We're home Reflection!

We all arrived at the Oakland airport yesterday (Sunday) around 11 a.m. and it was very sweet to be home. But for me there were so many emotions and reactions to the re-entry.

My 1300 sq. feet is SOOOOO big! So sunny. So clean. No mud. No trash heap in front. No pieces of wood hanging off the sides.

I am exhausted but have the luxury of relaxing, resting, and rejuvenating my body and soul - New Oleander's don't have the time to do those things.

I asked a number of people in our group - "Why isn't there more rage in the people here?" The answer came to me in Oakland. I worked for 1 week then came home exhausted. But St. Bernard residents work all week - go home at night to either their FEMA trailer or a rented residence in or outside of New Orleans. Then go back to the Katrina wrecked house on the weekend to work at rehabbing their lives and their homes. They don't have time or enough physical or psychic energy to rage. There are groups like St. Bernard's Project, organized by Elizabeth and Zach, and those folks working with them earning subsistence wages, who give all they have to the project and the people they are working with. And the PICO affiliate ACT who organize to make the government respond and be responsible to the citizens. Let us give thanks for them, to the spirit of New Orleans, and for the love the that each of us felt from people who were strangers a week ago and to those we only met briefly - the shop owners, the restaurant workers, the neighborhood kids.

We closed our week in worship with Paige leading us in singing Amazing Grace - "When we've been there 10 thousand years, bright shining as a star. We've no less days to sing God's praise then when we've first begun." The praise for me are the church groups laboring for their sisters and brothers and for the faith of a battered community - those are qualities to praise.

- Jane

Good Bye New Orleans

Sorry we did not post the last couple of days. Internet access was a problem, and we were busy getting our last chance in seeing the area and finishing up things.

The attached photo was taken on Friday. Included with the group is Christina (our house captain) Dave (her boy friend). Some of us ended coming back to this house on Saturday to Finnish up some things before heading off to the St Bernard Crawfish festival. This was the first time it was held since Katrina.

Many of us ate our fill of Crawfish, Alligator, Shrimp, and other local favorites while at the festival.

Even though we had quite an adventure, and made new friends, we are glad to be back home.

-Paul H