 Since Hurricane Katrina, we have been privileged to help several families who were displaced by the flooding. One of the first families we helped, Michael Vaughn and his son Michael, have recently moved into their new home - back into the 9th Ward. They are one of the few families who have been able to move back in. We are preparing to go help Michael with some work that is yet to be done around his house.
We had a great time in New Orleans last weekend (February 16-18). Tim McAninley, OC Hailey and I drove down Friday and arrived about 7:30 and found that Michael and his friend, BW, had been busy. They already had all of the post holes dug and the fence laid out. Dale Brae rolled in a little later. We met Michael Vaughn and his son, Lil’ Michael and visited for a while but after a long day of driving, we were ready for bed.
We had planned for everyone to meet at 9:00 am to begin working but at 8:00 Michael was out mixing concrete so we figured we had better get started. Dale and OC manned the stump grinder and Tim and I fired up the chain saws. Karen Watkins showed up with the groceries and her son, Russell, helped with the fence. Steve and Lisa Palla went to buy sod and shrubs. Phil Chelf shimied up a pecan tree to secure a guide rope and his son Andy helped with the landscaping. Frank Revard worked on the fence and his wife Robin was working a hoe. Ken Kramer installed the metal A/C enclosure that he built (if any one wants to steal that copper they’re going to have to work for it). Bob Williams helped with various tasks. Ginger wasn’t feeling well but she took lots of pictures. Mark Wildbergh climbed up the tree to trim some branches (that made me nervous but there was no stopping him). 
It was a big job to take down the pecan tree. Everyone had an opinion. That guide rope isn’t high enough. You need another rope. Move the truck over in that vacant lot for a better angle (got stuck in the mud). That notch needs to be bigger. But after much supervision and several chain saw blades, down she came without hitting the house or any power lines.
I was mounting the mail box and someone said, “the Empire State Building was built in eighteen months.” I wonder what they meant by that? Any way, voila! Home makeover. Michael was very pleased and appreciative.
Since we finished the work we had planned, some people decided to head home. Others went back to the hotel. Tim, OC, Dale, Michael and I got cleaned up and went out to find some dinner. We wanted to go to a place where Michael had taken Pastor Ken but he said they closed early (7:30 on Saturday night when the NBA All Star game is in town?). BW had mentioned a place in the French Quarter but it was closed, too. We drove around town for a while but Deacon Hailey (you’ll have to ask him) was getting hungry. We finally took matters into our own hands, headed down to Bourbon St. and went to the first place we came to and everything worked out.
Sunday morning OC cooked a magnificent breakfast but we learned that there were some problems at the hotel so everyone left for home except Frank and Robin. The survivors went to church with Michael at the True Vine Baptist Church. Pastor Ken had told us the dress was very casual so most of us wore jeans and T-shirts. When we got there, EVERYONE was wearing white. White suits, white shirts, white ties, white shoes, white dresses, white hats. It was communion Sunday and they always wear white on communion Sunday.
 Never the less, they greeted us warmly and sat us near the front. Michael’s brother, Leon, plays the organ and let me tell you, he can PLAY it. I understand that he played at our church once but I must have been absent because I would have remembered. Well, Leon cranked it up and the choir started singing and clapping and they didn’t stop for about an hour. Then there was a scripture reading, then more singing. Responsive reading and more singing. A few announcements and more singing. They took an offering and then more singing. Then there was the baptisms of about five young men. Now, I’ve seen some baptisms before but none like this. The baptismal was up above the choir. There was singing and shouting and praising the Lord, hallelujah! Then there was another scripture reading, more singing and then the sermon. Now, to say that the pastor was passionate about his message would be a major understatement. Let me give you a hint. The title of his sermon was “Tear it Up!” and he did. I thought he was going to hyperventilate. But, 45 minutes later, he finished. Then there was some more singing, another offering, communion, more singing and after 3½ hours, it was over. Now I know why Sunday is a day of rest... I was exhausted. But I wouldn’t have missed it. I have ordered the DVD.
And that’s how we spent our weekend in New Orleans.
Let me just say in summary, the 9th Ward is still a mess. After 2½ years it still looks like a war zone. The French Quarter and downtown area have been cleaned up and rebuilt but there are still hundreds of people living under the I-10 bridge. I hope this is not our last trip down there. They still need our help and our prayers.
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