Volunteering in New Orleans

When Amy Gordon teamed up with Ed and Sue Bennett –all medical professionals — she became part of a large network of people from across America and around the world, helping the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.  “The people of Louisiana were gracious and very appreciative for the help that different groups and individuals were offering,” says Amy. “When we began working with people of the affected area, we were greeted with hugs and kisses,” she continues.

“The people seemed genuinely honored that volunteers from as far away as Silver Spring, Maryland were thinking of them and willing to act,” said Amy.

One survivor she helped was a gentleman named Christopher Hamme. He was confined to a wheelchair, and, because his house had been destroyed by the Hurricane’s strong winds, like almost everyone else around him, he was homeless. He would need a ramp in order to access any home in which he might take shelter, and he would also need for the house to have large wheelchair accessible doorways. Because of these unique requirements, Christoper refused to ask his neighbors for help in finding a place to stay. Having a tent already set up in his yard, he told Amy that he would stay in it until the local situation improved. While talking to Amy, he told her that he was too proud to ask for help.

“But it wasn’t his vanity that prevented him,” she said, “It was simply because everyone seemed to be suffering as much as he was.”

“Who would I even ask? We’re all in the same situation,” Christopher said.

Like everyone else, he felt no sense of entitlement to help.  Amy wished she could help him, but she knew there was little she would be able to do. The housing situation was one of the most troubling problems of the disaster.

In one location there were 600 people staying in trailers that had been provided by FEMA, the government agency responsible for responding to the crisis. Amy and her crew helped many of these who were sick or injured. Among the most common types of ailments were skin wounds, infections and poison ivy.

Among the most common types of ailments were skin wounds, infections and poison ivy.

“This is primarily due to cleaning up of trees and rubble after the storm,” says Amy.

Another important need was for the refilling of prescriptions. Victims were assessed and given a thirty-day supply of their regular medications to be used until permanent medical staff could take over.

There were other types of workers helping the Hurricane survivors. The American Red Cross was on site providing medical and non-medical care, and the Southern Baptist Church provided many of the survivors and volunteers with hot meals.

Amy notes, “It was interesting to see the way in which the different organizations and individuals forged teamwork spirits.”

For example, the Southern Baptist Church set-up tents for housing and care, helping the Red Cross aides, and many members of the Red Cross found themselves sleeping on cots, in the recreation rooms of the churches.

The people of Louisiana were self-empowered and ready to lend each other a helping hand.

Amy says, “When the storm came through, it seemed as though one in four homes in an area was left standing. There would often be a single house remaining, while three or four had been destroyed.” As a testament to their spirit of survival and cooperativeness, neighbors, friends and relatives gave glory to God, by working together to consolidate households. In this way, many are surviving the tragedy with love, grace and patience.