Hi everybody! I miss all of you and it's so weird to be home and not seeing all of you everyday. I've been meaning to write here for a while, but I've been a little nervous because I'm not quite sure how to express my time spent in Biloxi. So I'm going to try not to make this sound like a ramble or like my little talk in the circle at the end of the trip...
First off, I would like to thank you guys for making last week the best week of my life. Without you, there's no way my experience would have been the same, and I already cannot wait until next year!
Also, thank you so much Mr. Magee! I am so beyond grateful for this wonderful opportunity, and it is for sure a trip that I will never ever forget.
Thanks so much to all of the parents too! Your guidance was incredible, and without you guys, everything we did would not have been possible.
I had been looking forward to this trip ever since I heard about, and when it finally came time to pack I was so excited I couldn't speak. I was a little iffy about using power tools, especially after I realized that I used the hammer the wrong way, but once I got there and got to work, I realized that I was completely wrong.
I experienced every emotion out there last week. I laughed a ton, and cried more than I thought I would.
Biloxi was the best thing that has ever happened to me. I strengthened old friendships, as well as made new ones. I also found out a lot about myself. I accomplished things I never even thought were possible. It made me realize that we are truly capable of anything.
I know as soon as i post this, I'm going to think of a million more things that I should have also said here.
Thanks again everybody! I can't wait for our reunion! (: and Biloxi 2010!
-Magilla Gorilla (Maggie)
P.S. I just proofread this, and realized that it was all over the place. I apologize. Anyway, love you guys!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
sad to be home again...
Hey everybody!
It's crazy to think that just two days ago we were in Biloxi miles and miles and worlds away from our lives in St. Louis. To be honest, this last week was one of the best in my life. This week was full of new friendships - both with classmates and with citizens of Biloxi - full of happiness, laughter, and hard work, but it was also full of loss and a pain that many of us had never endured before. Working at Howard and seeing Mrs. Nguyen be taken from her trailer was one of the most painful and upsetting experiences of my life. It has taken me until today to completely process what happened at Howard and throughout this entire in Biloxi. Here is what I realized. Sometimes things will happen in our lives, or the lives of the people around us, that are simply out of our control. It is in these trying times that we must lean on each other and push on to something better. It is in these times that we must question authority, question justice, and question ourselves. In this questioning, we could learn that life is not fair to everyone and each one of us is immeasurably blessed. This last week, I grew immensely more grateful for my home, but also for my family and my friends (both old and new).
Leaving Biloxi this year was much more difficult because I was unsure of whether or not I would ever be returning, but as I started telling friends and family about this year's Biloxi trip I realized there is no way I could not return. Without a doubt I will be returning to Biloxi next summer. I wish I could be returning to Nerinx this fall, but, alas, I have to move forward. To those of you returning, enjoy the time you have left. Have fun with friends, learn lots, talk to new people, and appreciate and cultivate the relationships you have. The time flies and before you know it, May 28, 2010 will be here, and we'll be heading back to Back Bay!
Lastly, believe in yourselves and know that you are loved.
Peace,
Country (Jessi Pachak)
It's crazy to think that just two days ago we were in Biloxi miles and miles and worlds away from our lives in St. Louis. To be honest, this last week was one of the best in my life. This week was full of new friendships - both with classmates and with citizens of Biloxi - full of happiness, laughter, and hard work, but it was also full of loss and a pain that many of us had never endured before. Working at Howard and seeing Mrs. Nguyen be taken from her trailer was one of the most painful and upsetting experiences of my life. It has taken me until today to completely process what happened at Howard and throughout this entire in Biloxi. Here is what I realized. Sometimes things will happen in our lives, or the lives of the people around us, that are simply out of our control. It is in these trying times that we must lean on each other and push on to something better. It is in these times that we must question authority, question justice, and question ourselves. In this questioning, we could learn that life is not fair to everyone and each one of us is immeasurably blessed. This last week, I grew immensely more grateful for my home, but also for my family and my friends (both old and new).
Leaving Biloxi this year was much more difficult because I was unsure of whether or not I would ever be returning, but as I started telling friends and family about this year's Biloxi trip I realized there is no way I could not return. Without a doubt I will be returning to Biloxi next summer. I wish I could be returning to Nerinx this fall, but, alas, I have to move forward. To those of you returning, enjoy the time you have left. Have fun with friends, learn lots, talk to new people, and appreciate and cultivate the relationships you have. The time flies and before you know it, May 28, 2010 will be here, and we'll be heading back to Back Bay!
Lastly, believe in yourselves and know that you are loved.
Peace,
Country (Jessi Pachak)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
looking back...
