Phillips Memorial Baptist Church
New Orleans Mission Trip
St. Bernard Project
Phillips Memorial
Baptist Church
565 Pontiac Ave.,
Cranston, RI 02910
401-467-3300
fax 401-467-3302
On June 2, Joyce, I and our grandson Caleb started our hands on relief work in an ongoing effort to rebuild in the New Orleans area.To understand what St. Bernard Project (SBP) does, I encourage you to go online at: StBernardProject.org. SBP has, over three years, built 207 families’ homes. They are right now working on 30 more. We will be a part of this family by family effort. In love, prayer, and deep thanksgiving,WesGreetings from N'awlins
After a smooth flight from Denver, CO, Joyce, Caleb (our 12 year-old grandson) and I arrived in charming New Orleans to a sultry 90 degree welcome. We picked up our rental car and within twenty minutes we arrived at our friends' lovely Southern brick home. Located adjacent to Lake Pontchartrain in the Lake Oaks section of New Orleans near LSU's campus, we were so grateful to have a most comfortable home to return to each day following seven hours of labor in the 90 degree heat of "The Big Easy."On Monday morning we scouted out St. Bernard Parish to see where we will be working. We found our way to the St. Bernard Project office, where we would report in on Tuesday morning at 7 am. Soon after leaving the Lake Oaks area, (15 feet above sea level and relatively unscathed) we began to see signs of Katrina's extensive devastation. We drove through dozens of neighborhoods in St. Bernard's Parish which were similar to our Eden Park neighborhood. In some upscale sections of residential housing, we found blocks of concrete slabs where homes once stood, housing families like yours and mine. We were gripped by the stark reality of the countless loss of homes . . . four years after Katrina. Can you imagine -- K-Mart, Walmart, and Sears, strip malls and church after church, still boarded up and abandoned, because the neighborhood surrounding had been swept away? We could not help, but be overwhelmed by the scope of the devastation. We were now more than ever, looking forward to getting to work on Tuesday morning. --------
Also on Monday, as we headed to the French Quarter to do a bit of sight- seeing, we drove by the only ABCUSA sister church in New Orleans. We met an active layperson, who introduced himself and invited us to worship with him on Sunday. After telling him why we were in New Orleans, he thanked us for being there to help in rebuilding. --------
Tuesday, we arrived at the St. Bernard Project to meet the staff and to receive directions to the house where we were to work. To our surprise, we were assigned a home in Orleans Parish in the Gentilly area, just a mile-and-a-half away from Lake Oaks where we were staying. This was St. Bernard Project's very first rebuild outside St. Bernard Parish (a section of southeast New Orleans were every home sustained serious water damage). Following an onsight orientation, we quickly were given our assignments. The goal for our work team was to rehab an older home for the displaced owners in order for them to move in by this weekend. Joyce, Caleb and I finished putting two coats of paint on the walls and ceiling of the 'master bedroom.' Caleb also helped with the spackling of a hallway. A highlight of our day was the opportunity to meet the couple whose home we were working on. In the words of the husband, " We continue to be so blessed by the enthusiasm and determination of the volunteers and staff of St. Bernard Project. God has got us connected. He sent angels our way."
Empty slabs of concrete, mark the sites where homes once stood.
All that remains of this home is the gate.
When the roll is called up yonder, Wes paints.
Caleb excels in his new trade of 'mudding' (spackling).
Thank you blessed members of PMBC for this life and faith enriching opportunity to serve.
Wednesday at St. Bernard Project
At 7 am sharp, Caleb and I, along with a surgeon from Yale New Haven Hospital (wearing a Red Sox cap) and a recent grad from engineering school began to install a cherry laminate floor. By lunch time we had finished the installation. It was a "high-five" experience for the four of us (who had never done this before!). Joyce was busy with the paint brush (as you might guess) priming and painting all of the window, door and baseboard trim. She too completed her task by noon. After lunch, we all started the installation of the bedroom trim. In a concerted effort to ready a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen for the owners to be able to move in by this weekend, the project had the volunteers split into two work crews. We are part of the 7am to 2pm shift. A 2 pm to 9 pm crew follows us. With a few more hours, the bedroom will be completed. The second crew is working on the bathroom and kitchen.
We noticed the flood water line on the outside of the house we are renovating. A brown stain marking the high water line surrounds the home at 10 feet above the ground. In other areas the flood water had risen as high as 24 feet.
This is the home in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans which is being renovated by the St. Bernard Project.
Wes and Caleb start the cherry wood floor project. It was beautiful when completed.
Another Day of Work
Thursday was again a "push" day with our work team at St. Bernard Project. Our on-site leader kept reminding us of our goal to have enough of the house completed (bedroom, bath and kitchen) for the owners to move back in by the weekend.Caleb helped a recent Brown graduate to build the bedroom interior window sills. Joyce and I painted the second coats in hallway, laundry room and bathroom. While Joyce caulked the shower area, I put the sheetrock primer on the living room ceiling. After a lunch with our team members, we put the first coat of paint on the kitchen walls and ceiling. Following work, we visited a Phillips Church member's mother who is presently hospitalized in a beautiful New Orleans Medical Center. We also visited a school of dance owned by the sister of a friend of ours. Everyone we have met thus far (from grocery store owner, to nurses aid, to friendly strangers in restaurants) has expressed their gratitude for our coming to New Orleans and helping to rebuild."It's one thing to build a house and another to build a life" The storm, though taking away many families' things (including their homes), did not take away their spirits and their hope. Volunteers coming to lend a hand, renews hope.
Window trim was installed.
