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| Mission Reflections:
Jan 2011 Words can’t express how much this mission trip meant to me. I was so grateful to have been with such a caring and giving group of people with whom I’ve developed such strong bonds.
Our first assignment was the home of a woman, Mary, who had suffered many losses in her lifetime and had been living alone for many years. She hadn’t been able to let go of any belongings and was living in squalor. Some people in our group were assigned to take all the contents out Mary’s home, deciding what could salvaged and what would be thrown away. The rest of the group was assigned to strip the entire home down to the beams. At first I was overwhelmed by the enormity of the job but when I saw how everyone worked tirelessly side by side I was impressed beyond belief. All were motivated to rebuild her home and in doing so hopefully rebuild her life.
This was the case in every home I worked on during the course of the week. God continuously gave us the strength we needed because we were always energized and motivated to see the owner come home.
On our final day we had the privilege of going to a ribbon cutting ceremony for a woman, Bertha, who was finally coming home. She gave a beautiful speech, thanking the volunteers and God for making it possible for her to come home. All the volunteers were invited into the Bertha’s home shaking her hand or giving her a hug as each one entered, walking through each completed room and enjoying a piece of cake and some refreshments. This was truly an emotional moment in the midst of an experience that I will never forget. Ellen Daniels
Jan 2011
After Hurricane Katrina occurred, my heart broke for the Americans who had suffered. Last month, I was finally able to answer His call to participate in this special ministry and join the largest group from Presentation to assist St. Bernard’s Parish in rebuilding efforts. For one week, I saw Him in the faces of each man and woman I worked with on this mission.
I cannot imagine suffering for as long as these people have suffered, and being kept out of my home for 6 years after such devastation! It is amazing to think of all those who come from far and wide, after hearing the call of God, to help get them home. It is for me, a miracle in action! While there were lots of laughter and fun times on our trip, we worked tirelessly to bring the people of St. Bernard Parish home again. It was clear that despite the sadness and desolation still present in New Orleans today, hope is alive because of Christ's disciples in action. It was an unforgettable experience, which I hope to be part of again.
My parents always taught me that we are His hands and feet. Therefore, we invite you to be part of this amazing experience, either in May, October or sometime the future. The rebuilding of New Orleans will take at least 20 years to complete. If you are unable to participate in a trip, the New Orleans Ministry would be grateful for your financial assistance. The people of Presentation are certainly hearing the call of God to help others in great need!
Maria Salerno
Jan 2011 - "These 3 Things" January 9th, 2011, I find myself back in Church of the Presentations parking lot… 3rd times a charm! There is 58 of us this time, including the Ringwood Church, we board the vans, leaving behind us a Northeaster that is due to hit our loved ones, family & friends in a couple of days landing 12 inches of snow or so in the New York/New Jersey area. No worries, because things are worse down in New Orleans. Things are different this time around for me, being that it is my 3rd trip, and I am bringing along my special “3”: a priest friend of the family, a lawyer friend of mine, and my best friend, my brother (remember 3!) And yet, things are the same for me, being that my other “3”; The Chief, The Carpenter & The Spiritual Leader are back again, To Lead, To Build, and To Guide. We have a new lodging area this time, since Camp Hope III was taken over by BP in June, only to be abandon a few months later and never to return, we had to move onto Adullam, an old Winn-Dixie. Camp Adullam sleeps about 80 (we are 58) unlike Camp Hope, sleeping 300, so you can only imagine the changing facilities. I loved Camp Adullam, for me it was great, the bathrooms were not a football field away and we got to prepare our own meals, i.e., breakfast. We basically ran the joint. I was lucky enough to be put on a team with 10 other people, “3 “of whom I new, and 8 who started off to be strangers, and turned quickly into family, and what a week we had! We were assigned The Butler House, so naturally we named our team, “Team Butt”. Unfortunately, we had a rough start; we were locked out of the house the first day for 2 hours. Luckily a member of St. Bernard Project saved the day and got us into the house! We then began to rebuild, not just a house, but a LIFE! We insulated, stapled, sheet rocked, screwed, measured duct tape, put up blue boards, took down white boards, and laughed all throughout the week. Friday came way too quickly; we only completed “80%” of the sheetrock, on top of the full insulation of the house. For the most part, “Team Butt”, Kicked Butt! We were unable to meet the owner of the house, due to her arthritic knees enabling her to walk, but her sister & 2 nieces did stop by. Elaine Butler, lived in the house pre Katrina with her 2 brothers who decided to “ride” out the storm, they did not survive. Even though we did not get to meet the Ms. Butler, we were lucky enough to Welcome Home Ms. Bertha into her “new” house after 5 yrs and 4 months with about 200 other volunteers on that Friday! What an honor! We had a great week filled with Char Grilled Oysters, Soft Shell Crab, Jambalaya, Gumbo, Cajun Shrimp, Abita Beer, Beignets, Cricket Cookies, Corn Chowder, Daiquiri’s, Karaoke, Wal-Mart runs and laughter till our sides hurt! But "3" Facts remain:2005 - 27,000 homes in St. Bernard Parish, alone, were lost in August = 67,000 people homeless.2011 - Presently less than ½ dozen NPO’s are rebuilding today in New Orleans. 2027 – is the “estimated” year, that we will finish rebuilding in the New Orleans area and “life” will be back to the way to it used to be pre -Katrina, i.e., IF we continue to rebuild at this pace!
How can we help the "3" ? : - We need Money.
