Farewell Slidell

This week has been an amazing experience for me. When the hurricane hit four years ago I was just a few months pregnant with our first child. After the blessing and start of our family, life became crazy and it was hard to make time for others; other than my newly growing family. Two years later we added a second child to our brood. As life went on, I kept hearing of these mission trips our church was coordinating down in Slidell to help with the rebuilding effort in Louisiana. I repeatedly thought to myself, "That would be such a great experience to assist in those efforts." But schedules, jobs and "life" kept getting in the way.

As time went on these mission trips kept organizing and I began to wonder why these groups kept going back. There can't possibly be that much to do in Louisiana?!? This week, that question was answered with a very resonate and emotional, "YES THERE IS!"


The devastation that I witnessed this week, still leaves me speechless. As Zach and I prepared to leave our children for 7 days for the first time in their young lives and our young parenthood, I cried over our departure and the thought of them not being with us, being thrown off schedule, and spoiled by grandparents while we are away. I am grateful for these problems to have and worries I fretted over. The worries that I had as a parent were legitimate, but nothing compared to the mothers who worried about their children's next meal, where they would live, sleep, bathe, etc. after the devastation of losing everything in the aftermath of Katrina.

This week I saw some of those faces from that terrible day in August 2005. They lost everything, or mostly everything they owned. A few momentos rescued here and there; wedding photos saved by a daughter who just happened to be planning a 50th wedding anniversary gift for her parents; a rocking chair that her parents used to rock their babies to sleep; china. Materialistic as they may be, that is all they have of the 50 years they spent together. They were ever so grateful for our work to help rebuild this city and thanked us for returning so many times.

I am sad to leave Slidell tomorrow. Sad that I cannot do more. Sad that I cannot finish nailing shingles to finish a roof that will keep a family dry. Sad to say goodbye to my crew and our leader, Xavier. Thank you for being so patient as we all learned and tried new things, and as we worked together to show Christ's love to the world and the city of Slidell.

I am also happy to leave Slidell a different person. This experience has changed me and I am even more grateful and compassionate for the people of New Orleans and their spirit. Thank you Gabriel for giving me this experience. I think of you everyday. I wish you were here, but I know you had a purpose...hope.

"Whoever receives this little child in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent me. For He who is least among you all will be great." Luke 9:48

Deanne Maus