Although its feels so good to be home and see my family and friends that i have missed this past week, I still think about all of the new and old friends that are down in Biloxi. This past week has been one of the best experiences of my life so far. I cannot say whether it is better than last year, because they both have such different memories, but I know for sure it greatly exceeded my expectations. I will never forget the times that I enjoyed cooking in the trailer kitchen, nailing in the subfloor, playing hide and go seek, painting three coats of eggshell paint, sitting out at the seashore picnic table, and so many more. I have truly been blessed to encounter the people of Biloxi and have the privilege to serve those in need. I will always remember my two weeks (and possibly more to come?!), and they will always have a special place in my life. The unimaginable amount of knowledge, spirit, and perspective that I have gained will always outweigh any material possessions that I may have.
To those who will return to Nerinx next year:
I never doubted that the hard work and and effort of a group of Nerinx girls could ever be less than extraordinary, and I am certainly proud of each and every one of you. It's sad to say that I won't be able to walk the halls next year, but I know you all will continue to do great things within our Nerinx Hall community. If you choose to return to Biloxi next year, please keep Miss Mary in mind and pay her a visit when you can. She enjoys visitors and would love to share all of her crazy life stories. Continue to be the beautiful, kind, and loving empowered women that you all are, and I hope to see some
To the parents:
Thank so so much for your patience and guidance. Without you, these accomplishments would not have been possible. I will never forget the life lessons that I have received, and you all are truly role models for all of us. Thanks for keeping us all in check and making sure that our week went that much smoother.
To Mr. Magee:
Thank you for everything. Without this trip, I would be a different person. I can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for all of your hard work. I will never forget everything you have done for me, and the opportunities that you have given me. Thanks to you I have grown so much more as a person. I hope that I can still be a part of this trip in the future!
--Sam (sammie 2 much)
To those who will return to Nerinx next year:
I never doubted that the hard work and and effort of a group of Nerinx girls could ever be less than extraordinary, and I am certainly proud of each and every one of you. It's sad to say that I won't be able to walk the halls next year, but I know you all will continue to do great things within our Nerinx Hall community. If you choose to return to Biloxi next year, please keep Miss Mary in mind and pay her a visit when you can. She enjoys visitors and would love to share all of her crazy life stories. Continue to be the beautiful, kind, and loving empowered women that you all are, and I hope to see some
To the parents:
Thank so so much for your patience and guidance. Without you, these accomplishments would not have been possible. I will never forget the life lessons that I have received, and you all are truly role models for all of us. Thanks for keeping us all in check and making sure that our week went that much smoother.
To Mr. Magee:
Thank you for everything. Without this trip, I would be a different person. I can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for all of your hard work. I will never forget everything you have done for me, and the opportunities that you have given me. Thanks to you I have grown so much more as a person. I hope that I can still be a part of this trip in the future!
--Sam (sammie 2 much)
Thank You Howard, Thank You Hoxie, Thank You Irish Hill, Thank You Belvedere, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
I cannot tell you how proud of each and every one of you I am.
YOU ARE the change I want to see in our world.
You met, laughed with, worked for, and helped OUR NEW FRIENDS.
For the rest of your life, when people talk of poverty, you will know so much more --you have seen the face of poverty.
And you know that although there is a poverty of money, a poverty of housing, and a poverty of food, that in most cases there is not a poverty of spirit, there is not a poverty of hope, there is not a poverty of kindness. And if we work hard to share our spirit, our hope, and our kindness, the POVERTY we see today can END.
Hard work usually pays off, and when it doesn't the obstacles we encounter enrich our character and allow us to grow.
In your seventeenth or eighteenth year (or 48th, 36th, or 55th) you achieved greatness, even if it was just one week.
For the rest of your life, when you have doubt or uncertainty remember this week or remember that a tall man with an unbelievable sense of humor believes in YOU (and so do 22 other adults).
Harry Chapin, the songwriter, shared this anecdote about his grandfather.
"My grandfather was a painter. He died at age eighty-eight, he illustrated Robert Frost's first two books of poetry and he was looking at me and he said, 'Harry, there are two kinds of tired: there's good-tired, and there's bad-tired.' He said, 'Ironically enough, bad-tired can be a day that you won. But you won other people's battles, you lived other people's days, other peoples agendas, other people's dreams and when it was all over there was very little "you" in there, and when you hit the hay at night, somehow you toss and turn--you don't settle easy.' He said, 'Good-tired, ironically enough, can be a day that you lost. But you don't have to tell yourself, 'cause you knew you fought your battles, you chased your dreams, you lived your days, and when you hit the hay at night, you settle easy--you sleep the sleep of the just, and you can say "take me away."' He said, 'Harry, all my life I've painted. God, I would've loved to be more successful, but I painted and I painted, and I am good-tired and they can take me away.'
Last night, Saturday, I expect that you all had one of the best night's of sleep in your life. There was a lot of You in this week.
Thanks
YOU ARE the change I want to see in our world.
You met, laughed with, worked for, and helped OUR NEW FRIENDS.
For the rest of your life, when people talk of poverty, you will know so much more --you have seen the face of poverty.