- We need Volunteers; YOU, Me, Family and Friends.
- We need the Courage of the Father, the Strength of the Son & the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit to rebuild not just a home, but a LIFE! We need the faithful, unconditional “3”.
Supplies for a home (15-20K) + Time to Build a Home (10-12 weeks) = Rebuilding a Home, a LIFE - PRICELESS!!! With these “3” things, we know we can accomplish our goal, and that is, to FINISH STRONG!!! As always I am so grateful to be a part of another trip led by Eric and the Church of the Presentation’s New Orleans Ministry Team!
May 2010 - "A Reflection on the St. Bernard Project Experience"
Thirty-three parishioners flew to New Orleans on May 23 rd to join the St. Bernard Project, an organization which helps victims of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their homes and lives. Twelve of the parishioners were women and college-age young women, six had construction experience and 14 had made the trip before. They ranged in age from teenagers to senior citizens.
After a 40-minute drive from New Orleans Airport the group arrived at Camp Hope which houses volunteers of the St. Bernard Project. Camp Home is a renovated grammar school. The walls between class rooms on the second floor have been knocked out creating two long dormitories equipped with bunk beds. A kitchen and large cafeteria, where breakfast and dinner are served, are on the first floor. The main roads of St. Bernard Parish are lined with stores and shopping centers. But there is a difference, some buildings damaged by the storm are boarded up. One block off the main roads there are more disturbing signs; houses in ruins, the words “No Power,” spray-painted on the front. Four in ten properties have houses which are occupied; three in ten have houses which are badly damaged, some of them have FEMA trailers parked next to the house. On the other properties, concrete slabs, like grave markers, indicate where houses once stood. Our group was divided into smaller groups which were assigned to one of ten houses for the week. These houses had been flooded with four to more than 26 feet of water which stagnated for weeks. The rotted interiors had been ripped out leaving only the frames which were sprayed with disinfectant. Each ranch style home has a living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, one to three bedrooms and one or two bathrooms. Most of us were put to work installing sheet rock and mudding (spackling). Others, who had construction skills, did electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, finishing, demolition and general construction jobs. It was hard, hot work. We drank gallons of water. But we recovered enough by nightfall to go the jubilant French Quarter, spared by the storm, which parties all night, every night. We consumed platters of oysters and crawfish, jambalaya, gumbo and beans and rice in a rousing atmosphere of laughter and music. A week after our visit, fishing was curtailed due to the oil spill. Bob Eid, Eileen Geraghty and Eric Nedelkoff made all the arrangements, guided the group, conducted tours of the most devastated areas and led trips to New Orleans We quickly formed friendships with other volunteers from across the country and Canada, bound together by a commitment to help our brothers and sisters who suffered such terrible losses. We were impressed with how hard every one worked. The younger and older generations developed an unexpected appreciation and admiration for one another. A member of the older generation commented: “My faith in the future of our country has been restored knowing it will be in the hands of these young people.” Five years later, though, the victims of the storm still suffer. They have many horror stories to tell. One group was trapped in the belfry of a church for three days without food or water. Many others had to break through their roofs where they were stranded for days Many are waiting still to return to their homes. They can’t afford to pay a builder. Most don’t have flood insurance. They were told by the federal government that they didn’t need it. They felt abandoned by the government at all levels, the church and other institutions they thought would help them.
Then the volunteers started to arrive and the victims began to have hope. Their gratitude today is immeasurable. But there is much to be done. Many are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The St. Bernard Project has opened a mental health clinic to help people cope. The oil spill has brought additional distress and despair to fishermen and their families. The are proud, private people who have lost their livelihood. The clinic currently schedules 85 appointments a week. Parishioners will be going to the St. Bernard Project for years to come, many will go more than once because we all receive a special gift from the experience: witnessing the great power of Christ’s love in the actions of those who follow his teaching and help others. Ted Spencer
May 2010 - "Virtues" Saturday May 22nd, a special mass is held at the Church of the Presentation for the 32 volunteers that prepare to journey down to New Orleans to help “rebuild”. I am there with my sister in law, and my 2 nieces for support. At the end of the mass, Father calls all the volunteers up to the altar for a special blessing. When I return to my pew, I look at my sister in law, smile, and giggle and say “how do you like my “new” family”? And she smiles back and says, “I know”… I have learned from my first trip back in January that these 32 volunteers would soon be another “new” family for me. Many of them skilled carpenters, electricians, plumbers, some college students, college graduates, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, nieces, nephews and even some “geezers”, but all family! As someone once told me, “We are all just brothers from a different mother” or as my mom would like me to say “We are strangers and sojourners no longer, we are members of the same household”. Amen! Knowing what to expect from the trip, my anxieties had lessened and I was excited to get on our way and start our journey with the team and meet our new homeowners. I did realize how much I had changed and learned, from the last trip, I had come back filled with HOPE and knowing how to insulate, mud and dry wall! But what I didn’t realize was that there was so much more to learn and will change in the week to come. This trip for me was about diligence, about humility and about charity. This trip I learned about virtues. “I want to leave this place better than when I came into it”, says George Barisich, the President of the United Commercial Fisherman’s Association, after speaking to 100+ volunteers at the Knights of Columbus dinner. He told us about how the oil spill has affected the community, about how the fisherman and their families are suffering, about how it is worse than Katrina, because Katrina came and gone and the oil keeps coming with no end in sight and about how the spill is not only about the loss of money but the heritage of the people. He talks about his steadfastness and his perseverance to not give up and find