"Nobody's okay, but we do the best we can..."

After visiting numerous residents in the area, I believe that this quote sums up a major theme of the community. Each house has its own amazing story. I have met so many wonderful people who are so grateful for our presence in their community. Pearlington is a very small community with basically no resources. Many homes are still in the process of rebuilding 2 1/2 years after the storm. During our door to door case finding, we have been able to make very personal connections with different families. Many of the families who have rebuilt their homes have personally financed much of the construction!
I have been very touched by many of the residents of Pearlington, two families in particular that I would like to share. One man that we interviewed on our second day in Pearlington shared his journey after Katrina. He and his family moved to a little brick cottage on the water five months before the hurricane. The family evacuated during the storm and the man returned the next to survery the damage. The house was flooded up to the attic, his picnic table and lawn furniture were displaced in the bayou and trees and his neighbor who rode out the storm stayed in one of the pine trees on his land. The framing of his house was intact, but everything inside was destroyed. His family of four lived in a FEMA trailor (which are extremely tiny) and set up camp in their yard while they began construction on their home. After much time and effort, this man was able to rebuild his home. Although it may seem that this family's lives are back to normal, the man states that their is a never ending list of things to do. In their kitchen stands a whiteboard with a very long list of unfinished tasks and needed repairs. He shared his feelings that the town has become a depressing place to live. To add to their problems, their house has begin to sink! I was able to look at photos of the damage and before and after pictures of Katrina. Another remarkable visit involved a woman who lost her husband to suicide after the hurricane. Since the one year after his death, his widowed wife did not have the energy or motivation to continue construction on her home. Although she recognized that she was very stressed and depressed, she felt as though that she could not seek professional counselling. She also has not been to the doctor in 17 years because of financial reasons but mostly because of fear. Even if these services were available, it would still be difficult for this woman to access them. This is so difficult to handle as a nursing student who is trying to make an intervention and improve the quality of life of the residents of this community.
On a lighter note, we have been identifying many different health concerns which hopefully can be addressed at our health fair this coming Saturday. Many of the residents seem very excited! We also have been having a great time in Mississippi and our tent is still standing after a thunderstorm last night! More to come, comments our welcome! See you all soon,
Gina