AWB Blast from the Past – AWB New Orleans 2012

AWB Blast from the Past – AWB New Orleans 2012

Eddie Strikes a Pose with a Brush and Gabi

My name is Eddie and this is my third AWB to New Orleans. Today we visited Apostolic Outreach Center to help with the community garden. We started the day by turning up topsoil in the flowerbeds and compost piles. We then went inside to hear from Master Gardener, Debera Surtain. She told us the story behind the garden and her experience with Hurricane Katrina. Hearing her story enlightened me to the hardships that citizens of New Orleans had to endure. She told us about the governmental failures and how her faith helped her through the travesty that was Katrina. We then helped her make signs to put up in the garden.

After we finished at the garden we were off to Jackson Square for a scavenger hunt; it was a great way to see the French Quarter and experience New Orleanian delicacies like the hottest hot sauce in the universe.

This trip has been an amazing experience for me. Even though this is my third visit to New Orleans I am still learning so much about the people, city, and Katrina. Tomorrow Team Inspire (The best team ever!) will be going to help in the lower ninth ward. I am so excited to go and help Lower Nine; over the course of the week I have had the opportunity to see all different parts of the cituy and the ninth ward will be a fantastic place to end.

~ Eddie is a Sophomore at Yale.