New Orleans is alive with energy – bands at the airport, purple houses alive with color, French Quarter Fest, the V-day Celebration at the Superdome — then we drive over the bridge to the lower 9th Ward and the mood changes and we realize what has happened here.
The devastation is still so evident. However, after two and a half years, nature has begun renew. The old foundations rise up through the new greenery. The old oaks still stand strong. Amongst the open fields, remnants of people’s homes still can be found.
The Global Hope Team meets for an orientation. Reverend Adams shows up to greet us and bless our work just as the truck pulls up to deliver our supplies. WE ARE OFF!
Teams break off in a less than orderly fashion – everyone is excited to dig in and get something done. Within an hour we have a plan and everyone is busy.
First off, we meet with Wanda and William to assess our first roof repair project. Our ace construction team, Dickie Niedospiel, Pat Murphy, Ron Hason, Petie Sydello, Mike Taylor and Ted Ferris were quietly shaking their heads. As we looked up at the sky through the roof, we saw the walls slanted and unstable and not enough roof left to repair. All that was left of this home was a soggy, unstable shell. The inside had been gutted and was dark and dank as a cave. We couldn’t see any way this home was inhabitable. We asked Wanda where they were living and she humbly and reluctantly took us into the back. As she looked at our faces, she pleaded with tears in her eyes and said, “Please don’t look down on us for how we are living”. We entered through the plastic and old blankets hung as a door and saw a 10 x 20 space filled with what was left of their possessions. It looked like something you would see under lower Wacker.
There was a bed, some clothing and supplies and a propane tank with a single burner. There was no sign of plumbing or electric. Wanda shared that they use the neighbor’s bathroom and have a garden hose outside. They also go to Common Ground’s facility for many of their meals.
As we stood in silence with tears at these conditions; we knew we had to help. We were amazed at her courage and strength to survive.
In the meantime, the guys had determined the roof could not be repaired. We were not about to leave without providing some relief. Our optimistic and resourceful crew, came up with a plan to reroof the small back section of the house and make it structurally sound.
We got to work . . .
