Day 3

Today's blogger is Janess Coffina.

Some days you hammer the nails, and some days the nails hammer you.  That’s how we all felt this morning as we began Day Number 3 of NOLA 9. The Rhino project director, Kate, saved a couple of nails, but the going was tough.  The expression “hit the nail on the head” kept coming to mind. The record was eight tries to get one nail done.  The nail remover got quite a workout and was the most sought after tool for the first hour or so.  There were more strangely shaped nails littering the deck than studs for walls.  However, we persevered and, little by little, walls took shape.  

O to be young and flexible again!

What do you mean we did it wrong?!?

Undoing so we can redo.

All better!

The frustration of the beginning of the morning turned to a sense of satisfaction and one of those truly “feel good moments” as we participated in a wall raising ceremony.  The house’s new owner, Joynell Day, a 21-year old single mother who is both a student at Southern University at New Orleans and a full-time employee at Interim LSU Public Hospital, helped nail in the supports for what will be the front wall of her new home.  Her daughter Jayla, her mother and her grandmother were there to join in the celebration of a new beginning for Jornell.  Cynthia Tucker of Dallas, Texas, who had partnered with Habitat for Humanity to sponsor this particular house, spoke of what being able to provide a house to a fellow single mother meant to her. She, along with her son, Jamison, also helped drive the nails for the supports.  

Scott Pointer  - Habitat Construction Chief

Homeowner Joynell Day with House Sponsor Cynthia Tucker and her son, Jamison.

Joyell's daughter and Grandmother.

Everyone was invited to write a message on the wall.

 

All lined up in position just waiting for us for tomorrow.

After arranging the walls in the correct order around the house, we were off to lunch at the Land Building of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.  We enjoyed Cajun crawtator chips and sandwiches from rocking chairs on the front porch.  It was a glorious New Orleans day with sun, blue sky and gentle breezes. Not too shabby.

Our next adventure involved a tour of New Orleans, seeing where this inspiring city has been as a result of Katrina, but more importantly, where it is going.  We were amazed to see the devastation still evident in some of the houses that have not been refurbished or razed, still bearing the X mark and the information about when and by whom the house was inspected by search teams weeks after the hurricane.  We had a special treat in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the hardest hit areas, when we were invited to tour Miss Juanita’s house, a project that our tour guide Mark had managed, allowing Juanita to return to her family home shortly before Thanksgiving of 2008.  We saw the buildings that Brad Pitt is sponsoring, with unique, modern, green architecture.  In between renovated homes and new constructions were lots filled with five years of overgrowth.  Front stoops with nothing attached still litter the Lower Ninth Ward.  The cultural life of the area is still vibrant, with Musicians Village, where Harry Connick, Jr. and the Marsalis brothers are revitalizing the area with homes and a community center that will provide a venue for concerts, music lessons, and gathering place. 

Touring from the French Quarter to Lake Ponchatrain, the destruction from Katrina cut across all socio-economic levels. Even golf courses and public housing projects were destroyed.  Rebuilding is evident everywhere we went, and the spirit of New Orleans clearly lives on.  

It was Church Dinner night and so we gathered with a number of St. Charles Avenue members and then helped clean up.

P.S. from David

You couldn't tell from the way our bodies feel that we only worked half a day.  We got a lot of work done is those four hours -- and we've had a lot of fun.  As they promised in worship on Sunday, this crew is representing y'all with distinction.  And we got major kudos from the St. Charles folk for our continuing commitment.  Thank you for making that possible and for your continuing prayers.  Hump day tomorrow, so keep them coming!