New Orleans Fashion

What will the well-dressed mudder be wearing this season? Here we have a one piece coverall in a stunning shade of blue accompanied by kicky little boots in red and black. Accessories include wool hiking socks and T-shirt and hat by Samaritan's Purse. And don't forget pocket bible, hammer for killing large bugs, map, gloves, safety glasses and huge bottle of Tylenol. A pry bar would also add a dash of spice. Complete the ensemble with coveralls by House of Tyvek and respirator. With apologies to Finola Hughes, "How Do I Look?"

The well prepared mudder also comes with a variety of additional support equipment, including sleeping bag, sheets, pillow, flashlight, snacks, towel and wash cloth.

Comprehension

Sure, we've all seen a lot of hurricane pictures, but I've been told by those who have been there that even if a picture is worth a thousand words, it still doesn't show the reality of the Gulf coast. So I browsed the photos at Nola.com trying to get a handle on it. Thankfully, there are few moments in a person's life where one has to come to understand that life will never, ever be the same again. The death of a loved one, the diagnosis of a dread disease, the disappointment of a life long goal not achieved, to name a few. Multiply that by thousands of lives, thousands of homes and a much loved area of the country, with unique customs, unique food, unique architecture. Well, you get the point. Last night I was really excited about the trip, but today reality set in. Do I have enough stamina to do a good job? Can I make a difference, even to one person or one family? Who will we meet? What bonds will be formed? Seeing the humor amongst the pictures - a snow man decoration on a fallen tree, Christmas lights among the destruction, a list of restaurants open again...These are one tough people. They will survive. Let's help them get there.

Ouch!

Went down to the health department today to update my tetanus shot. They are waiving the clinic visit fee ($20) for those doing relief work. (Still have to pay for the cost of the shot.) So I got punctured 3 times: tetanus, flu shot and Hepatitis A (the food borne kind). Already have had the Hep. B series. Might as well stay as healthy as possible!

New Orleans

Met the other team members today. There are 5 men and 3 women. Our trip will take us from Pasco, WA to Salt Lake City to Atlanta to New Orleans. We will leave early in the morning on Monday, Jan. 23 and get there late in the afternoon. We will rent a car and stay at a hotel that night. On Tuesday, we travel to Gretna, where Samaritans Purse camp is located for the New Orleans relief effort. They will dispatch us to jobs in New Orleans each day. They will also feed and house us for the time we are there. Our job will involve ripping out wallboard, insulation, carpets. They tell us that even if we finish just one house, that is good. Imagine that one house multiplied by the thousands that need cleanup. Then there are the ones that will just be bulldozed. It is daunting. We need to get a tetnus shot, bring boots, sleeping bag, sheets, pillow, towels. They supply the Tyvek suits and respirators. We hope to bring some comfort and hope to the people we meet. Please keep our team in your prayers.