[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] What has happened to your parish family during that time and where is the parish at today?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] Lord, what hasn't happened to us. Initially we were scattered from California to Minnesota to New Jersey. For the first month or so about half the parish was missing.

Thanks to VirtueOnline and other web resources, we tracked most folks down within the first two months. After getting power back in Baton Rouge we put up an emergency website with a parishioner tracking list. We also used the site for an on-line Bible study. We had to do some real detective work to find the rest. The elderly, especially, were hard to locate. Praise God, as of last weekend and with a lot of prayer, everyone is now accounted for.

Starting in October we began having house church meetings for Eucharist, Bible study, intercessory prayer and fellowship. Attendance has been incredible and the power of the Holy Spirit palpable. Those who are able have been coming up to the church each day to staff our relief center. We distribute water, cleaning supplies, food, clothes, and Bibles. We pray with folks as they throw everything they own out on the curb. It's amazing to watch people who've lost everything minister to others in the same situation. One woman, who lost her house and everything she owns in the Lower 9th, commutes into New Orleans and Annunciation every day from Baton Rouge (about an hour and half away) to volunteer with us.

Since the great Diaspora, the flock is trying to get back to the City. About two thirds are in the general area, many now looking for places to live. The FEMA trailers are a joke. I don't know of a single person who's actually received one. And there's no place to put them anyhow. Presently we're bringing in our own trailers for homeless parishioners and placing them on the church lot. I'm now running Annunciation Acres Trailer Home Park. Glad they taught us how to do all of this in seminary!

God blessed us with 60+ for Christmas Eve Service in what's left of the church building; we had 6 feet of water inside and it will quite possibly have to be demolished. We are waiting on engineering reports, new City codes, etc. There's no power in the neighborhood, so we had to begin at 4pm to get the folks out before night set it in. We scrounged up as many candles as we could. It was a tremendous kick in the gut for many of them, as they had not seen the campus since Katrina. But we enjoyed being all together around the Lord's Table. The mystery of Eucharist really came alive in the midst of our family reunion.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] You recently wrote in one of your newsletters that, "It seems like an eternity; a lifetime what has happened over these past 114 days? Can you elaborate for our readers?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] It's all a blur. First it was the evacuation, then the storm, then the levees breaching and the toxic water covering 80 percent of the City. Those first few weeks were life and death, literally. Once they started rescue operations, a full week after Katrina hit, the worst cases were helicopted to Baton Rouge.

An emergency triage centre was set up in the Louisiana State University sports facilities. Whoever ran that operation should get a medal. They put an all call out for clergy to come and give last rites. I went down and spent several days there.

The stories were the same over and over, "Father, I had gone underwater three or four times. The last time under, I thought it was forever." Our battle cry then was simply, "Live to fight another day." The need for prayer was endless. Those who were able to talk simply wanted to be acknowledged . . . that they were still alive. The overwhelming sentiment was gratitude to God.

Since then our lives have been about trying to help our displaced parishioners and other folks in the community. Every one of my flock who could, somehow found work in other locales. But ours is a working poor parish. Few had insurance, credit, credit cards, savings, etc. They had no safety net for an event such as this. The elderly, the sick and the handicapped have been the hardest hit. No matter had badly off; however, they are so reluctant to accept any kind of help. These are gritty people who know how to work hard for their survival. I have to find out from others who are desperate, needs money for food, etc.

We've also run front line relief operations in conjunction with St. Luke's Baton Rouge and the Diocese as neighborhoods opened up. First it was Slidell, then Lakeview, then Broadmoor (Annunciation's home) and now New Orleans East.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] Describe the early days.[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] The early days were a nightmare. We had nothing. Every morning, once gas was finally available, we'd have to buy supplies in Baton Rouge and haul them in. I was going through $50 a day in fuel in my truck, money we didn't have. We were also blessed with tons of supplies coming into St. Luke's from all around the country; we'd push these out into the hardest hit areas immediately.

