A Unfortunate Reality

This morning, we broke up into groups and our group went to go see the Lower Ninth Ward where some of the worst damage was done. It was really sad to see all the damage that was done by Katrina and how much work still needs to be done. There were some new houses built (apparently some funded by Brad Pitt), and they were really interesting and modern, but they definitely didn’t fit in with the rest of the neighborhood. While we were there, we went to go check out the floodwall up close, and we took some great pictures.

We went to get some local cuisine for lunch, but we were really distracted by a giant dead cockroach we found near the bathroom.

After lunch, we went to our new worksite and met the homeowner, Sandy. She was a really amazing lady who had a lot of great stories to share with us. We painted two rooms of the main floor of the house, and we’re also going to be working on flooring in the house as well.

I felt really positive about the whole experience, because I felt like we were able to help someone who really deserved it. It was so good to see how happy she was that we were able to help in restoring her home. Today was the first time on the trip where I really felt like we were able to make a difference.

After we were done at Sandy’s, we went back to the church for dinner and some group activities. We all shared with each other as a group positive and negative experiences we’ve had on the trip so far, and I think it was another good bonding experience for us. I’m really excited for tomorrow to be able to go back and work on Sandy’s house some more.

-Nicole