Patricia Bondor

There is a group of mennonites here voluteering and they all have adopted Tank as well. When I put him in his kennel and he yelps, they get him out!!! I may NEVER get him kennel broke!! Once my apt. is finished and I move in he is going to be so lonely, so he really should be learning how to be alone some!! He's doing great with the potty training and is just cute cute CUTE!!

I'm going to love working here - the people who work at the station don't keep up with time, they just give until they get it done. They pitch in and help as needed. It's such a cool attitude. Many of them are waiting for their homes to be fixed so they can "go home". Yesterday in a meeting they were talking about how behind the construction department is (my department where I'm the assistant) and said, well, I can give a half hour of my lunch to help make calls, do computer input, etc if it will help. They all put the families first and don't say "Katrina Victim" instead they say, "Katrina Survivor"!! Sounds so much more optimistic!

Next week there are 200 volunteers coming in, we will house them, provide them with tools, masks, etc. whatever they need to work. We will assign the houses to them. They provide their own transportation and food, other than that there is no cost for them. They usually give the church that has housed them a donation. If needed, I will work with the teams.

Earlier this week I was "in the field" assessing houses. It amazes me that there is STILL so much work to be done. Out of 4 houses, two had not been entered since the hurricane, one had the contents removed already, but that was all. The other has the contents removed, but is now "for sale" so it doesn't qualify for our program. Within these 4 different neighborhoods, there is about 10% of the homeowners living there. There are totally untouched houses next to empty lots where a home was demolished, next to a gutted and empty house, next to a completly restored house. Can you imagine what it must be like living in the completly restored house? No neighbors, a neighborhood that looks like a "war zone", and the fear of going out after dark!! But these families are determined to come back to the city they've lived in for generations.

I also call homeowners to see what else they need, once we've gutted their house. As you often here around here...everyone does have quite a story to tell. Many of them are elderly, widowed, foster parents that I have talked to. They all need to have someone listen to them and give them hope. "I'm a hoper" (those who went on this summer's mission trip knows what that's about!)

That's it for now, please send me notes via email. My apartment isn't ready so I've got an air mattress in a room in the church, no address yet. Last night I found out that Louisianna is NOT always warm...it was freezing and windy and there is a BIG hole in the window in my room. An air mattress on a cold floor with cold air blowing does make for COLD sleeping! Glad I had Tank to snuggle with me to help keep me warm, but a little 11 week puppy doesn't put off much heat!

Please keep praying for me. Also for my mom...she's back in the hospital fighting an infection in her knee that was replaced years ago.

IHS,
Patricia Bondor
(Eastbank Storm Station ph# 504-461-0425)