the Treme

Day two of our work in the home in the Lakeview neighborhood was focused on details – baseboards, quarter rounds, returns, caulking, nail-hole-filling, and other exciting things. It all seems small in and of itself, but each task makes a big difference in the finished product. When things got tedious, it was helpful to be reminded to give as much attention to the home as we would want given to our own. The team is working together more smoothly with every hour that passes. The 80’s rock tunes only help to keep the energy high – and encourage spontaneous dance parties throughout the day.

Tonight we attended a mid-week Eucharist and healing service at St. Anna’s Episcopal Church in the Treme. The first thing you’ll notice is the murder wall on the outside of the sanctuary. Handwritten on large sheets of foam board are the name, age, and cause of death for every person in the area who has died as a result of violence in the last year. This is one way the St. Anna’s community has chosen to give voice to one of the many injustices that plague the city. The service itself was a Rite II Eucharist, though it has clearly taken on the character of the community. Meaning, we sung Gospel hymns, yet also rang bells to honor the presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the Eucharistic prayer (typically regarded as a “high church” tradition.) During the prayers of the people, they name each person who has died in the city that week. It is yet another way of giving voice to all that is going on in the community that needs their prayers and attention. During the sermon, Father Bill Terry preached on the legacy of the venerable Bede of Monk. His message of relevancy was appropriate for our task for the week. He reminded us of many of the ways in which the church has become less accessible, which is exactly the opposite of what it was created to be. Using insiders language, creating markers for membership, and ultimately means for keeping people out, all hinder the mission of Jesus Christ – to love others. We are able to do the work that Jesus Christ did.

During announcements, it was clear that our group was “not a part of our normal rag tag gathering.” So we introduced ourselves. We were thrilled to meet two parishioners who have played roles as extras in the hit HBO series, “Treme,” including the church piano player & organist, who is often the one playing the piano in the TV soundtrack. Father Terry also issued us a very specific message, “You afford the people of New Orleans dignity by showing up. When people are forgotten their dignity is taken away. By showing up, you remind us that we matter and that people love us. Thank you for being here.” We were humbled to be in the presence of such a loving, genuinely Christian community.

For dinner we went to a hole in the wall establishment for some of the best po-boys and fried alligator bites we’ve ever had! We were joined by Pete Nunnally, Mission and Volunteer Coordinator of ESCLA. Pete took time to tell us his story of service in the city. Several months after Hurricane Katrina, Pete traveled to New Orleans on a short-term mission trip. He spent time gutting houses, removing personal belongings and valuables. Years later, Pete still describes it as a horribly gut-wrenching process. People’s lives were literally reduced to trash. Pete soon quit his job, sold his house, and moved to New Orleans to be a crew chief on various work sites, gutting and beginning to rebuild houses throughout New Orleans. After three months as a crew chief, Pete was invited to become the Mission and Volunteer coordinator, a position he still currently holds. His love for the city, the people, and the work is abundantly clear!

On the end of our second day of work, we’re slowly beginning to weave together a narrative of the folks with whom we have worshipped, worked, and communed. I have never encountered a city or a group of people who have the same collective narrative in the way that the residents of New Orleans do. The disastrous event of six years ago is without a doubt, “the failure of the federal levee system,” not Hurricane Katrina. They spoke of neglect and denial of the magnitude of destruction and despair from all authority figures. But throughout there narratives were words of hope, forgiveness, and compassion – both for one another and for the place that they have called home. One of the themes that came up over and over again today was dignity. You cannot put a price on dignity. It cannot be physically destroyed and rebuilt. However, by showing up, listening, and being in relationship with someone, dignity is something that they are able to reclaim. The catastrophes that followed in the wake of the failure of the federal levee system caused deep and lasting damage. Sitting with folks and diligently working to allow them time to reclaim what all humanity deserves, is the real work that is needed in this place, and in so many others.

Goodnight, New Orleans!