Sunday, April 25, 2010

Rebuild More Than Houses - Part 2

I met up at the Airport with two members from my dad's church, “The Little Church in the Pines” @ Bass Lake, California, who were a part of the small mission’s team going to New Orleans to help in recovery and restoration efforts. One of the greatest parts of trips like this is the people that you meet, work with, and get to know. Wonderful relationships develop through different personalities bringing forth their individual gifts, experiences and prospective in a common venture, towards a mutual goal of simply helping people and touching lives for the better. Memories that last a lifetime and awesome stories that cut to the heart, yet bring a smile, of the visions, experiences and the people there.

Pastor Tracy was experienced in the volunteer Hurricane Katrina relief process from previous mission trips, so all the arrangements for lodging in the Volunteer Village Dorms, food, week’s agenda and anticipated work schedule was well organized, yet time built in for us to explore the city, understand what went wrong there and a get a feel of the people, the city and the charm of the Bayou culture. When asked, what we’d like to do in our “free” time, we asked if we could be taken to each of the Levee breaks to see and try to wrap our minds around the flood and its impact; to grip and grasp the reality of the devastation that would drive our will and desire to do whatever we could for these fellow Americans in great need. It helped to understand that, in New Orleans, the original width of land between the Mississippi River and Lake Ponchartrain was much smaller in the past. In order to produce more building space, an earth dam was built along the lake and the bayou water pumped out. Lake Ponchartrain opens to the Gulf of Mexico, so since the lake is at sea level, any land that was established by pumping out the water is below sea level. On top of that, as the drained Bayou land dried out it settled and sunk even lower. These areas are still sinking today. Ground water intrusion, storm drains, rainfall, etc. had nowhere to go either, so canals were dug that drained towards the lake and the excess water is pumped back into the lake. Recipe for disaster? When Hurricane Katrina’s Storm Surge topped the canal walls and breeched, the lake flowed back in, reclaiming the area that it originally occupied. Unfortunately, thousands of residences now inhabited these areas, many lives were lost and many more displaced and shattered. To look at these homes destroyed and feel the true desolation, imprinted so much more than mind's intellect could grasp in mire reading or News reports. It touched the very soul. My words can not paint the situation accurately enough to give it justice; you had to be there, but I try to articulate and give you a glimpse. We were motivated with passion, for the love of Christ and the compasson, for the love of our neighbors in New Orleans - who seriously needed our help. Next, we start to work. I shall continue with what happened next, next post.

DEUTERONOMY15 10-11 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

May God speak to you today through His Holy Word and may His name ever be praised.
Brian

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