2017: Update #1 Down in Louisiana

Today is actually Day 4 from my "normal" life.  Jen drove us to a hotel close to the airport so we could catch a very early flight--first to Houston then on to New Orleans where we spent the night & then called for an Uber ride to Denham Springs- about 1 and 1/2 hours from NO and our home with AHV (All Hands Volunteers).  It is basically a warehouse that has been turned into a church.  There are about 30 kids housed here right now...up to 60 at highest #.  Tarps divide the areas up a bit but it is mostly a mass of blowup beds, cots, tents and gobs of belongings surrounded each.  Since we'd asked ahead, we got the "sick" room (at least until they need it again.). It is a church adult Sunday school room:  no windows but carpet, lamp, outdoor furniture.  Our Amazon bedding order was here and ready to put on our blow up mattresses so we are real comfy.  AHV has use of a large kitchen so our first job here was making chicken-vege soup and organizing the kitchen.  With only kids here...you can imagine the mess.  The 5 o'clock meeting was held in the lounge area which is eight old couches facing the work board.  The days accomplishments were cheered, needs we assessed and tomorrow jobs' were assigned. As in the Philippines, we are in awe with how a group of kids from all over just take the ball and run with it!    

Day 2 started around 8 after everyone had fixed their own breakfast, done their dishes and loaded the work vans.  Rog and I were on Dottie & Taiki's team putting up dry wall at Janet's home.  Janet is a single, disabled 56 year old whose house had been flooded by 5 1/2 feet of water.  She had no flood insurance as she'd never had any water issues before.  She got some FEMA money but not enough.  She was tickled to have 9 of us there and she kept bringing us treats and hugs.  She freely shared her life story spicing it up with southern slang as we feasted on the fried chicken that she had ordered for us.  Louisiana comfort food and company.  By 4 o'clock we were ready to head back and take a shower in the shower trailer parked outside the AHV site and be served a dinner that had been prepared by a few of the kids.  After our nightly meeting, we got acquainted with a few more AHV but our tired bodies didn't last long. 
 Next morning Rog got in the van headed to do more dry wall while I stayed back to help with the move.  AHV had planned to end this project on 1/30 but got last night that more funding came through so they were excited to be extending it until 3/1.  This was great news for us as our tickets to be out of here were for 2/16.  Hanging loose works again!  AHV was asked to move the sleeping area and tool storage to a different section of the church, so my crew worked on that.  We also sanitized brooms that had been used during the mucking out stage.  I helped with dinner and we both were on clean up.  After the meeting, a bunch of us watched Twister on TV...since we were on a tornado watch for the second night in a row.  One hit last night two hours from here.  Brandon and three others will be leaving tomorrow morning to assess the need for another AHV site in Mississippi.  It'll be his 6th time this year.  
Sunday--day off.  We woke to the sound of choir practice then went for a walk to get the lay of the land nearby.  Flood damage is mostly debris near here.  Near Janet's house, there were lots of FEMA trailers parked beside gutted homes with broken windows...and piles & piles & piles of trash.  Made phone calls home, did our wash, writing and enjoyed down time with other volunteers & feeling good about being here!

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