Great Day!
Today was probably the most exciting day I’ve had on the trip so far. After getting up bright and early, we all headed to St. Bernard’s Community Center where we spent most of the morning restocking shelves and organizing clothes. Around lunchtime several members of the group had the opportunity to chat with a local resident who told us her moving and tragic story. After speaking with her for some time, eight of us followed her to her house and helped clean up a bit and hang some sheetrock.
More than anything, today’s work made me realize just how much work was needed and how important every single volunteer is. As we rode through portions of St. Bernard’s Parish on our way to the Community Center and to the house we worked on, I couldn’t stop myself from staring out the window at the empty houses and damaged neighborhoods. Perhaps even more unsettling were the empty and gutted stores. It’s easy to forget as we watch news coverage of natural disasters and devastation on television that there are real people behind the faces and names. Today helped me begin to appreciate the reality of the situation. I was so excited after experiencing these emotions to be able to really do some work helping out. There’s so much need in New Orleans, and it’s difficult to get volunteers to the right places, but our work today really felt “right.” Before coming to New Orleans, I had convinced myself from the news coverage and articles I had read that the city would never be the same again. Tonight, however, I really have a feeling that this city will be thriving one day, and it will be because of the efforts like our group took today: working on one house at a time in one neighborhood at a time.