Hello Everyone~ So much to say...Under the worst of circumstances, Americans always rise to the
occasion and become the most caring, the most compassionate and the
most giving people on earth. Obviously, being born there in Nola, and raised in both Nola and Gulfport, this is very personal to me. My grandparents were married in St Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square in the French Quarter, I was born at Touro hospital, I rode horses all of my life there, Troy fell in love with me in New Orleans, and I with him, on and on.
With nearly 500,000 hurricane victims forced from their homes
and jobs, their American neighbors are embracing the evacuees in an
unprecedented show of support. Many of the victims have lost
everything, and worse yet, some have been lost or separated from
their families. Refugees.
However, citizens are answering the call and not only opening
their wallets, but are literally taking in complete strangers. I think embracing the miracles that are happening will make them flourish, grow and expand. Obviously, mistakes were made, things happened that never should have, and with careful examination, we all hope won't happen again. Enjoy these hopeful stories and project your love and healing straight from your heart into the world. I dare not trivialize what they are experiencing. I know that whatever one's religion, prayer helps, meditating love outward helps, channeling healing helps. Crying for others pain is a must, we all should help carry the burden. It is so important to be empathic, and to not just offer platitudes that ring hollow. I can't stress enough the enormity of the value of witnessing and truly feeling the pain of others. I know this can make us feel helpless and powerless and sometimes we don't want to "go there", but trust in the idea that we are all cleansing, for eachother, and the only way to truly be empathic is to go there, however painful. William Blake said,

"Comfort in morning, joy in the noonday.
And we are put on earth a little space
That we may learn to bear the beams of love.." We are not helpless when we help bear the beams of grief as well.


As for our governments (state, local, and federal) blatant failure(s), I urge everyone to write or email your reps, the white house, and speak your mind. I hear a lot about,"How can this happen in America???!" Hello?! America is great, but every human deserves the same birthright to safety and love. No mother deserves to see her baby die in her arms from dehydration, no one deserves these things based on any geographical reasoning. Life includes great suffering, yes.

I pray for a day, when the question is instead,"This is the world, how can this happen in our world???!" My child is no different than a poor, black child in Nola or the Sudan or anywhere else. A culture of life goes beyond abortion, it should be a deep reverence for all the humans and creatures who inhabit this strange and beautiful place.

As a survivor of rape and incest and abuse and terror, I know everything does not "happen for a reason", but everything has a gift to be discovered, and pain has a purpose if only we seek to give it one, it comes so that we can metamorph it into healing and joy, and even life lost can be given meaning again, that I KNOW.

Turn on your inner light, Love, Sarah


The Hero Within
September 8, 2005 | 2:30 p.m.

Beliefnet blogger Jesse Kornbluth posted this story of a group of heroes who have slogged through dangerous waters to rescue needy strangers:

"There were two guys with their airboat flying down Napoleon, then returning 30 minutes later with boatloads of people. I asked Tim what their deal was. He said they just showed up on Tuesday and had been living in their truck ever since. He said they rescued more than a thousand people the first day by themselves. When I asked them about it, between gulps of Miller Lite, they just said "No big deal" and kept on rescuing people. A news crew wanted to interview them. They said they had too much to do to talk. I think they just didn't have time for anyone that wasn't willing to get wet trying to help --- wet from that filthy, stinking, muddy water."

Leaving on a Jet Plane
September 7, 2005 | 1:00 p.m.

NBC News anchor Brian Williams reports on his blog that he was moved to see the Baton Rouge tarmac crowded with private jets that had been sent to evacuate families from the storm-ravaged region.


Jesus: Still Standing
September 1, 2005 | 4:00 p.m.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune blog reports that some are claiming "divine intervention" in the fact that amid total devastation around St. Louis Cathedral, a statue of Jesus remains standing after the storm. The only things missing from the statue are the left thumb and index finger, which area residents are working together to save.

Defraying the Costs
September 2, 2005 | 11:45 a.m.