a solution. He is diligent. “I am not leaving New Orleans a changed man, I am leaving New Orleans a better man”, says Paul , a 77 year old, retired shipping cargo employee, better known for many on the trip as one of the “geezers”. Paul, like all the other volunteers on the trip, work selflessly , courageously and graciously on any task that it is put before him, tedious or challenging, without any complaints. He is humble. “The ultimate goal for St. Bernard Project is not to exist”, says Liz Mc Cartney, 2008 CNN Hero of the Year and Co Founder of Saint Bernard Project, at the Women’s Rebuild/Hammers to Heels Fundraiser dinner. The project’s mission is simple: to move Katrina survivors back into their homes and communities and to “finish strong”. St. Bernard Project has built over 280 homes since they started in March 2006, thanks to Liz and her team and over 22,000 volunteers including 300 people from the Church of the Presentation. She is generous and self-sacrificing. She is charitable. Now what had changed? The People… because now the affects of the oil spill were getting worse and were crippling their lives, with no hope in sight. The sense of abandonment is stronger as the days pass with no resolution. A second disaster had hit the people of New Orleans in less than 5 years, only this one was man made. And what had not changed? The People…because the warm, friendly, generous hearts of the people were still in need and the need was growing fast. And another thing that had not changed, besides Bourbon Street, was the FUN! I had so much fun! I laughed, I prayed, I sweat (a lot), I sang (off tune) and I laughed some more, I got to know my “new” family and helped “rebuild” a home for another family. So what do I do now? I will try to be more diligent in achieving goals that I set out to do and not give up so easily or give in to distractions. I will try to be more humble, now this is a tough one, since I am so prideful, but I will work on my modesty. I will try to be more charitable, since I have so many things and people in my life to be thankful for and it is time to start giving back. And I will always be so grateful to be a part of another trip led by Eric and the Church of the Presentation’s New Orleans Ministry Team!
Jan 2010 - "Team I" Thursday January 7, Paul Perez, a Katrina survivor, enters the house we were “rebuilding”, to talk to the Saint Bernard’s Project/Church of the Presentation and AmeriCorps team members, with milk, juice and DONUTS!!! When he was asked by our project leader, Eric, if he wants to tell his story about what happened almost 4 ½ years ago, Paul replied “what they think what happened" or "what really happened”? Eric replied “either”, and then Paul Perez spoke…. ”What they think what happened, was we got wiped out, everything gone, but what really happened, is YOU came”. I am not sure how everyone else reacted, because my head collapsed and the tears were flowing, but I could pretty much say with certainty, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Just four days earlier I found myself at 4:15am in the parking lot of The Church of the Presentation, holding hands and praying for a safe trip, filled with patience, love, kindness and HOPE for the people of New Orleans. As I glanced around the circle I thought I was in the “Star Wars bar”! What a “cast of characters”! How is this going to work? Are we going to get along? I don’t know these people. Was this a good idea??? Then we all packed into the van headed for the airport, and our lives slowly began to change over the next 6 days….little did we know. After racing through the airport check in, security, and gate, knowing that they had to hold the 60 passenger plane for us since we were 1/3 of it, we boarded, took off and then we landed in New Orleans at 9am ready to work! The ride from the airport to Camp HOPE was quite an eye opener…there were just slabs of concrete everywhere, abandoned houses and strip malls with closed stores and vacant lots. I couldn’t believe it...it’s been 4 ½ years and still THIS? We got to Camp HOPE and checked into our new living quarters for the next five days. I think it was an elementary school that still wasn’t opened from Katrina. There were about 250 people, men and women, mostly young adults in college on break, so needless to say, we were never alone and it was quite lively, filling the school with good energy. Besides, no heat for a couple of days, record breaking freezing temps, a bathroom that felt like it was a football field away in the middle of the night, and the pipes freezing on my last morning shower…I can’t complain. I loved Camp HOPE (I heard past volunteers back in the day used to sleep in tents!) After getting settled in Camp HOPE, we were off to St. Bernard’s Project where we were assigned our house to help rebuild. I can’t begin to tell you everything that happened over those next few days in a one page document, but I will try to do my best to sum it up…First off, I cried from Tuesday thru Friday. I was overwhelmed with happiness and tears of joy from the local people when we went to patronize their establishments and they wouldn’t take my tip because “you (plural) came back after 4 ½ years, you’re still coming back”. More tears showed up with Paul Perez as you know, and then when we met 5 foot, Evelyn Solis on Friday, and she told us her survival story of her and her 72 year old “mamma” who decided to “ride” out the storm, believing it had changed directions, and ended up clinging to their HOPE chest as they floated down Plaze Street and was rescued by one of the boats, that about put me under. I think I might of lost weight from all the tears. And then of course, I also tried alligator sausage (which doesn’t taste like chicken), deep fried pickles, grilled oysters, BEIGNETS and drank Turbo Beer. I insulated, I stapled, I drilled, and re-drilled, I sheet rocked, I mudded, I did something with tape and corners and more mud. I prayed, I loved, I laughed and I laughed some more. I had so much fun! On Saturday, January 9, at the New Orleans Airport, I took that same glance around the airport gate, as we waited with plenty of time before boarding as the “cast of characters” I started my journey with 6 days ago, and I saw a family, my family. We worked together, we got along together, we got to know each other, we shared meals together, we prayed together and we got to serve together. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life and I HOPE for an opportunity to go back again, some day. I was asked the other day by a friend, how my trip to New Orleans was…I said, “Do you want to know what you think happened or what really happened?”, my friend replied “either”, and then I spoke,”What you think happened, was that I helped rebuild a house, but what really happened, was that I came back filled with Love from strangers, Faith in God and Trust that what is wanted will happen…I came back with HOPE! Thank You Church of the Presentation for making a difference in my life! Peace Be With You, Michele Liddy
May 2009 - New Orleans Rebuild Trip
