End of the Week Reflection

This week was such a roller coaster! It started off high with seeing my Delaware group from last year and I was so stinking excited!!!!! Let me tell you that without them this week, I would have had myself convinced to just quit this and say I'm done. The group from IL was a real piece of work...I take that back, their team leader was a piece of work. He even had the audacity to write our review and give it to us instead of to headquarters. That review stated that we should have given him an orientation etc...He blew me off when I told him when I was going to have their orientation, after accommodating them for coming in so late and missing orientation in the first place. I did my best to kill them with kindness but I finally just had to walk away. They even tried to leave early to get out of room inspection...well, I live in the trailer in the parking lot and heard them loading up...that did not make them happy. I never thought that in this position, at the end of the week like today that I would be this happy to see a group go. If I've learned anything it is that first impressions mean nothing, and I'm sad that this one was true.

Without Delaware here to keep me in perspective of what it means to do God's work, I would have been more burnt out this week than I am. I'm sad to see that group go. I wish they could have stayed one more week. One thing that has been on my heart, that a couple of friends have pointed out to me at the beginning of this week was how important it is to be filled up. Delaware did that for me this week, and my friends from UPC will do that again this week for me.

I'm growing and stretching with God and it is uncomfortable, but such a blessing. I really do like this job because I'm learning to live in the moment, and see God all the time. Even through a couple crying melt-downs this week. Knowing all the time that God is here, and good. Everyone that I come across teaches me something else about God, just through me watching them all week. I still feel like this is where I'm supposed to be, and this job overall is so perfect for me.

I think the scary thing about this situation is I can look back over the last 3 years and tell you that God was specifically preparing me for this job, through dealing with difficult people from Target, whether that was customers or co-workers, and at Keller it is interesting co-workers, and the importance of accounts/payable. I've been prepared for this job, and I see how God has done that over the years. Thanks to Him!

Difficult People

I expect that in a job that deals with people from across the country, that I would run into difficult people. And I have but not to the extent of the Team Leader of a group here this week! Now I have patience and I can kill anyone who is difficult with kindness, and believe me I have. I've sat next to this person at almost every meal and talked to him about the work he is doing down here, about his day, about his family! Okay I've tried, but to be blown off on the important paper work and orientation is too much. I asked him twice for the release forms and he laughed me off. So this morning , in front of a few of his buddies I calmly and politely mentioned that no one could go to their work site without me having all the forms. And hey he even paid me for the time they are here! Go figure that maybe I need that at the beginning of the week. The best part is I can tell that he has laughed off any authority that I have because I'm a woman, he did the same thing to my co-manager. Not cool folks! This is my job, and I know how to do it. I honestly have not had a group in my 6 weeks here that I've counted down the hours until they left like I am with this group.

A Rough Day

Today started off with me not winning tickets for Sugarland...oh well I get to see them any way. Then sitting down with my co-manager, she was telling me that she was talking to a friend and asked him what kind of person puts red beans and rice on the menu for a Friday, and he responded with "an idiot" she repeated it a few times then told me not to take it personally as she was laughing about it. Well, that idiot is me, since I'm the one who made the menu up for the week. Real good way to start my day. To be honest, I don't know how not to take that personally. It rubbed me the wrong way and there isn't a lot I can do about that, but I didn't find it funny at all.

So I went to run some errands and see a house that my Delaware boys are working on, and ended up at the Joint for lunch and a tour with Heidi their construction assistant so now I know where to take Amber and her group next week. Then my boss called and had me go back to the UPS store to pick up the computer I had shipped to Louisville, because it needed to go to Houma instead. Now I'm in the office doing this while dinner is cooking...luckily it is already going and I don't have to do too much.

I'll admit though that not being "filled" spiritually in anyway is becoming more and more difficult. I need a break and a balance. I understand the job now, but I need some friends who can build me spiritually. This picture is me on the levy that the barge broke through to flood the Lower 9th Ward.

I stepped out of my comfort zone yesterday, I took the Delaware group through the Lower 9th Ward at dusk. We drove past a couple of elderly women who were talking on their porch and I made Win turn around and let me out. I felt like I really needed to talk to them. And so I did. I introduced myself, and they looked at me like I was a crazy white girl...mostly because I am, but we had a good short conversation. I got to hear about one woman's rebuilding process and how she drove down every day to watch the contractor work and didn't pay him anything until certain jobs were done. And if he needed money for materials, she went with him to get them. Her house and 3 others are the only ones rebuilt on her block, all the others are demolished to the foundation. The Lower 9th Ward is a hard thing to go witness because a lot of what you see are just front porch steps going no where. All that is left is the steps and if you climb them, then you can see the foundation slab under about 3 feet of grass. It is absolutely heart wrenching. I hope that I can build a bit of a relationship with some of the people in the Lower 9th so that they will get to know me by name and be able to bring groups by to sit, chat, and listen. It was really awesome to fall into the New Orleans culture last night by being able to stop and chat. That is what it is about down here.