Annunciation is about half Black, half White. We have a close, longstanding relationship with St. Luke's, New Orleans, an almost all Black parish not too far from us. They were in between Rectors prior to Katrina, so we're trying to help their people as much as possible as well. Much of this has been the painful work of gutting houses and helping them throw away all of their soggy possessions. We've always been close. Now we're closer.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] You also said, "We are trying to get our family settled, care for the flock, and run relief operations. We need to start early and finish before the sun goes down as there are no street lights or working power in the neighborhood. Are things still as bad as you seem to indicate?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] Yes. The direct relief situation improved for a while, we were able to scavenge for free supplies in and around the City, but lately the supply lines seem to be dropping off again. Bad timing as folks are now able to come into the Lower 9th and some of the worst off areas. They need everything and we're coming up short. Much of the City is still dark and desolate at night. You don't want to be driving around after dark. There are no street lights, no house lights, streets signs and other markers all blown away. You have to feel your way around.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] You wrote, "New Orleans is a sad City right now. Mission teams coming in cannot believe their eyes; the images on T.V. don't even scratch the surface. Depression and despair abound, suicides are up. The news media paints a picture of New Orleans back to its old party ways. Your description differs. Can you explain this to us?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] New Orleans is in many ways misunderstood. Most of the traffic in the French Quarter is from tourism. I never go there. And I don't know anyone who does. Shame on us for providing the debauchery, yet it's such a small part of the City than many of us never have any contact with. None. Most of the traffic there these days is from out of town contract relief and construction workers, etc. We were incredibly heartened that the mayor's initial plan to rebuild New Orleans as a gambling mecca was shot down in flames. No one wanted this. Folks were appalled and made their voices heard. Amen.

For the most part we're moms and dads with kids, elderly folk, young working folk who simply want to live under some kind of a roof and get back to our lives. Once a year we have parades (mostly very family oriented, which may come as a surprise) and people think that's all we do. Imagine being a hard working, tax paying citizen one day and the next losing everything: your home, your car, your clothes, your children's clothes and toys, your keepsakes, your family photos, your job. Everything gone.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] Are you still doing much counseling these days? [/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] I could spend all day just visiting with folks who are depressed and distraught. There is so much uncertainty right now. So much has been lost. Folks just want to go home . . . but home as they knew it no longer exists. That's an awful realization. The national spotlight has moved on; they feel forgotten. Congress didn't get to the Baker Act before Christmas which would have stopped foreclosures and given us some hope re: long term housing issues. And the Senate killed the ANWaR drilling which would have provided rebuilding funds. We're dealing with a lot of sadness, frustration and anger. Our own house took 8' of water and we lost about everything. But keeping busy wit h the relief work has been good therapy . . . no time to worry about what's not happening with the house or all that was washed away.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] Do people returning have a place to live?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] Absolutely not. The trailers are not coming in, the City and State can't sort out where to put them. I fear the local politicians will push to get people in to vote for the next upcoming election, and then forget about them. This is the way it's been for generations. Use people for their votes, then do nothing to help them improve their lives; just keep them trapped.

We need real solutions here, not band-aids or what's politically expedient. Let's start with education. The schools were deplorable. The City needs a real middle class with ample opportunities for home ownership and grants/tax incentives to start local and small businesses. We see signs that some leaders are really thinking outside of the box, about new ways of doing things. But we need the collective will to make hard, substantive changes.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] How much help are you getting from the Diocese in terms of money and other assistance? Has the bishop been helpful?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] They're struggling too. The Diocese had very limited unrestricted funds before Katrina. Our Bishop's been working day and night to keep us afloat (quite literally at times). He has my utmost admiration and appreciation. But resources are finite and the needs overwhelming. There is simply no way to describe or convey the magnitude of this disaster.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] How much money have you received from the national church's Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) fund to assist in your rehabilitation needs?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] Zero.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] What do you need in 2006? [/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] We'll need $150,000 in 2006 from the outside to make it.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] What funds do you have now for parish ministry? [/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] Zero. There are no funds available for parish ministry, development and rebuilding. People need to understand this distinction and reality. We'll have to stand on our own. Again, the Diocese is doing its level best. There's only so much they can do with so much devastation. We're all facing the same challenges, only the Diocese has a much bigger plate. Fortunately I'm just a grunt and much of this is all above my pay grade.

