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Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.
By Rev. Alan Coe
Minister for Disaster Recovery, South Central Conference

An update on things in New Orleans.
I have been traveling back and forth between New Orleans and Seguin in this transition phase of moving. Now I am mostly in New Orleans. My wife Maureen will be moving to the area shortly after the first of the year.

If you live outside this area, you don’t hear much about the hurricane recovery efforts any more. I noticed that on my trip back to Seguin for Thanksgiving. But here in the city it doesn’t go away. It won’t for a long time. It is right in front of your face every day. The recovery process is slow. It is always slower than you would normally expect with a disaster. Given the magnitude of this disaster it will be a long, slow and laborious process.

We have begun to work on the recovery process. Some initial groups have come to the area and done some work. More are scheduled for the month of December. From January on there will be more and more groups coming to work as the recovery efforts the United Church of Christ is undertaking get more organized.

As you drive around parts of the city, you see the water line on houses, you see the houses, but you don’t see many people. The hardest hit parts of the city remain without power and services. Residents are allowed in during the day but a curfew remains in those parts of the city. Just this morning I rode around parts of the lower ninth ward and east of there into St. Bernard’s parish. It is heart wrenching to see, even though I have no ties to the area. I cannot imagine what residents of these neighborhoods are feeling. Some streets are blocked off and impassable. No one has been to many of these homes, debris still strewn about the streets and houses. Water does not discriminate. In our journey this morning we went through both middle class and poorer neighborhoods where the water was easily 8-10 feet deep. At one point I said to my host, Lynn Slagle the association moderator, I don’t see a waterline on these cars like I did shortly after the flood in another neighborhood. A few minutes later we saw debris on the rooftops and realized the vehicles were completely underwater.

One house we are gutting this weekend has a waterline about even with the ceiling. It sat in water for about two weeks. Words or even pictures cannot describe the scene. The smell does not go over the Internet. Nor does the three dimensional aspect of the scene transmit well. While it is a bleak scene, there is hope. A great deal of hope actually. Residents and people like myself are working to bring back a city. People from all over the nation are coming to the area to help. People all over the nation are giving funds, goods and services to the region.

What will the UCC be doing here? Hosting work groups that come to work. Helping our churches rebuild, helping church member families rebuild and help those in the community recover that need it the most. We will work with other agencies in the rebuilding process, like Church World Service, Catholic Charities, FEMA, Red Cross and Salvation Army, developing and being a part of long-term recovery committees.

Churches received varying amounts of damage to their physical facilities. All churches have lost members, those not returning. It will be some time before membership numbers level out. A hope is that new people will come into the area and what to be a part of the United Church of Christ.
Bethel UCC had about 8 feet of water in it but is in an area of that floods on a regular basis so recovered fairly well and is worshipping again. The neighborhood around the church is still pretty devastated.
Beecher UCC had about 6 feet of water in it and is one of the areas of the city that does not have power and people have not come back. They have not held worship at the church yet. Several members have relocated at least temporarily to Baton Rouge and other areas.
Central UCC suffered water and wind damage. Power has been restored to the area but the building is not safe to worship in. Members met for the first time last Sunday at St. Matthew’s in the chapel.
St. Matthew’s UCC received minor damage and is worshipping again. Groups that used the facility have not returned yet and electricity is spotty in the neighborhood.
Good Shepherd UCC in Metairie had about 3 inches of water but got to work right away gutting out and is on the rebound. This is the first church to host work groups.
St. Paul’s UCC received wind damage and then water damage from holes in the roof of its fellowship hall. They are worshipping again.
Little Farms UCC had extensive roof damage from wind and rain. I am using space in the church as an office. The other day it rained and in the limited time I was there two puddles began to form on the floor from dripping through the roof.
First Trinity UCC does not own its building but the building it rents did receive damage in its basement from flooding.

We are developing this ministry as we go. As groups come down they not only need places to work, but tools to work with. I have asked groups to bring tools and provide them with a list of tools they can bring and/or gift cards to Home Depot and Lowe’s. If you would like to help in that way please send items to Rev. Alan Coe at Little Farms UCC 135 Sauve Rd, River Ridge, LA 70123. I am attaching that list with this so if your church wishes to help it would make a great mission effort.

Other donations that would help are folding cots. For now people are sleeping on air mattresses and sleeping bags. If we could provide them with cots it would be a more comfortable environment. A relatively inexpensive cot may be found at Amazon.com. If you would like to purchase some and send them that would be great or send the money for us to purchase them. The one we are thinking about is the “Rio Adventure Military Style” cot for $39.99.

There are two larger gifts I am specifically asking for. One is a utility trailer to be used to haul supplies to different work sites. The second is a truck to pull that trailer. This truck should be in good shape and could be ‘loaned’ to the recovery efforts.

It is easy for us to look the other way as in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Some no doubt will, but others with hearts of compassion will want to help our nation recover from this horrendous hurricane season, here on the gulf coast and in Florida. If you feel compelled to help, if God is tugging at your heartstrings, I urge you to come and be a part of this wonderful opportunity for ministry. As the Shaker saying says, “Hands to work, hearts to God.” Recovery takes us all. Blessings!

Published - January 15, 2006 - RMC Reflections

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