Patricia views the damage from her kitchen.

With the help of a cash grant from OBI, Pastor Collins purchased food, water and other disaster relief supplies for his community.

Towards the end of 2005, OBI staff visited neighborhoods just outside of New Orleans to report back to our partners on the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina. Tracking through the rubble and debris, they found hope, courage and a community displaying unity during the hardest of circumstances.

NEW ORLEANS, La. - “Please excuse the mess,” Patricia said. She smirked and continued to walk up the mud-caked steps to her house where she and her husband have lived for the past 25 years.

The house bears a spray-painted symbol showing that rescuers had already checked it for survivors or victims. A rope hangs from the rooftop indicating perhaps a lifeline during the storm. Inside, the scene is utter devastation.

The contents of their home are smashed and covered in a thick layer of mud. The saturated carpet squishes under her feet as she makes her way through the mold-infested home. Beams of light stream through a broken window and Patricia squints to find anything salvageable. She peels a saturated photo of her son from the back of the closet wall.

Patricia has just returned to the Lakeview section, one of the hardest-hit areas in New Orleans. The force of Hurricane Katrina broke the levee wall and sent floodwaters as high as her rooftop. Like so many others, she fled the city in a hurry, taking little with her because she expected to be back in just a few days. After three months of living in shelters and homes of friends, Patricia is one of thousands returning home for the first time.

There are no signs of life at the entrance of her neighborhood other than a food and water distribution station. Pastor Collins, a local pastor, erected the tent the day before, offering residents food boxes, Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), water and other disaster relief items.

Collins is able to make these resources available to the community thanks to a cash grant given to his church by Operation Blessing. Cash grants are a large part of OBI’s disaster relief efforts, allowing them to reach disaster victims at a grassroots level – that is, through local organizations who can best identify and assess their community’s needs. To date, OBI has awarded over $3.5 million to various non-profit and faith-based organizations. Groups use grant money to purchase disaster relief supplies such as food, water, clothing, construction materials, fuel and whatever else may be needed by their community.

“I am grateful for the food and supplies,” Patricia said as she picked up a relief box. Throughout the day, many of Patricia’s neighbors share similar stories as they stop to gather supplies.

“What has been most encouraging is seeing the twinkle of hope come back in their eyes,” Pastor Collins said. “They need someone to say, ‘All is not lost. You are not alone’.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1997- 2013 by Operation Blessing International of this page and all contents. No part of this site may be used without prior written consent from OBI. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Email us at operation.blessing@ob.org.