IOCC's "Volunteer in the Gulf Coast"

Jim's personal journal from the week.

April 29 - May 5, 2007

Saturday

Saturday morning was full of frenetic activity as we tried to complete our various tasks. The men were hanging doors and the women were making window sills. But finally it was time to go. For the team the good byes were hard, because the week had created new friendships. For the Habitat employees and local help it was all much easier because they’d been through this Saturday routine a hundred times before.

One of the rules was that the refrigerator had to be empty when we left. But there was a lot of food left over. We couldn’t just throw it into the dumpster, so on our way to the airport we made a final stop at the house where Seniorita and Shelby currently live. “You’re the only people we know with a refrigerator. Would you like to have our left overs?” So, the Reimonenqs got our food and we headed for the airport.

It was all rather anti-climactic. Brenda and I had our car, so we were the chauffeurs for the week. Airport parking was expensive, so we just dropped Jeff and Penny at their respective airlines, with hugs all around, and drove off back toward the interstate.

And that’s how it is with Habitat volunteers in New Orleans. They come and they go. They appear and disappear with little fanfare, but with great regularity. Hardly anyone notices. But when they do, the locals seem deeply appreciative. And in the end, a great deal of work gets done.

In spite of all my misgivings, I would do it all over again.

Copyright © 2007 James E. Nelson (Just Another Jim). All Rights Reserved.
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