Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: The Continuing Saga Of Hurricane Katrina
In the past two weeks Alex and I have driven along the Gulf of Mexico from Montgomery, Alabama to San Antonio, Texas and back. We were struck not so much by the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, but by the continued devastation. There have been three major hurricanes since Hurricane Katrina hit in late August: Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma. And while it has been legitimate for the media to switch their attention to these new natural disasters, a perhaps unintended consequence is that most Americans, not directly affected by Katrina, have assumed that unless an area was just “re-hit” by Wilma, everything’s “O.K. down there.” To most, it’s old news.
Wednesday morning, returning to Montgomery from San Antonio on Interstate 10, the car we were traveling in broke down just miles inside the Louisiana/Mississippi border. After a call to AAA and an hour wait, a tow truck arrived to take us to the nearest car shop. As we exited Interstate 10 and as the drive progressed, we were all struck by the distinct lack of cars on the freeway. Then we began to see them, but they weren’t on the road; they were in the grass, trees, and debris that lined it. Our driver explained that we were at “ground zero” of Hurricane Katrina, “200 people died there, they’re still finding bodies,” he said, pointing to a demolished mobile homes park. “16 feet of water came through here,” he explained. “100 percent of houses in this area are unlivable. Only four places [in the nearest city], to my knowledge, are open for business. I guess the shop where AAA told me to take you just opened.” As we drove into town, Waveland, Mississippi, his prediction proved incorrect. Winstead Automotive was a shell, almost completed gutted.
All of us were shocked. We simply had not realized the enduring devastation that remained stark reality to Louisiana and Mississippi citizens. In God’s providence, there was another car shop, which miraculously was open, just up the freeway. As we sat in the shop’s office, surrounded by packages of government issued rations and canned drinking water, we were profoundly struck by how easily we had let the circumstances surrounding our fellow Americans fade completely from our minds.
This realization was compounded when we began feeling another sensation: hunger. We hadn’t had breakfast, and it was nearly lunchtime. Normally this would be a no-brainer: just run out to Taco Bell. Not so easy. Taco Bell was closed and boarded. So was McDonalds, Jack In The Box, and every other restuarant in the area. So were all the grocery stores.
Well, you might think, just grab some snacks at a gas station. Forget it. All three gas stations were in pieces. They were a wreck. Not only were they useless for food, they were useless for gas too. In fact, we were told that residents had to drive over 50 miles to get gas. There were only two places in the entire city to get food: the FEMA tent with emergency food packs and a lone Sonic restaurant that had just opened a few days before.
We quickly learned that not only was food scarce (at least, food variety was scarce) but most places were still waiting to get running water! We decided to snack on some granola bars while waiting to get an estimate on car repair. In the meantime we looked into renting a car, only to find that there was a four-week waiting period to rent a car! We learned that hundreds of thousands of cars were wrecked or damaged by Hurricane Katrina and so nearly every working car in the area was rented.
Providentially the problem with our car was minor and we were able to proceed with our trip after only three hours at Ground Zero. But those three hours dramatically transformed our compassion and concern for our fellow Americans in ravaged areas.In a seeming “final nail in the coffin” we were unable to pay for the car repair with credit card (they can’t process them down there) and none of us had a checkbook, so we had to drive around the city for nearly an hour just to find a working ATM machine.
As we continued our road trip, pictures of devastation reduced from “constant” to “frequent” and then “rare.” Through it all we were snapping pictures in hopes of communicating to our readers the sheer magnitude of the continued devastation.
We have chosen some of the most “telling” pictures and posted them here. We ask that if you were similarly unaware of the ongoing struggle down at Hurricane Katrina’s Ground Zero that you will help spread the message by directing others here, to read this cover post and to view the pictures. They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. We hope these pictures will speak to your heart. To view them click here.
November 5th, 2005 at 4:54 am
I’m from Texas and live somewhat near the Louisiana boarder. I have seen so much of the devastation these hurricanes have caused. I work at Starbucks and you have no idea how many people I have talked with who were from New Orleans. I’ve heard their stories. It truly is horrible what they’ve had to go through and what they’re(obviously) still going through. Thank you for posting these pictures. We forget so easily, so quickly.
