Pictures #3

Yep, you're reading that right...it was 196 below zero in New Orleans...aren't you glad you weren't there to suffer with us?



Brooke & Stacie with Ebony.



I may be biased...but I think this just might have been the best work crew!



Casey hanging a door.



It's amazing that there are still places that look like this, even now, 28 months later.

Pictures #2

The inside of a garage that has still not been touched in the 28 months since the storm.



Amen...amen...amen.



Mackenzie (Giggle Twin #2) cleaning up.



Outside of the home that has still not been gutted.



In the greenhouse of that same home.

Pictures #1

Hey all, I can only post 5 pictures at a time in posts, so I'm going to throw about 15 up here. Once Tony and I get to working on things, we'll try to get an album on Flickr or somewhere like that with everything we've got. But for now..here's some pics...

Jim



This house is still where it landed, back behind Mike's house, across the canal.



Rigel getting the sheet rock installed for the ceiling at Norbert's house!



Ron digging holes for a fence at Gethsemane Lutheran, where we stayed.



Learning how to hang sheet rock.



Getting quite a bit done!

Why rebuild?

Hello everyone,
We arrived home safe and sound today! It's nice to be out of the vans.
The last day of work my work group spent rebuilding a house for an elderly lady. It was awesome and refreshing to see a house near completion; it wasn't a house that had to be torn down, but a house that was in the process of being rebuilt! The walls and floors were in. We were painting! Our group gave the bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathroom fresh coats of paint. We also painted and installed doors, did yard work, pressure washed the outside of the house, and put together furniture in one of the bedrooms. It was a great thing to see.
The lady's son, who lives in the area and was directing us as to what needed to be done, said something that answered a question I have always had. I've done this mission trip for 3 years now and I've always had the though, in the back of my mind, "why rebuild?" Hurricanes will come year after year, bringing destruction. What's the point of rebuilding this city?
New Orleans is a city of character. It is a place that some people have called home for their entire lives. It is not easy to leave everything you know behind... friends, family, favorite restaurants and hang out places... it must be scary to settle in a new city, in a new state and start a new life.
The owner's son said this: This house is about 50 years old and his house is about 20 years old. They have survived many hurricanes, even the really bad ones. They have NEVER had damage this bad.
Sure some trees blew down, shingles fell off, the usual. But the hurricanes don't actually destroy homes in these neighborhoods... it was the levees. These man-made levees failed and that is what made these homes barely salvageable. This gave me hope that people can rebuild their lives in New Orleans.
Provided that something changes and the levees actually are reconstructed to protect these homes and these lives, we can rebuild feeling confident that our hard work won't go to waste. There are some incredible people living in New Orleans and they deserve beautiful homes, safe neighborhoods, and their lives back.


I worked alongside great peers and great leaders. I am blessed to know such hardworking, dedicated people. Thank you all for being you!!!

Ashley
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc
UW-La Crosse

Meeting Old Friends

Hello All!

After months of planning with our leadership team, we've not only gotten back to work, but are preparing for our journey home. I looked forward to the pre-trip gathering and our early morning departure because these were the times when we would reunite with those who had gone in 2007. Old friendships would be renewed. You all know how great it is to be in touch with those friends or family you haven't seen is a while.

I was reminded of these reunions in my life as I walked through WalGreens looking for flip-flops. Two ladies stood in an aisle of the store talking about all the places they'd gone after the storm, and how long they'd been back in Chalmette. They talked about how they had lived near eachother in Slidell without knowing it. They talked about how great it was to start seeing familiar faces in Chalmette again.

As I was getting ready to check-out, two ladies were talking by the door about the same thing. Catching up like old friends do, asking about others they have common ties to. Happy to see eachother after so long.

Like I said, I was looking for flip-flops. I didn't find any, but I did find some "Crock"-type shoes that were the last pair and luckily fit me... although they are hot pink. What I didn't expect to find that day was God's presence in WalGreens.

Blessings...
Tera Kossow, Norway Lutheran Church

Picture Update

Hey all -

I know that some of you are looking forward to seeing pictures from our trip down here. We'd hoped to have them up by now, but have been having some technical issues in getting them here. Rest assured, once we return, they will be uploaded so you can see what we've seen. I will see if I can get a few up here tonight...but no promises, as it's our last night. So, keep checking the blog even after our trip, as reflections will be posted for a week or two, as well as pictures!

