Niece's Mission Trip to NOLA

[chirurgeon]

My 16 yo DNiece just returned from her annual church mission trip and this year it was to New Orleans. She was truly amazed, astonished, dismayed (add any applicable adjative(sp.)) at what she saw. Her group did outside clean up. She said they cleared a playground and she was happy to see children playing there after the efforts they put in. She also helped to clean up people's yards. She doesn't remember the areas she worked in. She told me about an area that is larger than 3 of our very large suburbs that can't get government money until they raise their houses 10 higher and the people can't do it with out government money. And they can't tear down and start again due to some regulations. Who can I write to to help with getting the red tape to go away?

Our prayers are still going your way.

[lulu71]

That is so awesome that your niece did this! Please thank her for me!!

The mess around here can't be fixed if it is put on the nation's back-burner, so I urge you to write your congressional representatives with your sentiments. The red tape that you talk about is such a barrier to our recovery. We did OK personally because we were adequately insured and prepared financially to recover but our losses were still large. Our older relatives are really struggling, though.

Thanks so much for your prayers and good thoughts.

[zipuzee]

Please give your niece and her church a big thank you for coming down here and doing their mission work. Without the help of the many thousands of volunteers that come to New Orleans, we would be in much worse shape. The red tape had a stranglehold on our city, but the volunteers just walk past it and help do what needs to be done.
Lulu71 is correct in that we need to keep this in the front of everyones minds. So many are sick of hearing about Katrina, but there is still so much to do. Write to your congressmen and tell them what your niece told you..just get the word out any way you can.
I benefited from volunteers that emptied and gutted our home; a job that was difficult to do on a personal level for my family and I. There will never be a way to pay back the volunteer efforts, but I make sure to thank as many as I can. God bless.

[OrangeBlossom15]

Please thank your niece for me also. While my husband and I through our mud and water soaked memories into a pile on the front lawn, we had little thought to how or when we were going clear the trees, debris and garbage from our yard. A church group from South Carolina road through our neighborhood and cleared our front and back yard and I am forever grateful. You cannot imagine how good it felt to have a helping hand from people who wanted nothing more than to give to a stranger. It really gave me more hope. We are slowly rebuilding and have brought our family home and will never the forget the kindness of strangers.

[Tiziminchac]

It's a shame that there are still people in need because this. Where are our priorities?

[Talking Hands]

Our church's youth groups will be going to Mississippi for the 3rd time in August. We have also sent several groups to NOLA. One of our pastors is originally from there. This is addition to helping with Katerina and Wilma cleanup in Homestead, Fl (our own area) We still have blue roofs here even in my neighborhood.