Lynn Meadows, Slidell Louisiana, Day 1 November 21
11/21/2005 17:16
United
Peace Relief Journal Slidell Louisiana Day 1 November
21
We traveled from San Francisco to New Orleans and arrived in the afternoon with so much luggage it was crazy. We brought the max, solar showers, medicine, blankets, and more. Myself, Deborah, my husband Bob, and our 16 year old son Shannon were stuffed into the smallest rental car, literally packed to the gills. We found our way through New Orleans and were amazed at the feeling of a ghost town, even though there is traffic on the freeways, the residential streets are empty and the businesses are closed. There are big cars dealerships with parking lots full of new cars that had been under water and now dirty, destroyed and abandoned. There is debris and trash everywhere.
We headed north over lake Ponchartrain to Slidell, Louisiana. This is the place where United Peace Relief is setting up a camp for volunteers. Slidell is in the middle of the disaster area. We passed by the bayou and the destruction was immense. These are homes that were on the water on stilts and they are over 90% destroyed. Piles of lumber, sheet rock and furniture by the side of the road signal that the clean up has begun, but it goes on for mile after mile.
It got dark before we made it to the land and we were driving around in circles, lost because so many of the street signs are gone. Many people we asked for help said "I don't know, I am not from here". Just like us. Finally we were getting close and found a lane with a big sign that said, "Stop, Looters will be killed", it was a bit scary to get out at night and ask for directions. We found the United Peace Relief land and we were greeted by Niki and Carol with a welcoming camp fire and dinner ready. This land is on the bayou and had been flooded. Our people have been gutting the house and getting the hot showers going. It was a wonderful reunion. It was freezing cold and we snuggled down tight in our beds that night, hoping the alligators did not choose to come up and eat us.
We traveled from San Francisco to New Orleans and arrived in the afternoon with so much luggage it was crazy. We brought the max, solar showers, medicine, blankets, and more. Myself, Deborah, my husband Bob, and our 16 year old son Shannon were stuffed into the smallest rental car, literally packed to the gills. We found our way through New Orleans and were amazed at the feeling of a ghost town, even though there is traffic on the freeways, the residential streets are empty and the businesses are closed. There are big cars dealerships with parking lots full of new cars that had been under water and now dirty, destroyed and abandoned. There is debris and trash everywhere.
We headed north over lake Ponchartrain to Slidell, Louisiana. This is the place where United Peace Relief is setting up a camp for volunteers. Slidell is in the middle of the disaster area. We passed by the bayou and the destruction was immense. These are homes that were on the water on stilts and they are over 90% destroyed. Piles of lumber, sheet rock and furniture by the side of the road signal that the clean up has begun, but it goes on for mile after mile.
It got dark before we made it to the land and we were driving around in circles, lost because so many of the street signs are gone. Many people we asked for help said "I don't know, I am not from here". Just like us. Finally we were getting close and found a lane with a big sign that said, "Stop, Looters will be killed", it was a bit scary to get out at night and ask for directions. We found the United Peace Relief land and we were greeted by Niki and Carol with a welcoming camp fire and dinner ready. This land is on the bayou and had been flooded. Our people have been gutting the house and getting the hot showers going. It was a wonderful reunion. It was freezing cold and we snuggled down tight in our beds that night, hoping the alligators did not choose to come up and eat us.