If someone were to mention New Orleans, what would you think about? Mardi Gras, the French Quarter or Hurricane Katrina? I think about the people still trying to survive after Katrina. So much help is still needed, not only in New Orleans but all along the Gulf Coast.

The streets are lined with piles of trash. And people are starting to trickle back into town to reclaim items that have survived and don’t have mold growing on them. Many have lost their homes not only from the winds and waters, but from the mold growing within them. These homes are being gutted, so families can rebuild.

The part of the ninth ward I was able to witness, was hit hard. When you walk down the streets you can smell the mold and mildew coming from the homes. You see the windows and doors boarded up. Many of the roofs have blue tarps on them. Many other homes will be bulldozed, because they are destroyed.

I was lucky enough to have the chance to go down to New Orleans and take part in helping rebuild and give hope to the survivors. I joined Mission from Minnesota to help the community that surrounded First Street United Methodist church in New Orleans. Pastor Lance Eden of First United Methodist, started a relief center to help out the community.

The relief center helps provide people with sheets, blankets, towels, food, cleaning supplies, baby items, bath essentials and other miscellaneous items. The items most asked for were cleaning supplies and bedding. Chapstick, deodorant, toothpaste, hair brushes and pillows were a few items needed, but very few were donated.

I felt honored to have been able to help the community Pastor Eden served. Many shared their stories of survival and struggle. Thanksgiving Day was wonderful. I believe I received more out of this day than any of the community members we served. Sharing the day of thanks with those who have lost much or all, and seeing the strength and will to rebuild was the most fulfilling feeling. Pastor Lance Eden had us all, the community and volunteers, join hands while he said a prayer of thanks. We served the community dinner in the afternoon and later that evening we took out a mid-sized moving truck loaded with water and more Thanksgiving dinners to distribute to others.

We drove to Canal Street to serve dinner to the homeless and other community members. The military police and city police gave us approving nods, waves and smiles. Seeing the smiles and hearing the thank yous from all those we fed, was overwhelming in itself. All were not ashamed or embarrassed to receive food from the back of a truck, they were just appreciative to have a hot meal. The opportunity to serve those in need made it the best Thanksgiving I have ever had.

Not only did Mission from Minnesota help distribute goods, we also cleaned up the streets surrounding the church. Some workers bagged up to 20-plus bags of trash each. You would never think the garbage truck would be greeted with cheers, but it was!

Some volunteers helped people reclaim items from their homes. We were able to do a few homes and a church basement. Until you do that type of work, you never realize that cleaning out a few homes is a lot of progress, especially when you only have a week.

My experience working with Mission from Minnesota and Pastor Lance Eden was a great one. I am looking forward to when I will be able to return to New Orleans and help out even more. The community and people down there are so great. I felt so welcomed. When I had to leave to come home, I felt like I was leaving my new home to go to my old home!

I encourage everyone to help out if you can, in whatever way you can, if not to the survivors of Katrina, in your own community.

For more information on the relief center or Pastor Lance Eden, go to http://www.la-umc.org/firstst.htm. For more information on Mission from Minnesota go to http://www.missionfromminnesota.org.