We are here! Got in yesterday without a hitch. Toured the lower 9th ward in New Orleans, which is nothing like what you see on the news. Devastated, lacking all support services for life, and no wonder that people feel hopeless. Continued our travel to Pearlington. It is no warmer here than Philly! No heat in barracks where we are staying, so we are "bunking" in the true sense of the word (pulling beds together for body heat!). The staff are amazing -- dedicated, outgoing, and full of commitment in the face of incredible odds. Early breakfast, and then off to the community. We paired up nursing and SP2 students (9 total pairs) and visited over 40 homes today. These people are inspirational! They have weathered losses of untold proportions, and have not given up even though the storm has faded from the memories of most Americans. New homes, rebuilt homes, half-built homes, lost jobs, possessions that will never be replaced, mutiple health and social comorbidities, and needing lots of help. They're shutting us down, so we'll be back tomorrow -- cheers!
Julie and Norma
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