We landed in at 12:30 on Sunday to almost perfect weather. Day One was spent settling in and visiting the French Quarter seeing the "must sees", Cafe Du Monde, Mississippi River, St Louis Cathedral, Bourbon Street. Its a good way to start and check those tourist sites off "the list." I am so lucky, so fortunate, so grateful to have been a part of this work- team from Church of Presentation. About twenty-two of us joined a seasoned site foreman, Paul, from the St Bernard Project, and did all that was needed to move this rebuild along. A few of us knew carpentry, most did not. But what we lacked in experience we made up for with enthusiasm and passion! First, remember our purpose: to get this home habitable once again. We all came to serve, and that's just what we did: framing, installing insulation, drywall, taping and spackling. While we didn't finish this house in one week (we knew we wouldn't) we did move it quite far along the timeline. I was able to spend some nice blocks of time with homeowners Barbara and Kenneth. These periods were really the highlight for me. Barbara has Alzheimer's and Kenneth is her devoted husband/caregiver. I saw the face of God in this man's eye's each time he looked at Barbara. He is patience and love personified. We talked about how they met and how they spent these last 47 years. I said, "I see Barbara just sparkles, doesn't she?" He replied that's how she always was: "She lit up the rooms she entered. She sang and danced and always had center stage. I knew I was lucky to find her." I thought of that song, "You are the Wind Beneath My Wings" for the first of many times that week. (Corny? Yes, but it fit!) Another day I asked what the storm was like for them. First he demurred, saying we didn't want to hear that old news. But then he opened up. Kenneth told us about trying to wait it out, then trying to walk out to safety but being scared by thugs. They did eventually make it to the convention center where they would spend the next three days in a state of numbness, dazed by the hellish conditions and lack of sleep or regular food and water. He told of details that we all heard about in the news, too disgusting to contemplate. This humble, gentle man said, " I know now it doesn't sound like so much, but it was bad, really bad. You wouldn't have recognized us. It wasn't human" Well, we had tears on our cheeks with their hell in mind and he was thinking it sounded like just your average day. (They ended up being helicoptered and then airlifted out to Utah for re-settlement. They returned adrift and lonely without family in 2006. (Their family was resettled to Dallas and Houston where they found work and they dream of coming back home when there is something to come home to.) We worked like demons, two shifts, sometimes putting in 12 hour days. God Bless those college kids getting up for the 6 am shift! I think they were exhausted and hungry the entire time! Never heard a complaint or whine. They worked with enthusiasm, humor, care and skill. As I said the true goal was to fix this house, but most of us came with additional hopes: bond with a child/parent, share service with a spouse, connect with other like-minded volunteers, serve God and the poor or needy...Goals accomplished! I would be remiss to not mention how fun it was there, too. We were able to go out to The French Quarter on numerous occasions. We sampled great food and great music. We wondered along The Riverwalk. While most of out time was spent at the house we certainly had time to see the tourist side of New Orleans, as well. There is still much work to be done. Check out the St. Bernard Project website and see how your efforts can be valued and put to good work. They still need us in New Orleans and perhaps you need them, too. I know this trip was not about me and my needs, but Im grateful to have been touched by everyone involved. It was really a special time. Lucette Tulp
January 2009 - "New Orleans Life Song"
The Christian music band, Casting Crowns, sings a song called Lifesong. Here are some of the lyrics: “May the words I say/ and the things I do/ Make my lifesong sing/ Bring a smile to you. Let my lifesong sing to You/ Let my lifesong sing to You/ I want to sign Your name to the end of this day/ Knowing that my heart was true/ Let my lifesong sing to You. Lord I give my life/ A living sacrifice/ To reach a world in need/ To be Your hands and feet.” Our Ministry has just finished two back-to-back weeks, being the Lord’s hands and feet, rebuilding the lives of our brothers and sisters down in St. Bernards Parish and adding notes to returning resident’s Lifesongs. The first week’s teams (21 people) worked on several houses, including the home of Robin Albers, which appeared on MTV’s “Be the Change”, and was anchored live at President-elect Obama's official Youth Inaugural Ball . Robin had to move 6 times between when Katrina hit and moving back to her home on January 20th. Our church at Presentation is now part of her Lifesong. The 2nd week’s teams (32 people) worked on numerous homes and consisted of electrical , plumbing, carpentry, painting and spackling teams. We work with a non-profit group known as St Bernards’ Project (SBP) who qualifies the homes we work on with their crew from Americorp. A major project during our visit was moving all of Saint Bernards Project’s (SBP) building supplies from the existing office/storage area into a new warehouse/office area across the street. We also moved some SBP staff from their original building to the new offices on the 2nd floor of the Warehouse. SBP has opened a much needed Mental Health Clinic on January 19th to support the psychological needs of these displaced people. Also, they have a new warehouse which will allow them to purchase building materials in bulk and better use their donation dollars. For instance, their purchase of electrical wiring was $5,000.00 cheaper by buying it in bulk rather than buying individual roles. This will allow SBP to rebuild almost another ½ of a house. It is always a gift when our volunteers get to meet and spend time with the homeowners, but that is not always the case. Whether directly or indirectly, our Ministry is always joining in on the resident’s lifesong. One such song we had a part in joining is that of Joycelyn Heintz-Gray. Joycelyn owns the 100th home that was rebuilt by SBP and is now part of their staff. Although we did not work on her home directly, it was because of the work we did on other homes that allowed SBP to eventually rebuild her home. Joycelyn is a single Mom and her lifesong is reaching out to a world in need. She has been so moved by the gifts she has received that God has called her to help other single mothers in the Parish and is looking into opening a Home for Battered Women. It is very humbling for me to see how our ministry has impacted so many lives, and continues to provide sweet music for the residents of Saint Bernards Parish and all the volunteers who have said yes to going down and making the sacrifice to serve. Thank You to all who have contributed in anyway to this Ministry and may Our Lord continue to bless our Lifesongs to keep singing to His Praise, Honor and Glory… Bob Eid
May 2008 - "We're ALL In This Together!"
