Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Today we joined up with Habitat with who we’ll be for the remainder of the week. Five young men and women are supervising the construction of a Habitat ‘Village’ on Ferry Street. This area was heavily flooded and new drainage pipes have been installed with the hopes that it will be a safe area now. In other parts of New Orleans, new homes are required to be built on stilts from 3.5 – 8 feet above ground level but these are at ground level. Five homes currently under construction are scheduled to be dedicated in May with a total of 14 homes planned. Having several homes under construction at one time is very efficient for our large group of workers. (With our Idaho friends, we make up 26.)

We divided into groups according to need, so some spent their time atop houses roofing; others put in doors or windows; others picked up debris and fed the dumpsters; and others became ‘closet blockers’, preparing the way for shelves. We met J, the young single mother of a 4 y. o. son, who is to inhabit one of the homes. She works as a bank teller and is thrilled that she will have her own home. Other homes in the area have been rehabbed, but there are two yet that will be taken down after the titles have been released, at which time Habitat will get the land. Habitat has been very active in New Orleans since Katrina. Prior to Katrina they built 12 – 14 homes a year. Their goal for the five years beginning in 2007 is to build 1500 homes. Not only do they build homes, they build communities. In one area, prior to Katrina, Habitat built 25 homes in a historic district that was designated a blighted neighborhood. After completion of the homes, property values had risen by 18% and crime had fallen about 15%. It is wonderful to see this community taking shape and to know that so many families will have a brighter future.

We were expecting rain around 4 p.m., but it showed up around noon so it was a good time for lunch. The rain stopped for awhile but when we learned that tornado warnings were in effect until 4 p.m. and when the rain started up again with a vengeance, we started putting al the tools away and left the area around 1:30. Since most everyone was soaked, the hot showers at the house were a welcome treat. Since there is only one shower room, men and women follow a schedule that changes every 30 minutes. After everyone was warm and cozy again, we were free to spend the rest of the afternoon however we wished – reading, playing cards, working a jigsaw puzzle, visiting, etc.

One of the real treats of this trip is the opportunity to form new relationships with others in the Presbytery and with fellow Presbyterians from Idaho and New Orleans. Even though some of us have known each other for many years, living together provides the opportunity to know the other in new ways.

Our meals are self serve for breakfast and lunch, but dinners for the RHINO volunteers are prepared and served in the church next door. St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church has created a wonderful ministry of hospitality. Buechner said that call is lived out when a need intersects with the joy of fulfilling that need (loosely paraphrased). It seems that St. Charles Avenue Church has found and is living out of its call for this time. We are very grateful to be the recipients of this hospitality!!