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The Seed Discussion Forum / Katrina damage - Looking for the positive...
« on: September 19, 2005, 11:19:00 AM »
I got home yesterday from two weeks of working with the Red Cross in Mississippi on Hurricane Katrina Relief. I didn't make it to the coast, but was instead working in a shelter in Tupelo. After hearing all the accounts of what life is like down there right now, I'm pretty glad I didn't get to see first hand all the devastation, and from all accounts, it is far worse than anything they have been showing on the news. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is devastated.
What a wonderful, humbling, amazing and inspiring trip. I met a lot of wonderful people from Mississippi and Louisiana and worked with a great group of people from North Carolina, Maryland, Kansas and Missouri. While I'm not ready to go back, I will volunteer again in the future. The 15 hour work days even in Tupelo were exhausting, I haven't had a moment of privacy except for showers since September 6th. My quiet little house is a welcome sight.
I worked with the illiterate, the affluent, the homeless and the angry. What an amazing array of people. Tupelo is a great little town of 40,000 who opened their hearts and their doors to everyone and made everyone regardless of where they came from, what they did, who they were or weren't, feel very welcome, safe and cared for.
How did it come about that I went, I don't know, I can't explain it, it was just something that I had to do, I felt it in my heart, and knew I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't do something to help. Sending money wasn't the answer for me this time. So I went.
My mom was hospitalized while I was gone. That was tough, not knowing whether to stay or go, but in the end talked to her and her doctor and he told me to stay, so I stayed.
It's odd, how life goes on. For two weeks everyone I talked to was somehow touched by either the hurricane or the relief effort and to come home and life has gone on and no one here is affected either way, I feel like I can't talk about my experiences and the people I met and things I did. I talked with and hugged men and women who were crying over what they had lost and couldn't do for their families now, saw the dazed look of overwhelming fear and terror in so many peoples eyes, and yet again as time wore on I saw their eyes begin to light up again, knowing that they would be okay and their lives would be okay, even though so many have to start over again in their young years, middle years and twilight years. I worked with the drug addicts and con men who were just out to make a buck and play on people's emotions. I was yelled at, had fingers pointed in my face and cursed at by people who were frightened and overwhelmed or just out for something for free, and then hugged by people who were grateful that they had 5 minutes to talk with someone who cared. Everywhere I went for two weeks I had on some identifier that indicated that I was with the Red Cross. I was approached by total strangers who shook my hand, hugged me or told me what I wonderful person I was for giving my time and help, it was a very humbling experience.
And when I wasn't at the shelter I felt like I needed to be there, even if I was just wandering around talking with people during the meal times. We processed over 2000 people while I was there and I think I met them all, with so many touching my heart. We helped to set up the shelter once it was open and I was there when it was closed, helping to dismantle everything that had been put into place. It was sad and relieving at the same time to see the shelter turned back into the local auditorium, going from a bustling place with people everywhere to the quiet empty building with all its stadium seats waiting for the next concert or event.
Do I feel amazing and brave as so many people have called me, no. Was it an adventure, absolutely. Would I do it again, in a heartbeat. Am I glad to be back home, yes and no.
I talked with Chris L. while I was there. I had hoped to see him, but it didn't work out. He sounded great and his spirits were good and he's picked up that 14 year sobriety chip. Way to go Chris. Like everyone else, he's figuring out how to get on with life after such a life changing event.
I'm sad to see this recent time in my life end, but am looking forward to getting back to the little life I've carved out for myself. Hopefully in the next day or two, after a couple of days off and some much needed quiet time, I'll figure out again, what day it is and get my land legs back under me, to face this other world as it has continued. Now it's back to reality, whatever that is.
Nikki
What a wonderful, humbling, amazing and inspiring trip. I met a lot of wonderful people from Mississippi and Louisiana and worked with a great group of people from North Carolina, Maryland, Kansas and Missouri. While I'm not ready to go back, I will volunteer again in the future. The 15 hour work days even in Tupelo were exhausting, I haven't had a moment of privacy except for showers since September 6th. My quiet little house is a welcome sight.
I worked with the illiterate, the affluent, the homeless and the angry. What an amazing array of people. Tupelo is a great little town of 40,000 who opened their hearts and their doors to everyone and made everyone regardless of where they came from, what they did, who they were or weren't, feel very welcome, safe and cared for.
How did it come about that I went, I don't know, I can't explain it, it was just something that I had to do, I felt it in my heart, and knew I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't do something to help. Sending money wasn't the answer for me this time. So I went.
My mom was hospitalized while I was gone. That was tough, not knowing whether to stay or go, but in the end talked to her and her doctor and he told me to stay, so I stayed.
It's odd, how life goes on. For two weeks everyone I talked to was somehow touched by either the hurricane or the relief effort and to come home and life has gone on and no one here is affected either way, I feel like I can't talk about my experiences and the people I met and things I did. I talked with and hugged men and women who were crying over what they had lost and couldn't do for their families now, saw the dazed look of overwhelming fear and terror in so many peoples eyes, and yet again as time wore on I saw their eyes begin to light up again, knowing that they would be okay and their lives would be okay, even though so many have to start over again in their young years, middle years and twilight years. I worked with the drug addicts and con men who were just out to make a buck and play on people's emotions. I was yelled at, had fingers pointed in my face and cursed at by people who were frightened and overwhelmed or just out for something for free, and then hugged by people who were grateful that they had 5 minutes to talk with someone who cared. Everywhere I went for two weeks I had on some identifier that indicated that I was with the Red Cross. I was approached by total strangers who shook my hand, hugged me or told me what I wonderful person I was for giving my time and help, it was a very humbling experience.
And when I wasn't at the shelter I felt like I needed to be there, even if I was just wandering around talking with people during the meal times. We processed over 2000 people while I was there and I think I met them all, with so many touching my heart. We helped to set up the shelter once it was open and I was there when it was closed, helping to dismantle everything that had been put into place. It was sad and relieving at the same time to see the shelter turned back into the local auditorium, going from a bustling place with people everywhere to the quiet empty building with all its stadium seats waiting for the next concert or event.
Do I feel amazing and brave as so many people have called me, no. Was it an adventure, absolutely. Would I do it again, in a heartbeat. Am I glad to be back home, yes and no.
I talked with Chris L. while I was there. I had hoped to see him, but it didn't work out. He sounded great and his spirits were good and he's picked up that 14 year sobriety chip. Way to go Chris. Like everyone else, he's figuring out how to get on with life after such a life changing event.
I'm sad to see this recent time in my life end, but am looking forward to getting back to the little life I've carved out for myself. Hopefully in the next day or two, after a couple of days off and some much needed quiet time, I'll figure out again, what day it is and get my land legs back under me, to face this other world as it has continued. Now it's back to reality, whatever that is.
Nikki