A Day In The Journey

Well, it's been a little while since I posted, mostly because I've been buried in the Iliad. Not that it's bad to be buried in the Iliad, but I do get myself overwhelmed in research, etc. Since my last post, here's the main news:
Two Saturdays ago I helped people from the shelters register at the FEMA trailer park in Baker, Louisiana. After five weeks in shelters, these people were ready to have their own space, even if it is just a travel trailer. The facility is actually going to be quite nice--almost like an apartment complex. A catering company is providing three meals a day to the residents, they have a small building with washers and dryers set up, and soon will have a small community center for the residents. There were, of course, a few people who were unsatisfied with anything they have been offered--finding fault in the trailer, wanting something different--but that is to be expected, really. For many, they are so frustrated with everything that they just don't feel like being nice about anything. And then there are just those who are never grateful no matter what happens to them. But for the most part, people were just genuinely happy to have something that is theirs--a space for them and their families, some privacy most of all. Some of these people were just heartbreakers--many people, including blacks (regardless of media frenzy), had to leave behind middle class jobs and middle class houses, decent schools for their kids--not that the losses of porr people are less dark for them, but somehow seeing a family used to a roomy house, people who had jobs to go to where they were useful, relegated to travel trailers was really hard. Maybe that makes me a classist, I don't know. Of course, I get very bothered by the media attention on only poor blacks. I'm not trying to deny that there is a segment of New Orleanian population that is poverty stricken, and that much of that population is black. That's true. The problem is it does such a disservice to the many--and I mean many--working class and upper class black families that have lost everything. You'd think black "leaders" would want to show the tragic losses of succesful black families instead of characaturing all black in N.O. as poor. But then, I suppose I'm execting too much. It's just irresponsible to ignore a large segment of the population as though their losses aren't important. Some of the greatest destruction was in working class and upper class subdivisions--where not only white, but asian and black families lived. And regardless of what the media seems to think, these losses are the worst for N.O. After all, these people live in these neighborhoods because they own businesses there. They are the employers of the city. Anyway, enough of my little rant. The poverty of N.O. is a terrible reality, but it isn't the only part of reality, either.
At any rate, I was thoroughly blessed by my day at the trailer park. What never ceases to amaze me is the fellowship of believers. Not only were there several believers there from the area volunteering, there was a church group from New Jersey that had come down for the week to help at the park. I am always fascinated that you can meet believers from anywhere in the world and it doesn't really seem like you've just met. The common bond of Christ is fascinating. Working with these people was such a blessing. And meeting evacuees was a blessing, too. Such a reminder to me of what God has given me.
This past Saturday, my parents went to meet my uncle, aunt and grandmother in Metarie. Dad said her house isn't too bad. All the floors are a loss and most of the furniture (only a couple of peices were salvageable). The appliances and bottom kitchen cupboards were destroyed (and gross). My uncle's friend, Jack, is going to renovate for her--he wants to update the floorplan while he's at it and she's a little unsure--frankly, I think she's still in shock about everything. They also drove through the neighborhoods where they grew up (both of my parents grew up in N.O.). Dad said it was like a plague movie. Everything is dead--trees, grass. He said there weren't any cats or dogs, very few squirrels (which is really bizarre) and almost no birds. The water line on the house where my dad grew up in Gentily was just over the eaves--this is a house up on about three feet of pilings (like most houses there). The "no people, no pets" designation was spray painted on the top of the gable--because that's where the boat was when they got there to hack open the roof. The house had just been purchased and renovated by a young man for his soon-to-be wife. Now everything is gone, covered in mildew and bold. The house my great-grandmother used to live in is almost as bad--it was about a foot higher than my grandmother's old house. He said they drove through Lakeview and Bucktown--everything is covered in inches of mildew and dust. He said he seriously expected zombies to start appearing from behind the houses. Everything was just a bleak wasteland. The Baptist Seminary was completely flooded. All the crepemyrtles that used to line Elysian Fields avenue are just gone--killed by the saltwater floods of Katrina, blown down by Rita. I was afraid to ask about the oaks in City Park. Dad has to go back to pick up his truck (he left it at Jiffy Lube to get the fluids changed--it flooded up to the transmission)--I hope to go with him and take pictures. Ya'll have to understand, these are places I grew up around. I can't really even fathom it all being dead, houses with water lines at the eaves, mud covering everything. It's just unbelievable. I'm not even sure that seeing it will make the pieces fit.

On a far lighter note--a survey I stole from a friend
1. What is your full name? renee annette doiron
2. What color pants are you wearing? denim
3. What are you listening to right now? local news
4. What was the last thing you ate? goldfish
5. Do you wish on stars? yes
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? silver, it's glittery
7. How is the weather right now? absolutely lovely
8. Last person you spoke to on the phone? my uncle David
9. Do you like the person who sent this to you? of course
10. How old are you today? 27
11. Favorite drink? cherry limeade
12. Favorite sports? soccer and baseball
13. Hair color? mousy blonde
14. Do you wear contacts? no
15. Siblings? younger brother, younger sister
16. Favorite month? august
17. Favorite food? my mom's jambalaya
18. What's the last movie you have seen? troy
19. Favorite day of the year? halloween :)
20. What do you do to vent anger? if sarcasm doesn't work, yell
21. What was your favorite toy as a child? my little pony
22. Summer or winter? summer
23. Hugs or kisses? hugs, usually
24. Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate
25. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure thing
26. Who is most likely to respond? i skip this question
27. Who is least likely to respond? ditto
28. When was the last time you cried? saturday night at A Chorus Line
29. What is under your bed? crap, and my design files
30. Who is the friend you have known the longest? ummm, and still contact regulary? margaret villagomez
31. What did you do last night? helped my brother with papers
32. What are you afraid of? being useless, hights, rejection
33. Plain buttered or salted popcorn? buttery (but kettlecorn is even better)
34. Favorite car? bentley two-door
35. Favorite flower? lily-of-the-valley
36. Number of keys on your key ring? 7 or 8, i think
37. How many years at your current job? some months
38. Favorite day of the week? tuesday
39. What did you do on your last birthday? pitched my literature co-op at a home school meeting
40. How many states have you lived in? 2: Louisiana and Florida
41. How many cities have you lived in? 5: Lafayette, La.; Baton Rouge, La.; Walker, La.; Denham Springs, La.; Pensacola, Fl.
42. What is your favorite football team? if i really cared about football, i guess i'd have to go with LSU
43. What is your favorite candy? reese's pieces, or dots