Alternative Spring Break

These Biloxi trees tell the entire story.  Weathered but strong.  Bent but not broken.  They stand alongside new casinos and new hotels and yet the trees have come to represent what the people here must have endured nearly a year and a half ago.  Where there once was a house, much like yours and mine, only small reminders of lives (once thought to be normal) remain.  Yesterday we took a drive along the gulf coast.  Looking out the window I couldn’t even begin to imagine the calm, restful water doing the slightest bit of harm--let alone destroying miles and miles of lives.  The chaos, even as I’m down here, seems so long ago.  Every person I see down here I wonder about her or his story becasue, as far as I know, the chaos continues as she or he tries to live a life after losing so much.  Many of them look weathered, but I know, without a doubt, they are strong--they are not broken.  I have a feeling I’ll be learning more down here than helping. 

With that said, today was spent dry-walling, sanding paint off walls, fixing doors and tearing down plaster from ceilings.  I think we are all a bit tired after this first day of work, but still look forward to tomorrow. 

Until next time,

Megan Smith

Over a year and so much still needs to be done even though I’ve heard many times in my two days here, “This is nothing compared to a year ago”.