When my husband and I arrived around 4 this afternoon, there was a crowd of cars with volunteers from the local churches. Men were cooking burgers on the grill and women were setting out home baked cakes and treats. Our area is almost entirely white, so it was easy to recognize the evacuees. The kids were playing in the pool. Adult evacuees were sitting at picnic tables and enjoying a good meal. There was a few washers and dryers set up under the shelter. There was an army of people folding clothes from the local Caring and Sharing, serving food, and chatting with the evacuees.
The dormatories have become home for the families. This is a summer camp with two wings in each building holding bunk beds arranged in a large room. It is designed for all boys or all girls, but to accomodate the families, each side was set up for a gender. Males in one wing, females in another. This keeps families near each other, but seperates gender for modesty.
The first family I met had husband, 3 year old girl, 8 year old cousin, and wife due to deliver in November. They were overwhelmed at the love being showered on them. Mom was having heart burn, and the medical volunteers checked her out and got her some meds for her and one of the kids. She was upset at not being able to get her "nest" arranged. Tomorrow I will take a few boxes and things to help her. She missed having her husband right with her to help. I later told him how much it meant to her to be able to depend on him, he was a good husband. His eyes watered up. He said he would do anything for her.
They had seen unbelievable things in the Dome. There were dead with their throats slashed. Young girls taken by the gangs to the upper decks and raped for hours. Anyone that tried to stop them was killed. The stench of death, urine, and feces burned their noses.
The guards would play games with the number system for filling the buses. They would call a group's number, then change it. They did nothing to stop the drugs, theft, and murder of the gangs.
These people feel so blessed to have been rescued. They are just now understanding the scope of the damage. The lobby TV is the first time they have seen that the damage goes all the way to Biloxi. Now they understand why it took so long.
But they will never understand the gangs. They knew the criminals in NO, but cannot believe that evil they witnessed.
Our communities have taken these people in. Yes, there are huge risks. But God spared THESE people and brought the to our doorstep. The blessings being poured out are amazing.
Thank you so much for that personal story, which gives me hope that many of these folks will actually wind up with a better life, away from New Orleans.
I pray that the thugs get what's coming to them.
Nice account, makes your heart hurt doesn't it. Yall are doing a good thing.
An amazing account - and very well written. Thanks very much for posting your story. This is an important one.
Did the hurricane people say who/what the 'guards' were - ie: cops, troops, etc ?
Cuz if that part's true, they need to go to prison.
Wow- this is just amazing. Thanks for posting...
Thanks for the informative post. Except for a few good posts like yours, this latest thread is pretty sparse as far as useful or interesting information goes.
This brings joy to my heart.
Thanks for that; I'm proud of you.