These photos might be a bit shocking but they are truth; they are what we see every day, what we work in, what the residents see, what they used to live in, what was home to them.
Today the Michigan team finished one gutting job in the morning and moved to this double duplex in the afternoon. Two of the duplexes had already been mudded (furniture out) and the other two not. One was impossible to even get in through the door. The water levels are very evident, the black mold continues to grow everywhere. The furniture, clothing and everything else in the house turned into trash. Some of what you see on the floors are the ceiling tiles that fell from the ceiling. After being so wet and the mold taking over they turn to ash. Like I said, this is reality and this is what thousands of homes still look like. This is NOT in the 9th ward, this is in the city. What I found amazing is that two neighbors came over immediately and told us to be careful in the one house as the floors were caving in and the other one warning us that there was a mother cat with babies in one of them. All they wanted to do was watch out for us and help in whatever small way they could.
As you see these I pray you will pray for the people here. I pray you see the reality of what has happened here and that after 22 months some things are still the same as 22 days after! This is why we still need YOU! This is why this relief effort has made a 10 year commitment here!
The last photos are the PA team hard at work finishing sheetrock. They also learned that what you mud you also sand until you get it right! But you can also see the fun in their faces. Isn't it amazing that asking a teen to clean their room brings objection like nothing else but put them in these circumstances, in these surroundings and they smile while they are working harder than they have in their lives! Must be a God-thing!!
We thank both of these teams for the help and hope and life they are bringing to the city. We also thank those who are scheduled to come and bring more of the same. May God touch your hearts to come and show God's love in a REALLY practical way! Our prayer is always that when people see us they see Jesus in us!
Remember, we may be the only Jesus some people ever see! Does He shine through you?
Until tomorrow . . . Susan and Monty
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