Final Update

I would like to thank everyone who has donated thus far to my family. Your contributions have been the difference maker over the last month. However, it is bittersweet, being that there are so many other families still facing insurmountable obstacles.

Many of you have asked about my mother's dog, chekita. I'm happy to announce that Chekita gave birth to Tom, Dick and Harriet on October 12th. Here is a picture:


My nephew John and his girlfriend Lynette have sent me more pictures of destruction, but I don't have the heart to post any more of them. However, here is a photo of them standing in the doorway of their wrecked apartment. They are a great couple of kids.

My parents are doing ok. They have moved in to the trailer vacated by Tim and Sue, and they now have phone service. It isn't the most livable structure, but it is better than what they were in. My folks had been living in a small camper, where my mother had to climb into the sleep area. This was difficult for her due to her physical condition. In their new living space they have a bed in the middle of the living room and have been able to buy 2 chairs with some of the money I've raised. They have had discomfort and many aches lately, due to not having appropriate seating for their age, so hopefully those will help. They still seem to be in good spirits and are waiting on FEMA for additional assistance. It seems that mold has taken root in a small part of their current trailer and in the bedroom of my Sister's trailer that is near them, but hopefully FEMA will address that problem as well. Here is a photo of my parent's belongings, now destroyed and sitting in the yard.

Finally, If you have not yet read this book, please do so:

This book is one of the most powerful, achingly beautiful, heart-wrenching works that I have ever read. The people in it and the way of life the book describes is so familiar to me that it is at times too painful to read, but if I had one book that I could force a person to read, this is it. We must impress upon our leaders that Louisiana coastal restoration and protection is a national priority, and that nothing less than an entire culture and way of life hangs in the balance.

I don't think I will have that many more posts, from this point forward. I will however, keep this blog active as a testament to my family's ordeal. Again, thank you all for your help.

Pictures from Lake Charles

My nephew, Johnathan, whom I have referred to previously, sent me some pictures of his neighborhood. Here are a few of those pictures.









This is John's girlfriend, Lynette, showcasing her favorite drink. Drive-thru daquiri shops proliferate in South Louisiana, and were a favorite of mine, particularly when I was under the drinking age (They are notorious for not carding minors). Many people like to criticize us for our relaxed policy on such things and our "good times" outlook on life, but that's just the way we roll.



Remember, tourists are always welcome to park next to the gator pond...heh heh heh (sorry, couldn't help it).



MSU is "McNeese State University". We're counting on their resilience to even the score. For those of you who can't read this, it says "Rita-1, MSU-coming back swinging"

John, in his apartment

John, outside of his apartment.





Lynette, tree model. By the way, Lynette is FABULOUS.

A Fellow Blogger

A fellow blogger in a similar situation found my site. She is from Arizona and is trying to find ways to help her family. She brings up the issue of how Rita seems to be the overlooked child of Katrina, both in media coverage and in government response. I can empathize because some of the barriers to recieving aid that her family faces, my family has also faced.

...I am finding it VERY difficult to understand WHY organizations are rolling out the carpet to help Katrina victims and excluding Rita victims. I am also angered when I see Rita victims sloppily included in promotion and fundraising efforts (I'm sorry, but I put HfH in that category). Especially when a heck of a lot of Rita victims were first responders to Katrina, cooked Katrina evacuees meals, opened their churches and communities to Katrina victims, helped Katrina victims evacuate, and then lost everything.... just as Katrina victims lost everything.... and when they ask for help they are told "nope, you aren't from Katrina".

Cameron Parish Blog

It breaks my heart when I think about families like this. There are so many just like hers, and I know first hand how it feels when you are far away from your home and people and seemingly helpless to do anything. You and yours are in my thoughts, friend.

Update

This will be my last post for a few days, as I need to take a step back for a while. Here is the most current update, for those following.

It appears that the "near miss" of my sister Linda's house in Cameron Parish was in fact a direct hit, and will likely be condemned. We had hoped that the damage was minimal enough that she and her family would be able to live there again. They are currently living in a camper near shreveport. Also in Cameron Parish, My Taunte Bernice and N'onc Richard, whose home was destroyed, are now in Morgan City, with housing provided by Richard's employer.

The village of Morse, where I was born and where my brother and 3 of my mother's siblings (and their families) reside, is still without power. Mom says that my brother, like many others, has been working to help his community by bringing in water, ice and such in an attempt to support the community of 2,000 people. She told me that they could be without power for up to a month, but that sounds a little extreme. Little damage has been reported by my family who live there. Hopefully their lives will return to normal soon.

