One of my mom's college friends just emailed me asking if my family, who lived in New Orleans just weeks ago, is alright. She somehow found my blog while searching for my parents online and wrote to me. I've received many other calls and emails from old friends, and I appreciate them all.

Just for the record: My parents and brothers are safe and sound in Cincinnati. Everyone is healthy and strong. They missed the hurricane by less than a week and their house sold as well. So financially speaking, their ties to New Orleans have been severed.

Their dear friends, however, in large part remain a mystery. We do know that North Shore Church, the ministry that my dad in many ways built and mom led childrens ministry at, has been demolished. It was situated a mere ten miles from Lake Ponchetrane and was completely submerged by the waters. But amazingly, despite the church's best efforts, they did not own the building. Since they were such a new church the bank would not loan them the required money to buy, which means there is not a multi-million dollar loss. But financial figures of the devestation are only numbers that fall short in attempting to measure such tragedy.