On Site

February 26, 2008

It has been a busy 2 days. Each day we arrive at Camp Victor by 6am. A short devotional time is followed by breakfast. The varied groups appear geared for the day’s challenges. There are student groups on winter break from 3 Lutheran colleges in Minnesota and California, there is a Mennonite group of youth, and the rest of us appear to be retired folk. One group is from Spanaway Lutheran (Ivar and Camille’s church) and Pastor Arne is here. His wife, Susan, worked with me at Sunrise as a fifth grade teacher. After breakfast we meet and organize for the efforts of the day. This is an amazing time. Imagine an organization trying to direct the 200 volunteers and send them to the correct site with the right tools and supplies for the day’s task. At about 8, we depart Camp Victor.

Barb and I again have been blessed to be placed with a wonderful group. We have joined eight adults that are from Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City, GA. Jack was wearing a GT hat the first day and we engaged in conversation with him, Russ, Donna, Sue, Bob, Dave, Ron and Wayne. They invited Barb and me to join them in their tasks. This group of professional people, all with tech and/or airline connections, do not mind getting their hands dirty. And they like to have fun. The burden of the difficult tasks we are undertaking and the tough situations in which we work is greatly reduced by the great humor and positive spirits of these people. The banter is nonstop, the support and encouragement consistent. Most have been here and at other hurricane relief sites several times.

Linda’s house has been sitting in a devastated condition for 2 ½ years. She lives about 20 miles from Camp Victor and the efforts of the organization have finally reached her neighborhood. She resides in a makeshift FEMA trailer hooked into her water, electrical, and sewer system. Her house sits nearby in shambles.

It was not much of a house to begin with. Her 100 year old structure is simple and was the home in which she was raised and later raised her children. “My house,” she said. “It’s not much but it is all that I had.” Much of the tainted material (rugs, sheetrock, etc.) has been removed, but it now stands with bare framed walls, a roof, and not much else.

As we pulled up to her house she was sitting on the porch in her rocker. She identified us right away and she waved us in. As we stepped out of the car she greeted us with, “God Bless,” and she gave each of us a big hug. She is not proud of her condition but she remarked that God had comforted her and given her patience. “It is going to be better, thank the Lord. You are going to make it better, thank you.” Russ, the organizer, got us going on the sheetrock process.

Our two days here have been difficult but very rewarding. A major part of the joy comes from the group with whom we are working. Their experience shows and most of the day is spent on productive tasks. But the Camp Victor side is rewarding as well. The profound message in word and action is displayed in all phases of work. The cooking, cleaning, organizing, and the back breaking work is done by the volunteers that are here this week. There is a small and efficient staff present that has set up the infrastructure and who monitor and direct the ongoing varied activities.

There have been two presentations regarding Katrina since we have been here. One was a very amateurish video that was shot by a staff member the day and night of the storm. He hunkered down with his wife and 2 children to ride out the storm. They had ridden out other storms and felt anxious but confident that they would be safe. As the storm increased and the video progressed, you could see the demeanor of the family change to stark fear. The family, at the peak of the storm which lasted several hours, huddled in the bathroom as trees fell on their house and the storm surge, which had never reached their house in previous storms, lapped at their front door. They survived but will never stay home for another serious hurricane.

The second was a video produced by a local TV station. Again, the production piece begins before the storm and the evacuation message is given with the understanding that some would stay and ride out the storm. Again, as the video progresses, the seriousness of the announcers intensifies as they realize the danger that they are in.

Katrina is so unique. It is now the benchmark of all storms. Lessons learned. Failures acknowledged. Recovery ongoing.