Grey Area

Kyle Smart - Katrina disaster support - before the trip

Dear Friends and Family,

You may think I am some sort of adrenaline junkie, but
I am not. I am taking a small relief trip to the
southeastern states effected by the hurricane Katrina.
Like many of you, when I first began to realize the
amount of devastation, I thought to myself, "I should
do something." My responsibilities kept me from
taking that urge seriously.

Then I checked up on a friend of mine from New
Orleans, Louisiana. James and I have been friends a
long time and he and his family have lived in Southern
California for many years, but he has many friends and
relatives in the South. He told me their accounts
about people, survivors, refugees that are on the
periphery of the destruction, crowding into churches,
YMCAs, wherever. He told me about his three relatives
that are still missing.

I soon saw a short, but definite hole in my schedule.
We (James and I) are going to leave tomorrow, Friday
night/Saturday morning and come home Tuesday midday.
I will only have to call off one shift.

Our goals are: 1. To provide tangible support/relief.
2. To provide encouragement, hope, prayer. 3. To
provide medical support where/if needed. 4. To
gather information and contacts. 5. Maybe have a
wedding (that was a Sri Lanka joke).

We are flying into Houston, and plan to spend Saturday
at the Astrodome. Saturday night drive to Baton
Rouge, to meet up with James' family. Spend Sunday
around there +/- 200 miles. Monday , drive back
hitting as many "refugee camps" as possible (if they
exist).

As in Sri Lanka, your thoughts and prayers are needed
and appreciated. I hope you are well and that this is
well received. If these emails are a nuisance to
anyone, please just send me an email and I will take
you off of the list.

Bye for now,

Kyle Smart

posted by Evan @ 7:59 PM