Beyond the Storm

Day 7 – April 7th, 2006

Today is our last day at Camp Hope. And, while we were excited to go home, we were also sad to leave – the new friends we had made, the feelings gratitude and satisfaction that we been able to touched even in a little way the lives of those living in the hurricane’s devastation, and the disappointment knowing that was so much yet to do.

Last night and this morning before breakfast, we watched the video taken by Kennard Jackley who had weathered the storm in his home on Lake Pontchartrain. His video had been picked up by national networks documenting the storm. It touched us so much that we felt that we had to meet him and his wife Dukey and pick up copies of his video.

The drive to Jackley’s home was unbelievable. Homes along the way where either completely demolished by the hurricane and storm surge or severely crippled. Seven months later, boats were still left where the storm surge had placed them, tossed into yards and banks. Debris was strewn as far as you could see.

And not just older and poorer homes were impacted but beautiful expensive homes. In fact, the governor of LA had a home on the Lake Pontchartrain had been destroyed. But there were signs of reconstruction.