Day One- The Drive to New Orleans

Jenny-
WE ARE HERE! I honestly have moments where I just can’t believe it! We worked so hard and planned so much, that to have it here now is amazing. I remember seeing the first highway sign that said NEW ORLEANS in big letters and just smiling. It made the long trip so worth it, just to know that we would be there soon. So what I am basically saying is that getting to New Orleans was AMAZING.
With that said---
I prepared myself to see the destruction , prepared myself to see things that would make me feel sad and inspire me, but I never prepared myself for the stories that I would hear from the people that had lived it. I came to this realization when we met Steve, a local resident who helps out here at the camp on weekends. He sat with us and welcome us in and began to tell us his story. He told us how the waters rose fast, and that here in St. Bernard Parish they were considered lucky because they had 4 minutes to get to the rooftop. Some had seconds. He told us how his wife and him waited in the attic for help, and how his wife later died from the stress on her heart after Katrina . He lost everything yet there isn’t an ounce on pity in his voice. He teared up when he told us that we, the volunteers, are the heart of New Orleans now. To hear that from a local is inspiring, but at the same time, you can’t help but feel sad. I think being here, we are all realizing more of what it was like during Katrina. You can’t help but cry when you hear these personal stories from locals, it just moves you that much. Heck, everything about this place is moving. We are seeing the x’s on houses right in front of us, with numbers of the dead plastered on plywood. We are standing on the soil of destruction but breathing in this air of hope. This city has an amazing vibe…I am so glad we are here. Everyday just seems like another life changing moment, and I hope that our stories can inspire others as Steve’s has. Until tomorrow….

Nick-
The trip down here was a bit tiring for us that drove, but it wasn’t too bad all in all. It felt great to finally be here after two months of fundraising and just talking about this place. We saw some things that were totally destroyed, but I think worse is in our near future. I hope that we get to see some more of the town. I also would like to hear more about Steve, a man we met at dinner last night. Most of all, I want to get to the build sight and start on this project.

Drew-
The Car ride down here was looooooongggg, however it wasn’t all that bad, well that’s because I slept most of the time. The scenery and all the views we seen driving down here (the bridge)were absolutely beautiful! N’orleans still needs a lot of work and hopefully we can touch some lives and make a difference. Its feels so great to be down here after the long process of fundraising we went through. Everybody in Habitat put in so much hard work and it feels GREAT we actually got to come down here. I can’t wait to see some of the city but most of all, hopefully, touch a life. This week is going to be exciting!!!

Dale-
The trip down was a long trip but a fun one. We made one stop for dinner and the rest just for gas. Most of use didn’t sleep the whole ride, if we did it was a short nap. As a group the drive was a good bonding experience.
Driving into Louisiana I pointed out about an half of a mile of white trailers just sitting in a lot fenced in. We believe they are the ones that were suppose to go to the families who lost their homes. Every where you look you see homes and remnants of the deviation that Katrina caused these great people of Louisiana. We have already met some great people here and know that we wont want to leave after this week ends.
Till then.


Brandy-
Ok, what do you say about the drive down here. It is possible to be kicked out of a West Virginia gas station for being to excited to be out of the car and on your way to NOLA. Its hard to find a restaurant that is open at 2 in the morning. One word. Alabama. Shudder. Question, if a grasshopper jumps in the car and lands on you is it good luck? A bump can kill your speakers. I hate 8 mile long bridges. Thought, a drive that gives your leg hair time to grow is a sign that you were in the car to long. Getting out of the car on Sunday was the best feeling in the world, the shower after the trip is even better. I think the drive was worth everything though, from the looks of it this is going to be one crazy, good, emotional, hard trip.

Natasha-
From Pittsburgh to New Orleans! Damn! All is well we are all very thankful for the long car ride to be over. Everything here feels different: the feeling outside, the smell, the food, the people, and the energy. It is all in a fresh and new way.
Yesterday we arrived, frustrated, tired, and grumpy. Once we washed the ride off of our bodies and went into the mess hall we met a man named Steve. He told us many long, exquisite, and unbelievable stories about the storm and his life. He lost everything he had in the world (including his wife) and still remains a very positive and passionate man. I do feel we all learned a lot from his words and he inspired us immensely. It was an extreme emotional roller coaster to the point where we were all in tears multiple times over our time of communication with him. I have personally spoken with him a few times since and I find my self utterly speechless. I think we are understanding why we are here and what we are doing.
Halleluiah! Amber and I also met a man who told us exquisite stories on the courthouse in front of CAMP HOPE and how it is haunted. There are two beautiful strong trees that I fell in love with yesterday. Later, I found out that there is footage and film of multiple African American people executed and hanging on them (unjustly I would assume judging history). I haven’t really felt the same since.

Sam-
So the ride down to New Orleans really wasn’t bad, for we have finally arrived and we were totally safe. It was great to engage in a deeper connection between all of us in the car, and everyone else as well. I think we all had our moments, but that’s usual when you’re sitting for what seems like forever. I really enjoyed just gazing out the window and looking at the scenery in appreciating what this world has to offer. This is why it made it so hard when we finally arrived to New Orleans, because even though we weren’t close to the heart, you could already tell there had been a natural disaster. Arriving here and talking to Steve really opened our eyes in silence for awhile, all eleven of us. We now have a better understanding of why we’re here and I plan to use that deeper understanding as am incentive to getting these houses built well and built strong!!!


Jessica-
Well, the trip down here for me was quite the opposite experience from everyone else‘s. I flew into New Orleans airport and much to my dismay, it was pouring outside and thunderstorms were abundant. Finally after my luggage arrived, I got into a teal taxi cab with a boisterous man who was amazingly friendly and narrated the entire 45 minute drive for me. He had been gone since the hurricane destroyed his town and his job prospects and had only recently returned, to a still somewhat depleted town. The fact that he still had a hopeful personality was astonishing to me, as we passed blocks and blocks of desolate houses that were entirely gutted out and sit rotting. Nonetheless, it was a conversation that I will never forget because his humor was so inspiring.



Jessi -
The trip down was not to bad other than the fact we all where so tired and cranky from being cooped up in the cars for so long. When we got here I can remember looking out across the destruction not being able to comprehend it all. The homes where marked with x’s and we where latter told how that was to see how many bodies where found in that building. To think about it is so hard because I just can not seem to be able to grasp all the sights and even the stories from the locals. I hope that I can be able to some what be able to grasp the terror that has affected so many lives.


Amber-
New Orleans I never thought I’d ever get to be here. Now that I’m here with our group I feel like we are being that change that our world needs and starves for everyday. So, people tell me that there aren’t very much of “us” out there; good people, and old souls we are and have. Is what I don’t get is that if everybody pulls together everything is a whole lot better.

New Orleans needs our help, New Orleans needed help help immediately when the hurricane hit. Five years later people are still trying to recover this place and theres still fellow Americans that have no clue. WAKE UP!