In a related item, the following was sent to me from one of my former students who lives in coastal Texas:
Day 5. 6? 27? River Plantation had 12-13' of water, from what we could see if the water lines on the houses.
I can't even describe the smell. Raw sewage mixed with plain old dirt and animal droppings, and just plain filth. I don't know if I can ever get it out of my nostrils.
Dumping a person's entire life of gathering, collecting and fussing over in a soggy mess, so saturated that they just fall apart in your hands - prized possessions now have to be shoveled into a wheel barrow to be dumped at the curb with dry wall and insulation.
Today I had to bring two camera bags with 4 very expensive cameras to a homeowner. Thousands of dollars worth of equipment!She very quickly said "Oh no, they're gone. They will never work again." And turned to another task. I had to put it on the pile of sewage and drywall to be picked up by the dump truck tomorrow.
So much sadness. So much loss.
Yet...
Both yesterday and today, every 10-20 minutes another group came by offering sandwiches, water, fast food, home cooked food, Gatorade, and even popsicles, ice cream (they even had the ice cream truck music playing, which made everyone smile for a minute), and even beer!!
I shoveled contaminated, fiberglass laden water, 4" deep, and joked and laughed with total strangers. I have no idea who they are, and will most likely never see them again. But for a moment, a day, we were friends. Community. Family.
When we knocked on doors checking on family members we knew nothing about, just an address and maybe a name, we didn't think to ask about skin color, sexual orientation or party affiliation before taking on the task. We just wanted to make sure they were safe, had food and water, and let them know a loved one was concerned about them.
This has been a horrific week, but it has been a wonderful one.