Wednesday, the second day of building at the Ferry St. site. Warmer than it was yesterday, but still unseasonably chilly in the morning. My crew now has three members, Patrick, Brian, and now Jake, all from upstate, New York. Our assignment is to complete the back porch to Kerry's house. We finished the three stringers for the lower stairs, and will put the treads and risers on tomorrow. We'll only have the morning to work because we'll be taking a tour of New Orleans tomorrow afternoon. Even though Ferry street has been cleaned up and now has seven or eight brand new houses, I'm anxious to see the streets that still show the devastation of Katrina.
After dinner this evening, we held our daily devotional session in one of the large pre-civil-war homes next to Saint Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church (SCAPC). The leader this evening asked each of us to give our description or impression of what "home" means to us. As we went around the room, each of the 15 RHINO's shared an experience or observation of their idea of "home". "It's wherever I hang my hat". "It's wherever Jim and I live". "It's a place my family lives". "It's where I grew up". "It's the place I go to feel secure". "It's where I am surrounded with love". "It's a refuge from trouble". We all agreed that "home" was more than just a building. It involves our relationships, our happiness, our security, our life.
Then we saw Act 1 of Spike Lee's film "When The Levies Broke" on DVD. Thousands of people were left without "home", without that security, without that happiness, without that feeling of belonging. This is what the folks in New Orleans lost. Not just a building.
We are so blessed to be able to say we have a "home", and, thanks to the generosity of our friends, relatives, and co-workers, are are able to engage in this wonderful task of restoring "home" to folks who have lost everything.
Mac McKay
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