Among the many costs of Hurricane Katrina is the inability of many families to make timely bill payments while struggling to rebuild their lives. Accordingly, Ford Motor Credit Company is offering up to two payment deferrals for storm-affected customers who have financed vehicles with Ford. Additionally, Fannie Mae is offering a mortgage relief program for those who are facing hardship because of the storm.

Praying Under the Trees
September 2, 2005 | 4:00 p.m.

St. Clare Parish in Waveland, MS will be holding Mass this Sunday, but not in the parish building, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Instead, reports Catholics for Faithful Citizenship, the congregation will gather under the trees for religious services. The organization is providing an online resource for Catholics affected by the storm to find each other, share resources, and worship.

A Boy and His Dog--Reunited
September 8, 2005 | 1:30 p.m.

Snowball, the fluffy white dog who was wrenched from his young owner's arms when the boy had to board an evacuation bus, has reportedly been found, MSNBC reports. The dog is one of over 3,000 animals that have been rescued into the Louisiana animal shelter system. The boy is taking the happy trip to Gonzales, Louisiana to reunite with his furry friend.

Recovering the Holy
September 8, 2005 | 10:00 a.m.

The Sikh community of New Orleans, after a 22-hour rescue operation, successfully recovered its sacred scriptures from its house of worship, which had been badly damaged in Hurricane Katrina. The group had previously petitioned the federal government for help in reaching the scriptures, called Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and meanwhile had opened a shelter for 1,300 storm refugees. After not hearing back from the government, the community went through the process of getting permission to undertake the mission themselves. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was brought out intact, to the joyful welcome of area Sikhs who had lost so much else.


Random Acts of Kindness
September 6, 2005 | 3:30 p.m.

Diana Cantello, a Gramercy, Louisiana resident whose home was not damaged by Hurricane Katrina, performed a random act of kindness when she picked up Dmitri Kachkov and his family from the truck stop where they were staying as refugees from the storm. In addition to simply housing the family, Cantello helped Kachkov's mother celebrate her 69th birthday by baking her a cake and giving her small presents. "My mother never expected such kindness, especially during this disaster," Kachkov told Reuters.


The Church Lives On
September 7, 2005 | 11:30 a.m.

Because of Hurricane Katrina, members of St. Mark's Church in Gulfport, Mississippi no longer have a building in which to worship. But, as they showed at a Sunday prayer service amid the rubble, the members of the Episcopal congregation are still a cohesive religious community. The Very Rev. James Bo Roberts, St. Mark's rector, told the more than 50 parishioners who had assembled for the service, "You are the spirit of St. Mark's Church. It's you who have to stand for Jesus. It's you who will bring us back as we once were."

Remembering the Smallest Details
September 7, 2005 | 1:00 p.m.

Residents of Lafayette, Louisiana, which was largely undamaged by Hurricane Katrina, have mobilized in an inspiring way to help the victims of the storm. Barbara Hoffpauir, a Lafayette resident writing for Heartwarmers.com, describes the generosity of residents of time, money, and supplies. Hoffpauir's brother Henry and his wife Betty provided bedding to displaced persons seeking shelter. Betty said, "I went through and washed all the sheets to make sure they smelled nice. One lady said, 'This smells so good. It smells like home'


Returning the Favor
September 6, 2005 | 3:30 p.m.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that his city is all too familiar with living through a crisis. Accordingly, New York City firefighters and policemen are being dispatched to New Orleans to lend their expertise and support to a part of the country that supported New York four years ago in their hour of need.



Has Snowball finally been found?
Dog taken from sobbing boy at Superdome located, newspaper reports


Amid the heart-wrenching moments of devastation from deadly hurricane Katrina, there is at least one bright spot. Snowball, a small white dog taken by police from a sobbing little boy as he and his family were boarding a bus at the Superdome, has been located, USA Today reported Thursday.

