FUMC Gulf Coast Work Team 2006

Web Journal Entries by Kendra Gorlitsky...

An update from team member Kendra Gorlitsky - April 14:
Maudy Thursday brought an intensity of activity if that can be imagined, as we put our hands in the soil and planted myrtle, pink hued dianthus, red azaleas, and Queen and Sago palms. We then mulched them with hay. Reverend Hadley carefully placed stones with the inscriptions “Welcome”, ‘Imagine” and ‘Grow” near the walkway at the church’s entrance reflecting our journey as we find meaning in digging and refilling trenches, The seemingly endless needs for black paint emerged once the sodders finished. We are reminded of the simple gifts of the garden hose and at last...a functioning sprinkler system to quench the thirsty sod placed yesterday.

We are frequently and unexpectedly gifted in the midst of the destruction around us. Early in the week when we first visited our work site Charley pointed out a stand of trees in the open space across from the church. In the dead gray branches we saw what we presumed were bunches of white debris, possibly the ever present plastic bags caught up in the wind. On closer inspection (understandably later in the week) some of us ventured over to discover but what they were was actually a flock of sea birds, graceful and snowy white, pristine and gloriously chattering. Their lovely images were reflected in a pool below. Some green grass miraculously grew along the water’s edge (we now see green as miracle as New Orleans is now in the midst of a drought that has ironically descended on this area.)

Maudy Thursday was capped for us by Reverend Carol Winn Crawford who preached a sermon on the importance of carrying “through” and reminded us all how important it is to journey through-- not around. She reminded us that Christ’s best friends wanted to hold back or go around, but Christ bravely went through his ordeal. He is our guide. On our host Rayne Church’s alter is a collection of things reminiscent of the storm: old CD’s, scrub brushes, work boots, masks, and rubber gloves. Adjacent is the FUMC prayer square Carl gave her as a symbol of our unity with their struggle. On their alter is a rustic cross made from fallen wood when their church steeple collapsed in the storm.

We are surrounded by courage and witness. Walking the pastor home at night is a police officer who stayed through the storm and flood in New Orleans. A visiting family of four, from New Jersey, including two teenagers, share the kitchen and have spent spring break mucking out a house. They playfully modeled their space suits for us after they had cleaned up in the showers provided by Rayne.

On site is an 80 something elegant woman, Lucille, a Bethany parishioner. She joined our work efforts, watering the seeds Jake and Frances helped plant. Her house two blocks from Bethany is in shambles, possibly irreparable. Yet she remembered to bring hats to shade the team members as they tried to restore her church. Onward to Good Friday and the resurrection.

An update from team member Kendra Gorlitsky - April 13:
Morning has broken and we are clearly in the midst of holy week.
Our muscles are sore from placing sod on a verrrry large (5,000 square feet) church yard. The squares of grass turned a bramble patch into an oasis. UMCOR relief agents and consultants dropped by to survey the progress and affirm our flurry of activity.
We are constantly impressed with the amazing work ethic of Raul, the chief landscaping contractor who, works along with his son-in- law, virtually non stop keeping us all out of chaos with Anson’s help. We have discovered that age is no deterrent to hard work as Fred from Culver Palms is among our most senior team members and is our best hauler. (We get tired just watching him.) We have all discovered new roles, Leslie is our peacemaker, Jim, our captain, Carl our poetic instigator, Karen and Pam (from Tucson) our comic relief, Charley has been revealed to us as a sort of ad hoc philosopher as he sorts out some of the complexities of the situations and challenges that we have all been facing. Larry is our beloved pastor, leading us all with his gentle humility. Leonard perseveres with a camera larger than he his and a spirit larger than life. Jennifer keeps on task despite a quiet acknowledgement that she is a bit tired of black paint, (she’s a pastel kind of gal.)
Reverend Hadley has labored along side the team hour after dusty hour. His church members graciously bring us food for our lunch and once entertained us with an umbrella parade and Mardi Gras beads, and encouraging us with homemade pralines.

Yesterday afternoon we toured the worst areas of the lower Ninth Ward, witnessing cars upended and slammed into broken homes. We saw wreaths commemorating lives spent in the storm and flood. Sherri and Todd bravely brought their young children to see what still needs to be squarely acknowledged and faced by the rest of America. I applaud their courage and now understand why, Frances (7) and Jake (10) are such inspired workers as they plant sunflowers and cosmos along bare walls surrounding the church’s perimeter.

Carol Reich diligently watered the recently laid sod, guarding the baby roots praying and singing them into the thorny ground that once claimed the church yard. As we returned so dirty and tired, to our host church, Rayne Methodist, we were greeted by the sounds of choirs and horns practicing for Easter services. The Easter message came home stronger to many of us than it ever has. Larry was walking out the back door about to drive us to dinner (he’s a terrific driver on unfamiliar streets) when he was asked, “Does this feel strange to you as a pastor -- walking away from the music with your work crew, toward sustenance for tomorrow's hard work?” He grinned a clear, and affirming “Not at all” indicating he felt he was where he should be at this time. As do we all. Thanks for your prayers. After all, you are all really here!

An update from team member Kendra Gorlitsky - April 12:
Greetings from the field. Where to begin. Well, I’ll start with the source. We are attempting to follow a mission that Christ carved out and it’s a bit confounding at times. As we come into the work site from the beautiful garden district with its heart stirring architecture, we are aware of what New Orleans once represented. Our host church lost it’s steeple, but not it’s step. They have graciously housed us in their meeting rooms and generally given us run of their church as we rush to the shower, to meals and to prayer before and after work (Thank-you Mary Garbesi for centering us each morning and evening with your glorious services.)
The ride to the work site is companied by signs of roofers, solicitations for votes by local political ads for attorney to argue claims, and the occasional, defiantly scribbled “we’re back and we’re not leaving.” We’ve spent mornings in meetings with the church personell here trying to understand what their needs are, walking the nearby streets, witnessing the incredible desolation and destruction, and then painting, planting, hoeing, and singing. The team has kept it’s spirits up by talking and probing and forgiving one another for our shortcomings.