The Richest, Most Powerful Country in the World?

My favorite experience on our service trip thus far happened on Tuesday. A local man volunteered to take our group for a historic tour of New Orleans. He has lived here all of his life so he was very knowledgeable about the area. John lost a lot in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and during the day he helps neighbors rebuild their houses and at night he volunteers at Camp Hope. He told us about seven of his friends who committed suicide after Katrina – one, in his words, from a “broken heart”.

John took us to a local cemetery where graves had been broken open by the flood, the bodies no longer in their coffins, and the site completely unrestored. These are the things that you will not see or hear about going downtown to Bourbon Street. We have been driving to sites in neighborhoods that have the number of people, who were found inside, spray-painted on the front door. We’ve seen houses that have not even been checked yet. We’ve seen whole kitchens in front lawns and schools completely destroyed by water and fire damage. One day, one our chaperones turned to us and asked, “Does this look like the most powerful country in the world to you?” Certainly, it doesn’t.

Carly Beltramo

March 29, 2008 @ 11:06 AM