Sunday on the bayou April 29

I woke up to rather dense fog this morning. And I thought "this is just like OR or at home". But within 2 hours it was all gone and this afternoon is hot. 2 - 3 pm is the warm part of the day as the breezes come later and it is pleasant in the shade.

I attended services again at the 1st Presb Church of Bayou Blue. This church reminds me of the small rural type church I grew up in back in SD. They have 7 or 8 in their choir and they sing just a hymn every Sun, nothing fancy. I was the only volunteer there as everyone else in the village left today. There is a small group arriving tonite, however. They do a big spread for fellowship time - have sandwiches; many desserts like brownies, cake, cupcakes, etc; soft drinks; little smokies; etc. 2 or 3 ladies are responsible for the food each Sunday and it rotates but others bring food, too. Years ago they started out with just donuts or cookies but expanded. Then I attended the adult Sunday School class and we talked about the villages, volunteers coming, PDA, etc. I could share information that they weren't aware of. They think our living accomodations are pretty bad but I tried to reassure them that the volunteers thought the villages were great. Clark and family (an older couple) took me to their house afterwards for lunch, then brought me back to the village mid-afternoon.

I got to visit with Rev Chris and her husband (also the pastor) and learned more about what happened after Katrina hit. They were hardly affected here by Katrina but busloads came from New Orleans afterwards. This was the closest operating hospital, had thousands in shelters, people's homes. The dead on the buses (who died on trip down) were dumped in the ditches and someone picked them up and took them to the morgue. Pastor Chris started a pastoral care support system at the morgue as people came to identify the bodies if they could. She thought 35 bodies are still unidentified here. Hurricane Rita hit this area but it was worse farther south in the bayous. This church has done a lot to help others but are still very grateful for volunteers that come. I really enjoyed this church (kinda like HPC).

It's the people you meet that make these trips special. Thur evening Kevin a local homeowner whose mother was helped by PDA volunteers cooked a southern meal and he has been doing this every week for a year now. This time he made chicken and sausage gumbo with rice. We also had a green salad and garlic bread. PDA furnishes the food and he cooks it at the village. Family members or close friends bring desserts so that was a special evening. They shared their story and mingled with the volunteers. Rick and Louise (76 and 71) from AZ were a neat couple who really worked hard and worked well together. They looked out for each other which was special. They mudded and sanded a couple small rooms, painted ceilings and she was on the metal scaffold the last day. Then there was Shirley (77), also from AZ, who painted ceilings 5 days from a scaffold. What energy at their age. They worked on the center being built in the village where Andrea and I helped on some days. I got little jobs as I wasn't always there - like wash the windows, inside and out, plus scrapped the paint globs and mudding globs off the concrete to get it smooth for the floor to be put in.

Raccoons are a nuisance here so everything edible must be locked up. They managed to get a tin with tea bags open and destroy them. Every morning would be a different thing as one morning they managed to get their claws into the plastic tub with cereal and tear a couple bags open. Another day they grabbed 2 loaves of bread from the dining area where we made our lunches and were dragging them off. Andrea found them. But they don't have a problem with ants like I did in MS.

I hope you went to the House of the Lord to worship today. Each day he gives us is special. Take care and lots of love.

Phyllis

Final day at the work site Apr 27

Today was the final day at Nicolle's house. The gift cards for a total of $950 were used to purchase 7 windows for the 3 bedrooms and were installed yesterday. We also purchased 2 storm doors for another house that part of the group worked on. Nicolle was so appreciative of every thing that she fixed a seafood meal (deep-fried oysters, shrimp, catfish, shrimp wrapped in bacon) with red beans and rice for us. Andrea and I had stayed back at the village but someone came after us at noon so I could get some pictures and participate in the meal. Nicolle took vacation this week so she could be there and wanted to learn how to do drywall. Andrea and I are standing by one of the windows. The next picture shows Steve from LaGrande doing the finishing on the front of the house. This really shows how the house was raised.



Last night was almost cold when we went to bed. We really snuggled down into our sleeping bags. Some even had to get extra blankets. Today stayed mostly overcast all day so wasn't too bad. Weather has been pleasant all week so at lunch time those that work at the village sit in a circle under a big tree and visit while eating. About Tues they realized the base of the tree was surrounded by poison ivy and some did not know what it looked like. We were far enough away, I guess, as no one got into it.

Andrea and I both stayed at the village and helped paint at the center. Houma village is located on Elks property and Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery in Missouri contracted to build the center with a kitchen, pantry, large dining room, restrooms (indoor plumbing) that PDA will use until it is no longer needed for recovery. Dick from MO is the contractor for the project as that Presbytery raised $150,000 for materials. Building is 25 x 100 ft, very simple. It was started last fall and has gone slower than expected and is under budget. The labor is done by volunteers. Dick goes home periodically but stays in a trailer here for periods of time as groups from MO come to work. Often groups from other areas work on it, too as several different people helped this week. It is hoped to be finished by June 1 as no one will be working on it for 2 weeks. Some one has been hired to do the flooring Tues and Wed as it is all painted, trim done for windows and doors, etc.

Blessings to all of you. Phyllis

Work in the Bayou April 26

We've had nice weather here this week. The mornings are humid and often overcast but the breezes from the Gulf come up in the afternoon and it is pleasant. Last night we had heavy rain so was wet out this morning. Many of the pods had water in them this morning but Andrea and I did not.

