[StBernard] Mission trip brings great memories

[Westley Annis]

>From West Texas A & M School Newspaper


Mission trip brings great memories
Juanita Garza
Before I found out that I was going to Chalmette, Louisiana for Spring
Break, which is about 30 minutes from New Orleans, I never really imagined
how bad things really were from the hurricanes until I saw it first hand.

I was so nervous along with the other 29 people I went with. Going on this
mission trip, we didn't know what to expect; all we knew was that we were
staying in a tent city.

Well at the last minute things changed and we were told due to weather that
we would be staying in an elementary school.

So we had lodging taken care of but how would I react to the devastation?

On TV almost daily you would see footage of New Orleans and think, "wow
they've lost everything."

It took haven experience what I did, to realize how much I didn't appreciate
my life or my family. While I was there I was almost numb of any emotion at
all.

It wasn't until we were leaving and I was helping a lady from St. Bernard
Parish that was telling me her story of how lonely she was and how much she
lost and never appreciated it until it was gone.

It was then that it hit me that in my own life I would have been her if
something that devastating had happened to me. Her home was completely
destroyed and her family was all separated when they used to be only five
minutes away from one another.

While in Chalmette our group along with 500 to 700 students from all around
the country came for their Spring Break to help make a difference and try to
help rebuild the city.

Our group broke up into several groups with a group called Pastors Resource
Council Compassion, which was started by local New Orleans pastors who had a
vision to not only help rebuild the community but to also see a revival come
to the city.

They provide food, water and through volunteers like us, help the rebuilding
process move more quickly by gutting houses, and doing all the necessary
things to gain back some sort of normality in their lives.

I worked in the PRC tent that was set up like a grocery store where everyday
people could come in to stock up on food and water, also breakfast and lunch
was served everyday.

It was funny because the tent was set up in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

Pastor Randy made a comment on Sunday in church that you will always
remember your time in Chalmette because you can say that you worshiped God
in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

I have to say that I would not have wanted to spend my Spring Break any
other way. I was truly blessed by all the people I came in contact with.

I wasn't just there to provide their meal but just be an ear to listen to
them and pray with them.

I got plenty of opportunities to pray with several people, it was amazing
how hungry people are for the word of Christ. It just took me asking people
how their day was going to get them to open up and be vulnerable with a
stranger.

Of course a few would come in angry with the same food they've been getting
every week, and you just have to be graceful and just let them vent.

You could never understand the pain they were going through but just caring
enough to talk to them, gave them peace and put a smile on their faces.

They started the day that would begin like any day that was hopeless and by
coming to see us would leave them with peace.

A lady told us that the week before a group was working in there and they
didn't even treat them as humans, they would just give them their food and
that was it, so it was a wonderful change for them to see all these college
students serving them.

While we were down there I celebrated my 22 birthday, and a friend of mine
asked me if it was weird spending it there. I told her no because instead of
me receiving something I was able to give to those who needed it most. It
was the best gift I could have ever gotten. What amazed me still was on
Sunday they had a St. Patrick's Day parade with huge floats and they were
throwing beads and get this, cabbages, potatoes and carrots.

Apparently they were used to making a stew of some sort that was common in
Louisiana. It was so much fun, and for a while we forgot all about the
destruction that surrounded us. But what was amazing about it all was the
spirit of the people.

They were having a good time and just happy. It occurred to me after I got
hit in the head with a carrot that thanks to this parade more people were
going to be able to eat that night and probably for the next couple of
nights.

By the way, my forehead is doing just fine now. We all left that day with
tons of beads and tasted a small portion of what Chalmette had to offer.

Later that week people would come in and say that that parade was just a
small piece of what they used to look like down there.

I remember one old man telling us how thankful he was that we would spend
our Spring Break with them instead of going out and getting drunk or raped.

I was like wow! Many people were thankful and much appreciated that we spent
our time with them, but only time will tell what the Lord has in store for
the people of Louisiana.

I had a wonderful time meeting these people and I must say that a mission
trip is not just going out of the country but also in your own backyard. The
community and bond these people had were stronger than any hurricane.

As long as they had each other nothing else mattered. Yes, they were tired
and frustrated with not having any where to go, since a lot of people didn't
have FEMA trailers, but their love for their community was very evident.

One lady told us that she was getting by but would not go anywhere else
because this had been her home since the 1950s and she was not leaving.

A lot of people felt that way. No one wanted to leave what was so dear to
them. I was just thinking if that was me would I come back to rebuild
knowing that someday something like this could happen again?

I had a very memorable time in Chalmette and I will never forget the faces
of such devastated people. I definitely would like to go back and visit all
the people who became my family again.

They all were so excepting of us and never gave us any reason to feel
ashamed or treat them like we were doing them a favor by being there. 

Garza is Prairie copy editor