Community. If there is one thing I have learned this week, it is a sense of community. From the first few minutes we drove into New Orleans, I could feel a bond that was shared by everyone, no matter if they knew each other or not. People sit on their front porches and talk on their cell phones, go for a walk with the dog, and stop to say hi to everyone. Everyone is outside. Despite the sweltering heat (the heat index today was 108!) everyone is outside and together. Just today on the way to the work site, I saw a two little boys, the older pushing the younger in a red car, walking down the middle of the street. It made me smile to see the friendship and camaraderie shared between the two little boys.
Yesterday, in the midst of working on our house on Paris Street, one of the neighbors came by. He saw us working and offered to help when we got to the finishing stages (he paints/finishes houses professionally). We asked about his story and he gladly obliged. He waited 3 days and 3 nights on the roof top for help. He told us that he was never afraid of death because he knew it was in God's hands. He trusted in the Lord, and gave up control. It was truly a phenomenal story. How open he was with us showed me the trust that he openly puts in people and the Lord. I really admire how together the people in New Orleans are.
I can't wait to go out and work hard tomorrow. Meeting the people and putting a person or a story to each house really makes me want to work that much harder. Going home Saturday I am really going to miss seeing people outside enjoying God's beautiful creation with each other!
Allie Ogawa
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