Our team delivered two big plastic tubs of toys and books to MLF today and we loaded them into the Canteen truck--along with nearly 200 sandwiches we had made at Trinity Episcopal Church (built in the 19th century for new Irish protestant immigrants), chips, oranges, cookies, bottled water, etc. A well-oiled machine, we had all the sandwiches done in/loaded in less than 90 minutes.
Today we set out to provide lunches to other other groups doing constructions work--in the Lower Ninth Ward, Center City and Gentilly. We drove through lots of very, very sad neighborhoods--so many houses still abandoned and still showing the slash marks spray-painted by the Search-and-Recover teams nearly 3 years ago. Some new housing, don't get me wrong, stuff is being done. But at this rate, it will be decades before the city is whole. Yet we have to be reminded that some of the houses were untouched by water and looked like this before the storm.
The last stop was the best. We had extra sandwiches and were able to give them to folks who lived in the neighborhood. Two 85-year old ladies shuffled out in their bedroom slippers. Then more men and women... They had obviously waited until the volunteers were fed and came up to the truck just hoping... We were Blessed so many times that we're certain to make it to heaven now! No one left without a sandwich or two or four. Many of our toys and books have already found a home--two men (a father and an uncle) spent more time choosing toys and took more kid-gifts with them than sandwiches.
It's good work. I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Thanks for this description of the new project. It sounds like you are seeing a lot of New Orleans and doing some essential work feeding people. We are proud of you all and grateful for all you are doing.
Post a Comment