Snowball is now at the Louisiana SPCA in Gonzalez, La., and will be reunited with his owner, U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarian Terry Conger told the newspaper. The Humane Society of the United States and the Louisiana SPCA rescued 43 dogs and 16 cats from the Superdome and delivered them to a temporary shelter at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.

The dog is reported to be among an estimated 3,000 animals brought into the Louisiana shelter system.

When the police took the dog during the Superdome evacuation, the boy cried "Snowball! Snowball!" until he vomited. At the time authorities said they didn't know where the boy or his dog ended up.

The sad story of Snowball prompted an outpouring of emotion from pet lovers around the country who went on the hunt for the boy and his dog. One woman set up a reward offer to encourage the search for Snowball.

The story was first reported by The Associated Press.

Late Monday, there was a ray of hope when the United Animal Nations said Snowball was safe, citing news from the state veterinarian’s office. However, the information could not be verified because there was some confusion over whether Snowball was a terrier mix, a poodle or a bichon frise.

On Thursday, the president of the Humane Society of Southeast Texas in Beaumont blasted officials for not doing enough to take care of the pets of hurricane victims.

The organization is offering to temporarily take care of the pets while the evacuees find a new home, said Cindy Meyers, board president of the group.

It’s important that animals are taken care of in evacuations, Meyers said, adding that it’s “inexcusable” that pets are being separated from their owners.

"Pets are family members and they need to be cared for just as the people do," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

AMERICAN RED CROSS:
Phone: 1-800-HELP-NOW (435-7669)
Web: https://www.redcross.org

SALVATION ARMY:
Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
Web: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org

FEMA CHARITY TIPS:
Web: http://www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm

BUSH-CLINTON KATRINA FUND:
Web: http://bushclintonkatrinafund.org

NATIONAL VOLUNTARY
ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER:
Web: http://www.nvoad.org

EPISCOPAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT:
Phone: 1-800-334-7626
Web: http://www.er-d.org

Photos: Staying Put Way After Last Call
• More Photos | Last Week's Photos
CATHOLIC CHARITIES:
Phone: 1-800-919-9338
Web: http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

UNITED METHODIST
COMMITTEE ON RELIEF:
Phone: 1-800-554-8583
Web: http://gbgm-umc.org

LOUISIANA SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS:
Web: http://www.la-spca.org

ISLAMIC RELIEF:
Web: http://www.irw.org/katrina

UNITED WAY:
Web: http://national.unitedway.org

HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES:
Web: http://www.hsus.org

OPERATION USA:
Phone: 1-800-678-7255
Web: http://www.opusa.org

To donate to funds targeting battered women who are impacted by hurricane Katrina, please visit www.ncadv.org.


Please read this and consider how many of our poor were treated with blatant disregard. The poor and black. Babies and little girls raped in that superdome, dead bodies in the street, devastation on top of devastation. It's time for us to face the truth about the denial of poverty in this country. I am so sick of hearing people blame the poor for not leaving. They don't have the means to do so, wake up people. They were left behind and treated like subhumans.
"Everybody wake up, if you're living with your eyes closed." Dave Matthews Band


What the waters have revealed
by Jim Wallis
"In what may be the most catastrophic natural disaster in American history, the waters of Hurricane Katrina are washing away our national denial of just how many Americans are living in poverty, our reluctance to admit the still persistent connection of race and poverty in America, and even the political power of a conservative ideology that, for decades now, has seriously eroded the idea of the common good.

The pictures from New Orleans have stunned the nation. They have exposed the stark realities of who is suffering the most, who was left behind, who was waiting in vain for help to arrive, and who is facing the most difficult challenges of recovery. The face of those stranded in New Orleans was overwhelmingly poor and black, the very old and the very young. They were the ones who could not evacuate; had no cars or money for gas; no money for bus, train, or airfare; no budget for hotels or no friends or family with room to share or spare. They were already vulnerable before this calamity, now they were totally exposed and on their own. For days, nobody came for them. And the conditions of the places they were finally herded to ("like animals," many testified) sickened the nation.

