University of Virginia, New Orleans Journals

Friday, January 13, 2006

Raleigh Anne Blank, College of Arts & Sciences

Our last day in New Orleans began with threatening skies and

thunderstorms. The clouds came through quickly, making it

possible for us to embark on our journey to the Ninth Ward yet

again; however, the storm did not cease until we arrived at the

site and as we traveled we continued to pass devastated homes

and businesses. As the wind howled and the rains pounded the

pavement beneath our car, the radio paused to issue a weather

warning for Jefferson Parish. The alert was almost eerie. What

had the alerts sounded like in late August?

After driving to the site we fell out of our vans tired from the

week but excited to serve yet another citizen of the city we have

called home for the past four days. We were able to complete

two houses today; one planned, another unexpected. The first

home was one we had started with earlier in the week. We

primarily worked to clear out the drywall and bathrooms that

remained in tact in the house. A word to the wise: you have no

idea how hard it is to demolish tile. After clearing the floors of

the home, we headed to yet another.

We hadn’t planned to help Darrell and his cousins but when he

asked to borrow tools we told him he could borrow us. We

entered the home to do what we’ve done day in and day out

here in the city, demolish homes.

Demolish. It seems like such a strong and harsh word but

Katrina did just that, it demolished lives. This week, we as a

group worked hard in hopes of piecing together these lives.

The future of the people we helped this week, the future of the

remaining New Orleans citizens and the future of the city itself

is uncertain and the work here is no where near completion.

However, the storm today ironically captured the essence of the

future of New Orleans because as the clouds cleared and winds

died down we saw a rainbow shining in the sky. That rainbow

symbolized the hope and history rooted deep in this city. The

beauty that followed the storm today will follow Katrina in the

days, weeks and years to come but without the help of others

there will be no rainbow, no beauty and perhaps no New

Orleans.

Original URL: http://www.virginia.edu/topnews/releases2006/NewOrleansJourn

al15.html