All I can say is holy cow! I just got a culture shock! I never would have expected to see the things I have, but there is where the TV news ends and real life begins.
I got here late in the afternoon on Sunday and of course got lost! Used my GPS in the phone to get to the camp, and in order to get here I had to drive right through the lower 9th ward! There are peope living in trailers still in front of their homes, and some still sitting looking shell shocked if you can belive that. So much devastation still exists, and this is not going to get done anytime in the near future from the way it looks.
There are a number of groups here working, both local Bernards Parish and other places. Kudo's to the poeple from Americorps, these are the ones working projects in St. Bernard, they along with some of the locals here cook, and do many other things to keep the hundreds of volunteers here a well oiled machine and keep Camp Hope a success for those who come here to work and help.
I found out last night that there are still poeple who just got back into their homes! Also, there is much going on and of course the locals and the leadership in the parish have some different views, these are all things that I think would go on no matter what. The thing is most of these people and their immediate families are all from long lines of born and raised here, and so many live so close to each other that they had no place to go, yet they do not want to leave here. They want and need to rebuild their lives right here where their roots and lives are from.
It is very overwhelming to see, but here are some pictures I took on my way here and also pics of Camp Hope where I am staying. I plan on going out on my MC today and getting a better feel of the land and probably will take more pictures to post.
HFH doesn't work on Sunday or Monday, but the fun starts tomorrow . I report to Musicians Village to work at 0800.
Later,
Vickie
I got here late in the afternoon on Sunday and of course got lost! Used my GPS in the phone to get to the camp, and in order to get here I had to drive right through the lower 9th ward! There are peope living in trailers still in front of their homes, and some still sitting looking shell shocked if you can belive that. So much devastation still exists, and this is not going to get done anytime in the near future from the way it looks.
There are a number of groups here working, both local Bernards Parish and other places. Kudo's to the poeple from Americorps, these are the ones working projects in St. Bernard, they along with some of the locals here cook, and do many other things to keep the hundreds of volunteers here a well oiled machine and keep Camp Hope a success for those who come here to work and help.
I found out last night that there are still poeple who just got back into their homes! Also, there is much going on and of course the locals and the leadership in the parish have some different views, these are all things that I think would go on no matter what. The thing is most of these people and their immediate families are all from long lines of born and raised here, and so many live so close to each other that they had no place to go, yet they do not want to leave here. They want and need to rebuild their lives right here where their roots and lives are from.
It is very overwhelming to see, but here are some pictures I took on my way here and also pics of Camp Hope where I am staying. I plan on going out on my MC today and getting a better feel of the land and probably will take more pictures to post.
HFH doesn't work on Sunday or Monday, but the fun starts tomorrow . I report to Musicians Village to work at 0800.
Later,
Vickie
1 comment:
I'm so excited for you, Vickie. I know that you are giving a lot of yourself there. I hope you get a lot out of this trip as well.
Marcia
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