I got to listen to advise from a woman today who paid off her mortgage in 1990, and she just received a foreclosure notice on Sat. She told me today that if this city is evacuating, then to not listen to the government if they say go to the Superdome or any other place, just get out of town yourself. She said it isn't worth following the directions and being put under martial law. That was her piece of advise for me if I was ever in the big earthquake in Seattle. People are really hurting down here, and the hurt runs deep...It runs all the way past revenge, to expectation. An expectation that the government is going to screw you over and don't care if it cost you your life. It is hard to see a city where the American dream was abused, and nobody can hope for it ever again, even if they are in their 80's and lived it their whole life.

An Awesome Week!!!

For those who don't know, last year I played a lot of cards while I was down here with a group of men from Delaware. I got to share with them, my life, and they shared theirs, and because of them I realized what exactly my calling is down here. To get to know the volunteers. It is great to build houses but someone needs to get to know these people who are giving up a week of their lives/family/jobs and get to know them and their stories.

I got to do that last year with this group of men from DE. I had a very pleasant surprise this morning when I got back from church...Those men are here again!!!! I'm so excited! Not only does it mean that I get to beat them at the card game I taught them last year but I already know them. And they know a lot about me too. I get to continue this relationship! I'm so stoked! It is going to be an amazing week...I'm so excited. I get hugs too!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to share more...for now I have a card game to win.

Lessons learned...

I got to ask a volunteer who left this morning, who is about 70, what she wished she knew now what she didn't know when she was 26. Her response "That I'm not in control". But then she told me that it is a lesson not easily understood until I get older.

We had a great neighbor night last night. We had a dozen homeowners and their families here to eat with us. We heard one story of a woman and her special ed son and her daughter, I think, having to be on their roof for 3 days after Katrina hit. And then being ripped off by fake contractors, even taking her 8,000 dollars. It was heart wrenching. There were also a lot of kids here last night and they were fun to get to know. One high school girl wants to be a poet so she asked me if I would do some editing. I'm excited to be a part of these people's lives. We also had a lot of home owners who's homes have been finished within the last year.

I have a place to stay in Southern Cali, and that will be fun. I'll have to get down there just to see people, and make connections across the country.

Now we have some of the North Carolina boys helping me out here around the village. Yesterday David, who used to work with Nascar's pit crew changed a tire for me. Oh I have pictures that are loading now in the computer, and I'm adding them here.

It is getting warm out here. I've learned that the week of my birthday is the most beautiful weather where ever I am. It has been minimal humidity. And yes I've been wearing sunscreen. And yes, I have my tan before my birthday! Tonight I'm going out with the group from New Jersey to celebrate my birthday. Everyone sang to me yesterday and had cake with candles. It was awesome. One of the AmeriCorps girls shares a birthday with me too...And tomorrow I'm going out with Laura who cooks once a week here for dinner and a hurricane at Pat O'Brians.

One more injury to add to the list this week. I biffed it hard and scrapped up my hands. I think the last time I fell like that I was in North Dakota. But I did a perfect volleyball slide, and didn't really hurt myself too badly. Here is a picture of the quilt too. Then I'm signing off to work myself.

Time To Hide

Hello from a very tired Village Manager.

I have to admit I'm tired enough to be cranky, and take everything said personally. I'm just ready to have some personal time on my own. Right now I'm working on the new computer that Louisville sent down, and a group of 25 is slowly trickling in. I'll admit that I'd rather have some alone time. I'm also having a lonely moment. I can't wait for friends to come down here! I also have another headache coming on. And all the people aren't really happy.

This computer was supposed to be the one I've had before. But I'll settle for a bran spanking new computer. But no DRD program that I've found thus far. Because of that, I get to keep doing it the easy way. I just have to remember to send it to Christy so it can be entered.

First Injury

Okay, okay be proud, it took me 4 weeks before I hurt myself! I took a chunk out of my left index finger with a potato peeler. And I do mean a chunk. One of the volunteers here took a look at it and decided that if it had more skin I would need stiches, but alas no skin. So much for making that patato salad I was going to make.

So now my finger hurts but it isn't that bad. I'm off to bed, I'm exhausted.