9th Ward Relics by Ryan
The harsh realities of Katrina that the team from Saint Michaels and All Angels had begun to digest became even more of a reality as they awoke and headed for their first full day of service in the Lower 9th Ward. All Souls Episcopal church, which is currently housed in a vacated Walgreens, is a newly founded congregation in the 9th Ward that has been established strictly as a community outreach.
Throughout the day the team served through cleaning and preparing the sanctuary for Sunday’s service, painting houses in the area, moving 100s of pieces of 12ft sheetrock, and gutting a Reverend’s garage. By the end they were tired but happy with the service they were able to provide.
Before heading back home we made one more stop where the levy broke almost four years ago, drowning this entire section of the city in 8ft of water for over three weeks. As the team witnessed the devastation that is still rampant in this area they were challenged to think about the relics that were lost in this disaster. The invaluable trinkets that served as memories that were washed away, reminding everyone on the team that the memories they are building now will never be forgotten.