| It is hard to sum up our experience
in only a few words. The New Orleans trip was unlike any other
trip I have ever been on. Our group was not only able to see
one of our Nation’s greatest disasters, but was also able
to take an active role in repairing the destruction. In the
course of working on 18 houses, we established extremely close
connections with the homeowners. They were strangers at the
beginning of our work, but after hearing their stories, carrying
all of their possessions out of the house and taking their home
down to the studs, we felt close to the homeowners and were
sad to leave them at the end of the day. The relationships that
our R-MC group formed were also one of a kind. Through shoveling
dry wall together, suffering through a 20 hour bus ride, playing
four square, listening to the homeowners stories, and touring
the French quarter, we were able to get to know one another
very well. I think that we have all developed a special connection
to New Orleans, the people there, and one another that will
stay with us for the rest of our lives.
From a personal standpoint, our two week trip revealed to
me that it really is better to give than to receive. It was
not easy to wake up early every morning and head out for a
six hour work day. However the reward in seeing the homeowner’s
joy in a house with a new beginning after our work was complete
was well worth the labor. If I had the chance to return to
New Orleans and do more work, I would not hesitate to go.
There is a lot of work to be done, but I am confident that
with enough helping hands, we can rebuild New Orleans.
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