Angela - a story of heroism

   When Shawn and I were in New Orleans we ran into this woman and took her information back to church. Well a team recently worked on her house and this is her story written by someone who was on the team that gutted her home.

 

"I feel somewhat compelled to share briefly a story behind the woman whose house we helped muck out yesterday in New Orleans. It is a story of great heroicism and the best in our soul.

 

Angela is a woman who lives in the heart of the 7th ward. When the hurricane hit, she and many on her street were caught in the aftermath. Her house took on 6 feet of water. She slept in the upstairs of the corner church. This 5'5" ball of determination helped to keep alive and then led recuers to the homes of 10 people on her street. For 11 days she and a young man who was her ally swam pulling a boat through the neighborhood, bringing food and water and supplies from a neighborhood cornerstore that was also flooded. She took us on a short tour, including walking on the roof of the store which had been half blown off. She would swim pulling the boat to the store; walk along the roof and jump into the store which was 5-6 feet of water; she would dive to the food cases that had canned food and packaged food. On her street there was a blind man, an invalid, several elderly, one young family with a newborn. She supplied all of them food for 10 days until they could all be rescued. She could only go in the store until day six because the smell was so putrid after that, it was not possible to enter. As she showed us some pictures and recounted her story, we were all stunned. We could hardly believe our ears. Here was a mighty woman, and furthermore a woman dedicated to her neighbors. She literally saved their lives. After about a week or so of this, several people were getting moldy feet. All shoes were wet and mildewing, feet were getting sluffy. So she went to the Payless shoe store to get shoes. She brought back 12 pair. Then she commented, she could have been shot dead on sight for looting. For shoes that Payless will never sell (in fact have already thrown away) and will get insurance reimbursement for every pair. Different perspective.

 

We came at her request, because an earlier team had helped her aunt. We gutted her house. She is a musician, a percussionist. She had $15,000 invested in a set, that is now ruined. As we took stuff out to the street, she was busy determining if anything could be salvaged. She was processing her loss in light speed. We had taken much to the street, when a bobcat with a claw rolled down the street behind a dump truck and started crushing all her stuff and dumping it. What a stark, dramatic event, seeing everything in your house being wasted before your eyes. I was concerned for her. After lunch we continued by removing the drywall. It was a moldy, musty mess. Yesterday she was strong, today though she was emotionally a wreck. She has seen her house and goods and neighbors and life all vanish before her eyes.

 

Tonight we invited her to the mid-week service at Trinity church. She came and experienced the testimony of others and the love of Christ in a new way. She knows God gave her the strength to do all she did, but she still is learning what it is to know God personally through Jesus. Pray for Angie."

Comments

[Lorleanne Ball]

Hi guys it's Lorleanne, The Maywood group made it home safe and sound! I love this story! I think that it's a great idea to have someone share what they witnessed here on your page, it gives other people the chance to read all about what is happening in New Orleans. Wow Angie is an amazing woman, plus I totally understand the reason why she didn't want to go into that store after the sixth day! Well I love you two and keep in touch! >Muha< XOXOXO