week 25, post 1 "institutionalization"

This past weekend I traveled to NOLA to a 4-day "Katrina Summit" of former Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)deployees. There appeared to be nearly 1000 former deployees and government officials in attendance. I am grateful for the initial sponsorship of SAMHSA which allowed me to be of service, and for the invitation to attend this summit.

I worked very hard at the summit, attending all meetings possible but one. It appears that the SAMHSA deployment of mental health professionals all over the gulf coast and wherever evacuees were sent in significant numbers was generally a real success. Sometimes the government works right; credit should be given where credit is due. Westover Consultants, in suburban DC, was the recruiter of the professionals and worked closely with SAMHSA to formulate goals and strategies for the deployment. Westover and SAMHSA essentially put together the federal MENTAL HEALTH response to the disaster in about 48 hours.

Now we are in the process of evaluating our work and planning response strategies for future disasters. It is not difficult at all to see that there are pressures being exerted regarding inclusion and exclusion of future responders. Some of the criteria may possibly include specialized training in disaster response theory and practice. Professionals may be included or excluded on the basis of "strategies of therapy" employed, based on "evidence-based" studies of therapeutic efficacy (Dont'expect any Jungians to be included; we're not even important enough to merit a study). "Cultural sensitivity" training may also be required (yes, there was black racism clearly in evidence at the meeting). Eventually we are likely to witness an "American Association of Disaster Response Mental Health Service Providers and Supervisors (AADRMHSPS), or some such acronym, with a national board, professional staff, dues paying membership, credentialing process, etc. Everybody's going to fight over the disaster pie money. Surprised?

Can anyone say, "FEMA"? "Red Cross?"

It's nice when professionals know what they're doing. Not all Katrina response teams were as good as the one I was on. Not all individuals were as effective as my teammates.

But a study of the Hebrew Scriptures, among other sources, contains the clear wisdom that we naturally want to organize stuff. They also understand that when you institutionalize, you do violence to the Spirit and you pay a high price. Count on it.

God help us...

Peace, Warren.

week 23, post 3: Cajunization

As I have previously commented, the process of Cajunization is a delicate and risky process. The initiate must be quided into the sacred mysteries and ancient traditions by a wise and experienced master. Too much too soon, and all could be lost! At each step of the way, the initiate must be evaluated for his or her (we aren't going to be sexist about this!!) readiness for the next step (degree). I am so forturnate that my mentor, James, is one of the great masters: skillful, courageous beyond description, experienced and wise, yet youthful and passionate. His wise guidance has been grace upon grace for me. Some of these ancient secrets must be carefully guarded, but some of the process can be freely disclosed. Enclosed are two pictures which the traitions allow me to disclose to those who are wise enough to check my blog. Remember, you can click on the picture to upsize it for more detail -- if you wish.
Peace, Warren.

week 23, post 2: a call for volunteers

"I want to help. What can I do?" General goodwill abounds, but grounding it is not always easy. Bayou Grace needs volunteers -- now and throughout the Summer. You can help with buildings and construction/rehab if you wish. The rec center at Chauvin needs CPF (cleanup, paintup, fixup). We also need a lot of volunteer help with managing our warehouse -- inventory, stacking, etc. Not very glamorous, but very useful. We can use volunteers to act as casework assistants -- assessing needs, helping local people fill out forms, etc. We need volunteers to do paperwork: chase grants or other funding sources, contact state agencies to make arrangements for medical volunteers or other professionals to come and help. We need volunteers to help manage volunteers. Please distribute this call to your churches or other groups. Come individually, or come as a group. We'll house you at volunteer village, in the cutest little plastic (!) huts, which the Presbyterians have erected to help with the effort. (Picture enclosed)
contact: courtneypellegrin@yahoo.com

week 23, post 1: failure and success

Finally. Finally! Finally, after months and months of delays, my host Andrew's insurance came through and he had the financial resources to raise the house. The long-awaited day was set for Wednesday (!) Not good. I'd been looking forward to participating in raising the house, but I'd already committed to three or more clients on Grand Isle. An ideal crew would be 12 workers -- one at each chain hoist. I worked hard to reccruit and additional 7 or 8 people to help. Failure. The Mennonites were already short on labor this week. There were no volunteers in Dulac, nor at the Presbyterian volunteer village. There were no volunteers in Grand Isle. So I/we didn't come through on our part. Failure.
Andrew and his crew of 4 people pressed on. One works when one can. So the house waddled and wobbled its way skyward, people moving from hoist to hoist, to its final height of about 15 feet above sea level (12 feet above ground). There it sat in all its glory. The beams were tacked into place and will receive final welds next week. Success.
Congratulations were in order and were joyfully offered.
A picture is included. It's beautiful!

week 22, post 5b: pictures didn't load.

