The inspiration of magic

New Orleans, Louisiana is a magical place.

Aug. 29, 2005. The wind blew and the water rose. Most of the world watched as Hurricane Katrina made land and turned that land into a sea of broken dreams for many of the people of New Orleans.

Even those whose homes were not affected by flooding found themselves evacuated as they had no electricity. With that came no source for food, water, telephones and more of the items the rest of us take for granted.

For 30 days or more the people of New Orleans were displaced, discouraged, disillusioned.

That was three years ago. Some folks say they will never return. Others are trying hard to rebuild their lives. For many, that means rebuilding their homes.

I fell in love with the people of New Orleans — the artists, the musicians, the guy on the street, the homeless family living at the shelter, the lady at the gas station. Every one of them has something valuable to share with the world. And they will if you let them.

I spent a week with the Minnesota Katrina relief team helping to rebuild the city, one house at a time, volunteering through Operation Helping Hands, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As we worked on our assigned projects some of the folks from the neighborhoods would stop to visit.

They were old and they were young. They were curious and they were grateful. They were receptive and they were kind. They were inspiring.

The people in those broken neighborhoods most touched my heart. Their houses and entire neighborhoods may have been broken, but their spirit was not.

A house represents security, a place to start the day and a place to finish the day. A home is comfort, family, friends and love. When the people of the flood damaged parishes of New Orleans say to you, “Welcome to my home,” it is empowering to them. They have accomplished much.

To be a small part of that, is awesome. One week of volunteering was more fulfilling than almost anything I can think of that I have done in my life so far. We were not polishing diamonds in the rough, we were doing something real. By rebuilding homes we were changing lives. As Jenny Orsborn, our group leader, said, we are saving the world one house at a time.

To look at the changes that have been made in the last three years is inspiring. To see a community come together and know that I was a tiny part of making someone's dream come true is amazing. More important than the progress you can see with your eyes is the progress you can feel in your heart.

NOLA is a magical place. The city has a pulse. You can feel it reverberating in your bones. The architecture is beautiful. Artists from all venues are everywhere, in studios, galleries and on the street. And the music . . . ah, the music . . . is alive.

What makes the heart beat of the city is the people. The people of NOLA are strong, spirited and soulful. And those who can, are coming home.

Peace.

p.s. Please read my story in this weeks edition of the Mille Lacs Messenger on sale at news stands tomorrow, April 30.