Friday, January 13, 2006
 Raleigh Anne Blank, College of Arts & Sciences
Our last day in New Orleans began with threatening skies and thunderstorms. The clouds came through quickly, making it possible for us to embark on our journey to the Ninth Ward yet again; however, the storm did not cease until we arrived at the site and as we traveled we continued to pass devastated homes and businesses. As the wind howled and the rains pounded the pavement beneath our car, the radio paused to issue a weather warning for Jefferson Parish. The alert was almost eerie. What had the alerts sounded like in late August?
After driving to the site we fell out of our vans tired from the week but excited to serve yet another citizen of the city we have called home for the past four days. We were able to complete two houses today; one planned, another unexpected. The first home was one we had started with earlier in the week. We primarily worked to clear out the drywall and bathrooms that remained in tact in the house. A word to the wise: you have no idea how hard it is to demolish tile. After clearing the floors of the home, we headed to yet another.
We hadn’t planned to help Darrell and his cousins but when he asked to borrow tools we told him he could borrow us. We entered the home to do what we’ve done day in and day out here in the city, demolish homes.
Demolish. It seems like such a strong and harsh word but Katrina did just that, it demolished lives. This week, we as a group worked hard in hopes of piecing together these lives.
The future of the people we helped this week, the future of the remaining New Orleans citizens and the future of the city itself is uncertain and the work here is no where near completion.
However, the storm today ironically captured the essence of the future of New Orleans because as the clouds cleared and winds died down we saw a rainbow shining in the sky. That rainbow symbolized the hope and history rooted deep in this city. The beauty that followed the storm today will follow Katrina in the days, weeks and years to come but without the help of others there will be no rainbow, no beauty and perhaps no New Orleans. | 
