Days 1 & 2

      So, after our initial day of catching up on some sleep and a brief orientation of the Lower 9th Ward, we got to work.  My group, Jared, Leanne, Kat, Kristina, and I were assigned to a house that was just about finished.  We generally worked on small jobs that needed to be completed such as sanding, paint touch-ups, clearing and cleaning out garbage, and lastly, organizing and dropping off tools at the warehouse where PBA stores their materials.  

     Overall, the day was a success.  Our site manager David was informative and I feel that the story he provided for our group, as he stood over a map of the city, was very helpful.  I learned a lot more about the levee system and how there were 58 breaks in the system when Katrina hit.  To me, that number was unbelievable, especially now knowing that the system was in progress for the past 40 years.  Also, I was disturbed after being informed that all of the low-income housing in New Orleans has been knocked down.  David explained to us that around 5,000 homes have been demolished that could have been restored and only suffered from minimal damage (about 1-2 feet of flooding).  The city is doing all it can to rid these low-income individuals of an opportunity to return to their homes so that they can make more money. 

    At the end of our day we got the opportunity to speak with our home owners.  The couple was exceptionally warm, friendly, and grateful for our help.  They are what, for me, made my service become a reality.  The strength and faith that the family possessed was more than apparent to me by the stories they shared with my group and I; I am so grateful to be here, because experiences like this are what give me purpose and reason, which is an incredible feeling.

    Lastly, our reflections had a vast impact on my thoughts and feelings.  From the first two sessions, I have come away with a message that goes something like this: one week of service isn't going to rebuild and restore the city of New Orleans, but one week gives us all an opportunity to reflect and realize the importance of our intentions for bettering this world one step at a time.

:) Ashley