From the reporters covering the unprecedented disaster to ordinary Americans glued to their televisions watching their reports, a shocked and even outraged response was repeated, "I didn't realize how many Americans were poor." Powerful images have emerged along with the pictures. "We have now seen what is under the rock in America," said a carpenter in Washington DC. The vulnerability of the poorest children in New Orleans has been especially riveting to many Americans, especially other parents. Many say they had trouble holding back their tears when they saw mothers with their babies stranded on rooftops crying for help or jammed into dangerous and dirty places waiting for help to arrive. And the pictures may get worse as countless bodies are brought out of New Orleans. Even Homeland Security Director, Michael Chertoff, is warning that it will be horrible and gruesome. Clearly, a very high percentage of those bodies will be poor, black, elderly, and even children. The public anger may grow.

As a direct result of Katrina and its aftermath, and for the first time in many years, the media are reporting on poverty, telling Americans that New Orleans had an overall poverty rate of 28% (84% of them African-American), and a child poverty rate of almost 50% - half of all the city's children (rates only a little higher than other major cities and actually a little lower than some others). Ironically (and some might say providentially) the annual U. S. Census poverty report came out during the Hurricane's deadly assault showing that poverty had risen for the fourth straight year with 37 million Americans stuck below the poverty line - and they were the ones most stuck in New Orleans.

Katrina has revealed what was already there in America; an invisible and mostly silent poverty that we have chosen not to talk about, let alone to take responsibility for in the richest nation on earth. This week, we all saw it; and so did the rest of the world. And it made Americans feel both compassionate and ashamed. Many political leaders and commentators, across the ideological spectrum, have acknowledged the national tragedy, not just of the horrendous storm, but of the realities the flood waters have exposed. And some have suggested that if the aftermath of Katrina finally leads the nation to demand solutions to the poverty of upwards of a third of its citizens then something good might come from this terrible disaster.

That is what we must all work toward. Rescuing those still in danger, assisting those in dire need, relocating and caring for the homeless, and beginning the process of recovery and re-building are all top priorities. But dealing with the stark and shameful social and racial realities Katrina has revealed must become our longer term but clear goal. That will require a combination of public and private initiatives, the merger of personal and social responsibility, the rebuilding of both families and communities, but also the confronting of hard questions about national priorities. Most of all it will require us to make different choices.

The critical needs of poor and low-income families must become the first priority of federal and state legislatures, not the last. And, the blatant inequalities of race in America, especially in critical areas of education, jobs, health care, and housing which have come to the surface must now be addressed. Congressional pork barrel spending which aligns with political power more than human needs must be challenged as never before.That requires a complete reversal of the political logic now operating in Washington and state capitols around the country - a new moral logic must re-shape our political habits. In the face of this natural disaster, during a time of war, with already rising deficits; new budgets cuts to vital programs like food stamps and Medicaid, and more tax cuts for the wealthy in the form of estate tax repeal and capital gains and stock dividend reductions, would now be both irresponsible and shameless.

Restoring the hope of America's poorest families, renewing our national infrastructures, protecting our environmental stability, and rethinking our most basic priorities will require nothing less than a national change of heart and direction. It calls for a transformation of political ethics and governance; moving from serving private interests to ensuring the public good. If Katrina changes our political conscience and re-invigorates among us a commitment to the common good, then even this terrible tragedy might be redeemed."

Take the Katrina Pledge!
The poverty we have witnessed on the rooftops of New Orleans and the devastated communities of the Gulf Coast is morally unacceptable. It's time to take action - starting with a renewed personal commitment to overcoming poverty in America.

If you care about building a new America, read and sign the Katrina Pledge today! Please wake up and face the facts, Bush failed, again, and we must change, NO, as gandi said, "WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD."


Namaste, Love and Peace, Sarah Elise