In Search of the Human Spirit

By now we’ve all seen thousands of tragic images after Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast. From New Orleans to Biloxi, there’s nothing but devastation and stranded survivors. Chaos reigns supreme and despair can be found on every face.

At the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, one woman is keeping hope alive. Her name is Anita Roach and she spent Saturday singing. She sang to give herself and others strength even as death hung in the air. Her voice rang out for all to hear. And, then something happened. Others joined in. Friends, family, and strangers sang gospel together. As they sang, their spirits lifted. One bystander credited the singing with reducing tensions and warding off a riot.

Roach doesn’t have much to sing about. She and her husband woke up Monday as their house filled with water. They pooled their inner strength as they waited to be saved. The rescue boat made it to their flooded house on Tuesday. After their rescue, their wasn’t any place to go . They wandered around until being taken to the Convention Center. The Convention Center wasn’t much of an improvement, but at least it had a roof over it.

The Roach family has lost everything. But, Anita Roach can still sing. And, through song she holds on to hope.

[Photo copyrighted by Melody Lassalle - All Rights Reserved]