Katrina - What Its Like To Be An Evacuee
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Self Improvement -> subcategory Grief.
Katrina: What It's Like to Be an Evacuee
Summary
I fled from just two storms in my life. The first one, the year before Katrina, spared New Orleans, allowing my wife and me to return swiftly. But Katrina was different. It seems we may never go back, not by choice.
The Evacuation
With less than 24 hours before Hurricane Katrina struck, my wife and I hurriedly packed the car to leave St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. Our brakes needed urgent repairs, relying on a neighbor's kindness to fix them as we gathered essentials. We packed some clothing, important papers, and our dog, Patches. We also picked up an elderly gentleman from our church, who couldn’t leave on his own.
We drove overnight, crawling at first across the now-destroyed twin spans bridge over Lake Pontchartrain. Later, we sped up but never reached the speed limit. We arrived at a friend's home near Birmingham, Alabama, where we stayed for two days. We arranged for the elderly man's family to collect him while power outages and gusty winds threatened Birmingham.
The Aftermath
On the third day, shortly after Katrina passed, we began the journey to my wife’s sister’s home in West Baton Rouge Parish. As we listened to the radio, the news grew increasingly grim with reports of broken levees and rising waters.
For two weeks, we followed news reports and searched online for updates on our neighborhood, knowing nothing about our friends or home. Slowly, unsettling images and stories emerged: our neighborhood submerged, toxic mud, and talk of homes needing to be bulldozed.
Seeking Help
Contacting FEMA and the Red Cross became a frustrating ordeal. My wife dialed FEMA over 500 times before getting through, only to wait for promised paperwork. The Red Cross was unreachable, and our insurance company provided little reassurance.
Our bank accounts were inaccessible, so I posted an appeal for help on my website. Despite concerns over fraudulent sites and limited site traffic, no responses came.
Finding Purpose
My wife volunteered at a shelter, helping serve meals provided by a small Baptist church. We visited the shelter regularly, finding comfort in fulfilling small requests, like a Bible for a family. Despite dire stories from the Superdome, this family represented the resilience and values of countless others still waiting to rebuild their lives.
Clinging to Hope
Though we received invitations to stay with friends and family elsewhere, we remain near New Orleans, hoping to retrieve what we can. So far, all we hear is to stay away.
In all this chaos, we hold onto our faith. When we pray, we feel Jesus assuring us of his love and care. Thankfully, his line is never busy.
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