A Labor of Love

March 17th St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans
We had green potatoes and cabbage for supper (vegetarian cabbage!?) in the kitchen. Some came with (and some got) green stuff to wear. Danny Boy was sung. Some are looking for a way to celebrate more fully this evening. That plus a hard day created lines at the showers. Women’s line 12 deep, Men’s line 3 deep. Four showers each. This camp has only 31 men and 55 women. Women care more? Men too busy? Coincidence?

Met the family that will be in the house our team is working on. Ruby, Velma, James, and son. All very nice and very appreciative. Sad story of their loss. Son swam from the superdome to the house to check it out. He said the water was gross. They are living in a “poor” apartment now. Hopefully we can help them out. Puts faces and lives in mind as we work.

Got to use power tools today. Hardboard cutters, skill saw, saws-all, and drills. Finished the hardboard underlayment for the tile in the bathroom and did the kitchen. Then made a header for an existing door that did not have a support member over it. All this in preparation for the framing inspection due some time tomorrow. We are on the list for the electric inspection. After these it will be sheetrock city. Certainly change the way we walk through the house. Instead of passing through the studs we will have to go by doors. Others did all sorts of projects on the house. Our team has 12 (including two Americorps) that Dan (our construction assistant (a Young Adult Volunteer (a Presbyterian program akin to the Peace Corps (but much smaller at 67 world wide) ) keeps on task. The generator has four cords running from it (one goes to two chargers for the battery packs). Painting, cutting, pounding, drilling, sawing, made for difficult conversations and double checking of dimensions (“Was that seven sixteenths or eleven sixteenths?”).

This evening Gloria, another Young Adult Volunteer, came by to give us a presentation on the problem of disappearing wetlands in the Gulf. Fascinating. She did a good job. Another example of human impact (with unintended consequences) on our world. She says the wetland loss (the size of the state of Delaware) since the 1860’s accentuated the impact of the hurricane. Each mile of wetland reduces the storm surge by 1 foot. Hurricane winds going over the wetlands loss their punch. The losses are manmade from controlling the Mississippi (no bank erosion, docks and dams that hold sediment back) and levees to prevent flood waters (and their delivery of sediment) out to the delta. Canals and pipeline construction in the wetlands and salt water intrusion. If only we knew. What unintentional consequences am I causing? What will I do about it?

Peter Wright, Auburn, NY

Today felt like a more productive day for our work team on State Street Drive. We learned how to lay floor tile – a knee bruising endeavor that was very satisfying by the end of the day, following a steep learning curve. A couple people learned to cut tiles for the ends of each row – harder than it looks, said Mary! Ted and Bronwyn continued to install the remaining exterior siding – large sheets of a substance that gives the appearance of stucco – a hole needs to be drilled before each screw can be applied to hold it to the wall.

The temporary stairs to the second floor have been removed, but the new stairs haven’t been installed yet. This necessitates the use of an extension ladder propped against the balcony on the front of the house to gain access to the house’s only working toilet. This is a luxury for those of us who on previous trips have worked at homes without plumbing, and the resulting need to pile into a van for a trip to a nearby Lowe’s or McDonald’s or even the local fire station to use the bathroom. Simple things make a lot of difference.

It’s a blessing to be working to help bring our family home. Due to the husband’s illness, we have not met the family, but each task is a labor of love for them.

Kim Dungey, Auburn United Methodist Church