12 to Slidell — volunteers feel Katrina’s presence

Eleven volunteers from St. Patrick Church in Youngstown went to Slidell, La., from April 11-18. Although our work group numbered 11, it seemed like Katrina was always with us as number 12. Hurricane Katrina, of course, is not a human being but her presence was felt each and every moment we were in the deep South.

Two seamstresses, a baker, a lawyer, an aquatics instructor, an investigator from Jobs and Family Services, a Catholic priest, an office manager, a nurse, a purchasing agent and a parish secretary made up the 11. A troop of volunteers (eight took a vacation week for the trip) from the Mahoning Valley joined many other individuals and groups from all over the country who have left their positive mark on a region almost wiped out by a fierce storm that hit land Aug. 29, 2005.

Since Hurricane Katrina, all 50 U.S. states have sent working crews down to the ravaged area. Our Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has joined other denominations and service clubs in sending groups down regularly to help in the rebuilding process. The Rev. Ed Brienz has been the contact person for the groups that have traveled to Louisiana from our diocese. His information and tenacity has been very helpful. He knows the area, he knows the people, he knows the need and he conveys that spirit to any and all who want to make a difference.

Our group from St. Patrick Church began the journey by van (eight of us) and plane (three of us). We converged on a small Lutheran parish that has built a half-million dollar Mission Center in Slidell. The center can house and feed 100 volunteers who come to help the neighborhoods in and around New Orleans.

The focus of our week’s labor was in Slidell, where we worked on two houses being built by Habitat for Humanity. The Slidell connection was especially meaningful as St. Patrick’s has developed a relationship with Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Slidell, which lost almost everything in the hurricane. Our relationship has included two spaghetti fundraisers, a visit from one of the co-pastors of Our Lady of Lourdes, numerous correspondences and a flood of prayer support.

And what happened to us 11 as we pounded nails and roofed two homes? Well, Jack from New Waterford was impressed by the organization of Habitat that skillfully guides many volunteers from week to week — using their time as best as possible. Peach from Austintown worked on one of the home’s porches, and she told a great story of a neighbor who saw our Ohio license plate and stopped to share how another church group from Ohio helped him and his invalid wife. The group gutted their house, helped rebuild it and cleaned up their property, and eventually the couple was able to return to their neighborhood, which meant so much to them.

Dennis from Austintown was the original contact for our mission trip. Thank God for his inspired leadership and his quick wit that kept us laughing all week. Roxanne put her nursing skills to good use as she helped nurse along two new homes for two deserving families. Robert spends his weeks in Youngstown as a baker watching bread rise but there was a look of contentment on his face as he saw our two homes rise from devastation.

Cathy from Austintown was struck by the fact that many locals shared with her that in losing many or all their physical possessions, they actually had a new birth in regard to their life, their faith, their families and their friends. Chris from Youngstown’s South Side was in awe that throughout the week, despite all the tragedy, she did not meet any resident who was negative. Frustrated maybe, but not negative. Chris said she wondered had she been living in the New Orleans area at the time of Katrina, whether she would have evacuated.

Colleen was overwhelmed at our initial experience in Slidell. Shortly after our arrival, we pulled our Ohio van into a local restaurant for dinner. Before we were finished ordering, an elderly couple came to our table, said they noticed our Ohio plates, wondered if we were in the area for the rebuilding process and then thanked us for being there. And we hadn’t done one thing except arrive at this point.

Marilyn from Austintown was almost overwhelmed when she stood in the shell of the sanctuary of our sister parish Our Lady of Lourdes. She couldn’t imagine the force of the storms that annihilated the parish buildings.

St. Patrick’s parish secretary, Debbie, was our “link” to the parish and the organizer of the trip. Numerous calls and e-mails were made in the months before our pilgrimage. Debbie’s contact at Our Lady of Lourdes was Janet. When the two of them finally met as we pulled into the parish parking lot, there was a sense that they had known each other all of their lives. Janet later told us that after the hurricane they were not able to even come back to visit the site until three weeks had passed.

During our week’s stay, we hooked up with Lynn from Kodiak, Alaska, who helped us understand how Habitat works. She came down last year to work as part of her vacation and decided to repeat this year. She told us that Habitat has a keen insight into the different levels of competence that volunteers bring and that Habitat organizers help everyone find their “niche” for as long as they are in town. I don’t know if I found my niche, but I never would have thought that I would be roofing or framing a house.

In the hours spent in the van or in the airport and with our evening accommodations, another story could easily be written. That story is about 11 people who sit and worship and work and play in the same parish each week but have never had the opportunity to really “be together” to learn about one another’s stories, dreams and hopes.

Who would ever think that a catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina would bring out so much positive energy? Well, it did and it will continue. And that energy will eventually overcome all the misery, trash and sadness.

Eleven of us left our mark and Katrina left her mark on us.

XThe Rev. Edward P. Noga is pastor of St. Patrick Church in Youngstown.