My Nephew who lost his place is still in Lafayette at his girlfriend's father's house. He has worked for Harrah's casino for years, but his casino in Lake Charles was destroyed, along with the those in New Orleans and Biloxi. Harrah's was kind enough to pay him for the next three months, which is a relief, no pun intended. As I understand it, he will stay with his girlfriend at his college (McNeese), where he is pursuing his masters degree in engineering.

My grandparents (step-father Dudley's mother and step-father) are living with my Aunt Verline in Abbeville after their home flooded to the roof. Dudley's son, displaced by Katrina, is still in a shelter in LaRose, LA.

My Sister and her boyfriend have found shelter at a friend's home.

My Parents are now in the camper that my Sister's boyfriend was able to acquire via a small loan from his employer. It is small, but they have electricity and bottled water to drink. On Monday she stood outside with my Sister for several hours in order to get food stamps. Her ankles are giving her problems and makes it difficult for her to stand, but with a stool and my Sister's fortitude they were able to stick it out through the heat. I am surprised to find out that they have the camper set up near their home, which is good. Today Dudley and my Sister are supposed to start gathering some of the items from my parents home that can be saved.

Tim and Sue, my parent's friends who lived in the rent trailer up the road from my parent's home, have decided to pack it up and move to Missouri, where they have family. Tim no longer had the heart to stay. My parents are considering moving in to that trailer when they leave, but supposedly the walls move whenever a strong wind blows and it isn't well insulated, so I am hoping they stay in the camper and use the trailer to store the things that they can save. Of course, one would think that a camper wouldn't fare much better. Regardless, they assure me that they are ok.

Currently, they are waiting on the insurance company to arrive and do an assesment. They were told this could take months. Once the Insurance does their assessment, FEMA will apparently come in and make their own assesment in regards to what help they might provide. It is unclear whether either will cover damage or help them to rebuild, being that they have hurricane insurance, but not flood insurance. I will update as I understand more.

One bit of information that I have found confusing relates to the Red Cross. It seems that they are impossible to reach, giving victims an automated phone directory that loops back to the original directory lisiting regardless of which option you push. My parents have heard a great deal of grumbling about how useless the Red Cross has been. This is surprising to me, considering that they seem to be the most prominent organization. Instead, I hear that the United Way has been far more helpful. In their defense, this disaster is, according to NPR, "6 times larger than anything they have every faced".
On another note, I am still selling t-shirts and accepting donations for expenses that directly relate to my parent's plight.

"HELP" T-Shirts available here

After the Waters Receeded

This is a picture series of the damage, after the flooding receded. This is a narrative, starting with the highway connecting to Bourque road, where my parents live and continuing to my parent's property. These pictures do no justice to the reality of what came before it.


This is highway 682, less than a quarter mile from the entrance to Bourque road, which my folks live on the end of.


This is the entrance to Bourque road, just off 682.


This is a neighbor's home.

The road leading to my parent's house.


Backyard left, looking at neighbor's yard.


Backyard, Dudley's tool/work shed


Back Yard


side right; backyard. Notice the water starts to recedes even more.


As the water recedes even more, you see what it leaves behind.




I call this picture "Runaway", because I have no idea where that trailer came from. It must have floated from somewhere. This is the lot next to my parents.

The front porch of their home. I can't imagine the stench. Mom says that they have a great deal of plant materials on their property due to the nursery across the lake, which is a good distance from them.


Here is some of the food that they lost from the freezer. The water lifted their huge freezer and turned it upside down, emptying the contents.








The freezer completely destroyed.








where there was once grass, now there is mud. This thick, nasty cake is as high as 6 inches in some areas.

Dead Bees

Man, that's sad. Bzzzz.

Miss Mary Fights Back

Our state was attacked in the Washington Post this week, its ignorant editorial staff accusing our Legislature and national leaders of being the real "Louisiana Looters". This opinion piece garnered a good deal of attention in the national media.

Enter State Senator Mary Landrieu. While Miss Mary hasn't exactly hit every pitch thrown at her lately, she has had some great moments, such as when she threatened to punch the president or anyone else who criticized state relief workers (Many in the current administration tried to deflect the total failure of the federal government on to the state...Mary wasn't having it).

This one should be included among her greatest hits:

Why Louisiana Matters

It is a very well written defense of our state and effectively presents the case for our legislature's request for 250 (gulp) BILLION dollars in aid.