Next year will be our 162nd as a parish. It will be our most challenging in history as we seek to keep going, embracing a new mission field, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, and working to rebuild our church and City. Our hope is in the Lord and we believe that God will bless what honors Him.

The year 2006 will find us hard at work rebuilding our parish community in the heart of New Orleans. We are entirely committed to the Kingdom building work that lies ahead. The future is daunting (I'll have to raise my own salary among other items), but we feel the Spirit working among us. We're focused on Jesus. Period.

[i][b]VirtueOnline:[/b] How do you witness to God's grace to people who have lost everything?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] People realize the storm wasn't God's doing. Grace is realized in the aftermath. We're grateful just to be alive. In my first sermon at Annunciation, about 11 months ago, I mentioned one of my favorite lines from Alan Paton's Cry the Beloved Country. One Anglican priest is comforting another in distress and tells him (paraphrase), "The tragedy in life is not when things are broken. The tragedy is when they are not put back together again."

So much of life is about brokenness. Annunciation parishioners knew this all too well before Katrina. New Orleans was a terribly broken City. Many of our members came to us on their third and fourth chances in life. We ran a huge seven day a week recovery ministry. The Salvation Army is across the street. Our ministry is in one of Louisiana's poorest zip codes. We have a number of men in our ranks from a local VA homeless centre. Our people know a lot about God's transforming love. They have a story to tell. So we're telling it.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] What is keeping you going?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] What's really keeping us going is the love and care from Christians across the country -- and world. Women from my wife Stacy's old bible study group in Tanzania, where we served as missionaries prior to coming to New Orleans, immediately scraped together and sent us $1,000. Can you imagine? Relief trucks with supplies and volunteer mission teams and cash gifts and Christmas presents have rolled in from almost day one. We are seeing God's love and faithfulness every day in these acts of charity and compassion.

The Mayor of Slidell was on the radio recently and he asserted what so many of us have been saying all along: if it weren't for church groups and committed Christians all over, many of us would have been left for dead on the roadside. We would have starved. That's no hyperbole. The Church is really the great hero in all of us. Where so much failed us, ordinary people have done extraordinary things in Jesus' Name.

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] How can people continue to help you?[/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] Mostly importantly, we need prayers. These are what have sustained us all along. A parish in Wisconsin pulled our members' names from the web tracking list and has been praying for us by name all throughout. Parishes across the country continue to pray for us. Prayer works.

We're desperate for cash to help buy supplies and assist families and individuals in dire need. An elderly, handicapped couple has been holed up in a Ramada Inn in Houma since the evacuation; that's a big bill and he lost all of his workman's tools, plus the truck. Annunciation is going to need about $150,000 in 2006 from outside support just to make it. Our folks are giving all they can at this time -- really, they're digging deep with what little they have -- but it just won't be enough until we can get back on our feet. We need to pay for temporary buildings. Fuel for the generators is a huge, huge expense. We need our youth minister more than ever; some of our younger members have witnessed and experienced some truly awful things. Eventually we'll have to rebuild a Church.

Our website is http://www.annunciationinexile.homestead.com. We update it almost daily with new pictures and accounts of what is happening here.

Mail to New Orleans is still uncertain, so for the time being we'll continue using St. Luke's in Baton Rouge:
You can also send a snail mail donation to this address:

Church of the Annunciation,
c/o St. Luke's Church
8833 Goodwood Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

My personal email is kramermission@yahoo.com.

You can make a donation at the website through PAYPAL. at http://www.annunciationinexile.homestead.com

[b][i]VirtueOnline:[/b] Thank you for giving us your valuable time. [/i]

[b]Kramer:[/b] My blessing. Thanks for all you do. VirtueOnline made an extraordinary difference in getting out the story during our darkest hours. The generosity that came our way from your readers saved many, many lives. And this outpouring of prayer and love gave us hope when all seemed lost. May God be praised.

---The Rev'd Jerry (and Stacy) Kramer is rector of Church of the Annunciation in Exile New Orleans, LA USA. His website can be accessed here: http://www.annunciationinexile.homestead.com