November 5th, 2005 at 5:20 am
Promise: Thanks for sharing. It’s true isn’t it, how we forget things as soon the media stops talking about them? I think the media “legislates” our thoughts more than we realize.
Obviously, in this case the media isn’t at fault; their job is to report the news, and Wilma is bigger news than Katrina. But we must remember the Katrina victims, just like we must remember the Wilma victims a month from now. And we must not allow the media to determine what we remember and what we forget.
In conclusion, oftentimes we get so caught up in the petty things of our lives: our clothes, our food, our homes, our cars, etc. and we forget these people who have none of those things.
November 5th, 2005 at 3:04 pm
Thank you, Brett for posting on this. I had no idea the devestation was still this great.
I hope more people will see this post and begin praying– I’ve forwarded this post to everyone I know.
November 5th, 2005 at 4:39 pm
Thank you Hannah! That’s exactly what we hoped people would do. People need to know so that they can pray.
November 6th, 2005 at 6:48 am
I know…
So many times I find myself worrying about all the things you listed. I feel so selfish. But I’m glad God convicts and and helps to jog our memories of people less fortunate than us. And I’m so thankful that there are people like you and your brother, and the others who read this blog, who seem to really care more about the important things of life, and not just the frivolous, material “stuff” of this world. I hope God starts to open all our eyes more and more each day.
November 7th, 2005 at 12:26 am
Glad that you took the trip.
I worked with the New Orleans Police Department in 2002. It was a great (and horrific) summer. I saw the daily living of many of the totally ignored (poor) while I was there. Amazing how it took this big of a catastrophe to bring their existence to light.
Peace to you as you travel.
Heather
November 7th, 2005 at 7:24 pm
It has been so easy for me to forget the troubles of others as I am enveloped in my own worries. Thank you for the reminder.
How wonderful that even though in my weakness and selfishness I forget others, the Lord never does.
November 7th, 2005 at 7:32 pm
Thanks so much for posting this! It IS scary how we forget about things once they are out of the news! We will be praying! Thanks for reminding us! We will definitely be sharing this with others!
In Christ,
Charity Sauve
November 7th, 2005 at 9:17 pm
Alex & Brett, I’m so glad you made it through okay. I had the opportunity to go and serve in a labor camp for two weeks after Rita. I was stationed in a huge parking lot in a suburb of New Orleans. Your pictures and words captured how I felt. It was completely overwhelming. The most vivid memories that still remain was the smell as I drove from Houston to New Orleans and feeling completely desperate as the gas gauge dropped and stomachs ached with no relief in sight. I praise the Lord for all of the blessings that most Americans enjoy on a daily basis. We must not forget our brothers and sisters in the Gulf. They still have so many needs. –MK
November 8th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
I live in Miami, there are still ppl without power, street lights are still out (or missing) and condemned homes are all too common, but we have been so greatful for God’s mercy on us compared to those who suffered in Katrina. It does take an incredibly long time to get things ‘back to normal’ And can be wearying.
Thanks for reminding everyone there is a world out there, out side of us.
November 9th, 2005 at 10:30 pm
Wow, I had no idea it was still like that over there. I’ll pray for them.
November 10th, 2005 at 3:01 pm
Hello Alex and Brett:
Thank you for posting these photos and your comments. Forgetting too soon, going on with life as normal, is a sign of our ‘me only’ generation. If it doesn’t affect me, I won’t think about, get involved, or solve any problems.
As born again believers, in our risen Christ, we should continue to strive and help in any way we can.
(we have forwarded your site to many, many friends, and pray they will look, be reminded, pray, and be moved to action, to help, even if it is to help just one family)
In Christ,
The Eddys
Lapeer, MI
March 21st, 2006 at 1:30 am
I also didn’t have any idea about what was going on over there.I must be going blind and deaf.
But it does seem like if The System says we shouldn’t worry about something,then we don’t.Like The System,being the controling power,is trying to control our very subconcious through mind numbing commercials that reapeat:”Everything’s o.k.There is nothing to worry about anymore.We fixed the problem.See how great we are?” When,really,it was OUR churches going out and helping people,not the government.Not the celebrities.But that’s what the T.V. shows.
That,of course,is a different story,so I’m gonna quit rambling now.//Sorry, I get going,and it’s hard to stop.//