Give em hell, Mary.

Family Update

Here, Dud tries to negotiate with the ants.
My apologies for being slow in updates. This has been a difficult week. I would like to thank everyone for the flood of email. I will try to respond to each and every one of your letters and post a good many of them.

My Taunte Bernice and Uncle Richard are Ok. They are a couple of hours away in Morgan City, with family. However, the only thing left of their home is the concrete slab that it was built on. Luckily, Uncle Richard has an incredible employer who has provided them temporary housing and transferred his employment to Patterson. I doubt that they will find many of their old belongings.

My Sister's boyfriend was given a small loan from his employer to buy an old camper, and has generously offered to let my parents stay in it until we can somehow find them a permanent shelter. It is small, but my parents are very grateful to have a place of their own. Their pastor, Mr. Rice seems to think that there is a chance that we can save the trailer, but we won't know until Monday, when men from the church attempt to open the walls. We are hopeful.

No one is living in the area where my Sister and Parents homes are located, as necessary services have not been reestablished or checked for safety. My sister says that in the 90 degree heat, the smell is unbearable and permeates everything.

The most incredible news so far is that the home of my Sister Linda and my brother-in-law Joey was not destroyed. The front porch my step-father made for them was destroyed and apparently flipped over the trailer, but it did not land on the trailer. One side is wind damaged and they had some rain damage due to broken windows, but as I understand it, no water entered the home. No word yet on how the rest of their community has fared. They are currently still living in a camper, somewhere near Shreveport.

My Mother says that it will take a couple of weeks to find out how extended family has fared. If any of my family from Louisiana is reading this, please feel free to comment on what they know about the Primeaux, Lege', Trahan, etc., etc., families.

Here is an excerpt from a letter sent by my Taunte Sally, who along with my Uncle Gary, are saints. They still have electricity, so my parents can wash their clothes, access the internet, and eat a hot meal. It is reassuring to know that they are there.


I call Taunt Bernice and uncle Richard and they are in Morgan City at uncle Richard's neices house.Everyone is ok. We looked on line in Cameron and we could just see the slab left of there house,soooo sad,my heart hurts for them,but we all family and we WILL all help out!! His boss has put him back to work in Patterson this time and he told them not to worry about there house that he will take care of it. He's the one who helped them buy there house. In my book ,he's a dam good boss!!
Everyone else in the family is ok and there house is too,Thank God! I have never seen sooo much damage in my life out here. Uncle Gary went to pecan island yesterday to help with clean up at his boss's daughters store,and he said it was sooo sad to see all the damage out there. He seen some cows,they need fresh water so bad that they are weak. Seen dead animals all over also. There was 3-4 inches of mud in the store,they had to push all that out,yuk!
I beged your mom and Dudley to come live with us,cleaned out the toy room ,getting them a bed from someone we know and giving them Marcy's bath room,she uses our more anyway,lol, but they don't want. They said they have all they need over at the shelter. I can understand,i wouldn't want to live with anyone either.Still i wish they would!! They still come over to use pc and eat and wash clothes and take shower. All of Morse still have no electricity so they been coming here to wash clothes and i been cooking for them,you can only eat so many MRE's ,know what i mean,lol!!
I think its a great idea what ya doing with the t-shirts and im sending it to all my internet friends.
You take care Ben,we love ya,byeeee!!!

la,t.sally

Letters

Here are excerpts from letters I have recieved. This one from Maria Delacroix. She is from Lafayette, LA, the largest city outside of Baton Rouge and the "capital of cajun country". Here she is describing the mood in Lafayette:

The deal on the ground here is that Lafayette is pretty unscathed and has only a pocket or two of hurricane related problems or shutdowns. (traffic is the worst.) Laf. folks just all feel bad and are looking for ways to help. Folks from the outlying areas are pretty shell-shocked (= to Katrina evacs on day 5 or 6) and not nearly as saavy about what to do. The good news is that troops are EVERYWHERE and handing out food and water like beads and trinkets at Endymion. They've even got cattle and horse feed to Vermilion Parish already

This one from Andrea Guidry, a sweet girl I knew in college who has housed evacuees from both hurricanes. Her family lives in the same town as my Taunte Sally:

