logging the little things

2AM, Saturday March 24, 2006. My friends instant messaged me on the computer wondering why I was still up. Listening to the rain pitter-patter outside my windowsill, my hands busily packed sunscreen, towels, a toothbrush, soap, socks, a tape reorder to record stories, sunglasses, and countless other items I thought would be essential for the trip, I even brought reading from class. Shuffling through all of the items I wondered, did I forget anything? I replied to my friends, “I’m going with a 21 person workgroup to New Orleans. We are going to help with the rebuilding efforts there.” T-minus two hours before departure, I was processing the interaction with my friends via Internet, I thought about what was really needed and what I could do without.

4:15AM, Terry, one of the FCCB members picked up four students including myself from the Berkeley campus and we all went to Oakland Airport and flew to Los Angeles International Airport.

8:50AM. I used my cell phone to call my mom and told her, “Guess what?” She says, “You’re in New Orleans.” I said, “Not yet, but I’m in the same county as you.” She laughs and goes into her mother mode and lists all of everything I should be careful of. As I made my five minute exchange with my mom I thought about the luxury I had to go where I needed to go and get to where I needed to be and get in touch with my mom to tell her where I was.

5:00PM. The pilot just announced we are 81miles outside of Baton Rouge, LA and highlighted the Mississippi River. My two new acquaintances Joel and Aubrey from UCLA Campus Crusade for Christ are on a similar trip to volunteer in New Orleans. It seems that many students from California are taking time from their Spring Break to visit and help our neighbors rebuild their homes in Louisiana.

Along the journey from airport to airport, site to site, each person who heard about the group going to New Orleans said, “Thank you.” Our intention to help our neighbors was needed. We are not sure what we will encounter, but I am reminded from this trip of what I can be thankful for. I hope that as all of these perfect strangers come together as a community, we can help restore the access to conveniences that make up aspects of our everyday lives.
-Chau Nguyen