University of Virginia, New Orleans Journals\r\n\r\nFriday, January 13, 2006\r\n\r\nKelley Mulfinger, College of Arts & Sciences\r\n\r\n\"How can I turn away\r\nBrother/Sister go dancing through my head\r\nHuman as to human\r\nThe future is no place\r\nTo place your better days\"\r\n\r\nAs Dave Matthews best put it, something NEEDS to be done \r\n\r\nNOW to help the people of New Orleans.\r\n\r\nAs I stood at Mass today within a crowd of students and their \r\n\r\nfamilies who had lost basically everything, I was in awe of their \r\n\r\ncollective hope and love for one another. The people gathered \r\n\r\nhad all been affected by Hurricane Katrina in different ways, \r\n\r\nbut together their strength surpassed the strongest winds and \r\n\r\nflood waters. Students from rival high schools sang together in \r\n\r\nharmony as they attempt to rebuild their lives within their newly \r\n\r\ncombined school.\r\n\r\nWhat impressed me most was the 8th grade boy standing next \r\n\r\nto me. When the Mass began, the priest asked everyone to turn \r\n\r\nto someone next to them and say \"I am blessed\". Instead of \r\n\r\nturning to his friend, this young man turned to me and said, \"I \r\n\r\nam blessed,\" with such conviction and hope. He believes in his \r\n\r\ncity, his family and his own potential.\r\n\r\nHonestly, it’s the people that matter the most. While the physical \r\n\r\ndamage to certain areas is overwhelming, there is a huge need \r\n\r\nfor continued human support. Just spending time, listening to a \r\n\r\nstory, is what I’ve learned that the most devastated people need \r\n\r\nmost.\r\n\r\nSo, how can you turn away\r\nOriginal URL: \r\n\r\nhttp://www.virginia.edu/topnews/releases2006/NewOrleansJourn\r\n\r\nal17.html