Friday, June 26th

Play Day!

After a leisurely breakfast, we loaded up the vans for our play day. On the way, we pulled off Claiborne Avenue into one of Habitat for Humanity's first post-Katrina New Orleans project, the Musicians' Village. Brightly colored houses, funky art work, and new life for an old, nearly destroyed neighborhood.

Then on to the swamp, where we were loaded onto 4 different fan boats, and whisked out into the swamps near Lafitte, about an hour south of the city. The pilots of our fan boats got us into see alligators (one of our groups saw a 12 footer!). Alligator trivia: you can estimate the length of a young alligator by looking at its head. However many inches it is from the tip of the gator's snout to right between the gator's eyes is about the number of feet the alligator is long. So if it measures, say, 8 inches from snout to between the eyes, it is most likely about 8 feet long.

Great lunch at a spot near our launch site, then the drive back to the university, and a supper of a variety of po'boys and barbecue. "Rookie Skits" were outstanding, and then we finished the evening with some community reflection on the week and our time together.

Tomorrow morning, an early breakfast, packing up and cleaning up, our closing worship time, lunch, then the flight home. So far, the plane is on time. Flight information reminder:

American Airlines Flight 1944 Departs New Orleans 5:15 PM

Arrives O'Hare 7:39 PM

Thursday, June 24

Hot, Hot, Hot! The newspapers here said Wednesday was the hottest day on record ever in New Orleans, and today was not really substantially better. The heat has started taking its toll a bit; we are more tired more quickly, with a couple of headaches and a couple of upset stomachs. But we finished working today, and will do some playing tomorrow.

We met the president of the St. Bernard Parish -- the rough equivalent to the Chair of our County Board -- after work this afternoon. He told us some remarkable stories of the recovery, and thanked us for being part of the ongoing effort.

Tonight after dinner we gathered for "Senior Night," and told our 9 seniors present (Jamie and Matt Bender, Emily Gardner, Christina Johnsen, Mark Kunberger, Katie McGovern, Emma and Sam Noble, and Lena Walsh) how much they mean to the community and how much they will be missed. This is always a powerfully emotional time for the group, and, as I write this, they are finally all getting to sleep and ready to go tomorrow.

Swamp tour tomorrow!

Wednesday, June 24th

Two thirds of the group started our day with a side trip to Shell Beach, east and a little north of where most of our house worksites are. All of our groups that have traveled to NOLA have made a stop here, which is home to a large memorial cross and monument to those in the parish who died in Katrina. A few of the last names of those lost in the story were the same as the names of the homeowners we're working with, so that gave some of our group another opportunity to feel the deeply personal connection so many here still have to that storm.

A couple of our groups went and visited one of the houses our groups worked on in the spring, and were pleased to find the homeowners waiting for only their final electrical hook-up so that they could move home. Our crews got to see again first hand how their work will eventually impact another family.

Tonight we spent some time with Colleen Morgan, the young woman who is living out her vision with Bayou Rebirth. She spoke with us for nearly an hour, sharing with us not only some of the behind the scenes details of the work we're doing with her, but also some of the complexity of the issues and problems that go along with bayou reclamation. The kids were attentive, asked great questions, and, I think, learned a lot.

Before we called it a night, we split up into our workgroups and reviewed important things we have learned. Ask them when the get home what they talked about... they are far more articulate than some of us give them any credit for.

Tomorrow, our last full work day, a meeting with the president of the St. Bernard Parish, and an opportunity to thank the seniors for their excellent leadership with the Youth Community,

Tuesday, June 23

How hot was it? Well, the sign at the Kentucky Fried Chicken place on Judge Perez Highway said 108 degrees, and members of our group were out on the bayou with absolutely no shade, or in houses with no electricity, or in attics doing abatement work, or out collecting trash and garbage from worksites, or any number of other places, so it was probably hotter than that. It's a challenge staying hydrated, though, for the most part, everybody hung in pretty well.

The bayou was something. More mud than one can imagine, great work... HOT work. Another group heading that way tomorrow.

After everyone returned to the University, showered up and ate dinner, our friend Amanda, the volunteer coordinator at St. Bernard project, and one of the residents of the parish, 15 year old Leslie, spent a little more than an hour with us. They led an activity that helped spur conversation about the nature of the work we're doing and our impressions of things so far. Then young Leslie told us her story, and you could have heard a pin drop in that room. We'll try to post a video of part of Leslie's talk (not sure I know how to do that, but we'll try).

Back at it in the morning. The group is coming together nicely.

Monday, June 22nd

An incredibly full day began with a great breakfast at the University Center, and then off to St. Bernard Project for our orientation. Even after a few other post-Katrina trips, it still is remarkable to witness the commitment of the AmericaCorps young people who act as site supervisors, the determination and compassion of the people in St. Bernard, who New York Times reporter and St. Bernard native calls "The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayou." Not a mile or two from the converted warehouse that serves as the SBP's headquarters is the battlefield where then General Andrew Jackson teamed up with the pirate Jean Lafitte at the Battle of New Orleans at the close (actually after the official close -- thanks for that heads up!) of the War of 1812. That is still at the core of how many people here see themselves, and has, I think, more than a little to do with their determination and hard work to rebuild and renew.

After orientation, it was off to worksites, and, after lunch, a quick trip to the Lower 9th ward to see where the levee and seawall protection broke down, and to witness the uneven rebuilding there. We took some time to see and hear what happened during and immediately after Katrina, and spent a moment praying for those who were lost, and for those who were determined to rebuild.

And then (how cool is this?!) we went to a "Welcome Home" ceremony for the little family who own the 221st house completely renewed by the St. Bernard Project. We saw our old friends Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney, founders of SBP, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan, who was volunteering with his wife and two kids today. CNN was there covering the event, and we got to meet the family and some other great old friends for whom this work has obviously become a calling.

Then, back to the University to clean up, dinner, and a quick Monday evening stroll through the French Quarter. Back to work by 8 tomorrow. The group is on it's way, coming together pretty well, and working very, very hard. They are a great joy.

Sunday, June 21st

Happy Father's Day!

Our crew arrived at O'Hare early this morning, and in record time went through security. No incidents, nobody got lost -- outstanding all around!

We went directly from the New Orleans Airport to Downtown NOLA, near the aquarium and RiverWalk. There we grabbed a quick lunch and boarded the Creole Queen, a paddlewheel riverboat, for a cruise up and down the mighty Mississippi.

Part of the Riverboat cruise was a visit to Mardi Gras World, where a lot of the floats for the parades are designed and stored. Very cool and very weird.

After all that we found our way to the University of New Orleans, moved into our digs at Ponchatrain Hall, ate dinner, and started getting acclimated to our home for the week.

Tomorrow morning, orientation at St. Bernard Project, a possible opportunity to meet the Secretary for Housing and Urban Development, the start of our work projects, and a visit from a special guest tomorrow evening. We're off to a great start.