Three years after Hurricane Katrina, the victims of the storm still struggle for normalcy. Although I saw the devastating footage and heard the horrific stories on the news, the long term effects of the storm never really hit me. This past fall my mother went to New Orleans with a group of women from Presentation to help rebuild houses. She had such a great experience, and she described the terrible living conditions that still exist. She encouraged me to make the trip as well. I was going down to New Orleans, but I didn’t really know what to expect. Yes, I had seen the coverage on the media and some pictures from my mom’s previous trip, but these snapshots did not do justice to the devastation I was about to see. When we reached the ninth ward, I was horrified to see how many homes were still uninhabited, condemned, and falling apart. Strip malls were completely deserted; apartment buildings were still not gutted. Upon walking around, I realized just how much help the people of New Orleans still needed from us.
I, along with fifty-eight parishioners of the Church of Presentation, traveled down to New Orleans to the St. Bernard Project, an organization which gathers volunteers to help rebuild homes for those who cannot afford to rebuild themselves. We were divided into small groups of volunteers, and we were assigned to different work sites. The house that I worked on was up to the point where it was almost entirely sheet-rocked. My fellow team members and I started out the week doing what is known as “spackling” here in New Jersey, but known as “mudding” down in Louisiana. This was followed by days of sanding, then mudding, then sanding, and sanding, and sanding again. After texturing and priming the walls, we began to paint them; that is when the progress we had made really began to sink in. Our home owner, Ms. Menard, had chosen a variety of vibrant colors for each of the rooms. As the peach and baby blue and lime green paint splashed on the walls, the stark rooms gained character. It wasn’t just another house being rebuilt, now it had personality; her personality. It was very nice to meet Jean Menard, knowing the person whose home I was building made me want to work that much harder, and it really personalized everything that I was doing. My team and I worked tirelessly on making as much progress as we could in the week we were there. The spirit of cooperation was overwhelming. There was Owen Mahoney, who already works in construction. He was always offering pointers and showing us how to do things. There was Jen Williams who was bound and determined to make the insides of our closets a work of perfection. The Flock family was really the motor of our group. We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish half the progress we did without them. Teamwork was another significant part of my experience. For example, one of the bedrooms was filled from wall to wall with personal items from canned goods, to mattresses, to clothing, to crown molding. Multiple times a day, we would form an assembly line passing the items from one room to another so that the walls could be spackled, textured, primed or painted. Once that room had dried, we would move the items back so we could spackle, texture, prime or paint the other room. It was comical; at first, forming this human chain but we really had a smooth system operating here. On the last day, everyone in our 15 passenger van came in and helped us move the items one last time.
What impressed me most of all was the spirit of the people down in New Orleans. They’ve really created a community of love and support for one another; they believe that they’re “all in this together.” We could feel their appreciation everywhere we went, from the New Orleans style barbeque prepared for us by some local fishermen to the heart felt “thank you” we received from passersby on the street. The appreciation that the locals displayed towards us was tremendous, but most of all I will remember the look on our homeowner’s face when she walked through her almost finished home. It was a look of hope and relief. After all she has been in a FEMA trailer for almost 3 years, and she is finally going home!
Sharon Williams
January 2008 - "Impressions from New Orleans (2008): Katrina plus 29months"
This January two eager groups of volunteers from Church of the Presentation joined by some wonderful folks from the Community Presbyterian Church (Ringwood, NJ) continued our outreach to the victims of hurricane Katrina. Here are some of our thoughts, feelings and impressions.
• Deserted neighborhoods, empty homes, blue tarped roofs, blank staring windows, bare studs.
• Strangers working side by side who are strangers no longer.
• Sleeping in abandoned classrooms where bunk beds accommodate about 20 people.
• Waiting in line outdoors for a hot shower while mother nature showers her love upon us
• A moldy, slimy debris filled home, untouched for 2½ years.
• Carole cooking lunch for 100 homeless people in her tiny FEMA trailer kitchen.
• A home with studs on Monday getting a final coat of paint on Friday – a homeowner cries with joy!
• The sounds of gritty sandpaper, cordless screwdrivers, pounding hammers, laughter.
• Strip malls, vacant and desolate, with broken signs and huge empty parking lots.
• A delicious lunch of rabbit, red beans and rice, and house sausage (a New Orleans specialty) cooked by our homeowner.
• A rehabbed gas station, 2 pumps where 8 had once stood.
• TWENTY (20) homes that our labor brought closer to completion.
