The Warzone

Today we got to meet the homeowners niece, Neisha. She had lots of stories to share with us. Including why there was a cross in front of the tree across the street next to a concrete slab where a house once stood. The Mother and Son were supposed to be picked up by the ladies sister and when she came to pick them up she only had room for the lady. And the mother didnt want to leave her son so they both perished. Now all that is left is a concrete slab. Neisha and her family evacuated to Georgia and are slowly but surely coming back as there houses get finished. Two of her aunts already have houses that were finished by St. Bernard Project and she turned in her application today to get her house finished. She had enough money to buy the materials for her house but is unable to pay for the labor. She told us about a lady three streets down who had evacuated to higher ground close by and after the storm was over went home to pack a few extra things to stay longer on higher ground and then the levee broke and she too perished. One other story she shared with us was a man who fought off an alligator while standing on the roof of his house waiting to get rescued. Story after story, they all just touch your heart. We ventured down to the levee that Neisha told us about at the end of our work day and we saw how high the water came. She informed us that only the peaks of the houses were exposed. It looked like an absolute warzone. Especially with the abandoned chemical plant.

Being here two times before I would have thought that nothing would blow me a way. And yet the destruction is just so rampid. I cant imagine having to live through the experience and then trying to rebuild your life without the people you love around you. I guess it could also be more motivation. The story that Joycelynn told us at orientation on monday gave me even more motivation to work towards FEMA top positions because a differenece has to be made. We are making a difference but there is so much more that needs to be done. Teams need to keep returning and helping out. There is so much satisfaction in the homeowners faces when they see progress even though it is small.

I have lots of pictures to post of the levee and our work which we completed at the house on Guerra today but we have reflection shortly and then we are hitting up the town. I will try and post them as soon as possible.

Love to all from the hot and sticky south!!