The whole Oregon crew is working in a village called DuLac which is about 30 miles south of Houma. The road sorta ends there but it is so different as the roads are between the bayous so the water is on each side of the road. There is usually a row of houses along the water (or road) and their boats are lined up along side. They make their living from the bayous. There are no stores close by except maybe a little mini mart with a few things - mostly snacks and drinks. About half of the homes are up on pillars as they are to be elevated. I went out with the group on Wed while Andrea stayed back at the village. The home has been put up above the ground since the hurricane with a stairway on the back but no railings yet. She is not living in the home as she had 4 ft of water in it. They did drywall, removing the cupboards to do the kitchen. I used the gift cards to buy new windows for this home which are being installed today. She was overwhelmed that we'd do that as she bought what she could with her insurance money. She ordered cupboards, new appliances, some furniture, bathroom fixtures. Jer Lenz is holding the ceiling with the broom.



Last night we were invited to the 1st Presbyterian Church at Bayou Blue (where we went on Sun) for a potluck. Those people are so gracious, appreciative of the volunteers, so much food as they like to eat. One lady shared a little about living here and a major problem is losing the marsh and wetlands each year which means the hurricanes will do more damage in coming years. This lady spoke recently at the United Nations about the loss of wetlands. She can only reach her home on Grand Bayou by boat. These people have been living here that way for many generations and it is the only way of life they know. Many are poorly educated, can not or will not be relocated. There are many different Indian tribes plus the French Cajun. Many people in this church are French and didn't learn English until they went to school. In fact for many years the Cajun (just like the Indians) weren't allowed in the public schools. It is a totally different culture down in southern Louisiana. It is growing on me, I guess.

Each day is busy. Mon night my feet hurt so much from all the walking between the kitchen tent and the dining tent. There is a blue pod with all the food, 2 refrigerators, one freezer, sinks, etc for food preparation. Next to it is a wooden structure (with no doors) that has the stove and one freezer. Next comes the dining tent with another refrigerator. Coffee pots are in dining tent but have to get water from the kitchen. It is not convenient so it will be really nice in another month when the new building with the kitchen, dining area and indoor plumbing (restrooms) is finished.


Take care today and will try to enter more tomorrow. Without a vehicle I can't get out to get some pictures.
Phyllis

We have arrived safely April 23

We all arrived in New Orleans safely and on time. We met the 7 people from LaGrande in the Denver airport as we all had to change planes. They were surprised to see us as we hadn't let them know we would be flying on the same plane to New Orleans. What is more strange all 11 of us were in the same 3 rows together which was nice to visit with each other. Each group rented a vehicle and drove to Houma, LA arriving about 7:30 pm. The managers were gone but Charles who had been a manager at Luling, LA last fall was our reception committee. So I had a short but nice visit with him as he left to go back to Orange Grove village where he stays.

Sun morning we went to the First Presbyterian Church of Bayou Blue in western Houma. They were very welcoming of us and even had us come up to put the pin on the map for to indicate where we were from. Service as at 8:30 and had quite a spread for the fellowship time. They are a smaller church than HPC but really appreciate volunteers.

Sun afternoon we all took a swamp tour. This included the 11 of us plus 11 people from Scottsdale, AZ who had also arrived Sat evening. It was wonderful and the man operating it is rather an entertainer. We saw numerous forms of wildlife but the best was the alligators. He has worked with some and they come up to the boat to get fed chicken pieces. They averaged from 4 feet to 12 feet and he has named them, can call to them and they recognize the sound of his boat and voice. It was amazing to go thru these waterways and swamp and get back to base. There were numerous small boats with people fishing. The tour director was Ron "Black" Guidry, but no relation to Christian. He even sang us a couple Cajun songs and a couple hymns. It wasn't hot as a nice breeze on the water. It was just a great relaxing day before we start the work week.


The groups are assigned out to work sites by a local organization TRAC but our group was assigned to the Methodist camp (UMCOR) for work details. The Houma village does not assign the groups to work sites which is different from Mississippi.

2 more groups came Sun evening and we have a pretty full place, 58 people total. Today Andrea and I started the cooking, cleaned out the refrigerators, inventoried the kitchen and helped fill out the food order for the week. I'm tired tonite as I haven't slept well yet. Maybe tonite.

God's love to you.
Phyllis

Back to the Gulf Coast April 18, 2007

Greetings,
On Sat April 21 I'm going down to Houma, LA, on the Gulf Coast. This time it will be a different experience for me as I will be just a plain volunteer and not a village manager as my previous trips. There are 3 others going also who will return to OR April 28 after their week of work. We fly into New Orleans and rent a car to drive to Houma which is 55 miles SW of New Orleans.


Pictured are Jerry and Lita Lenz, Pastor Michael, Phyllis (me) and Andrea Wastier. I'm explaining where the team is going and something about the work. Then Pastor Michael led in a blessing of service for us in Louisiana.

Houma is located in bayou country, an area which had been hit by both hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The homes must be elevated to a minimum of 8 ft above sea level which should be interesting to work on.

I'm staying until May 9 and will do some work in Biloxi but more about that later. I'm leaving just as my tulips in pots on my deck are beginning to bloom. And tulips are my favorite flower. I missed them last year, too as I was in Mississippi in April and May 2006. Spring is my time of year so I need to plan better next year.

God's love to you all,
Phyllis