Burnt Orange Report

From The Austin Convention Center

By Damon McCullar

A friend of mine just finished a shift as a volunteer Chaplin at the Austin Convention Center for the New Orleans Refugees. He told me of somethings that are needed there and brought back some stories of the survivors. Everything is contained after the jump.

I have just completed my second day as a volunteer chaplain at the Austin Convention Center. I have met the most incredible people with indomitable spirits.

I can add to the items which are needed the following:

1. Reading Material, especially large print and other senior adult reading material. Even old magazines are appreciated, especially national geographic, music industry publications, Austin or Texas Magazines, and general fiction. The adults need diversion, and all that is available are large screen TV's which are tuned to news channels. Religious services and child care provide some diversion, and many are beginning to get their bearings and walk around downtown, but reading material is a plus.

2. Underwear.

3. Jobs are a critical issue for many people. Most of the men and women whom I have met are proud to be workers, and anxious over accepting government unemployment benefits. There will be a critical need for creative employment counseling soon.

4. Children's books and simple toys. There are far more children than I expected. Four huge rooms in the convention center are filled with people. There are also an extraordinary number of single men, who fill one large room. Many of these men remained behind while getting their families to safety and are anxious to hear from families.

5. Large Size Women's clothing. Many people have donated clothing but women who need larger sizes have been underserved. I am thinking of one woman in particular who still remains in the clothes on which she camped on the remnants of I-10. I am taking her some men's tshirt's in the morning, but she is only one of several.

6. Fun. We need some outdoor downtown concerts or some such thing soon.

Most of the people who are in Austin were in the Convention Center in New Orleans. Many others were sleeping on the concrete on I 10. Most came here by commercial airliner, some by military aircraft.

The Austin Police and Firefighters have been awesome.

Saw Mark Strama with Will Wynn and Lee Leffingwell as I was leaving. Mark immediately set about arranging a concert.

Here are a few stories:

A most amazing day. The situation in Austin is nothing like it is in Houston, I am sure, but the need for the people with whom I interacted simply to have their basic human dignity returned to them is intense. Everyone is missing someone close to him or her and has no idea how to find the person or if he or she can indeed be found. The loss is staggering, but the spark of human spirit is impressive. I am overwhelmed by a 19 year old pastry chef who waded through water to insure his wheelchair bound grandmother could have transport and that she could live. 7 family members are here, but his own mother, father, brother and sister are missing. His smile is still strong and his spirit unbroken as he talks of finding work, shuffling through his backpack to show me the two books he managed to save from the flood. We talked of my time as a cook during college and law school and what it means to grill a steak Pittsburgh rare for a picky customer on a busy Saturday night. He had saved the tools of his trade, but had to surrender them when transport was arranged by commercial airliner and he could not board with his grandmother and maintain his culinary knives. His grandmother spoke of her church, her pastor, and how she served food to so many in the Church. I affirmed her years of ministry and told her it was time to rest and let others return to her the ministry she had provided to so many for years. The family had survived five days living on the remnants of I-10.

Another woman who managed to hold thirteen family members together in the New Orleans Convention Center, and somehow get them all together to Austin, watching her nine year old grandson play and return to childhood.

A man who operated machinery to fill soft drink bottles, waiting on his first shower in six days and watching his wife sleep and rest at last on the adjacent cot. Wondering when he will work again, when he will again be a provider, but holding his head high.