Journal (more of a family news thing)

I’m not much of a victim. Megan and I left New Orleans Saturday night about 7:45 and made it to Jerel and Amy Keene’s on the Northshore about 10:30. They had fresh bass and catfish fried up with hush puppies. Sunday morning Katrina reached “CAT 5" so we loaded up the Keenes and went to Slagel, LA near Natchitoches. Jerel knew every little two lane strip on the way to his father’s house, and we had no traffic. We ate all the great food everyone brought from their refrigerators, and spent the time walking in the woods. Tuesday the reports of broken levees hit the airwaves, so we drove 1400 miles to Colorado where my wife Alice, who I hadn’t seen for three months was waiting. Other than the distance, not too tough.

Now we’re all together in Grand Junction, CO. I am working at Grande River Vineyards, the largest grape producer in the state. We’re in full harvest mode and I have taken on some accounting details as well. Megan is working full-time at a great bagel shop, so we have all the day old bread we can eat. We are living, rent free, in a luxury two bedroom apartment while the owners spend the winter in their cold weather home in Nevada. When we arrived an anonymous gift was waiting for us at the church, from someone outside the church, that was twice what we spent on gas to get to Colorado. Our family has been there to buffer the financial strain until aid is available.

The pain of Katrina has come to me through so many around me. As we drove into New Orleans to retrieve our belongings the impact finally became real to me. As I watched my downstairs neighbor view the flood damage to her Grandmother’s antique bedroom set physical pain began to sink in. I was only a few feet away and I was able to retrieve almost everything. I know I must not question God’s apportionment in the times when I have lost much. Therefore, I must not question God when I have lost so little. I am not much of a victim. I am praying for you all.

Christmas in Colorado with family was a great blessing. Now I will take one more semester online. Megan has enrolled at Mesa State College for the semester. Alice and I are committed to moving back to New Orleans by the middle of April. There will be much to do there.