Several pairs of parents and teens from Fredericton (New Brunswick) Christian Reformed Church recently traveled together to New Orleans to continue the work of rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. The group helped renovate a former bowling alley into a community center.
Lizanne vanderLee was “very happy to be [in New Orleans] with such a great group.” Her dad, Willem, shared her feeling. “It’s nice to be here with a group of people of all ages,” he said.
“I am very happy with the way we are treated,” said Jessica Boonstopple. “[The leaders] gave each of us the opportunity to try out different jobs . . . they trusted me with the responsibility needed to do a job right.”
Some of the adults had been on a previous trip to the city and were glad to see improvements. Jessica’s mother, Tammi, said, “It is good to see the [progress] that can happen in a few years.”
Nel VanWoudenberg agreed. “A lot of things are restored compared with two years ago,” she said. “It was emotional to come back and see everything again.”
About the Author
Brenda Visser is the Banner's regional news correspondent for classis Eastern Canada.