Notes on What We See As We Drive Through New Orleans:
Home after home is boarded up, vacant, abandoned. Windows and doors are broken, gutters were torn off by wind and still lay by the homes. One can clearly see high water lines across the glass in windows, and on the siding of homes. Thousands upon thousands of homes which were flooded remain empty and not worked on. On houses with plywood 'windows' and 'doors' one can often see spray painted signs: "keep out," "do not trespass," "do not bulldoze."
Shortly after the hurricane, rescue teams went into homes looking for survivors or pets. It is heart wrenching to see the shorthand of the rescue teams spray- painted on the front of homes. A big X with notes for what they found inside. A big 0 meaning, no persons were found inside or signs spray painted for "no dogs here," or "do not take my cats."
On Thursday, we passed through East New Orleans and were made once again somber and prayerful for families displaced with many of the homes destroyed.
Friday
Friday is traditionally my day off. Today however, it was a day to labor with Joyce, Caleb and our team of seven to ready our home enough to welcome back home its' displaced owners, "Ken and Barbie." Yes, that is really the nicknames of our precious new friends.We all worked moving appliances, installing floors, and cleaning up, all in order to have three rooms in habitable form for their return at 2 pm. WE DID IT! Joyce, Caleb and I stayed with our group leader, Annie, helping the owners to move a few of their modest possessions back into a large finished bedroom. You could never imagine seeing two more grateful individuals for every little kindness shown. They referred to us as "their angels."More Notes:
It was sad to see an elementary school closed because of the flooding caused by hurricane Katrina. But, to think that schools now have fewer students, because of displaced families is even more heartbreaking.
As we drove through the Gentilly area, I noticed a woman sitting on the front steps of her home. Then I noticed that a good portion of the roof of her home had rafters showing and roof boards missing, We had heard that people are living in "uninhabitable houses." Many are crowded into tiny homes. FEMA trailers sit outside homes to house families while they slowly rebuild their house themselves. With damage being so extensive, it takes a long time for individual families to rebuild when funds become available for supplies. We are so thankful for agencies like St. Bernard Project, which are helping these people.
Vinyl floor tile was installed in the laundry closet.
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In the middle of our work day, instead of getting lunch, we traveled about 20 miles to a St. Bernard Project celebration. This was in recognition of a newly completed rebuild. The owners of the beautiful home cooked and provided food and beverage for all St. Bernard Project staff and volunteers (about 75 of us), It was a joyous occasion. What struck me was that the average age of volunteers was around 25 years old. Yes, there is great hope for America, yet! May our love and compassion for our fellow neighbor be renewed!
A Refinished Home Celebration
Crawfish cooked for everyone.
Neighborhoods were wiped out, and are still not renovated.
Many mini shopping centers sit destroyed and vacant.
Joining them are many churches, both large and small
and schools.
Signs on houses state the owners' wishes for demolition or not. This spray painted sign says "Demo House Only."
Home after home, in all areas have the search and rescue X marks spray painted on the front. The symbols within the X, state the initials for the search team, the date of the search, whether the gas was turned off, and at the bottom, a 0 means no bodies were found inside.
Windows are boarded up, doors broken, awnings demolished, but these houses are still occupied.
Celebrating the return of a family to their home!
Saturday
Saturday was an optional day to volunteer at our rebuild. We decided that we would work until noon. Most of our crew had returned to their respective homes. However, there were three AmeriCore workers lending a hand -- two college students from Wisconsin and one young man from Ireland. We continue to work to ready the living room and kitchen. The washer and dryer were installed!Sunday
Today, Sunday, was spent at worship with a sister American Baptist Church (Christian Unity Baptist Church). The congregation of over 200 worshipers and Pastor welcomed Joyce, Caleb and me with open arms. I was invited to participate in the 3 hour and 20 minute worship service. (It felt good to be behind a pulpit again even if it was only to bring greetings from Phillips Church.) There were visitors present for the first time since Katrina. The pastor's home was destroyed by Katrina -- with ALL of his family's earthly possessions. We observed our sixth anniversary today at a nice restaurant in the Garden District. Joyce and Caleb wanted to see a natural swampland, so we drove 60+ miles to Venice, LA (which seemed like the end of the world to me). When we could drive no more, we discovered a densely populated bird habitat. It was spectacular!
Nature Notes
The natural world here is very beautiful and full of life -- from lizards to egrets, turtles to song birds, and even alligators. It is a very different world to that of Rhode Island. Even the robins' song is slightly different as if they are singing with a Southern accent!
Down the peninsula toward to Gulf of Mexico past the 'town' of Venice we came upon the beautiful wetlands. These trees were roosting spots for hundreds of egrets. There was a wide variety of heron, song birds, turtles and fish jumping. The road was down by the water's edge and sometimes the water came up into the road.
Monday
Monday's aches and pains are setting in. We really went at it in increased heat and a labor intensive day. Joyce spackled all day along with a Christian college student from San Diego. (This was the young lady's fourth year working to rebuild New Orleans. She said "I prayed and then decided to come here to work. I felt called to do mission work.")Caleb and I framed four windows and helped a new family of four from Geneva, NY to continue the hardwood flooring installation. There were seven new crew members today who went right to work. Though exhausted we continue to enjoy every minute of our volunteerism. We only wish we had the knowledge and skills of some of you! We have enjoyed our on-the-job training. Our seven days of labor truly have made a difference in at least two familys' lives. This may be our final correspondence from New Orleans, as we pack up to return to Colorado early Wednesday morning.While working here, I recall the words I learned in college, which continue to guide my life today:"I am only one, but I am one.I can't do everything, but I can do something.What I can do, I should do . . .And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do."Thank you blessed members of PMBC for this life and faith enriching opportunity .In Christ's love,Wes, Joyce, and CalebWes cuts lumber for window trim.
Grand old trees in a park.
A ferry crosses the Mississippi river.
CHECK OUT THIS LINK FROM NEW ORLEANS:
This was the home where we worked.
