Because it was going to be a really rainy day, we were assigned a painting job. We helped paint rooms for the Women’s Shelter. When it opens, it will provide a place for women and their families who need emergency or transitional housing. It was hard for me to paint because I felt like I was doing a bad job and did not know how to make it better. Eventually someone came and helped me out and it didn’t look so horrible at the end. We took a break for a lunch. While my teammates sampled the local cuisine and tried out poboys, I ordered Chinese food. This was kind of strange because my team consisted of all Asians except my friend and myself. When we walked into that restaurant it was the first time we saw local Asians in New Orleans. Anyways they were kind of rude and unfriendly to us, and my teammates were surprised.
During lunch it started raining really, really hard. In about 10 minutes the street was flooding. We were sort of agonizing about how we’d get back to our car. Thankfully someone brought it closer and we only got partially drenched. We piled into the car and started driving. Then we realize that no one is sure exactly what street the shelter is on. So it truly took a team effort to make it back and finish up our day of work.
After work we drove home. Cleaned up a little bit and then went to dinner. Then we had the second night of our devotional in the laundry room, cuz the other meeting room was occupied. Oh yeah, one of the things I loved about the team was their flexibility. I don’t think I heard anyone complain about anything. This was an awesome blessing from God! So anyways we kept going thru the sermon on the mount and spent awhile talking about how to resolve conflict as believers and why it’s so bad to have anger towards others.
Next day my friend and I missed breakfast! We thought it ended at 8 but it really closed down at 7:30 so everything was cleaned up when we came out. What to do? We went to orientation for the specific work site we were going to that day. I was pretty excited that we were going to start building a house. After orientation we piled into the van and headed to work! We were all assigned various jobs to assist with the building of the roof.
The house coordinator explained what I was going to do and it seemed pretty simple. However I felt a great deal of frustration 5 minutes later. As I was trying to hammer nails into the thrust, the thrust kept moving. After this kept happening and I felt unproductive, I just climbed to the top of the house frame. That way I could hold the thrust in place with my body and hammer without it moving. Things went much faster that way although it was ten times more dangerous to do it that way. What did I care? I just wanted to get my assignment done.
After a few hours of work, we went into St. Bernard’s to find somewhere to eat. We stopped at the place which said Hot Tamales and Po Boys. A few people were determined to try the alligator sausage, which they did. Unfortunately, the place had no Hot Tamales and were a little surprised that we asked for it. After lunch it was back to work. This time another volunteer and myself were assigned the task of running a two by four along the entire length of the roof and nailing it to the thrusts in 2 feet interval. This was hard work because the thrusts move around a lot so it’s hard to make them exactly two feet apart from the previous one.
After work we went to meet the last of our teammates to arrive. That was pretty fun because we had been expecting them. We were finally complete. We went out to dinner in the French Quarter again and tried a different restaurant. Fun times. We tried really hard to share pictures with our cameras using Bluetooth but we just couldn’t figure it out. Bummer.
We went back to a spot in the French Quarters and had a time of our sharing. Basically this was the only time when all eleven of us were together. It was a sweet time of sharing how God brought each of us to New Orleans, what he was teaching us about Himself and New Orleans. After our sharing, we had a spontaneous time of praise and worship which was pretty sweet. Even though everyone seemed pretty tired before sharing as we reflected on God’s goodness through our words and songs, it seemed like people gained more energy. I really didn’t want it to end but it was getting late so we decided to head back to St. Bernard’s Parish.
It’s crazy driving to St.Bernard’s at night. I was driving and of course I got lost. But like I said the team was great cuz no one started screaming at me. It’s like midnight, it’s superdark and I can’t find the freeway. Everyone is pretty calm. I get off at a gas station cuz I want to get an address to put into google maps. We get directions and then head to our destination. I get on the freeway and it turns out it’s a toll road. So I’m kinda feeling stressed at this time cuz I’m lost and I need to pay this toll and I’m in the wrong lane for paying cash. Anyways, they suggest that I back up on the freeway and go to the right lane. The toll was only a dollar so someone gave me some cash and we were on our way. Next issue is that after you get off the freeway, you have to drive 20 miles on this highway. For about 10 miles there are minimal street lights, and no street reflectors so it’s really dark. Anyways, after all that agony, we finally made it back to Camp Hope. I have no idea why I volunteered to drive. At night, in a new place.
The next day was Wednesday. We woke up, had breakfast and then went to work all day. At exactly three o’clock, we headed back to camp because my friend and I had a flight to cash. So the team dropped us off at the airport and then they went on to dinner. I felt so much sadness leaving, because I didn’t get to see the finished roof, and I didn’t have the opportunity to talk to locals. But overall it was an amazing trip and I can’t wait to go back!!
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