New Orleans, Louisiana

In January of 2008 I had the opportunity to participate on a mission team that went to New Orleans to help those devastated by hurricane Katrina.  We left Pittsburgh in 2-15 passenger vans and drove straight to New Orleans.  This was a very long drive but gave our group a very good chance to bond together.  When arriving in New Orleans the entire crew was astonished by the amount of devastation that remained almost 2 and a half years after the hurricane had hit the Gulf Coast Region.  Even after years of government aid and teams like ours helping this region it was clear that there was still much more work to be done in this city.  Many buildings still sat boarded up and in ruins.  Hearing the stories that the leaders of our team told us about how the authorities would search a house or building and then mark the outside of the building with an X and symbols telling others what was found inside, the items found inside were often weapons and occasionally the symbols would indicate that the authorities found some bodies inside.  Spending time with the few residents that remained in New Orleans and having the opportunity to experience the culture of the city itself it was a very heart wrenching experience.  Hearing the stories of a ladies home that we worked on were amazing to hear, she was in her 70's and not the most fit person, she showed us where the watermark was in her house, and explained to us that she had put a life vest around each of her arms and crawled out on her porch roof.  She explained that the town was alive with people that needed rescued but their were not many boats around that could rescue people.  She explained how she had resound herself to the fact that she was probably going to die that day, in the town she had lived her entire life in, in the town she had grown to love.  She eventually was rescued just before it was too late and she had the courage to rebuild her home and start over.  The amazing people that we met and the work that we got to do touched us all.  It will truly be an experience that those involved with will never forget.