Posting from Suz

On Sunday at breakfast I met some volunteers from both Vicksburg, MS & Savannah, GA. It was really helpful to talk to people who have been doing hurricane relief efforts, because then it prepares us to know what to expect. Everyone at the camp we are staying at is super nice. We drove to New Orleans along a highway with miles and miles of damage. The silence in the car was numbing, as we looked on. There were signs on people's houses like, "we can do it, y'all", "gone to the virgin islands", and "you loot, we shoot."
Next we met with people from Common Ground, a grass roots organization, who have one of their headquarters was located in the 9th ward. I had a fun time working with these friendly, open-minded and energetic people. I really enjoy our time at Common Ground because they truly care about the community they are serving and working.

Then in New Orleans, we took a Gray Line tour. It was given by a man named Joe who has lived in New Orleans his whole life. He was in New Orleans at the time Katrina hit and shared his personal survival story. It was refreshing to hear a genuine account of what really happened during the storms. It was informative because I never realized how important the port is for import and export of products. Joe explained that many people opposed the tour, but he expanded on why it's important for people to see what the city looks like. He used the example of how people need to see Auschwitz and why the Jews want people to never forget what happened. Joe wants people to go home and tell their friends and family what we have seen and to encourage people to care and to realize there is a lot left to be done. Finally we meet with Doug Anderson, a 1995 graduate of Hamline, over a vegan friendly dinner. He talked about his experiences from growing up in the North then having to be completely immersed in a different culture, here in the South.