Our first look at Katrina's rage
November 4, 2005
Yesterday I got my first look at the needs here in Slidell, LA.
Ruth and I have our trailer parked in the churchyard about three miles north of Slidell. The damage was not as bad here as it was closer to the coast, but just a couple have miles south, and it is like driving through a war zone. The first thing you notice is the trees have most of their branches stripped off, just the bare tree with maybe a couple of branches left. Those are the ones left standing.
The pastor took me to a few homes that we will be working on. As you drive along the streets you drive by solid trash. The people have taken everything out of their houses and piled it next to the street because of the flooding. Lots of them have also stripped the sheetrock and insulation and piled that by the street as well. Big trucks are coming by and picking up the trash.
Now, this is not the severely affected area, I have not seen those areas yet, next week will show me the real disaster areas.
We have some work teams coming next week and they will be working on a couple of houses close to the church.
Let me tell of one of these houses. About six months ago a family refinanced their house. The mortgage company told this couple, "?You have had this expensive flood insurance for ten years and have haven't needed it. Drop the insurance because you don't need it and save the money." Well, you know the rest of the story, their house was flooded and of course they have no coverage. We are going in there and replace the insulation and sheetrock starting next week. There are many, many stories similar to this one.
Next week I go up to Waveland, MS to see a church and was flooded and at this point is out of business. Everything needs to be stripped.
Ruth and I have been out and about the last couple of days and have talked to several people as we stand in the in long lines to check out, etc. When they hear our funny accent they ask us what we are doing here and upon hearing our plans, thank us sincerely for coming down here to help them.
Needless to say it looks like a busy winter as well as a rewarding winter.
November 4, 2005
Yesterday I got my first look at the needs here in Slidell, LA.
Ruth and I have our trailer parked in the churchyard about three miles north of Slidell. The damage was not as bad here as it was closer to the coast, but just a couple have miles south, and it is like driving through a war zone. The first thing you notice is the trees have most of their branches stripped off, just the bare tree with maybe a couple of branches left. Those are the ones left standing.
The pastor took me to a few homes that we will be working on. As you drive along the streets you drive by solid trash. The people have taken everything out of their houses and piled it next to the street because of the flooding. Lots of them have also stripped the sheetrock and insulation and piled that by the street as well. Big trucks are coming by and picking up the trash.
Now, this is not the severely affected area, I have not seen those areas yet, next week will show me the real disaster areas.
We have some work teams coming next week and they will be working on a couple of houses close to the church.
Let me tell of one of these houses. About six months ago a family refinanced their house. The mortgage company told this couple, "?You have had this expensive flood insurance for ten years and have haven't needed it. Drop the insurance because you don't need it and save the money." Well, you know the rest of the story, their house was flooded and of course they have no coverage. We are going in there and replace the insulation and sheetrock starting next week. There are many, many stories similar to this one.
Next week I go up to Waveland, MS to see a church and was flooded and at this point is out of business. Everything needs to be stripped.
Ruth and I have been out and about the last couple of days and have talked to several people as we stand in the in long lines to check out, etc. When they hear our funny accent they ask us what we are doing here and upon hearing our plans, thank us sincerely for coming down here to help them.
Needless to say it looks like a busy winter as well as a rewarding winter.
posted by Jim Burton at 7:49 AM
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