And you know that although there is a poverty of money, a poverty of housing, and a poverty of food, that in most cases there is not a poverty of spirit, there is not a poverty of hope, there is not a poverty of kindness. And if we work hard to share our spirit, our hope, and our kindness, the POVERTY we see today can END.
Hard work usually pays off, and when it doesn't the obstacles we encounter enrich our character and allow us to grow.
In your seventeenth or eighteenth year (or 48th, 36th, or 55th) you achieved greatness, even if it was just one week.
For the rest of your life, when you have doubt or uncertainty remember this week or remember that a tall man with an unbelievable sense of humor believes in YOU (and so do 22 other adults).
Harry Chapin, the songwriter, shared this anecdote about his grandfather.
"My grandfather was a painter. He died at age eighty-eight, he illustrated Robert Frost's first two books of poetry and he was looking at me and he said, 'Harry, there are two kinds of tired: there's good-tired, and there's bad-tired.' He said, 'Ironically enough, bad-tired can be a day that you won. But you won other people's battles, you lived other people's days, other peoples agendas, other people's dreams and when it was all over there was very little "you" in there, and when you hit the hay at night, somehow you toss and turn--you don't settle easy.' He said, 'Good-tired, ironically enough, can be a day that you lost. But you don't have to tell yourself, 'cause you knew you fought your battles, you chased your dreams, you lived your days, and when you hit the hay at night, you settle easy--you sleep the sleep of the just, and you can say "take me away."' He said, 'Harry, all my life I've painted. God, I would've loved to be more successful, but I painted and I painted, and I am good-tired and they can take me away.'
Last night, Saturday, I expect that you all had one of the best night's of sleep in your life. There was a lot of You in this week.
Thanks
Thursday, June 4, 2009
A Sad Day At Howard
This past week, a group of us have been working on building a house for a lady named Ms. Nguyen. She has been living in a FEMA trailer for the past 4 years, but recently she has been sleeping on a cot in her unfinished house. She is afraid that the government will take away her trailer any day now because she was notified that trailers would be removed starting June 1st. Today, we arrived at Howard House to find two tow trucks preparing to take away her trailer. She wasn't home at the time, but it didn't even matter to them. One dad parked his car in front of the trailer to protest and they went down the street to call in the Federal Marshall. They came back and told us that they had to take the trailer away so we moved all of her belongings out of it. They said that if she wasn't home and we weren't there, then they would have taken the whole trailer with everything she owned inside. Everyone at our site was devastated, furious, and heartbroken. Instead of taking into consideration that this trailer had been her home, the two workers violently demolished her staircase and barged into her house. Everyone filmed and took pictures of the scene. One worker said that she didn't like to take people's homes away, but this was the only job she could find. When we asked one worker what they did with the trailers that they took back, we found out that they take them to sit in a field and possibly use them for scrap metal. No one could understand how taking away people's homes to sit and rot in a field could benefit anyone. We were all very worried about how Ms. Nguyen would react. If we were not in Biloxi, she would be homeless. When Ms. Nguyen came home, she at first could not understand what had happened, and kept asking where her trailer had gone and was even laughing about it. Later, we saw the look of distress in her eyes and saw that she was silently crying, but didn't want anyone to know she was upset. We chatted with her a lot today and tried to make her feel at home again. We even started taking pictures with her and feeding her chickens. As we left, we saw Ms. Nguyen lean on the new railing of her porch and look out with a feeling that she finally had a house of her own.
Kelsey "Stinky"
Katie "Tic Maber"
Jen "Quick Draw McGraw"
Kelsey "Stinky"
Katie "Tic Maber"
Jen "Quick Draw McGraw"
Howard House
So far, this trip has been a huge success and a lot of fun. Last night, we went to the Baptist Church and it helped to revive all of us because we have been so tired and worn out throughout the week. It was a lot of fun to see the way the people of the congregation worshiped God and how dedicated they were to their faith. We all had a great time and joined the parishoners in singing praise. Afterward, our entire group went to Café New Orleans for dinner and had time to chat and reflect on our week. It was also a lot of fun to have time to relax and eat a delicious meal after our hard work through the day. This week, I have worked on the Howard project. We have been rebuilding a home that was destructed during Hurricane Katrina. We are building this home for an elderly Vietnamese woman who will soon be able to live there with her sister whom she is taking care of. My favorite part in building this house was the gigantic ramp to help the women get to their front door easier. We finished the ramp yesterday, and it felt so good to see that our hard work had really paid off. Today and tomorrow we will be finishing the dry wall and other interior parts of the house that we have been working on. I look forward to the rest of this trip, and I hope for the best in its success!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Please Remember in Your Prayers
Brittany Roberts cousin, Mike Roberts passed away too young at the age of 30. I told Brittany today, that I am sure that her cousin was proud of her and the work she was doing. Brittany flew home today to be with her family, and she knows that she has 84 people in Biloxi who are praying with her and for her. I would welcome all of you reading this blog to join us in thinking about Brittany and the Roberts family and friends.
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