• Skills donated in plumbing, electrical work, carpentry; skills acquired in sheet rocking, mudding, sanding, caulking, priming, painting.
• Sore muscles, camaraderie, patient teachers, avid learners.
Your love, prayers, generosity and kindness were constant reminders of how the inspiration of the Holy Spirit can help one group of strangers become good Samaritans to another group of strangers in a distant land, called St. Bernard Parish, La. Many of us had never met before but quickly developed a strong bond in purpose and desire to help those who have been forgotten by so many. Their smiles of “thank you” encouraged us to work hard and accomplish much in the short time available. Five work days – a week, in the beginning seems so long, but actually defines how little time we had to help. But help we did – so much more than originally expected.
The New Orleans ministry continues to grow in both numbers of volunteers and actual accomplishments. We met other volunteers who inspire us, such as the young men and women of AmeriCorp, working with St. Bernard Project to provide us with home site supervision and skill training. We are anxious to return and the next trip will be planned for May 18-24. Thank you for your prayers and love….it really works!
Kate Barry / Jerry Lynch, Volunteers – January, 2008
October 2007 - "Women's Build Week - 10 Good---No, 10 Great Women go to New Orleans"
10 good women, many grandmothers, travelled to St. Bernard’s Parish in New Orleans on Sunday, October 7. We were already good housekeepers but had never physically built a home. We stayed in a former high school damaged by the flood and bonded while sharing a dorm room, eating, working and sweating. Within a day of arriving at Miss Helen and LC Hampton’s house, we were insulating, cutting and lifting 4’ x 12’ pieces of sheetrock and using screw guns to install sheetrock. With help and direction (and a lot of patience) from our building supervisor Paul, we were able to sheetrock 90% of the house by the time we left. We also did some taping and spackling (called mudding in Louisiana). During the week we bonded as a team. Our team consisted of these 10 great women:
Carol Williams, Lois Cannon, Carol Lee Crowley, Barbara Maurer, Florence Melville, Millie Cadicamo, E.J. Haher, Denise Walter, Maryann Harmsen, and Barbara Meyer. Here are some of their reactions.
Millie Cadicamo said “I was shocked by the massive destruction that still exists 2 years later. Some homes and shopping centers stand totally empty.”
”The perseverance and lack of anger and resentment on the part of the people in the parish made an impression on me”, said Carol Lee Crowley.
Carol Williams explained, “We were 10 women who did not know each other, had no skills but had a goal of getting these people into their house. We were all thumbs but became a well-oiled working machine.”
”I was very impressed with the young people who came to volunteer with their spirit and love”, said Denise Walter. “We went to give physically but we all gained spiritually”.
Finally, Barbara Maurer said, “The people of St. Bernard’s Parish truly want us to share their stories so that others will be moved to come and help rebuild.”
The most gratifying part of this experience, however, was the gratitude shown by the people of St. Bernard’s Parish. From Miss Helen to people we would meet on
the street, they always expressed how grateful they were that we cared that much to help them. They truly feel abandoned and have lost hope.
We returned home on Saturday, October 13 filled with a sense of joy, accomplishment and a need to spread the word to you that the people of St. Bernard’s Parish
still need your hope and help. If you can share some of your time and treasure with the New Orleans ministry, it is truly worth it. Thank you to all the people on the New Orleans ministry team for their help and support in making our trip a success.
Barbara Maurer
May 2007 Our May trip was another amazing spiritual journey, filled with joy and tears, touching moments and encounters, many new challenges and some experiences similar to the Jan/07 trip. The one constant was the same heartfelt love and caring that came from all the volunteers. Also the willingness to work hard under challenging circumstances, without ego or excuses, should once again make all of our parishoners and this ministry very proud. The other constant was the crying need for ongoing help for the residents of this ravaged community, despite the signs of modest progress that has been made since January.
We seemed to better understand the plight of many of the homeowners whom we worked for on this trip. Perhaps this was attributable to the increased number of volunteers (31) and homes that we worked on (5). It may also be as a consequence on the orientation talk that we heard on the first day of work. On that Monday morning, we meet with one of the directors of St. Bernard Project, Jonnie Strand. She made the point that the goal was not to just rebuild a “house”, by putting up as much sheet rock and spackle as quickly as possible, but to help these people restore their “homes” and their “lives.” The best way to accomplish this was to take time out and listen to the words and stories of the homeowners. It is an important part of their healing process. Based on our conversations during the week, our volunteers heard the message from owners and therefore the experience was extraordinary.
Unlike our January experience, of working on 2 homes on the same street, our crew of 31, worked on five homes simultaneously last week. Two homes were supervised by St Bernard Project, and 3 homes were affiliated with the Project Hope group. These homes were spread throughout the Parish, and were separated by as much as 12-15 miles. This challenged us logistically, but the fact that we had 5 vans, turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
The Habitat for Humanity camp has also improved. The sleeping arrangements remained the same, but the food has improved and the toilets can now be flushed. Also the showers had “hot” water. The normal week’s occupancy is between 500-600 volunteers, but we had only 350 people at the camp. That seemed to remove much of the chaos and overcrowding, especially the long lines at the cafeteria, the bathrooms, and the showers. When we return in Jan/08, we shall be at a new Habitat camp that accommodates 1500 volunteers. Hopefully the camp shall be “heated” as well.
Given the improved food service, we did not feel the necessity to go out to eat at night. However, we were invited to a crayfish BBQ by one of the homeowner’s parents one night. Also two nights were spent in New Orleans, but we had early evenings both times, returning home from the city between 9:30 & 10:00 PM.
