Early Saturday, Jorge came to take me to the airport. I was excited, but still just emotionally exhausted from Grandpa's passing, the fight with my mom, and not talking to Adam pretty much the entire time I was there as well as the news about Krystle and about Brittny's baby. Plus just a hard week of work.
I wasn't going into New Orleans with too many expectations. I was there to work as hard as I could all week and try to have some personal fun in the evenings and see the city a bit. What I wasn't expecting is to grow as much as I did. I walked away a few inches taller. I grew up in a compassionate home. A home where we chose families to do secret santa for at Christmas time. I was raised to help the elderly with house and yard work. I was taught to open the doors for elderly and carry out groceries, to prepare meals for those who have faced something extraordinary...whether it be a surgery, a birth, or even a death. I was taught to do roadside cleanups, park clean ups, and anything to help build a safer and cleaner community. I worked with youth as I got older through sports, coaching and assisting in what I could. I was taught to always be at the service of others. Nevertheless, I don't think anything or anyone could prepare you for the experience the volunteers went through in the week.
Even though I was raised very devout in my religion, I am not much of a religious person, but I saw enough to bring me to my knees. Its been 5 years since Hurricane Katrina. Time has let the story, as well as the still evident damages escape from the news. When we walked around the Lower 9th Ward, there were so many homes that were now vacant houses. The sense of home had been ripped from these people. Houses left with a painted "x" on them similar to an x you would place on useless components that you would leave unused. Plywood over the windows to deter theft and vandalism of what little is left in those homes. We saw houses where people passed; houses where people had spray painted "RIP" in rememberance of family or friends. We saw so many houses for sale from those who couldn't afford to reconstruct homes. We heard stories from people who said they would never leave...this is the place they call home. And met those who said they couldn't wait to retire and get out of there. But all their stories were the same. All their stories told of the frustration with the failed disaster relief, FEMA, and the government. Most people are paying for a mortgage for a house they no longer own as well as rent or a second mortgage for their current living situation. And these are the FORTUNATE people who were able to come back to New Orleans at all. Thinking about my past when I have felt so less fortunate than those around me and forgot to be grateful for what was truly in front of me...sickened me. Takes you straight to your knees and makes you want forgiveness for your own selfish behavior.
I don't fall in love very quickly (if at all), but this group of people made that merely impossible. One thing about volunteering is...you know everyone there has a heart that far surpasses the size of their body. Sure there were some different people. We come from such different backgrounds, environments, and situations. But there wasn't one fight. I still wonder how we got away with that seeing as how women are usually so feisty and the good majority of people were women. I don't think there was any one person who didn't get along with or at least tolerate everyone else. Sometimes that can be a very hard thing to do. I'll never forget that first day of work at the bunkhouse. I was ready to get to work, but not knowing the people around me, I was hesitant to just get in there work. I was put at ease working with John, Brad, Nic and Shawn... hell, you couldn't have better guys to break you in for the week. The jokes started flying once they warmed up to me and that was the beginning to a week of hard labor while having the time of my life with the people around me. The people were all open to jokes and fun and nobody got too timid when we cracked jokes on each other. That's what made my week....the laughter with the labor.
I am also not one to show much emotion, besides flirtatious behavior, of course... but what better way to socialize than with a smile on my face and those stars in my eyes?!?! lol.. But in all seriousness, I was pretty solemn on that last day. I sat there thinking about my new friends and all we accomplished. There was a lot to be proud of. It was hard to leave jobs undone. I know how much I wanted to finish the sidewalk all week. Tuesday when I got home from the baseball field, I was ready to work on that again. And I know a lot of people felt the same way...if only they had just a little more time to finish the floors, etc. I wouldn't say I had to fight back tears..ha! people who know me would get a kick outta that! But it was a little gut wrenching to think I might never see some of these people again. When I left the bunkhouse and my new friends, I had to look back with a satisfied breath of accomplishment. We did what we came to do. Every person in New Orleans who met the people on our Kaiser team was amazed at our work ethic and love for each other. We went into this house and had no preconceived notions of each other. We took each person, accepted them for what was in front of us, and then went out into the city and worked closely together to help accomplish the dreams of those in New Orleans affected by this horrible natural disaster. We had to quickly build trust in someone else to get their part of a job done or to assist us in a job. We had to rely on others who we didn't yet know... when its hard for most of us to rely on those we love and trust. But we did a hell of a job as a team to look past differences and insecurities to accomplish the goals of what one Kaiser team was there to do.
Not only were the people I met in the house amazing, but the people I met on the jobs and in the city were as well. And I know every person felt the same way. The first gentleman I met and "flirted" with was Isaiah. He was the parks and recreation guy who was at the park. He told me his story of having to swim from the 2nd floor of his house to find a boat. He was in water for 4 days trying to survive, a helicopter came by and told him they'd be back. He didn't believe them so he found a boat that took him to a freeway to catch a bus. The thing that motivate me about this guy is seeing the hope in his eyes. We got there and he saw the 8 or so of us that were there and I heard him get on the phone and say, "yeah, they are here...but its not very many of them." He had no hope and I turned back with a grin, knowing my team was going to knock out this project. We did. We saw him driving as we were driving back to the house and he caught up and yelled to us if we had finished and we said with smiles that we had. That was one person we left with positive impressions. My next group was the Railroad workers. Everyone laughed cuz I was flirting with all of them..but hey..I wanted the stories. And I got em. But the thing I appreciated about this group the most was their dedication to the community. These men do a lot of charity work. Most of which their company pays for...so when I walked up to their supervisor at the end of Friday to tell them I was the new supervisor, there was a smile on my face as I shook his hand. He pays his employees not only to do the work needed in the city, but to bring back hope to the city. That's something Kaiser does which I appreciate and love about the company I work for. Dwayne Johnson had that same hope as the rest of them. I think he thanked us for about 30 minutes in the morning and about the same when we left the house for all our hard work that day. He showed us how much he appreciated us being there for a day, helping him organize his things so he can get his house rebuilt at a quicker pace. One of the best and most appreciative things I experience was Saturday when I left the house. A taxi driver picked me up to take me to my hotel. It was a blessing that he was the one who stopped. Right when I got in, he called in to the company and said he was going home ill for the day so this would be his last drive. I was in a pretty good mood and we started talking and we got really into what happened during Katrina and he was so glad I was there that he took me and bought me dinner. I was surprised at that. He kept telling me how much of an inspiration I was on him and so he took me to my hotel and didn't want money for that either. He was like, "if you and your friend want to go to the French quarter, I'll take you there...and bring you back to your hotel for free. This city owes you more than I can offer. I'll take you to the airport tomorrow too. Just let me know what you need. You have actually lifted my spirit and I am ready to go back to work and I was headed home. So I owe you the thanks for getting in my taxi tonight." Its people like this guy...and pretty much all the people we met...that gave me the energy I needed as I went throughout my week. If I am in a position to give...I'm going to do it. There is nothing like walking down the street, people sitting on their porches waving at you with a smile. That's the picture in my head I left New Orleans with. This grown man teaching his young boy to wave as people walked by, a simple appreciation that most of the time goes untaught.
I had a bunch of people telling me when I left that KP employees should be paid to go help. I understand what volunteer work means, so I just laugh. I wanted to go...and I didn't care if it was on my own time. And one thing I know for sure... it makes it much easier on John if a person has to use their own vacation time because he knows up-front that every person there wanted to be there that bad... makes for much harder working and dedicated workers.
No comments:
Post a Comment