Jim Fields

Willie, Sharon and Ebony

The last few days, I've been working at the home of Willie and Sharon. They have a cat named Ebony. This is the story of Ebony. 2 days before Katrina hit, Ebony turned up missing. They looked and looked, and couldn't find him. They evacuated for the storm, and figured that was the end of the story of Ebony. After the storm, and the flood, about a week after the water came in, Willie was somehow able to get in a boat and was able to get to his home, which was submerged in roughly 6 feet of water by that point (at one point it had obviously been over 10 feet...but it was "down" to 6 at this point). He broke the window to his kitchen, and got into his home. He was devestated (and still is) by what he saw. But as he made his way through the mess and water, he heard what he thought was a cat meowing. He went on to investigate, and headed to the garage where the sound was coming from. There in the garage, in the rafters, scared, wet, but alive and otherwise ok, was Ebony! This little cat had somehow, in the midst of the chaos, made his way home, and waited there for someone to come rescue him. What a testament to the love of our Father! In the midst of chaos, this glimmer of hope had been shown to Willie and Sharon. Their cat, whom they thought was gone, had been returned to them, even as they had lost virtually everything else. Though this is obviously not the prodigal storm...something tells me a party was thrown that night. And after getting to know Willie and Sharon, I can only imagine it was a rip roaring good time!

Jim Fields

The New Orleans Experience

Coming into New Orleans more than two years after the hurricane, I felt surprised. There was so much support and rallying for the city immediately after the incident, but now the hurricane and its aftermath seems more like a distant memory. I came down here because I figured that I wouldn't really be anything at home over Winter Break. However, I realized that even small acts like organzing furniture at a warehouse, cleaning a daycare, pulling nails, and cutting insulation (which I am oddly talented at) can make a big difference in peoples' lives. I assumed that by now everything in New Orleans would be 'fixed' and 'back to normal.' It is far from it. Things here will never be the same, but it's people like us that bring it closer and closer to that state. I could never imagine losing everything. We are so blessed to what we have and I am so thankful to be able to share what I can. Not money, but rather my own blood (which literally has happened), sweat (it's 70 degrees even in January!), and tears (stories that still make me choke up). I am thankful for this opportunity and I hope I can continue to serve in whatever way necessary.
~Carlie Bence

Some thoughts encountered

Hello Everyone,

I hear that there are tornado warnings in wisconsin which makes me kind of happy to be down here. :-)

I was down here last year and thought it was about time I put in my input on the things ive seen and how things are different. Driving into town it looked as though things had really changed but then we saw the same boat and chair sitting in the ditch, they hadnt been moved yet. Getting into the neighborhoods it really hit me that things are getting better but there are still houses boarded up and only a few people are living in the neighborhoods. There is still a lot of work to be done here. One thing stuck out this year as we were driving back from our bowling excursion, when we drove into the city last year, it was dark. Many of the neighborhoods didnt have lights and on the interstate it was just dark. This year there was, for lack of a better word, a pleasant glow over the city. Many neighborhoods have power again and more people have moved back. It is good to see that things are changing but sad that things need work. I encourage everyone to listen to our stories when we get back and just pray for the rest of the work we have to do here. Tomorrow is our last day of work and then its time for the two day drive home. *w00t*

Keep praying for us and we will see you all very soon!

Jennifer Wagner

Amanda and the Neutra

Amanda...a member of the leadership team...had her first encounter with a Neutra Rat the other day. These are large, 20 pound rats that are UGLY! The next day, her group had some fun with her...this was what happened....note the look on her face at the start of the video

Hello,
Today was another work day. We switched the groups around so that people got a chance to try a different job, see a different neighborhood, and get to know other New Orleans residents.
My group went to the warehouse, which is in an urban area of the city. This warehouse functions as a church, kitchen, and free laundromat as well. Being a warehouse, it was big, dark, and dirty.
On the other hand, it was filled with donated goods, which will be ready for distribution at a very affordable cost, starting tomorrow. Some of the goods, especially clothing, had to be thrown out, due to water damage. This area suffered little flooding but the winds damaged the roof and so leaks were common. In return for our work, the volunteers cooked us a fabulous New Orleans style lunch... gumbo, cornbread, etc. It was great!
It was a change to see the inner-city and it really makes me appreciate all that we have back home. Even before hurricane Katrina, this neighborhood probably didn't look real great, but after all the damage... there is just so much work that needs to be done!

Some of the other jobs today included pressing curtains, installing installation, drywalling, and pulling nails. It was a long day for everyone.

In a few minutes we're off to devotion. Mike will be sharing his story with us this evening and so it will be an emotional night.

~Ashley

This is my first time in New Orleans and it has been an eye opening experience. Even with all the destruction from hurricane Katrina there is still beauty throughout the streets.

Yesterday and half of today I helped in a warehouse which is stocked with furniture to provide the families in need that have lost everything. We took everything off pallets and organized it to be distributed. Right now they have 49 thousand laz-boy items, and are soon getting the furniture from 450 rooms at the Excalibur hotel in Las Vegas.