One evening before departing for New Orleans, we spent over an hour as a group, sharing our thoughts and feelings about the trip. The college students responded very well to the discussion. The fact that we come from an area that is blessed in so many ways, and in such stark contrast to the poverty and hardship of the people of St Bernard Parish (County), was clearly not lost on them.
The parishioner’s generosity in funding this trip was so very essential in making it a truly remarkable experience. It allowed us to do so many things:
1. Transportation: we were able to bring along more college students through ticket sponsorship. The 5 vans were expensive, despite the remarkable discount we received.
2. Building Materials: We used all the donated Home Depot gift cards, and shared the parishioner’s thoughtful notes with the home owners. We also would have discontinued work, on some homes, due to the lack of funds for materials, had it not been for our ability to make independent purchases at Home Depot.
3. Direct Homeowner Support: In the case of one family, we not only reached the final stages of renovation work, but we also purchased a stove, washer and dryer, so that they could finally move in this week, after spending 21 months in a tiny FEMA trailer!!
4. Charitable Funding: We donated funds to St Bernard Project and Project Hope to put towards building materials for the five houses that we renovated with them.
We also made a financial contribution to the local Catholic Church. Our rational for doing so is outlined below.
St Bernard Parish (this is the same as one of our “Counties” in N.J.) is predominantly Spanish in origin, and most of the inhabitants are of Catholic descent. The overall parish (county) population has been reduced from 70k to 25k. Out of the 22k homes in the Parish, only 6 were not flooded by Katrina!!! There were 8 Catholic Churches serving the Parish before Katrina, now only one remains in operation, Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church. This church, through Fr. Danny Digal efforts, ministers to the needs of all the remaining Catholic populace. Our donation, should help address the needs of some of their parishioners, who have requested financial aid, in order to move back into their homes. In addition to spending some time with Fr. Danny, we met with his office manager, Jackie and Tony Fernandez, the Pres. of the Parish Council. They both joined us for a meeting at St Bernard Project to best determine how they could help their parishioners in rebuilding their homes. Our goal was to help them understand how to work with our 2 agencies going forward. The fact that they were unaware of these volunteer groups, speaks to the degree in which they are overwhelmed at “ground zero”! It seems that most of the churches efforts to date have been concentrated on the rebuilding of the flooded church and the adjacent school, and not on the human and spiritual outreach that these people so desperately need. Ideally, we would like to focus our work on the Catholic Church parishioner’s homes, when we return in January. Given the high level of interest and support, we may consider 2 consecutive weeks during the first 15 days of January with 20 or 30 volunteers per trip.
We learned a great deal on this journey, and dealt with a lot of new issues and problems “on the fly.’ However, many challenges remain outstanding, and clearly this Ministry is still a wonderful “work in progress.”
God’s Peace,
Neil MacLennan
January 2007 “ The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others”- Ghandi.
On January 7, 2007, twenty volunteers from Presentation Parish ventured to St. Bernard Parish to help Hurricane Katrina victims start the rebuilding process on their homes. It was an amazing trip for each and every one of us. In giving of our time and limited talents, we gained so much in return. It was truly a privilege to have participated.
When I first saw the notice in the church bulletin for the trip to New Orleans, I thought it was for men only. Nonetheless, I inquired because my best friend, Amber, who lives in Florida, and I had just talked over Thanksgiving about helping out the Hurricane Victims ‘some day’. We felt a calling and days later saw it in the bulletin. “Of course women can go,” said our leader, Bob Eid. So we signed up, along with my sister Maureen and friend Alice White. Fortunately, I was able to get my neighbors and friends to help out with my 2 young kids, along with my husband going in late to work all week.
The accommodations at Camp Hope, which was run by Habitat for Humanity, were a drastic change from our comfortable lifestyle. We experienced first hand what the victims of Hurricane Katrina must have experienced: little privacy, backed up toilets, sleeping on cots and bland food. But it was just perfect. We were doing God’s work and these things mattered little. In fact, our contact person, Mike, who assigned us our homes, lives such a meager lifestyle- in a gutted home, with no electricity, bartering for everything, including where his next meal will come from. We were all touched by Mike and so many others like him, who just come to New Orleans to help those less fortunate. It made me realize how easy it is to connect with strangers when your heart is open and in service to others.
We were fortunate enough to hook up with a local contractor, Tony, who volunteered his time and taught us how to tape and ‘mud’ drywall. One of our members, Dan Grieco, brought a video camera and taped the instructional lesson by Tony. Dan then sent it back to Camp Hope, so it can now be viewed by all incoming volunteers at orientation. Our group really made things happen.
Mostly we divided into 2 groups: the rockers and the mudders (aka sheetrockers and spacklers). In the 5 days of labor, we finished one home, including texturing and priming, and made significant progress on 2 others. We communicated with the homeowners everyday because they lived in trailers on their property. We were in service to them and they truly appreciated our efforts. On our last day, one of the homeowners fed our entire group a delicious home-cooked meal of fried catfish and potato egg salad. The day before, another neighbor, whose home we weren’t even working on, bought us all lunches. Their generosity, patience and faith struck me. Even those with so little found ways to give.
Another parishioner, Tony Browne, brought his son Conor and 4 friends, none of whom had ever worked on homes before. It was especially heartwarming to see these college juniors learn fast, work hard and realize the difference they made in someone else’s life. One of them said it was the best time he had ever had in his life, while another said he found God in the people that he met and the work that he did that week. It was overwhelmingly powerful to witness this and I hope these 5 young men continue to challenge themselves and make a difference in other’s lives like they did in New Orleans.
