NOLA Fever

It was wonderful getting a taste of what truly makes up New Orleans today. The pride in the culture is impeccable and infectious. While walking through the streets it's impossible not to get wrapped up in the music, colors, and smells all around. Yet through all of the commotion, there is a sense of peacefulness, joy, and homeliness. Here I am 1000 miles away from home, yet I feel comfortable and at peace. A remarkable atmosphere is created here. The members of the city know how great NOLA is and they want nothing more but to share it. Seeing this generosity, friendliness, and pure happiness is beautiful. Everything about this place is beautiful. After seeing all of this, it's hard to want to go to work when you could spend all day touring and being in town. But after thinking about it, there is nothing better than joining with this community to help redevelop it. The people make it easy to see why they want it fully restored to its magnificent beauty. I've caught the NOLA fever and I'm ready to be apart of the love.   Lauren

Stay with us a little while longer

We returned home late Saturday night filled with exciting stories, pictures and videos to share.  Stay with us so we can share the whole story with you.   L

YOU HAVE TO GO DEEP

Today we actually got to talk in depth to Jeffery from the Community Center of St. Bernard Parish.  He joined us during our lunch break to tell us why he was in New Orleans and what the Center offered to the community.

Making a difference.

Even though the work has been exhausting, I already feel like I have made a difference.  Seeing the house with most of its siding and knowing that I helped gives me a feeling of accomplishment.  I wish I could be there to see the new owners reaction once their house is finished. -- Juliet

Faces of New Orleans

         Among streets filled with jazz, I have been blindingly dazzled by the people of New Orleans. Thank you Iris for sharing your home and family's experiences with a stranger like me. Despite the turmoil of Katrina, your house is absolutely beautiful and spirit is unbreakable. Thank you Kirk DePlantis for allowing me to watch you play your drums on Decatur St. Your Passion is contagious. Thank you Mark for drawing me the pictures of how the levees broke and divulging your home building knowledge. Precision is everything, especially when the livelihood of so many people depend on a few complex mounds of earth. Thank you John Wilkes Boothe for showing me the devastation of Katrina through your photographs, and telling me about the history of such a beautiful city. You are one of the most remarkable people I have ever met. I promise, I believe everything you told me. Iris, Kirk, Mark, and John, forever in my heart, you will stay. Along with the streets where you reside.

Krista

Halfway through!

We are halfway through our experience with Habitat and we have already accomplished great things.  The house is almost done with putting up siding and I hope to see the outside of the house finished before we leave. Coming into the week I was excited to work with Habitat, but unsure of what we were doing.  I was excited to hear that we were putting up siding because that is something I have never done before and I saw it was a challenge to overcome.  Now I know how tiring and difficult it truly is both physically and  mentally.  But seeing the future homeowner working along side of us is all the motivation I need to get back to work.  So far the experience has been exceptional and I can't wait to see what the next three days bring.
Morgan

John Wilkes Booth

The tour of NOLA [by Jon Wilkes Booth] was very eye opening. However, it raised more questions than it answered.  It inspired me to not only help out with building houses, but is has also inspired me to encourage and build up the people down here.  They have such bright spirits and I'm going to try my best to learn as much about individual people and their stories.  Cory