The other half of today I went to a couple's home to start removing nails, tile and an old air conditioning system. As soon as we got there the woman came out of the FEMA trailer and was so excited to see us. She started to tear up and was thrilled we were put in her life to lend our service. She asked where we were from and when we said "Wisconsin" she threw her hands in the air and screamed joyously "cheeseheads, cheeseheads!!!" Both her and her husband are huge Packer fans. She also owned a cat that had survived the storm. The cat disappeared two days before the storm and when the husband returned by boat 7 days after it hit he looked through the window to see the damage in his house and heard the cat meowing and saved it. This black cat was roaming around as we worked enjoying the attention. After working awhile, I was sitting with the woman on the FEMA trailer steps and she was sharing her story with me through this difficult time. Listening to her stories made the work that much more meaningful. She "just wants to be home!"


-Stacie

Hey All

New Orleans is looking a lot better than it did a year ago. However that is still a lot of work to be done. There is still houses needed to be gutted, slabs of concrete everywhere, and empty shells of homes around. However there are people returing. There are more fast food chains in other than McDonalds. There are more people in houses, I would say around 1 out of 5 in St. Bernard Parish (don't quote me on that though). Things look cleaner and New Orleans is starting to look more like a city than a war zone. There is a lot of work still to do but things are starting to look a lot better.

I spent the past 2 days putting a fence up around the church. It is something that they desperately needed to contain their pre-school that meets during the week. This church is a safe haven for people in the community and is doing everything that it can to help this community out. Last time I was down here the church was just starting to be drywalled. Now it is fully drywalled, painted, with bunks and heat and running water. And has an amazing mural in it that is breath-taking of the 3 crosses on the hill.

Things are looking up...there is a lot of work to be done.

Our 2nd day of work...

Hey everyone,
We woke up today at 6:45am to have breakfast and get ready for our day.
I worked in a group of 12 people, who went to a family's house to gut out their upstairs floor. The wind from the storm must have taken off parts of their roof, so even the upstairs, that didn't have flood water standing in it was damaged. We took out the walls, the hundreds of nails in the walls, the floor tiles, carpet, etc. We also got the chance to visit with, eat with, and work along side with these amazing people.
They showed us a video someone shot, from the St. Bernard Perish (which did not have the mandatory evacuation). The waters rose fast and the people were forced up into their attic. They had to cut a hole in their roof and brave the hurricane winds. It was at least a day, maybe two or three that they sat there waiting for help.
We heard some wonderful stories that inspire hope for the future... stories that restore my faith in human kind. We also heard stories that shock and anger me. But overall, the thing I think our group focuses on is the faith, strength, and love we see... in the people of New Orleans and in the wonderful 46 people we traveled here with.

~Ashley

Quick Update

Hey all!

Just a quick update here from the road. Yesterday we took a tour in the morning, before getting to work in the afternoon. As we turned into the Lower 9th Ward on our tour, I was SHOCKED to see most of the houses gone. A year ago when we were here, they were still there, abandoned, destroyed, and needing to be torn down. They are all gone now, and in there place are piles of building materials covered in pink tarps. They are part of the project that Brad Pitt has started down here, to help rebuild. I'm not sure if the houses will be built in the same spot (and I'll be honest, part of me doesn't think they should be), but to know that rebuilding is happening was great to see.

Another tough part was to again go to Mike's house. It's one thing to look at a house of people you don't know...and try to imagine a family there, a family gathered at a table...a child playing in his or her room, a family celebrating a holiday together. It's another thing all together to stand in the home of people you know. I know Mike, Shelly, and Brenden very well, I consider them close, personal friends. To stand in their house, which is gutted to the studs...knowing that they lost basically everything they owned there....broke my heart yet again. But to see Mike here, with 45 others of us, working along side other residents, helping THEM rebuild THEIR lives...gives me hope. We serve an Awesome God, and it's evident down here. Much has changed from last year...many things look better. Much still needs to be done though. I'm glad we're here helping everything move along just a little faster.

I am hopeful that later today, someone else will blog here, so you can hear from someone other than me...as this shouldn't be a "Jim Blog"! But for now, know that we are having a great trip, everyone is doing great, and we are loving the weather! (It is suppossed to be in the mid-60's today!)

Talk to you all again soon!

In His Grip,
Jim

We Have Arrived!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we have arrived safe and sound in New Orleans! For those of us who have been here before...things look alot better, though it will be interesting to see tomorrow, when we have seen more of the city and area.

Tomorrow, we will take a tour in the morning, while some last minute job things are figured out, and then hopefully get to work! More to be posted tomorrow, including our first video, I hope!

Talk to you all soon...as many others will too I hope!

In His Grip,
Jim Fields