I think I can speak for the entire group that being involved in this project transformed our lives while we merely intended to transform the lives of others. Our group of 16 men and 4 women was an ego-less, hard working, friendly, funny, giving and intelligent bunch. By the end of the trip, I believe we all took away a stronger sense of faith in God, knowing that He was present in every encounter that week.
I especially want to thank our parish and all those that supported us on our mission. We all felt your emotional, financial and spiritual support and could not have done this without you. It is truly a privilege to be affiliated with such a powerful parish and I am committed to continuing to do my part in keeping God’s loving energy alive in all of us, both near and far.
by Jackie Graber
April 2006 - "Men's Journey Team" " We will run and not grow weary,
for our God will be our strength,
and we will fly like an eagle,
we will rise again."
" We Will Rise Again" - David Haas
Scott stood in the living room of his gutted home, staring out into space as the 10 men from Church of the Presentation circled around him. He was barely able to get the words out as he recalled those frightening hours as Katrina bore down on the home he shared with his mother Frances (who had evacuated a day before the levees broke). As the water reached waist level he decided it was time to seek higher ground. He waded across the street to perch himself atop a large blue van, waiting for help as the 130 mile an hour winds howled across the newly formed river that was Livaccarri Drive.. Shortly thereafter he saw a boat nearby, commandeered by one of the neighborhood men. With all the strength he could muster he flung himself toward the passing boat and luckily pulled himself in as the water level continued to rise. They eventually made their way to the top floor of a two story house, where he and 23 others spent the next 5 days weathering the storm until help finally arrived. They spent the fourth day trying to save neighbors that were trapped in the attics of their flooded one story dwellings, sweltering in the 90 degree Louisiana heat. His voice trembled as he recalled seeing the body of a little girl floating lifeless in the water. As he continued to speak to us he suddenly grew quiet. He excused himself as he went out in the backyard to weep, embarrassed to cry in front of 10 strangers. The scar from the water moccasin bite he received while wading through the floodwaters reminded him daily of the week that turned his life upside down.
Meeting Scott will have a lasting affect on my life and the lives of the 9 other men from Church of the Presentation that traveled with me to St Bernard Parish, LA. God spoke to us through fellow parishioner Bob Eid and challenged us to go down there to help out. St Bernard Parish, located 20 miles southeast of New Orleans, remains one of the most devastated communities in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. St Bernard suffered significant damage to 100 percent of it's residential and commercial units. Not only was it a victim of torrential rains and winds, but a massive storm surge broke through the levees, leaving the entire parish inundated.
The Parish launched the St Bernard Parish Recovery Project on January 12th, 2006. Volunteer groups such as Habitat for Humanity and Samaritan's Purse, along with St. Bernard Parish and Homeland Security have combined to house and feed up to 2,000 volunteers per week in a tent city called Camp Premier. This effort will be one of the most comprehensive community recovery projects ever undertaken.
Our team consisted of me, Bob Eid (coordinator and Team Captain extraordinaire!), Denny Foley, Russ Ackerly, Bill Brown, Dan Fernandez, Jim Gillen, Charlie Gutmann, Craig Lawson and Tom Zordan. Our job each day was to travel from Camp Premier to an assigned home in a nearby neighborhood and completely gut the entire house, including the dry wall, down to the frame. These homes have not been touched since the storm last August so you can imagine the condition they were in. Many of us work in offices all day so to say we were "out of our element" is an understatement. That didn't stop us though, as the more experienced helped the less experienced and we worked as if it were our own homes we were trying to save. I was really proud of the men from Presentation, as each day under the worst of conditions they displayed their faith in action. Never a complaint on the job, only an occasional moaning about the uncomfortable sleeping conditions in the tent, mostly because of the incessant snoring that many of our wives have grown so accustomed to.
As we picked through the rubble of each house we could slowly build a picture of the family that lived inside. I spent most of Wednesday, March 31st, clearing out Brianna's room. She appeared to be about 10 years old. She loved to read as was evident by the large number of books I removed to the mountainous trash pile outside of the house. She kept a diary that detailed what was important in the life of a 10 year old girl growing up in Louisiana. She also liked to write and draw as I found illustrated letters to her mom, dad and friends. She took a trip to Nevada once and brought back a souvenir license plate with BRIANNA written on it. She had faith in God as was evident by the small drawing of a crucifix and praying hands that I found in her closet. I will probably never meet Brianna. I hope she is safe. As a parent myself I could imagine that her whole world was turned upside down, friends scattered, dreams shattered. I hope that in some small way I helped to get her life back to the way it was before Katrina.
The faith of the people of St. Bernard Parish was summed up one day after we prayed over Scott and his mother Frances in front of their gutted home on Livaccarri Drive. When I asked her what her last name was she looked me straight in the eye and said "GODWIN……GOD…WIN, as in GOD will always WIN…..my faith is strong and God will pull me through this." That comment from Frances helped pull all of us through the rest of the week. We will be affected forever by our experience in Louisiana and I wake up every morning thanking God for my many blessings.
Brianna, wherever you are, God loves you, God will never leave you and God will pull you through this.
On behalf of all of us I would like to thank the generous people of Presentation for their prayers and support. This Parish continues to amaze me at their willingness and eagerness to help those that are less fortunate than ourselves.
Peace,
Tony Browne
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