding and we worried about being able to return to the worksites tomorrow. We eat our meals in a large warehouse-style building with metal celings. When the downpours hit the roof, it's deafeningly loud. We were yelling at each other all through dinner. I see now why people fix the rooftops of their homes first. You need it if you are to do any other reconstruction in bad weather.

Nine of us attended a morning orientation. Mom volunteered to stay back to clean and cook. The volunteer coordinators ask that two people stay each day to help with various chores. There are a few delegations, so we've worked out a schedule for this. The rest of us went to another site about 20 minutes away for an orientation to our work for the week. First up was a safety talk. Safety first, check. Be careful when moving debris, check. If you see an alligator, don't pose with it for a picture - what?!? Apparently one such inquisitive reptile came upon a worksite last week, where said creature was promptly shot. I'm not especially worried, though I'm now wondering if there's any chance that alligators would be repelled by the DEET I brought ...

At orientation we received work orders for two sites. We broke into groups. I was with Randy, Norm, Regina, and Maryann. We went to a house in downtown New Orleans about 10 minutes from the Superdome. The surrounding neighborhood looked like little had changed since August 2005. The majority of the houses still had spray-painted marks from the National Guard. Next to the doors were large "X"s with different marks in each quadrant of the letter: a date, the name of the National Guard unit, and the number of bodies found in the house. Fortunately, I only recall seeing zeroes for that last number. I noticed at least one house with "ASPCA" in large red letters, a sign that there was at least one animal that had been left behind.

Our worksite was a one-story house owned by Joseph and Pauletta, a couple who had been living in their house for the last two years but haven't yet been able to rebuild. Home is now one bedroom and a kitchen, with most belongings still packed in large plastic bins. We went to work on the back room that had been out of use since the storm. We sanded drywall and both sides of a closet door, and then applied primer. Regina, the tallest woman in our group, had the task of painting and sanding the places the other women couldn't reach. She joked that it was nice to have ladders in her legs! Randy and Norm helped with sanding and painting, and also developed a plan for the next day. If we can return (which is in question right now because of the floods), they'll bring back some people who have expertise with structural damage.

After we'd done all we could do, we paid a visit to the rest of our delegation: Harlan, Bob, David, and Marcia. They were part of a team restoring the second floor of a house. The plan is to make the second floor habitable so the owner can move in, and then fix the first level. Harlan et al had spent the morning taping, mudding, and sanding drywall from floor to ceiling. It's a multi-phase process: glop on the mud, spread it as thinly as possible, let it dry, sand, and repeat. We finished one round of mudding and sanding and will do it again tomorrow.

We're in good spirits in spite of the rain. It's nice to see tangible signs of progress. As for me, my new boots have gotten quite a workout, and I'm still speckled with a bit of primer. I consider it a sign of a job well done. We'll see what tomorrow holds ... more sanding, more mudding, perhaps some alligator wrestling. Anything's possible!

Arrival

The first things you notice are the rooftops.

We've left the airport headed east toward our homebase for the week. From the highway, over the fences and vegetation, you can usually get at least a glimpse of the surrounding buildings. The further we drive from the airport, the more structures come into view. What strikes us the most is that of the buildings that have been repaired, all have new rooftops. The rest of the reconstruction can still be in progress, but the roof is done. Broken roof, broken building. It's as if by looking at the tops of the buildings from the highway you can get a sense of who's returned and who hasn't.

Another image: we pass Six Flags, which has been abandoned since Katrina. You can see the roller coasters and tall rides from the highway. It's not unusual to see closed amusement parks this time of year, but this place looks especially abandoned and out-of-place. It's unclear when - or if - the park will ever be opened again. Right now the infrastructure of workers, hotels, and restaurants isn't in place to justify its revival.

We get to our "base camp" about 4 in the afternoon. I've been up since 4 AM California time and am impressed I'm still standing. We're staying at Peace Lutheran Church in Slidell, LA. It's about 30-40 minutes from New Orleans. Our home for the week, dubbed in the project literature as Camp Hope, is actually a series of buildings. There's the church itself, which has a sanctuary and offices on the first floor and bunk rooms for the volunteers on the second. As I write this, I'm in the upstairs rec room, which consists of a large screen TV, sectional sofa and five computers. There's one kitchen downstairs and another in a larger adjacent building. The new stove hasn't been installed yet in the larger building, so we'll be cooking in one area and eating in the other.

There are also several trailers in the parking lot. The onsite volunteer coordinators, Jacob and Janna, are staying in one trailer and the church pastor is living in another. Mom and I are staying in a third trailer because the women's bunks are all in use for the week. It's a slight change of plans, but not a big deal. It's not quite camping, but not quite a dorm. If anything, it will make me even more appreciative of my own bed when I return. I'll give you more details after a night's sleep. We each have our own beds, but when we pull out the sofa bed it looks like we'll have very minimal space to move around. Close quarters, but fine for the week.

Our church's delegation consists of ten people including myself. Most people are from Williamsburg, but there's someone from Florida and someone else from Alexandria, VA. Both are friends of people in the delegation. It turns out that Harlan Schone, who's leading the delegation, went to grad school in Berkeley in the 50s and was one of the founders of the University Lutheran Chapel, the church I now attend. Once again, my theory of the number of degrees of separation among Lutherans has been supported. If there are six degrees of separation among random people, I argue that there are two or fewer degrees among Lutherans. Case in point: when I attended my sister's graduatation from St. Olaf College (Lutheran school in Northfield, MN), I ran into someone I knew from my undergrad church, from my cohort of Lutheran Volunteers, and from my then-current church in Ann Arbor, MI. Now I find out that Harlan Schone was integral to the founding of the church I now attend. Like I said ... two or fewer degrees!

We had a brief orientation tonight and will learn more about our tasks tomorrow. Tonight's orientation was about the rules and regulations of Camp Hope. Tomorrow we rise at 7 am (that's 5 am PST, mind you) and will go to New Orleans for orientation. We've heard speculation that we'll be sanding drywall and maybe installing tile. Bring it on! I've got my steel-toed workbooks at the ready ...

Introduction

Greetings! This is a blog I've created to document the October 2007 trip to New Orleans by a delegation from St. Stephen Lutheran Church (Williamsburg, VA). I'm Kristin Bass, daughter of Gerri and George Bass, who are longtime St. Stephen's members. I was a member too for a while. I attended St. Stephen from childhood through adolescence and still come home at least every Christmas.

Since I graduated high school, I've gone to college and grad school (Ph.D. Education and Psychology) and am now an educational researcher working in San Francisco and living in Berkeley. Between college and grad school I participated in the Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC), a year-long national service program in which volunteers work for social justice, live in intentional community, and live simplified lifestyles. I lived in Chicago and worked for the Chicago Recycling Coalition where I was an environmental educator. I did a lot of work with small business associations, students and the general public to spread the word about the environmental and economic benefits of recycling.

I've never done a "volunteer vacation" like this upcoming trip to New Orleans, but I'm very much looking forward to it. This is the kind of thing that's been on my "life list" for a while ... right up there with a few other travel dreams, running a marathon, and learning to knit (which is harder than I thought it was ... I once bought a book called Knitting Without Tears and wanted my money back).

So that's a little about me and why I'm going . I'll post updates and photos as I can in New Orleans. Hopefully I can get some other members of the team to post stories as well.