Well, I didn't watch too many news stories on this because I thought I would get stuck in front of the TV once I started, but we do see the effects of Katrina everyday out our front door. Just the other day we got to watch the house across the street being torn down while we ate our breakfast.
And our neighbors are still rebuilding--one moves in next week! It is an older couple whom we haven't met yet, but their son has been heading up the remodeling of their house. And our neighbor two slabs to the North is painting his walls. His wife and kids live across the lake so it will be interesting when they finally move in to their house and are a family again. Interesting, I guess, because we will have more neighbors, and kids, too.
Well, there is still a ton of rebuilding to do, but also lots of other things. Many law suits- nursing home owners being sued because they didn't evacuate residents who drowned; there's a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers; and others i'm sure that i don't know about. I also read a story about mental health and am excited that we will have a counsling program open soon--the first community center program of ours starting. They are also trying to close some of the FEMA trailer parks, but people still don't have homes to move into.
One of the news specials was about the signs of hope in New Orleans. Of course, they talk about the people's spirit, the help from outside organizations, and so forth, but we do hope that it is God Almighty who is providing hope for people. And the Church has definitely made an impact here. One interview with a man who attented a Catholic memorial service said that after the Priest prayed the cathedral was shook by thunder. He said he felt like that was God letting them know He was listening. Aaron and I are always glad to see God make the news!
