New Orleans by Numbers

Check out this list of numbers relating to the recovery of New Orleans 4 years after Hurricane Katrina. For the full list visit CNN.com.


76.4 %- Population: More than three-quarters of New Orleans population is back, according to post office numbers showing who gets mail. In the greater New Orleans metro area, 90% of the population is back, getting mail.


6.8%- Unemployment: Engineering and construction work rebuilding Louisiana after storms has cushioned unemployment. Nation's rate is 9.4%.


1 in 167- Foreclosures: New Orleans ranks 119th on a list of cities with most foreclosures. In hardest-hit Las Vegas, one in every 13 homes is in foreclosure.


-15%- Tourism: Cash-strapped tourists and companies worldwide have cut travel to the Big Easy. City hotel bookings related to conventions and meetings are down 15% from 2008.

65,888- The number of unoccupied residences in March 2009, nearly equal to those in Detroit. Indeed, the New Orleans landscape is dotted by weed-filled lots and molding houses.


1- Murder: The city's murder rate, adjusted for population, topped all cities nationwide last year.


-17 %- Violent crime dropped in New Orleans in 2008. The city has done better than even a nationwide decline in crime the last two years.


2 Poverty: Louisiana ranks No. 2 in the nation for people living in poverty, trailing only Mississippi, despite billions in post-Katrina recovery dollars.

To do list: Buy Pepper Spray

Sunday I decided to take a walk in the neighborhood because I am a few blocks from the Mississippi River where there is an overpass and I wanted to see what kind of view there was. I passed several people sitting on their porches and riding bikes. Everyone was friendly by smiling and saying hello. Then I passed a guy detailing his car; he also smiled and said hello so I did the same. Then he commented on what a pretty smile I had and asked if there was any reason for it. I responded by saying I guess it is just this nice weather and enjoying a little walk.

He made small talk asking me if I was from around here (yes, i just moved for grad school), are you married (no, i don't think I'm ready for marriage at this point in my life), so you're just looking for friends (yes)---still thinking nothing of our conversation other than a friendly chat. I commented on the car he was working on saying "that's a nice ride"; he didn't miss a beat in replying "so when can I ride you? (me: nervous laugh) what your boyfriend wouldn't like that?". I was so shocked by the comment that I replied "No, have a nice day" and quickly walked away while getting out my cell phone to call mom on my walk back home.

Augh! Living in New Orleans is emotionally exhausting because you are constantly faced with the brokenness of the world everywhere you go.
Pray for me and this city.

Friends!

I have been feeling really lonely lately but God provided me with some encouragement today. I went to my church's prayer group this morning in the hopes of having time to fellowship and bond with people at the church. It was nice to spend time with this small group and be encouraged by their prayers for the church and its members.
After the service I saw several people that I wasn't expecting. Three friends from Lagniappe ended up visiting and I got to talk with them briefly. While I was talking to them I saw Mary Owen, a friend from Auburn, walk by. She is here for the week to volunteer with a group from her church in Augusta Georgia! It is nice to have someone in town who I know and can call up to go have coffee with me.
Thank you God for providing friends when I was feeling lonely!

Enjoying the down time

I'm trying to enjoy my leisurely life before classes and work start back Monday. Today I woke up, read a little, browsed the internet, worked out, showered, napped, and cooked. Basically a whole lot of nothing.
It was a great day but I long to be around people at the end of the day. Even if I have been with people all day long I still desire to be around a few friends in the afternoon. I don't know what it is but I can be fine all day long by myself then dinner time hits and I feel lonely. Not to worry--night classes start soon so that shouldn't be a problem.
Anyways, thought I would show off my creations. I made my momma's chicken pot pie but tried to make it healthier by not having as much crust. I also made Anita's banana bread--my favorite breakfast food.

God is great! Life is good!

A whole new world

SO...today I ventured to the local social security office to order a copy of my card because my previous one seems to have gotten lost during the move. Going downtown is always an adventure for me. First, I can't parallel park (without getting pissed off or scratching someone's car) and second, I have no sense of direction in this crazy, curvy city. I finally made it to the office (after trying several other buildings first) and got my number in line.

It was a small room that was crowded and smelled of B.O. and it was filled with many interesting characters. As entertaining as the whole experience was, it was sad to see many of these individuals who you could tell were homeless or struggling to get by. Everyday I get in my car and pass numbers of homeless individuals. I want so much to help but I have no idea where to start and keep having to remind myself that Jesus already saved the world--it's not my job.

This will show you how naive and small town minded I am... I was getting off of my exit right by the superdome and saw 50-100 people scattered about in the parking lot under the bridge. My mind immediately thought "Wow, I can't believe people are camping out for the Saints game". I went home and told my roommate and she gave me this look like "alright". It wasn't until later that week when I drove by and saw the same thing that I realized these people were homeless and trying to get out of the rain.

Please pray for this city and its people. Pray also that God will show me my role in ministering to the many needy individuals here.

"We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield." -Psalm 33:20 (NIV)

I love lists!

I just thought I would share that I love lists! There is something so gratifying about getting to cross something off your long list of things to do that it motivates me to get moving and get things done. The most gratifying thing though is getting everything on the list completed then throwing the list away. Woo Hoo!

I know I'm weird but I embrace it because it gives me this warm tingly feeling inside.

Merry on the Ferry

So...Dane suggested I take the Riverwalk Ferry as a free thing to do downtown and you get a great view of the city. Last night my roommate and I grabbed coffee then boarded the Ferry while listening to a live jazz band on the Riverwalk and watching other dinner boats and barges pass by us. We successfully crossed to the opposite side (Algiers) where we got an amazing view of the city and were chatting and waiting to go back when the captain told everyone to abandon ship (well, not exactly those words) because they had to trade Ferrys. Little did we know that this process would take close to 1 1/2 hours.
There is not much to do in Algiers but we did spot a little bar at the bottom of the hill, the Dry Dock, that looked like a respectable establishment. A few people had just come out of the place and were headed our way so we asked them if it was a decent place. After they confirmed that it was indeed decent and had shared their life story with us, we headed to the Dry Dock where we ordered a couple of appetizers and drinks. They ended up bringing us an extra side which a couple at the end of the bar was eyeing. After sharing this side with them they cozied up to us and were chatting about everything. Their names were Leigh Ann and Jason--a middle aged couple who are originally from chicago; Leigh Ann was a chatterbox and very friendly with a couple of drinks in her :). They ended up getting my roommates number so they could call us in a couple of weeks when they were going to go out again.
I can't wait for them to call; it will be a great opportunity to see some fun places and bands as long as it is not one of the nights that they go to the strip club. I don't think they are Christians judging by the things they said, but the whole time Leigh Ann was talking about how she looks at every person as a potential friend and how showing someone grace is a great way to get to know them--in one of her stories showing someone grace meant giving them a cigarette. "Grace" was a regular word in her sentences and I am hoping that God will use me and my roommate to show her His Grace.

I made it...

I can't believe that I drove 6 hours towing my car without a single incident. I arrived to New Orleans and my friend Charles arrived shortly after to help me unload all of my stuff. It rained the entire time we were unloading but it was perfect and refreshing in this Louisiana humidity.

One helpful tip my friend shared with me is to keep at least a half tank of gas in your car during hurricane season because if a storm does come it can be difficult finding any.

Life in New Orleans is already so different than anywhere else I have lived. I'll have to make a list sometime soon of the uniqueness of NOLA.