NOLA

I really had an amazing experience in NOLA this past week. I really enjoyed how we were able to volunteer through different programs throughout the week and was able to see different needs that New Orleans faces besides rebuilding homes. The first day of volunteering, I was able to go and work on a house with a few other Bonners. We mudded and painted the rooms of the house and really put our best effort into our work since we wanted to help as much as we can in the one day. Our homeowner was there so we got to talk to him throughout the day and learn of his experience during and after Hurricane Katrina. He had to tear down his house and rebuild a new one after the Hurricane and he has been living in a little trailer ever since. He can't imagine moving into a spacious home again and I was very thankful that he shared his story with us.

The following couple of days, we all were able to volunteer at the Rescue Mission of NOLA, ARC, and the food bank of NOLA. Working at the Rescue Mission of NOLA was a great experience. I was able to talk to the people who worked there and learn of their experiences as well as help them paint and clean up the place because HBO was going to film there that Friday and the mission was in a really bad condition. It is infested with rats and it is hard for the workers to keep the conditions of the place in tact by themselves so we helped them as much as we could in the three days we volunteered there. Hopefully the Rescue Mission will get good publicity and more donations by appearing on the show HBO was going to film there. We also went to the Food Bank of NOLA and was able to help separate and package up food for two half days. It was such a great bonding experience with the Bonners and was really rewarding when they announced that within only a few hours with our help they were able to package enough food to feed over 7,000 families a one-pound meal.

My favorite part of the trip was the very last day of work when a small group of Bonners went to the levee by the 9th ward and cleaned up that area. We worked really hard to clean up as much as we could and were determined to finish cleaning up the whole area by the levee. As we were doing this, we were also able to talk to a homeowner who had just moved back into the area after 5 years or so. Her house was right in front of where the levee broke and was completely destroyed. Thankfully, she had left prior to this and was not there when it had happened. She told us of how her block used to be full of houses and neighbors and now she is the only one living on the block. She really appreciated what we were doing to clean up by the levee. It was so rewarding to afterwards, drive over the bridge and see how clean we had made that area. It looked so great and our efforts paid off. Now when people drive over that bridge by the levee they won't have to see it trashed.

This past week with the Bonners in NOLA really brought me back to perspective and rejuvenated my passion for service. Being able to help in different ways on this trip was an incredible experience. We got to see beyond the destruction of houses and see the everyday needs that NOLA faces, such as the Rescue Mission and the food bank. I really bonded with the Bonners on this trip and hope to take back what I have learned and experienced to the work I do here.