A recipe for greatness!

When writing about something such as my time in New Orleans, I sit to write and I am flooded with ideas, stories, experiences, and unimaginable joy. To narrow that down into a few statements is very strange, and, as we all know words don’t quite convey my personal experience but here I go…

New Orleans, The St. Bernard Project, and One Brick put together with One Brick Volunteers from all over our Country is the recipe for greatness, as I have experienced firsthand. The Volunteers from One Brick that converged on the Mustard Seed house to work and play side by side for a week are some of the most amazing people I’ve had the opportunity to meet. There is something magical that can happen when you put  16 likeminded people in a house and ask them to help those in need. We started the week with dinner and then a concert for the end of Jazz Week in New Orleans! The next morning we learned about the St Bernard project and the devastation that has been a persistent in New Orleans since Katrina, and then divided into 2 groups to help 2 different families. 

The week for our house started with spending the day meeting each other, learning what we were going to do, and then hanging drywall. We spent day 1 looking at the ceiling and putting up one piece of drywall and wondered how we were going to finish a room let alone half a house. Our group never faltered in our energy or enthusiasm. Led by our house supervisor we learned how to work together and how to screw in drywall, hang insulation, put in blocking, and to overcome obstacles. We met our home owner and were touch beyond words.  When our practice of Volunteering is met face to face with those we serve, it’s powerful and memorable. I guess it’s why we volunteer, why we help those who need it, and One Brick is the catalyst to allow opportunities like this to happen to people like me, and forever I will be grateful.

JJ (May 2015 trip)