Three and half years after Hurricane Katrina, I am amazed to see so many empty homes with spray painted "X's" on them. As the media aired repeatedly, the "X's" were branded on each home as a tool to show if the house was checked for people and their animals. People are still not living in these homes and many of them will be demolished in the near future if they are not claimed. How can this be so I wondered?
Even the Wal-Mart (among many stores) down the street is still eerily boarded up with the water line showing up to the words of the "Wal-Mart" still quite evident. Three and half years later, the people who are here are constantly reminded of this devasting storm by a constant reminder by empty buildings and people who have left the neighborhood. The people that live her are resilient, strong and grateful.
We have a group of ten people working at Joan's home. Joan is a wonderful grandmother to her grandchildren and mother of four daughters all who were born and raised in the St. Bernard's Parish area on Reunion Street. On Monday, at the end of the day, Joan brought her little dog Buttons as we sat in a circle outside her home. We listened to her story and as I was petting Buttons she informed me, he spent 29 days by himself during the storm. Joan also told me Buttons was so scared, he wouldn't come out of the home upon her return.
Even though this storm has affected Joan's family, she still remains incredibly strong with a story to tell. Every time we see her, she always greets us with a smile and says in her charming New Orleans' drawl, "hi baby". You see, Joan has weathered the storm. She has dealt with so much, more than one should have to go through in a lifetime. Things are looking better, as Joan will soon move into a home that was built for her with love.
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