Touching the Heart!

Well, we have made it to the end of our trip and are about ready to start packing to head home! Our week here has been extremely influential and will have an everlasting impression on us all. Today was more of a wind down day. We went to the Mardi Gras Museum this morning along with the Aquarium. This afternoon we went on a Riverboat ride and enjoyed the sun in New Orleans on a different level. For the past week we have been working in the sun, which means after we are done working we try to stay out of it. But not today, we were able to relax on the Mississippi River while getting some rays. Yesterday was our last work day. My group (Kip, Jenna, Sara, Cindy, Alex, and I) have been basically doing finishing touches on both of our houses this week. Things like painting, a little bit of sheet rocking and mudding, and some cleaning. Unfortunately we were unable to meet the families that will be living in our houses. All we were able to find out was that one of the families are living in Georgia and they don't have any information on the other family. As most of you have read we were able to meet Thomas from our first house who made an imprint on our hearts and we know we will never forget. Even though we were to meet him we felt a little discouraged that we hadn't met either of the families that would be living in the houses we worked on for the last 4 days. However, yesterday Jenna and I were painting the outside of one of the houses with the radio blasting. We saw this lady walking up to us looking as if she was limping. She yelled from the street, "Do you live here?" We both stated, "no we are just working on this house". Then she yelled "where are you from?" Since we had the radio blasting we were unable to hear her so we quickly got off our ladders and went down to the road next to her. We stated that we were from South Dakota here with a church mission group. Her name was Joanna and she was had a back brace around her waste and like I said she was limping. Instantly Joanna started crying asking us if we do any other work besides painting. We said of course, we work on housed from start to finish. She then went on to explain that her house had to be demolished after the storm. She was able to get the frame work up and then had someone come in and do the electricity. The electric man/woman she had come stole all of her money and left her with nothing. Then she had someone come in and do her plumbing, which she later found out was all done wrong and to fix it would be around $3000. Jenna and I stood there helplessly listening to this woman of such faith. Alex entered the conversation and we were able to call our leader, Len, and tell him about her. Len said to give her People's Mission's number and to contact them to get come help. After we gave her the number and a flyer she continued to thank us and tell us how much it would mean to her to get someone like us to help her out. Jenna then told her to spread the work about People's because they want to help as many people as they can and she stated that she new MANY people who still need help. As she was leaving we all hugged her and teared up also. I told her to keep praying and keep her faith and she said that's all she does everyday is pray and thank the Lord for what she does have and that is the only way she makes it through the days. Then she ended by saying your hugs are enough to get me through this day, you have given me hope. This is a huge eye opener for us. As discouraged as we were for not getting to meet our family, Joanna had made our work all the worth while. Our hearts grieved for this woman of such profound faith. We feel as a team even though we were unable to build her house, we may have been the best help she has received because now she will be able to get a hold of People's and have her house built. Speaking on behalf of all my team, we just want to thank all of you for your prayers and unconditional love for us. We could not have done it without all of you. Please keep Joanna in your thoughts and prayers as you go on with your evening.
Good night, God Bless, and we love all of you very much!!
Kayla Wingen