Fortunately my parents were able to evacuate for the storm to Natchitoches Parish where my oldest brother's wife's family lives. They still got hit hard by the hurricane and lost power there. My 2nd brother and his family actually stayed in Kaplan b/c his wife's family lives south of Hwy 14 and he lives north. They made it okay but of course lost power. He also had to continuously mop up his floor to keep water out. My 3rd brother and his wife came stay with me since I am presently living in BR. BR got hit pretty hard for Katrina but faired Rita a lot better. I am thankful that I never lost power since besides my brother and his wife I've been housing 4 other evacuees from LK Charles.My whole family was able to safely return home to my parents' house 2 days ago. My parents live right outside of Kaplan on the north side off of 696. They were the only ones in my family that had power in Kaplan until today. In fact my mom was called back to work today b/c the hospital in Kaplan is now with power. When my brother and his wife left, I received 3 more evacuees from Lk Charles who originally evacuated to Elton. Elton was hit really hard and they had no power. I'm going home today to visit my family.

Andrea, I hope that your father, who had to put off his surgery until after the hurricane, is recovering well.

Corrections

My mother is 61, not 64. She noticed this when she saw my blog yesterday, for the first time. Luckily I was not there for her to smack me. Joking aside, she is floored by the idea that people want to help them.

Also, the picture of their pregnant dog Chekita (Chaquita), who is with them in the shelter and due to deliver, was in fact a picture of my n'onc boy's (yankee translation:uncle Robert) chihuahua.

There are few things I dislike in this word more than Chihuahuas, but in the spirit of fairness, here is an actual picture of Chekita. I believe this was taken right after she was told that I misrepresented her.

What our Leaders are Doing

This guy makes everybody feel better.Over.

Lt. General Honore, who first entered our consciousness with Katrina and now leads the effort in the wake of Rita, is a homegrown soldier whom his troops have taken to calling "the ragin cajun general". He hit the ground running with a cracked whip and a no nonsense attitude, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind who was in charge. He has easily been the most reassuring presence in the state.

Do a search for him on CNN.com for great video. I had a link, but I could not get it to work properly. This is recommended viewing. Over.

Governor Kathleen Blanco, when not fending off unfair and unsubstantiated criticism, is working to provide disaster victims with medicaid coverage, as was done with victims of 9/11.

Unfortunately, My mother is one such uninsured person with medical problems who is at risk, considering the stress, excess of physical exertion, and health hazards that proliferate in the aftermath of flooding, particularly in 90 degreee heat. Obtaining such benefits at this time would be highly welcomed. Also unfortunate, the Bush administration is fighting her request, with many conservative leaders saying that giving medical care to the poor would be an unfair burden on the treasury.

There is no word yet from our government explaining how providing medical treatment to poor hurricane victims is somehow more unfair than giving those tax dollars, in this case tens of billions in no-bid reconstruction contracts, to large corporations like Haliburton which have little to no oversight and are not providing jobs for Louisiana businesses or displaced Louisiana citizens.

We have Shirts!

100% of proceeds go directly to helping my family rebuild their lives in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 

Thanks to my talented boyfriend Josh for designing these shirts! Make a fashion statement and buy one today!

If anyone knows how I can get Donatella Versace to wear one of these, let me know. The quicker they get famous the faster I can get my momma out of a shelter.

The Cemeteries

This was one of my worst fears. As you might already know, South Louisiana has a bit of a problem regarding cemeteries and flooding.

I have held off on posting this article until I recieved confirmation about our own cemetery.

We have a family cemetery outside of Gueydan, which has been flooded since Saturday. My father was buried there 5 years ago. I have a brother there, grandparents, and dozens of family from generations past. I just recieved word that no one has...well, popped out. This is a great relief to us, for obvious reasons.

From the local paper, The Daily Iberian:

Grave Situation for Iberia Parish Cemeteries

Gueydan

"Carp and other fish could be seen swimming across the highways. "

That might actually be kinda cool.

Gueydan Residents asked to Evacuate

Thanks to Anne Laughlin, who sent this link regarding the area of Gueydan (GAY-DAWNH) and surrounding areas, where much of my extended family resides.

Anne has been spreading the word among her network in Lafayette, LA and sending me information from the Acadiana area, which is much appreciated.

On an unrelated note, her father is also the inventor of "Mist-On Tan" (Those machines you see on TV where you stand in a machine and it sprays you with tan juice), so if you put on your stylin' new t-shirt and and decide you need a tan to go with it, give Anne a holler.

Anne Laughlin,
Public Relations DirectorMist-On Systems, Inc.
817-966-9732
amlaughlin@juno.com
www.mist-on.com

Chekita's New Family

On a lighter note, My mother's dog, Chekita (sic) , is pregnant and about to give birth to puppies. She is currently with them in the church shelter.

