In the wake of Katrina,
Hello, my name is Steven La Force.
I recently joined a disaster response team, sponsored by the church of scientology. This group had previously answered the call for help in places like New York City during the attack of 9\11, and the Tsunami disaster. This time the call for help came from the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated Louisiana, and Mississippi. Being from the New England, I had virtually no experience with natural disasters. But what I was about to experience in the following week was nothing short of a rude awakening. The intense heat, humidity, and very strange, and large insects made the work to be done quite difficult, as in the first few days; many of our group became victims themselves of heat exhaustion. On the first day, teams were created consisting of eight to ten people, and each team was assigned a large cargo truck. The military, and local support organizations had set up several supply distribution points in an effort to meet the overwhelming demand for food, clean drinking water, and clothing. A 6pm curfew imposed by the regional authorities meant that we had to work fast, and furious everyday to load our trucks with the necessities of life, and get them out into the wrecked communities. I had never seen such destruction, as not a single house, or business was spared the merciless wrath of Katrina. Many of the houses in the neighborhoods were no longer inhabitable, as their owners now lived inside of camping tents in their yards.
The people of the gulf carried with them an inner strength that would move anyone witnessing this catastrophe to tears. Even the awesome power of Mother Nature could not remove the smiles from their faces, or the kindness, and respect they showed to each other. As I helped a local woman to gather some clothes for her children, she said with an upbeat tone “ we lost everything we owned, but at least I don’t have to attend any funerals.” I was supposed to be the one showing compassion that day, but instead she gave to me a big, warm hug, and whispered in my ear “ God bless yall, for being here. “
The help we gave to the folks of the Gulf ranged from bringing food, and water to people who could not get to supply centers, to putting canvas tarps over battered roofs, and missing walls, and even removing sewer sludge from a flooded school.
I can tell you with absolute certainty that this experience has changed my views concerning material, and the unwavering strength of the human spirit. We all have found ourselves struggling with the day-to-day drama of our lives; we work so hard to create the perfect life, complete with the best material that our hard work can provide. In the course of trying to control this life we have worked so hard for, it is easy to forget that there are forces many times greater than man that can swiftly move in, and take our lives away from us in the blink of an eye!!! So in knowing this undeniable fact, we must ask ourselves which is more important; that we create a life full of drama, and material things, that can be easily lost?? Or should we put more effort into being kinder to each other, and being thankful for what we have, and for the miracle of life itself??
I wish for you the best life has to give!!!
Sincerely Steven La Force