~A DaY oUt oF tHe OrDiNaRy!~

Today was a very busy for our group like Bekah explained earlier. our group has just really gotten close with Eunice and Alvin it is like we are family. Brenna and i both agree that we don't want to leave NOLA.(new orleans Louisiana). The weather is well in the 90's every work day, and the humitity is very high. Tomorrow is our last work day and it is going to be very difficult to leave the couple that we have been helping. It is like we are leaving our project unfinished and that is not what we want we want to be there for the final outcome. it is just going to be hard. our group had a separate get together tonight to do satin hands that Eunice brought for us.( see sarah i even get mary kay when i am gone!! love you) and to eat our bars from our neighbor which were delicious. we are not sure how to deal with all that is going on it isn't quite sinking in yet that what we are doing will make an everlasting impact on their lives and ours as well. the couple has so much hope and faith in our group. tonight in my (ciara) small group we were discussing the fact that when you see this stuff on tv it doesn't really sink in. cause most things that you see on tv is fake but watching from our tv's seeing people rescued from their roof tops wasn't reality to me or sara, clint, or alex. but now listening to what they had to say from there expirience made it so real and so unforgetable. The couple was first going to try to go to the superdome for protection but they walked down not even a block with water emerging to their shoulders. so then they knew that they had to turn around and that is when they seeked help from their neighbors. so hearing all about there journey was just an emotional rollar coaster. i didn't know how to take it but God figures out what to do with it. Tonight instead of going to the jackson square we went to see the lower ninth ward which was an eye opening expirience for all of us. it was the place that got the most damage and destruction. It is also where the leeves broke. When we were riding around we saw this little boy who couldn't have been older then 6 who was the only one around in our sight started to make a gesture towards the bus for us to honk our horn and imediately when we saw it we told the bus driver to honk and it made our day and watching the boy smile from a distance. Brenna and I were having a conversation about all the kids that suffered through the storm and those that didn't make it. taking a step back and realizing that it made such a drastic change in their lives the fact that they were helpless. most probably couldnt swim so just thinking about that really made us think about the kids that we see and watch everyday in our lives. and the fact that our kids are our future and that we need to cherish them and watch over them always. i don't want to write a novel but today was just an amazing day after seeing the distruction and enjoying the company of Eunice and Alvin. we had devotions and debriefed our day ken left us with a quote that moved us. "Life for these people is not a disaster any more it is their way of life now."

Making Progress

Well today was the fourth day working at our working sites...most of us were tired and sore, but we were determined to get goals accomplished! My work team consists of Ken, Clint, Brenna, Katie, Ciara, Roxie, Jon, Kim, and myself. We have had a alot of progress this week and everyday we get farther and farther, its pretty cool to look back on Monday and be like wow, we have gotten alot done!! The sheetrockers, Roxie, Ciara, Jon, Clint and Ken finished the ceiling in the front room and starting finishing the walls also. The mudders, myself, Kim, Brenna and Katie almost finished the dining room mudding. I gotta tell you, mudding can be fun, but when you are up on the ladder mudding the ceiling and its 90 degrees out, with extremely high humidity, you find it not as fun as you thought it would be. Our owners, Alvin and Eunice, stopped by today for lunch. But instead of us giving them a brown bag with a sandwhich they went out and got Popeye's Chicken. Eunice was like, "You gonna leave Orleans without getting some Popeyes, you Crazy!!!" We sat in their backyard and ate the best chicken, coleslaw (sorry mom!), and biscuits ever. Eunice could NOT believe we didnt have any commericals for Popeyes!! We also starting talking about the weather and how we handle the cold how they handle the heat-they stay out of it. She found us crazy for going out in 30 degree below zero weather and she was astounded how we can still have school in that type of weather! Alvin said that he has only seen snow twice in New Orleans, once when he was a young boy and again years ago. They have lived in that house, before Katrina hit, for about 20 years. That house is a part of them and always will be. Alvin kept excusing us from our conversations just to say how thankful we are here to help and just thanks God for people like us and how there was no way this rebuilding would be accomplished without people like us here. Eunice could talk anybodys ear off, but we all loved talking with her, she had a say about everything. She calls everyone "Baby" or "Darling" as if she has known us for years! She told us that everyone needs to watch the documentation When the Leeves Broke, you find out things you never heard before about Katrina, she said she is going to try to send us it in the mail when she finds it and she is going to send us the finished product of the house when it is completed. Alvin & Eunice's neighbor also stopped by from up the street, just to say hello and say how thankful she is for all of us here. She said she wished that we were here longer so she could cook for us then at about 4pm here she comes with a box of these amazing bars, still warm from the oven! She was like I hope you love sugar! :D We havent tried them yet, but they smelled sooo good! Eunice also brought us Mary Kay Satin Hands for all of us to use and we sure need satin hands! Tonight we are going to Esplandade (not sure on spelling!) Avenue to see the old Creole houses and to Jackson Square. This city has so much culture and there is something new to see every night! Its great! But it is time for supper! See you all soon! Love you mom!! :D