Mom reports that there is another family there that also has pets, and this family was relieved when she brought Chekita with her, as they were uncomfortable about bringing their animals into the church with them.

I can't say that I approve of anyone owning a Chihuahua, but I wish her the best, regardless.

Meter Maid Jackpot

From Iberia Parish area, where my parents live.

I don't have a reason to post this other than that you don't often see a big ass shrimp boat in a no parking zone.

Hammered

A story from the local paper, about the area where my parents live.

Hammered

The picture is of Decambre. 1 mile from my home.

FEMA and My Family

This post should be called "WTF?"

I'm told that FEMA didn't declare Iberia parish a disaster area because they didn't investigate properly. I'm also told that there was a paperwork snafu that mislabeled Iberia parish "Iberville Parish", which is an unscathed parish west of Baton Rouge, a two hour drive from my parents home. This apparently was also an issue in facilitating aid disbursement.

Mom says that their local officials, men by the name of Wil Langlanais and Craig Romero, complained aggressively to the news media until they recieved the attention of the President, who apparently then took a personal interest. He was supposed to sign paperwork yesterday to declare both Iberia and Lafayette Parishes "disaster areas".

FEMA had been telling my parents to try filing later, as they did not reside in a "disaster area" and were thus pointed to the back of the line(They live on the outskirts of a town that in many places still cannot be accessed without a boat).

They were finally able to file with FEMA today. As I understand it, they will cut a 2k check within 3 days. This is good, as my mom told me yesterday that they only had a few hundred dollars left in their checking account.

Letter from My Sister

Good news, the water stopped 2 INCHES short of entering my other sister's trailer. I'd like to take a look at the odds on that one.

I'm hoping that the water does not adversely affect the underside of the trailer so that it remains habitable. The folks seem to think that it is OK.

My Sister lives up the road from my parents on higher ground. This is an old trailer that my parents bought and rent out to my sister, and is accompanied by another old trailer that we rent to Tim and Sue, a handicapped vet and his wife, who are long-time friends of my parents. Tim suffers from illnesses related to Agent Orange (Vietnam) and Sue has debilitating arthritis, so we are relieved that their trailer was also saved by a matter of inches. We are thanking God right now for small miracles.

Below is a letter I recieved from my Sister, who because of her recent hysterectomy has moved from the shelter to a friend's house. Forgive her fixation on cap locks.

I AM AT THE LIBRARY IN ST. MARTINVILLE. I AM STAYING WITH LORI. WADE WENT OFFSHORE THIS MORNING.
I AM FINE AND HAD NO DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER.

MOM AND DUD JUST ABOUT LOST EVERYTHING. INCLUDING THE TRAILER. WATER GOT INTO IT. TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY THEY COULD GO BACK THERE TO LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE THEY HAD. IT WAS SO SAD. I STILL WANT TO CRY JUST THINKING OF THE LOOKS ON THEIR FACES. ALL DUD COULD DO WAS WALK AROUND AND SEE WHAT COULD BE SAVED. IT ISN'T VERY MUCH. THEY LOST THE BIG CHEST FREEZER IN THE BLUE STORAGE TRAILER. THE WATER WAS SO DEEP IN THERE IS ACTUALLY FLIPPED THE FREEZER. ME AND WADE HAD GONE IN HER HOUSE SATURDAY AFTER THEY LEFT AND PICKED UP SOME THINGS LIKE HER COMPUTER AND FAMILY PICTURES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO AT LEAST SHE STILL HAS HER PICTURES AND COMPUTER. SHE IS SO SAD. BUT MR. RICE TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS BETTER TO JUST GET RID OF THE TRAILER INSTEAD OF TRYING TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE OF THE BACTERIA AND MOLD THATS IN IT FROM THE WATER. I TOLD MOM THAT ME AND WADE WOULD MOVE OUT OF THE RENT TRAILER SO THEY CAN HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE AND SHE DON'T WANT US TO DO THAT. I AM NOT GONNA SIT IN A TRAILER WHILE MY PARENTS ARE IN A SHELTER. SO IF U TALK TO HER, PLEASE TRY TO TALK SOME SENCE INTO HER. JUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO HURT HER FEELINGS, ALL SHE DOES IS CRY AND WORRY. SHE SAID SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT ME AND WADE AND TIM AND SUE, I TOLD HER NOT TO WORRY ABOUT US, WE CAN FIND A PLACE TO LIVE. I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO US. BUT I AM WORRIED ABOUT MOM AND DUD. THEY ARE NOT HEALTHY TO BEGIN WITH AND THIS IS NOT HELPING. MOM'S BLOODPRESSURE IS UP AND HER ASMA IS BOTHERING HER. AND U KNOW DUD DON'T SAY NOTHING CUZ IF HE DID IT WOULD ONLY WORRY MOM EVEN MORE.
WELL, I GOTTA GO. I LOVE U. JUST WANTED TO LET U KNOW WE ARE OK. I WILL BE BACK SOMETIMES TOMORROW TO CHECK MY EMAIL SO IF U GET THIS, SEND ME A MESSAGE.
I TOOK ALOT OF PICTURES, WHEN I AM ABLE I WILL EMAIL THEM TO U.

