NORP 07

For my Spring Break in 2007 Cindy and I led a team to New Orleans to aid in the relief effort. We both went the year before (well, I went to New Orleans, and Cindy went to Biloxi, right?) and had incredible experiences.

The preparation for the trip was a little intense at the time... we needed to raise about $800 in support for each person going.. The year before, one of our friends put on a talent show to raise funds, so we decided to do the same.

we had so many great people put on performances! it was a really fun night.. we also had a service auction.. people would bid on things that others could do for them. We had apartment cleaning, writing help, a running buddy, cooking lessons, a chauffer, help with resume writing, and I made a home cooked southern meal.

One of the things we did to raise support was talk to several local businesses to see if they would want to sponsor us. Many of them gave us gift cards to their stores.. Moe's, Amoeba, Rasputin, etc. so we were able to raffle off those as prizes! I remember one day I was walking up and down Telegraph getting rejection after rejection from businesses, and I was so burnt out and tired from walking.. I was trying to decide if I should just stop for that day, go home and rest, or keep going. I had already skipped several classes that day to talk to businesses, and I felt like I needed to press on even though I was physically and emotionally exhausted. But as I was wrestling with myself it started hailing.. i know.. I have never seen it hail in Berkeley except for that day. So I stood in a doorway until it finally stopped.. and took that as a sign that I should go home and rest.. haha

We ended up getting all of our support, and some came from really unexpected places. At the time, I was working as an intern at a firm in Oakland, and told one of my coworkers in passing about what I was doing for Spring Break.. The day after I was caught in the hail, he gave me a check that completely covered one person's entire trip. It was so so so cool to see God working in others, and see that I, in my limited abilities and stamina, can only do so much. But HE is soooo much greater than me and everyone, that HE can move mountains, and does!

apparently, I kept all of the info we received.. from emergency contacts, to maps.. Because I was the only one over 21 with a license, I had the privilege of being the driver of the rental mini-van.. so we had lots of maps.. hah

and then the instructions on how to properly gut a house.. priceless. This year was a little different from the last.. It had been a year and half since Katrina, and the city was a little more put together than the last time I was there.. We actually stayed in a hotel, and were able to take a shower every night.. instead of in 2006 when we stayed in an old warehouse and had portable tent showers, with no heat.. I think I took 2 showers that week.. haha
It was also different because we had to wear these intense face masks to protect our lungs from the mold.. before, we just used the little paper ones you got from the hardware store.

one of my film prints from the trip
those are some tough looking girlies!

This was a church in the lower ninth ward, about 100 yards from the levy. Not much had changed after a year. I would really like to go back now and see what is in its place..

march 5, 2006

March 28, 2007