I've just come back from a missions trip to New Orleans(through A.I.M. if any one is interested
http://www.adventures.org/). I left on the 23rd of June and ten days and unfortunately (about) ten pound lighter returned on the 2nd of July.
In the Lower 9th Ward--
This trip was amazing there are no words to describe what I saw. If you thought that Katrina was just another hurricane it wasn't and you need to stop mouthing off...I can't begin if you haven't been physically to the Lower 9th there is no way to get what it is like across to you. It was like Andrew all over again you turn in every direction and it is just devastation every. It is estimated that there are over 800 bodies still unaccounted for and of those 800 around 400 got washed out to sea. While we were down there they found another body in the Lower 9th.
These people of New Orleans need our prayers the local government is so corrupt. The residents told us that weeks after the water was drained there were still bodies in the streets, on roofs and power lines.
Construction--
My group helped two home owners gut their homes. Now try to wrap your mind around this 80% of the city was flooded and most of the city is still with out power. In the houses we worked on a year later there was still water in those houses, in pots and pans, in box springs...that water stunk so bad we called it the rotten egg water.
I'm still kinda shook up from the trip... If you are interested in what went down it would be easier for me if you guyes asked me questions, you know?