LOVE U
MISS U

SIS

These are my folks, Dudley and Helen Primeaux

These are my Folks, Dudley and Helen 

Here's a little back story:

Helen and Dudley (Dud) met when I was 16 and were married within a year. Dudley comes from "down the bayou" in the Golden Meadows/Galiano area, below New Orleans. He is the hardest working, most decent man I know. He even adopted half a dozen children out of the goodness of his heart.

Helen is one of 13 children that she also helped raise, living deep in the bayou outside of Gueydan in a house with no electricity or indoor plumbing. Her family truly lived off of the land. She was married at 14 years old to a man named Lucien, a seaman (tugboats) from Lake Arthur who just so happens to have been my dad. She has 5 children.

They have both lived very hard lives but by their grace and good humor, you would never know it.

I spoke to my mother late this afternoon. She and Dudley are doing well and trying to keep their spririt. She says that Dudley has even cried from time to time regarding the generosity and kindness of their church (He's not one to cry). The Pastor, Mr. Rice, says that they can stay there for a year if it takes that long, and that they should not worry about where they will live. We discussed her living arrangements and her needs, such as how she only had one pair of shoes and was about to go to Goodwill to see if she could find something that fit her. We are lucky in that My wonderful Taunte Sally and Uncle Gary had no damage to their home, enabling Mom and Dud to have a place where they can wash what clothes they have and eat a cooked meal.

I told my mom that people here in DC were interested in sending care packages with food and necessities, which quite frankly floored her. She began to get stressed because she says that she has no room to put anything being that they only have a small space at the church, but I reassured her that when the time comes to rebuild, there will be people who will offer to help provide some of the basics. It is sort of funny yet sad, but the first thing that she mentioned was that she would need sheets for her bed, forgetting that she would need a bed as well.

She sounds good over the phone and mentioned that this tragedy was giving her perspective. She has decided that she isn't going to worry so much anymore, because she doesn't have anything left to lose except what is really important. There is something about facing tragedy that rips you from your patterns, and in that moment of desperation allows you to truly remember what it feels like to be alive, and I think my mother is experiencing this now.

What Next?

I inherited a great set of Grand-Parents when my mother married Dudley 14 years ago. It sinks my heart when I hear that their house in Intercoastal City was covered to the roof in gulf water.

Mom Perry, my grandmother, is one of the most frugal people I've ever met. Big-hearted with a voice that slaloms down a mountain of sandpaper, she even saves the water she washes her clothes in and reuses it. If this woman got her hands on a nickel I'd bet you she could squeeze six pennies out of it, but she'd probably give you five. She's a true archetype of hard living and easy grace. In a word, she's a cajun.

The term "Cajun" has been branded by outsiders as a symbol of laissez-faire which incorporates great food, energetic music and flowing drink, and culminates in a short but happy life. What most do not understand is that such a life reflects not only an inherited culture but a hard-won existence that binds you to the land, evolves families large, and inspires a faith capable of great generosity and love of neighbor -more so than in any other place I've been.

Life on the bayou is difficult, and only the heartiest can survive there. Our creativity, cooperation and joie de vivre are tied proportionately to our struggle, yet when I think of how Mom Perry and my own mother have struggled so much in carrying the burden of poverty their entire lives, fighting to find higher ground amidst constantly rising burdens only to lose everything but their lives, the clothes on their backs and what little they could carry in their hands as they fled, I am led to wonder whether the spirit that they have relied on will be there to see them through the storms to come.