Here are some pictures of the blessing of the boats--if they load right Peace, Warren

week 22, post 5: follow up to Ritagail's questions

An answer to Ritagail's questions is in order:
Shrimp boats come in all sizes, from little 20-foot craft to giant 100-footers. The little boats fish close in, in shallow and/or confined spaces, and generally stay out 24 hours or less. There is no galley, no sleeping space, they are open to the weather, and -- the most limiting factor -- they can only hold so much shrimp -- several hundred pounds. The biggest boats fish offshore in deeper, more dangerous waters. They have a galley (with a cook), (tiny)places to sleep, and can store several thousand pounds of shrimp. They stay out a week or more. For all the boats, fishing for shrimp only works with an outgoing tide. This is especially true close in.

Fishing is still one of the most dangerous of professions. Several injuries, plus a few lost lives, would be typical of every fishing season. The many lines, plus winches and other gear, can quickly sever a finger or even a hand or arm. Storms come up suddenly and the boats, designed to be very shallow draft and maneuverable, can be capsized and sunk. Debris from the hurricanes or the petroleum industry or shipping litters the ocean floor. When nets snag in it, a boat will be jerked sideways and may capsize. This season will be especially dangerous. Every family is aware of these dangers as the fishermen head out.

The beginning of the shrimping season is marked by a prayer ceremony in each community called "The blessing of the fleet." Prayers are said for safety, for a bountiful harvest, for good prices, for the endurance of the families as they wait. At the blessing of the fleet, the boats are (often)decorated and they parade down the bayou, with families and friends on board in a festive mood. The local priest sprinkles each boat with holy water as it passes by. For some this may be seen as a relic of our superstitious past, but all are also quietly aware of the vulnerability of the fishermen, their families and the community which makes the blessing presence of the divine a longed-for comfort.

Peace, Warren.

week 22, post 4: the subversive nature of the Gospel

"...for we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers..." The Gospel lived out is inevitably going to cause trouble/run into resistance. Here in the bayou communities it is strongly entrenched in the culture to have a high, thick boundary around the (extended) family and virtually no boundaries within the family system. This is a recipe for trouble on many levels and good therapy or social casework often encourages a revision of that. Separation and differentiation of individuals in a family is generally seen as healthy; not so here. So Bayou Grace makes trouble -- a little -- as we do our work. We're building healthy families; we're building community. The work is not without aggravations, risks, outright hardships. Causing trouble does not mean we're doing the Gospel; doing the Gospel does mean there will inevitably be some conflict. Pray for us, that we may indeed not lose heart in the work, that we will keep it always in mind that powers and principalities are the opponent, and that we will always be serpent wise and dove innocent in all we do. Peace, Warren

week 22, post 3: harvest

The shrimpers have begun to bring in their initial catches. There are rules of etiquette around farmers and ranchers which I suspect may apply to shrimpers, too. Does one ask, "How is the catch?" Pastor Steve, from Chicago, and I were privileged to watch a fisherman unloading his catch today. First they are sorted on the back deck of the boat, removing all unwanted fish -- crabs, minnows, eels, trout, flounder, etc. Then they are sorted by size; the large shrimp bring the highest price per pound, the little popcorn shrimp the lowest. The catch this year has initially been "ok," but size is small and prices are low. Discouraging. The shrimper and his crew were talking animatedly with the processor in French -- the native tongue for both.
Photos are included. The one shrimp in my hand was a big one. Notice the long and very sharp horn on top of the shrimp's head. A fisherman's hands must be very tough.
Peace, Warren.

week 22, post 2: a what is where?

This week we've had a crew of 4 volunteers from Chicago here doing restoration work. They've been staying at Pastor Kelly's and Julie's house. This morning they all were surprised to discover a gator had come to visit in the night and was camped under their van! It was about a 5-footer. After a photo session they called the gator man who came and captured it, to be released well away from the Houma neighborhood. Amazing! A photo is included. I will post another blog soon about our volunteer guests and our visit to New Orleans.
Peace, Warren.

week 22, post 1, Here we go!

This is it. Shrimp season starts tomorrow. It's been an early Spring and the shrimp are moving. Initially planned to start May 15, the DNR has reviewed the conditions and has moved the date up a week -- tomorrow at noon the boats will drop their nets into the water and begin catching these little delicacies we all enjoy so much. The bayou is alive with activity and anticipation! Preparations have been accelerated, too! Imagine if Christmas came sometime in December and God (maybe he did!)on the 13th moved it from the 25th to the 17th! I'll post more later. Peace, Warren.