Danielle Marie Remillard

Hello everyone. I'm sure you are jealous of the 95 degree weather with 100% humidity! It's not that bad. Well I think I'm the first one from my group to be on this so I will catch you up on our project. Dominic, Keith and myself have been reframing a house that has extensive termite damage. This required me to use my superwoman powers to lift the roof in order to fix the header boards on the top of the frame. Just kidding we used jacks but I could if I wanted to. The first day we had 7 people on the job and Dominic and Keith did the man work while the rest of us took all the wiring out. But yesterday and today our group got sized down to 3 because if the roof came down off of the jacks they only wanted a few people to get hurt and they picked me! Don't worry mom Dominic made me stand outside. Everything went fine and we decided the damage was so bad we had to cut a hole in the side of the house and start over. It seemed like a huge job but we actually finished today. When we finished, we started on the bedroom of the house and found a colony of termites cohabiting with their friends the ants and cockroaches. It was wonderful! The wood was eaten down so much that it took us awhile to figure out it wasn't dirt. But, we have high hopes of finishing the framing by Friday afternoon. On a less buggy note, tonight we went to Preservation Hall, which is a jazz club in the French Quarter. It was amazing! Even those who don't really like jazz had a good time. Your prayers seem to be working because we are getting so much done and there have been no injuries. However, Connie is sick so please keep her in your prayers. Well I am off to bed so I can lay there and listen to people snore but we wont name any names(Jason!). TTFN(That's Tigger talk for Ta Ta For Now for those of you who dont live in a daycare.)

P.S. Today it was Dominic who got asked his number from a man in a gas station :)

well this trip is full of surprises and we are only a few days into it. we have learned and seen alot as we have been staying here. our group consist of Ken, Bekah, Ciara, Kim, Clint, Roxie, Jon, Brenna and Katie. we have been hard at work doing sheet rocking and mudding for the majority the past two working days. we got to meet the owner of the house she stopped by today to visit and see the progress. we found out that we wern't the only group that has been there we are 1 of 3. The owners names Eunice and Alvin. Eunice just finished to get her college degree, but is heading back for her masters. She is majoring in Criminal Justice and Social work. she had a lot to say to us about how katrina affected her. she and her husband were rescued by a helicopter by their neighbors roof. the rescuers found them after they held up a sign and being that Eunice was a diabetic and Alvin has heart conditions after he suffered a massive heart attack years back they didn't think that he would make it. all in all Eunice thanks God everyday for what she has. Working with all the people in our group is just a Hooooooot!! Ken was stuck with the girls yesterday but i think he liked it! we made fun of his butt sweat. Brenna and i(Ciara) had to chase down the icecream truck a couple block apparently you have to wave a the curb not from your porch. But i have to go to the kitchen i am on Kitchen duty for dinner. Thank you back to you all who read our blog for supporting us on our trip. comment back cause we read all of them and we like listening to what you have to say. we have many more stories to share during the week tonight we are going to get ready to walk down bourbon street. so i am sure you will hear stories from that.

A Royal Priesthood???