My culture has for some time been undergoing a transformation succinctly described as a "slow death". My generation has not inherited the language of our parents and the lack of opportunity has created a diaspora much more severe than anything these hurricanes were capable of. In the wake of these storms, for far too many of my people the sum total of their efforts to scrape by have brought them only shredded houses, dead animals and empty bank accounts, and I wonder whether this is that pivotal moment in history where everything becomes redefined and our identity is completely enveloped by an ever progressing American ethos defined less by joy, resilience, family and populism than by greed, waste and indifference.

I realize that I should not write when saddened. Perhaps my thoughts are overly pessimistic and muddied by living in Washington DC for too long. My friend Nick says I don't have a proper understanding of history. I hope that he is right. All I know is that last night while lying in bed, the last words I spoke before drifting to sleep were “I don’t have a place to go home to”.

It strikes me as odd that I did not understand and internalize this until that moment. It is difficult, being unable to comprehend what happens next.

Family in Cameron Parish

My Taunte Bernice (Taunte means "Aunt"), my mother's sister, and N'onc Richard (N'onc means "Uncle") live in Cameron with their family. We have not heard from them since the storm hit. Without a doubt their home has been destroyed.

Taunte Bernice is a bit eccentric, but in a good way. I'm just hoping that she isn't so eccentric that she would choose to stay. N'onc Richard, if this is still the case, works offshore a great deal, so hopefully he was home and got everyone out.

I've always had a special affection for Taunte Bernice. When I was a child my brother Charlie died tragically in an automobile accident. I crisply remember the day of the burial and how my army of family laid him to rest in the family cemetery (hopefully not under water) at the end of a long gravel road lined with our families homes and next door to the house where she and my mother were raised. One of the most poigniant memories of that day was of my Taunte Bernice, who wrote a poem for Charlie that passed through the hands of many that day.

I had never heard of poetry before, much less seen any, and I remember that the very idea of such an effort, from the perspective of a child, made her an exotic and mysterious figure capable of strange magic. For that, I knew she was special, and accordingly will always be special to me.

Being that we have not heard from her in the 2 days since it hit, I am concerned. I hope that she and her family are OK. The idea of writing verses for her is an ugly thought, and I chastise myself for entertaining it.

Here is a picture of my Sister Linda and brother-in-law Joey (with them is my cousin Rachel). You won't meet two human beings who are more impressive or engaging.They have a home in Cameron Parish as well, near Grand Lake. They have 3 perfect sons, one of which is the only son of my deceased brother (Linda was once married to my brother Charlie, who died several weeks after she gave birth to his son. We consider them immediate family and Linda is just as much a sibling as any of my others).

They bought a camper a month ago, and due to Rita, they are now living out of it. Mom told me that they are in Bossier City, near Shreveport, and that they are all OK.

I feel particularly saddened for their community. They were both King and Queen of their local Mardi Gras in recent years, and were very involved in the area. I know that they live in a precarious position, and I hope that this vibrant area was not completely destroyed.

I will update as I learn more.

Request for Help

To: Friends and acquaintances
Re:Aftermath of Hurricane Rita/Call for donations

Greetings All,
If you are receiving this you are a friend or acquaintance of me, Ben Carver. I’m writing to ask you, if you have not done so already, to please consider donating funds to the hurricane relief effort.

My family has been devastated by Rita. At last count, my mother and step-father, grandparents, aunt, sister, brother, and nephew have all lost their homes. These are the ones we can account for. Much of my family and their homes are as of yet unaccounted for.

The Parishes of Cameron and Vermillion, and the city of Lake Charles, are areas in which my family resides. Cameron is under 15 feet of water and 90% of all homes are destroyed. This morning CNN reported that in the town of Gueydan (Vermillion Parish), where a large part of my extended family resides, as many as 75% of the people did not leave and are without power and are desperate for supplies. I am currently searching for more information on this area in order to assess the extent of the damage. Cajun families are big, close-knit and usually provide a wide infrastructure, but as of now that infrastructure is seriously compromised. We have been unable to reach many if not most of our family members, but thus far the death toll appears non-existent, so we are not yet in a panic. Of the family that my mother has accounted for, they are spread out throughout the state at various safe locations.

