Sept 24th, Saturday

Our first day off, but we didn't sit down for a minute, we hit the ground running and didn't stop all day!

We picked up Genevieve, Lucille & Nelvin, Gail & Tiffany, and took them to our regular route. They were awestruck at the devastation on the gulf shoreline.

While we were down by the water, a couple came up and asked us to follow them home. Their names are Mike and Michelle, and their story is amazing. They took us into their house and showed us firsthand how their lives were ripped apart.

They had a beautiful house, which is now gutted and filled with slimy water and debris. They drew a line on the wall where the water line was in the house, it is over 6 ft high. They said Camille never touched the house, so they weren't worried about Katrina. By the time they realized they were wrong, it was too late. They took their pets and had to swim to the neighbors house. They found their clock a block away. It had stopped at around 10:00. Mike said that is when the water level reached the clock on the wall and it floated away. Such an amazing couple. They have a wonderful attitude, and a positive outlook.

Just a few hundred yards from the front door is what appears to be a house sitting in the middle of the street. It is actually the 2nd story of a house. The first story collapsed and the top floor slid out into the street. There is a "for Sale or Rent" sign leaning on it. Just a small example of the resilient nature of these wonderful people down here. They get beat up by a hurricane and can still find a little humor to make them smile. Michelle said the one thing that makes her smile is hearing the airhorns on our ERV and the loudspeaker with a friendly voice saying "This is the American Red Cross with your hot meal and cold water... and remember, WE LOVE YOU!"

She did not realize that I was in the ERV, that is our rig, and our wonderful-crazy-loving driver Carolina is behind that voice on the loudspeaker!
After a few tears, and lots of hugs, we left that area, but we made 2 wonderful friends that will always be in our hearts.

We all had lunch and good conversation at a local Mexican restaurant, and took everyone back to the hotel, picked up Andy and went back around the route again.

We are definitely touching lives here, and they are touching ours. I miss everyone back home, but I'm going to be missing our new family here also, and it's only the first week!

-Sue