It is late in the afternoon on Tues. 95 degrees in the shade, and I sit and observe my fellow comrades trickle in with sweaty faces, paint covered pants, and smiles all around. We are tired, an exhausted tired that comes from extending ourselves beyond the limits we th0ught we had to the realities we are experiencing.
Yesterday, if you read Alex's blog, we ran into Thomas. My thoughts turn to him today as we begin Day 2 on another house which puts him one day closer to FEMA taking his trailer and his having to live in an unsafe house. Part of me is mad at a government that would allow that. Part of me does not want to admit the country I call home can close its eyes to extreme poverty and heartache. My eyes see and my heart hurts. I want to do more, I cannot, it is not within my control to do so. I want to yell and rail at a government whose priorities are so questionable. I know that many of you have either or will go to the primaries to vote today. Remember it is your civic right and privilege to speak out and I pray that you do.
I must write about an experience Kayla and I had yesterday.
At noontime, Alex expressed the need to use the bathroom. Knowing that we are in a rather questionable area, Kip, Kayla, and I decided it best if we all walked over together. As Alex took care of business, Kip explored the inside of the tire store, leaving Kayla and I to hang out outside. In moments a white car pulls up with a wife and kids driving, an African American gentleman comes out and walks over to us. Mind you, Alex is still in the bathroom, a 3X3 little room where the door does not close and the toilet is more scary looking than Alien. The guy comes up to us and asks us our names, ages, informational stuff. We responded, trying to strike up friendly conversation. Then he kind of sidles up to both of us and asks us if we would like to "get with a black man." There was no hidden innuendo, it was plain and clear. Kayla responds that her boyfriend is in the bathroom, so that is a no go. He asks me then and she tells him that I have a husband and I throw in that I have 2 kids at home as well. Thank you Atticus and Xavier. After a few more tries, he backs off a bit when who should appear from the corner????Kip!!!! He stood on the sidewalk with a little dismayed look on his face, like what in the world is happening here. He crossed over to our conversation and I know that Kayla and I felt better in his presence. Keep in mind, Alex is still in the bathroom, can hear everything, and through the holes in the door, can see what is happening...Alas, still on the toilet, he can not save us. From Alex's point of view, he felt like the guy from Dumb and Dumber......Sebass....'nuf said.
Moments later, our gentleman friend comes back around, claiming he is from new York and down on his luck with his family and could we spare $3. for gas. Telling him we are tapped, he gives up and takes off with his family. Interestingly enough, Kayla found $5. on our way to the station only moments ago. Alex had the money in his pocket, in the toilet, and thought about slipping it through the holes for him....We saved it, the money that is.
Today has dawned brighter with none of the scary moments of yesterday. We saw more work completed, and my father would be proud to know his daughter can haul big paint buckets and siding with the best of the men. Sara is now famous for being able to smell and hear the ice-cream truck coming from blocks away, the bloodhound for ice cream, we love it. No need for Ciara to dash blocks down the road, just leave it to Sara to show us the way.
All-in-all, a good day. I have many thoughts about needs versus wants. These people need homes, they want NOT for extravagance. Being the hands and feet of Christ is a call to a royal priesthood, supplying the needs for such a ravaged area. It is satisfying work. We are a royal priesthood amidst the rubble. God Bless all, cindy a. larson

-alex anderson-

After our teams morning breakfast, our entire group was sent into the neighboring church to receive our projects. We were met by four other groups where everyone was anxiously awaiting to get started on the houses. I was in charge of three other group members which consisted of Kip Roozen, Cindy Larson and of course Kayla Wingen. Our group was lead by a older gentleman named Ozzie. Unlike the rest of the group, Ozzie personally drove us to our worksite in the project vehicle which was an interesting time with the jokester Kip sitting in the front. We actually began working in a nearby suburb called Jefferson which was located just outside of New Orleans. Although I was ready for just about anything, what I saw and experienced at this house was something I will never forget. As we pulled up next to the house we were met by the house owner named Thomas who was extremely happy and gratefull to see us. As he showed us his "house" I looked around at the other team members and I could tell they were in just as much shock and disbelief as me. The "house" was completely dismantled with scraps of wood, tarp, plastic and in some areas there was nothing at all, leaving unfixed holes. The inside was uneven with no doors, elictricity, plumbing, and garbage was scattered everywhere. The backyard was where all Thomas and his wife's remaining possesions layed scattered. Their closet was built next to their house with scrap pieces of wood. What made this experience unforgettable was the relationship formed with Thomas and his current fight for survival he expereinces on a daily basis. He currently lives in camper that is placed next to his house. Unfortunatly, FEMA will be coming on the following Tuesday to take the camper away. He will then be forced to live in his unfinished house where he informed me him and his wife will be sleeping on the floor in their bathroom, which was the only room in the house that was sided and some sheetrock up. He explained that sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to survive. Their is no furnature in the house and the only thing they had to hold onto was the thought of other volunteers coming to help them. We informed Thomas that we would do our best to help him and his struggling family. We didnt even know where to begin but after about three hours of work an electricain came and told us he plans to take down what little sheetrock they already had in order to finish the wiring process. At that time we were informed we had to pack our tools and head to the next house on the list. We walked over to Thomas and told him the bad news, however he was still happy we came and inspired that people still cared about him and his family. The home we provided him will hopefully last him until the next group comes. Before we left I told him this, although I come from across the country one thing remains the same, the God in Sioux Falls, South Dakota is the same God in New Orleans, Lousiana, and that no matter what if you hold on to Him everything will work out. At that time we left for the next house on the list. I will never forget my experience with Thomas and neither will the team members who joined me on this unforgettable experience.

Family, friends, and church I love you and goodnight!