A Letter by My Daughter

To all my beloved Katrina Caravan Rescue volunteers:

After almost two months of back-breaking work by
drivers, evacuees, and ALL OF YOU, I am pleased to
announce that we have put ourselves out of business.

We have moved 689 families or individuals, and
followed up on the other 224 (or are finishing up
their cases), and we can safely let FEMA take it from
here.  I know that there have been tears of joy and
empathy (I'm shedding a few of each right now),
triumphs, irritations, prayers, and REALLY slow days. 
This organization could not have functioned without
you, and I am so proud to have gotten to know you all.

We will not be glorified in the press, nor receive
any compensation for what we've done, but we all know
in our hearts that we were there for our neighbors in
a desperate hour, and many of us know first hand what
that has meant to those neighbors.  I don't want to
say goodbye to you, but I think we will be rejoicing
together in spirit for a long time to come, and I know
that God has watched us.

The first phase of shut-down will be ceasing the phone
operation, as of today, 10/18.  After that, case
workers will wrap up the 20 or so remaining cases.  We
will then be posting a message on our wesite that
details our progress, refers people to FEMA, and
states that we are no longer operating. 

If any of you wish to join the continuing volunteer
effort for Katrina victims in the long haul, we have
connections with a woman, Leslie Teltoe, who is part
of an effort to find jobs for evacuees.  Her email is
grassrootsrebel@yahoo.com
and the website of the organization is
www.recruitersforkatrina.org

I leave you with lines from one of my favorite songs,
written by David Wilcox...
"It's love who makes the mortar
And it's love who stacked these stones
And it's love who made the stage here
Although it looks like we're alone
In this scene set in shadows
Like the night is here to stay
There is evil cast around us
But it's love that wrote the play...
For in this darkness love can show the way"

Thank you all.  I love you.
Annie Downing