The difference between the "needs" and the "wants" - Part II

Hurricane Katrina
Getting married was a catalyst to an incredible amount of changes and events in my life. Only a month or so after the wedding, your father and I got hired as Home Inspectors for an agency that deals with natural disasters. It all came about at a time when our island had been hit with a category 1 hurricane, and several states had also had disasters, so there was a huge need for inspectors. We were "trained" and sent to work in 1 day! I spent several months working almost 7 days a week and had the opportunity to visit hundreds of homes. This was an astounding way to see first hand how many people live, some with plenty and then some, and others lacking some of the things we would consider essential. It was a very demanding job, and one I was sure I'd never do again. Or so I thought.

At the Astro Dome in Houston

In August 2005, I got a call from the same company asking us if we wanted to fly to Houston, to prepare for the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. Your father and I had less than a day to make up our minds. Katrina had not happened yet, so we had no idea what it would be like, still, we decided to go. Four days later I was in Houston, Texas. Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast and the whole world watched in horror the aftermath of this terrible storm. We spent two weeks in Texas, just waiting for the waters to reside so that we would be able to go to Louisiana and start working. It was a time of much uncertainty for millions of people, including us. We had no idea what we would see, where we would sleep, where we would eat. As I waited, I saw the images of the destruction caused on TV and cried in unbelief at what we saw. However, seeing it in person was indescribable.

Katrina aftermath

There was rubble and trash everywhere. Some houses we needed to visit were completely gone! The only thing left to indicate there used to be a house there was the cement slab. We slept at a fire station for  several nights, since hotels were fully booked. We also spent a night at a police academy center, two weeks in a rented trailer, and finally a few months in a small apartment in the backyard of the home of an amazing family. We basically lived off of whatever fit in our three suitcases for almost four months. That really taught me a lot about needs! I thought about how many things I kept at home, things I never even looked at or used, and how I didn't even miss them! We visited over one thousand homes; some were the biggest mansions I've ever set foot in, others the most disgusting, stinky places I never want to set foot in again.

In a way it was an up-close look at human conducts. We met all sorts of people;  some people lost everything, yet still had joy. Some people only had minor damages, but spewed anger, desperation, and pride (two of them even kicked us out of their homes). I smelled things I never want to smell again, walked through piles of rotting clothes, toys, sofas, and sheet rock, and spent hours driving back and forth through neighborhoods that had been swiped out completely. We heard sad stories of separation and even death and we prayed with families and listened to stories of grace and compassion. There were also some funny moments, like the time your father used a toilet in a three story home that had lost the bottom floor, and when he flushed it, it all came falling down to the first floor, where I was talking to the home owners (who didn't know he was using the bathroom!).

In Iowa after the floods in 2008

We also saw generosity at its best. People from all over the world gave so much, there were piles of donations scattered across parking lots, gymnasiums and churches. Once again I was reminded of how much we have, how important it is to be detached from your possessions, and what a blessing it is to give abundantly. Katrina changed us in many positive ways. After those months, life seemed fragile and uncertain, but we also learned about the will to rebuild, to start over, to hold on to hope in the grayest of moments. A few months before I got pregnant, we also worked in Iowa after devastating floods tore through the state. The experiences were different. The lessons learned? The same.

If you ever wonder why we don't like to hold on to things we don't really use or need, Katrina is the answer. The important things in life are in our hearts and in our souls. Family truly is first. Give me love, and a suitcase with the things I really need, and I'll be ok.