3 Years After Hurricane Katrina

Yesterday we volunteered at a home that had been affected by Hurricane Katrina. It was one of the most rewarding and disappointing experiences I have had in awhile. It felt great to be able to help a family that really needed help in getting their home back in order. The house was rewired so that it could have electricity, insulation and dry wall was put up, there were fence post holes were dug, the decaying gutter was removed, and the inside of the house was tidied up. There was a sense of accomplishment as we completed various tasks.

However, it was disappointing that for as much work as we had done there was still so much that was needed. I'm not just speaking about that particular home, but in the entire city of New Orleans. With as much rebuilding that was going on, there was like 3 times as much that wasn't happening. The neighborhood we were in was so empty. There were no people just hanging out and socializing on the street; there were no children riding bikes and playing around. It was like the neighborhood was simply a ghost town. Life had left the neighborhood and I'm not sure if it'll ever completely return. I truly wonder if the city of New Orleans will ever be the way it was.