Some of you know my parents and that they are in poor health (mom is 61, dad his 70s), but I am happy to report that they are rattled, but ok. They were in an area that was not under mandatory evacuation, yet lake peigneur near their trailer surprised local authorities and did the unthinkable. The water came quickly and as a shock, but luckily they had an old truck that my step-father once used to transport oil-field supplies. The truck was high enough off the ground that they were able to start it and clear the highest floodwaters. Dad and my brother-in-law then went back on foot and tried to wade back in to grab clothes and such, but the water quickly rose chest high and they had to turn back. The truck broke down on the side of the road once they cleared the worst area, but were able to make it to their church building in Lafayette, which was already a temporary shelter for Katrina victims. My brother-in-law and my sister, who just had a hysterectomy and is recovering, is there with them. Their pastor has provided a generator, some cots and a few boxes of MREs, which are ready-to-eat meals.

Unfortunately, their trailer was completely flooded and part of the roof ripped off. They have hurricane insurance but not flood insurance (If you have been following the Katrina aftermath, you probably know, like the many affected, how this is playing out). They contacted FEMA yesterday but were told that Iberia parish had not yet been declared a disaster area, so they were told that they would be pushed to the back of the line behind the parishes labeled as disaster areas in the wake of Katrina and Rita (They reside on the border of vermillion and Iberia parishes half a mile from Delcambre). However, someone told me last night that Iberia was indeed a disaster area, so I’m not sure what is going on or how fast they will receive aid. Cell phone communication is spotty at best and I have been able to reach them only twice thus far. Regardless, they consider themselves lucky compared to many others. In the words of my mom, "I've got my crochet and Dud has his accordion, so we good to go".

I find myself in the extremely uncomfortable position of asking friends and acquaintances, many of whom I barely know, to contribute a few dollars to my parents and extended family when so many others are suffering equally or more so. I apologize if this call to action makes anyone uncomfortable. I freely admit that I am embarrassed to call attention to myself like this and it hurts my pride to thrust my own personal life and family situation directly into your lives. I'm even embarassed to be embarassed, if that makes sense. I wish to make clear that you not feel compelled to contribute or contribute a great amount. I only ask that If you can spare a couple of dollars you have my eternal gratitude. If you can’t or do not feel comfortable responding to this call, you have my complete understanding and be assured I would never hold your choices against you.I didn’t want to ask for help because I was raised to be self-sufficient, like all swamp rats are, but as the information trickles in I feel more and more helpless and I don’t know what else to do. Katrina took my brother's house, and now it feels like Rita came through to finish us off.

Those of you who are interested, please note that of my family, nearly all are poor to lower-middle class Cajuns who make their living on the water. My Mom and dad live off of dad's social security and are those people you hear about who have to choose between paying their trailer note and buying medicine. My mother is not yet old enough to qualify for government health insurance and my step-father can barely hear, much less move. Yet they, like most of my family, are typical Cajuns: generous to a fault, gregarious, friendly people who work hard and embrace life with joie de vivre (If you’ve met my folks, you know what I mean). If I ever needed to cash in what little good karma I've accumulated over the years, I'm doing it now. The need is immediate and overwhelming and I give my word that your charity will not be wasted.

Also, My boyfriend Josh is designing t-shirts tonight as a fundraiser, being that some folks may prefer to have something tangible for their effort. I am thinking that 100% of those profits could go to my local church that is housing and providing for my family and other evacuees. I never, ever thought I would be asking people to donate to a church, but they are a small community church with less than 100 members and without a wealth of resources, but are standing in the gap in a most necessary way. If you choose to buy a t-shirt, all profits will go toward support of the evacuees under their roof. The pastor, Anthony Rice, is a good, honest man and will see to it that the funds get spent wisely. I will send out a link to these shirts as soon as Josh has finished and has made them available. I will also send with this a link to a blog that I will create in order to update and vent, for those who know my family or have any interest beyond this email.

You may send contributions to the address below, it is my home address. If you have friends or acquaintances who might consider donating, please forward this message. If you are not comfortable donating to my family, please donate to one of the great general funds, located below:

Ben Carver
4413 17th Street NW
Washington DC 20011

Or…
Mercy Corps
www.mercycorps.org

Mercy Corps is actually on the ground in the Abbeville area, which is a 15 minute drive from my parent’s home. My preference is that you donate here.

Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/

America’s 2nd Harvest
http://www.secondharvest.org/

America’s Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network will use 100 percent of hurricane donations to support disaster relief and recovery activities and assist our food banks in providing food to the people who need it the most.

Thank you for reading this far. Please give if you can. I am also available on weekends and evening for anyone who needs any manual labor done around their home, in exchange for a one-time donation to my family fund. My roommate mentioned that if I decided to do this I should set up some kind of non-profit so that donations can be claimed as tax-exempt, so if this is an
issue, let me know and I will try to figure out how to do that.

Ben