Tuesday, 11/22/2005 -- Day 3

Philly team left for Gulf Port early this morning. Instead of going to Vieux Carrier, we spent the day taking the stuff from yesterdays demo work to the dump with Pastor James. It was the hardest day of work so far. My eyes got really irritated and almost swelled shut. Luckily, the ladies once again saved the day by going to the store and buying eyewash while we were working. Our work paid off though and by the end of the day, the huge pile of insulation, dry wall, nails, etc from the house was safely deposited at the local dump. After finishing our work and risking a very awkward encounter by taking showers during the daylight, we also packed up and began the journey to Gulfport Miss.

On the way to Gulfport, we stopped to eat and explore the French Quarter. Had a catfish po’ boy sandwich at a restaurant called Desire and bought some cheap souvenirs on Bourbon street. After that, we walked around the French quarter. Found the motel where Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones had filmed the movie “Double Jeopardy” . The police presence in the French quarter is very heavy. Every corner has at least four officers at it. Saw only one military vehicle in the Quarter but police from several jurisdictions (Including New York) were there. Bourbon street looked completely recovered. Gift shops, restaurants, etc. are for the most part open for business again. The t-shirt industry is certainly taking advantage of this years hurricanes. Many t-shirts are blasting FEMA (or Federal Employees Missing Again, as the shirts put it) for their slow response to the hurricanes. Found it slightly upsetting that people were using the tragedy for gain by selling such tasteless shirts (some were really kind of nasty). After having a beignet we walked back to the vans and began our journey to Gulfport. It looks like a disaster movie around New Orleans. Military checkpoints are everywhere, police are going every which way with their lights flashing. It’s almost surreal. We crossed over lake Ponchatrain (on the worlds longest bridge). On the way there, we drove past a car lot that looked abandoned. The lights were on there but there were 60-70 cars all covered with the fine dust that I described in yesterdays entry. Very eerie.

The devastation in Gulf Port is much worse than that in New Orleans. According to a soldier at a check point, the storm surge covered a two story building that was standing next to us. There is a really depressed feeling to this town. New Orleans seems like it’s hurting but recovering. Gulfport, on the other hand, just seems stuck at hurting. It’s dreary. The destruction here is almost sickening. We will see more of it tomorrow.

We arrived at St. James Baptist church just a few minutes ago. Carlos, the man who let us in, toughed out the storm. The accommodations here are not nearly as good as they were in New Orleans. There are two showers for thirty plus workers. The sleeping arrangements are cramped. I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. We’re supposed to be ready to go to work at 8 AM. We are in a dark place here. I’m very tired. Need to pray… Need to sleep.