Description of trip:
During this past Alternative Spring Break, Jaleesa Baier, Lindsay Greschak, Adrianna Hall, Allison Maraldo, Josh Naeger, Catherine "Logan" (Univ. Min./JV) and Si Hendry, SJ (Dir. Cath. Studies) traveled to New Orleans. We had the amazing opportunity to work through Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans program Operation Helping Hands. Catholic Charities focus moved from early response to recovery and now rebuilding. They are committed to rebuild not only homes and communities but lives and spirits. Operation Helping Hands goals are to Demonstrate the love of Christ through helping hands, to mobilize and manage a volunteer corps to help the neediest home owners within the Archdiocese of New Orleans to clean up their neighborhoods and restore their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and to Strengthen the solidarity of parishes, Catholic Charities agencies and other partnering groups across the Archdiocese.
This is one of the most physically, mentally and emotionally challenging service trips that one can participate in. Throughout the week we had the opportunity to work on three different homes that had been devastated by the flooding. We were led by a wonderful supervisor from Operation Helping Hands, Tony, who is also a Jesuit Volunteer of the South Region. We had a chance throughout the week to break off siding, knock out molded dry wall, pull up floors, knock out ceilings, pull out nails, spray for mold, remove duct work and much more. Basically the job we did was to prepare these homes to be ready for the rebuild process. We also served as a ministry of presence to the homeowners that we worked for and also those that we reconnected with from trips outside UDM. We stayed at Marian Central Catholic Middle School which had been devastated by the flooding and was now transformed as a place for volunteers to bunk for their stay. Our wonderful connection and host for the week was Jonathon McGee of Catholic Charities. Outside of work we also had the wonderful opportunity to get into the heart and spirit of New Orleans through the help of Si Hendry. We met with Loyola's L.U.C.A.P. group, had a chance to speak with Jacob Steubing (Cath. Charities Parish Social Ministry Coordinator), attended a social justice talk at Xavier, and had an opportunity to eat at local establishments and have conversations with other volunteer groups as well as locals. This was an experience that we will never forget and hopefully we will be sending more students down in the future.
(Logan)
"When I flew into the city at night, New Orleans looked so perfect from up in the plane with the city lights. I just couldn't imagine how it would look the next day in the light with the devastation that happened. Driving around seeing the damage for myself made my heart sink into my chest just knowing how many memories were lost in all the debris. We could see houses still full of memories since they weren’t even gutted yet.
Before I had come down to New Orleans, I didn’t know what to expect. I just knew that I wanted to make a difference and to tear something down! However, when I did see all the damage that was done, I had more inspiration to make a difference in someone’s life. When I had walked into the first house that we were about to work on, I felt a sudden burst of energy to just start tearing down the walls. Suppose it was just knowing that I was helping in someone’s life gave me all the energy I needed to get the job done. Even at the end of the workday, I didn’t feel as tired as I had expected to feel. Something just came alive inside me. I couldn’t just see the energy inside me, but in the people around me as well. We all worked together as a team with no complaints. What else inspired me was talking to the homeowners, hearing their stories, how their lives had been changed, and if they were forced to move out of New Orleans or into a tiny trailer in front of their destroyed house. On the other hand, it was amazing to see how happy the people of New Orleans were even after all that had happened around them. The day we had to leave, I did not want to go. I just wanted to stay and help if I could, but I realized that I had to go back to my life in Detroit and that there is only so much I could do as one person. Bottom line is that the next opportunity to go down to New Orleans, I will definitely be there!"
-Lindsay Greschak-
"This ASB trip to New Orleans has really affirmed for me how important it is to have a Jesuit/Mercy based education. "The ultimate aim of Jesuit education is, rather, that full growth of the person which leads to action ? action, especially, that is suffused with the spirit and presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Man-for-Others."-Peter Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. The trip allowed me to realize the significance and the importance of the individual. In observation of others, I have seen the development of the qualities of mind and heart that enable them to work with others for the good of all in service-"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriem"-"For the Greater Honor and Glory of God." This trip was also a "call to action" here in our own environment. It's a call to take the knowledge we've been gifted with and use it unselfishly for the betterment of this broken world. I strongly believe that this experience has developed for me a set of values that go beyond the "self": which include a passionate concern for the needs of others."
-Joshua Naeger-