Christina and Melissa come from California to help
December 18
Melissa waits at SFO for our flight to Baton Rouge via Memphis.
December 19
Our first view of Celebration Church in Metairie, LA, which is a suburb northwest of New Orleans.
Close up of water damage. The first line is from Katrina; the second line is from the levees breaking; the third line is from Rita.
Having witnessed the destruction and devastation in the media, Christina and Melissa felt drawn to go to Louisiana to help the recovery efforts four months after the initial impact of storm and flood. They arrived to find conditions worse than they could have imagined. Clean up has been minimal, and evidence of bureaucratic indecision is everywhere - most notably in the disrupted and upended lives of the victims, most of whom have lost everything. Lots are full of FEMA trailers which sit empty, and mile after mile of ruins, which used to be neighborhoods, remain untouched. Toxic waste has yet to be cleaned up in the unsanitized streets where children are present. People returning to the area can earn higher salaries, but the housing prices are sky high, and there is a general lack of housing. Victims will have to find alternate housing on their own once federal funding stops.
New Orleans PD and Army National Guardsmen patroled Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. Shortly after this photo was shot, a drunk and disorderly man was taken away in a paddy wagon.
December 20
After a long day of distributing clothing to families affected by the storms and flooding, Christina and Melissa found that the French Quarter was open for business, particularly on Bourbon Street!
Street signs were not good directors of post-Katrina traffic! We generally found directions didn't matter much particularly in the most devastated aress of the 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish.
The infamous Superdome, where thousands of people spent hellish days and nights waiting to be evacuated after Katrina hit.
December 21
Melissa begins to pack up the clothing to shut down the distribution center for the holidays.
After packing up and cleaning up the clothing distribution tent, Christina eats a lunch supplied by the Salvation Army for volunteers: fried chicken bits and mushy peas & carrots. YUM!
After lunch, we went on a tour of the worst affected areas. we saw house after house, block after block, neighborhood after neighborhood, mile after mile of overwhelming ruin.
Unprotected cormer houses sustained the worst damage.
Cars were tossed about by the flood waters like little toys and left perched on fences or against houses, with windows shattered, frames bent and twisted like they were made of wire.
Boats were also thrown around by the storms and flooding. People tried to launch their boats from freeway onramps to go into the flooded areas to save people. They were turned back by the Feds who required special permits. Many of these people just abandoned their boats in frustration, so when the flood waters receded, many boats were stacked up under freeways.
This car was parked in the garage, but when the flood waters came, they flipped this car upside down.
People's possessions were taken from thier homes and scattered in the streets by Mother Nature.
This is someone's front porch. Their house is gone.
This is someone's roof. Their house collapsed.
December 22
Another family waits for FEMA's assistance during the holidays.
A lot full of empty FEMA trailers.
This lady had just paid off her house and all of the contents of her house and retired. Now her insurance company is bickering about what (hurricane or flood) is responsible for the damage. She won't get any compensation at all. She lost everything and will have to begin again.
The front of this home looks ok, but the storm ravaged the back end.
but inside, there is utter ruin.
The house is still standing and seems like it might be salvageable.....
The mess inside another home....
and another.
The local sentiment.
The California Contingent (Leslie, Melissa, Lili and Christina [taking the photo]) ventured forth with stuffed bears, water, food, and toiletries to assist families who were working on their homes in the most devastated neighborhoods.
The force of the storms took down awnings........
and entire structures.
Flood waters deposited toys onto rooftops.
Animals left behind were taken care of by the SPCA - sometimes too well....
After passing out water, toys, toiletries and food in storm ravaged areas, the California Contingent take a lunch break near the French Quarter....
as they are seranaded with waltzes, carols and Disney tunes by the Steamer Natchez.
The mighty MIssissippi rolls by behind Lili, Melissa, Leslie and Christina.
The city was decked for the holidays, including the train cars going past the French Quarter.
It was business as usual for this mule.
Even the gas lights were festively festooned.
December 23
The roof above our sleeping quarters in the old gym was torn off, and we could see sky above us.
Our sleeping accomodations in the gym.
Shou takes us on a tour of Celebration Church and describes the extent of the devastation to Canadian volunteers Frank and Chris.
On our way up to the rooftop, we saw this hole in the roof.
Flood-damaged goods from neighboring businesses.
The clothing distribution tent - ready to move to another spot in the parking lot.
Disclaimer: This is a personal website of Christina Huvelle, and is independent from the school and the district, which are not responsible in any way for the content.
