A monthly message from Fred Lynch. Fred is the founder of GodStyle Productions, a ministry committed to changing youth culture. For more information on Fred, visit his website or check out his latest project, The Epic (the gospel of John translated into rap).
September 2006
Spike Lee recently released an incredible four-hour documentary of interviews with Katrina victims in New Orleans that he filmed last year. "When the Levees Broke" (Spike's documentary) will no doubt stir many people and bring back a flood of emotions and questions that we need to re-visit and address; especially when it comes to our communities and how 'we the people' are managing our commitment to stand in the gap for the least of our own. Spike Lee was in New Orleans about a month ago premiering the documentary for the people of New Orleans before it went nationwide and my nephew DiJon Lodree, a 15-year old survivor of the Katrina hurricanes, was there to see the film. I recently got a chance to sit down with my nephew and hear more of his story, and I'd like to share some of his journey of 12 months after Katrina with you.
I feel like our innocence was taken with Katrina...for the longest I felt like I lost my mind.
Fred: So with the one year anniversary of Katrina upon us, how do you feel?
DiJon: Kinda like excited, happy, sad, scared...all at the same time. It's a stir of emotions.
Fred: Is it like they say when someone close to you dies; that you're remembering them and laughing one minute and crying the next?
DiJon: Yea it's like a roller coaster here in New Orleans. It's usually like a fun city here where you come thru, and you know you're gonna have fun, have something good to eat and see some sites, and hear some good music but now it's a different feel, the atmosphere is still heavy. It's all about work now.
Fred: What do you mean all about work?
DiJon: I feel like our 'innocence' was taken with Katrina. Now everyone's so serious about getting the city back to how it used to be but it's so many areas here that aren't even working yet. You run up on trash everywhere, and it just doesn't feel right. Places like the lower 9th ward (close to where I go to school) is virtually untouched; I mean it's still garbage everywhere! It feels like the city is a little hypocritical too...all of the tourist areas are up and working but where the real people live, it's still trashed out.
Fred: I want to take it back 365 days from today. The day before the hurricane, what was it like in your world?
DiJon: Friday was a homecoming dance, we call it Jamboree. I finally made the cymbal line at my school. I was so excited about going and playing and representing my school during Jamboree, when we heard about the storm coming through. I couldn't believe it. I was a day away from playing in my school band and just like that, we heard that we had to evacuate. We were on the highway from about 7:00 am and moved at a turtles' pace all day and all night. We went up to Houston, but didn't make it there till 1:00 am that night. We had to separate our family into different homes but I just feel like I'm blessed to have made it out.
Fred: Did you lose anyone close to you?
DiJon: I have friends who've lost family. Both of my uncles Emmet and Kermit stayed and decided to ride out the storm. The roof caved in on them at their house and they had to walk through the storm to find shelter. We didn't see them for days. They made it to the Super dome, but we thought that we lost them.
Fred: What did you loose personally?
DiJon: For the longest I felt like I lost my mind. My heart was broken. My city, my home, my town that I grew up in was washed off the map. I felt like a lot of people who couldn't make it out weren't taken care of properly. I lost so many friends who left and haven't come back and some whom I 'v e just recently seen after a whole year. I lost my spot w/ my school band because I had to go to another school. I know that might sound funny to some people, but I was so excited about being in the band and represent our school. Then Katrina hit and changed everything.
Fred: Although this has been such a rough year for you, I heard that you also gain much through this tragedy. Let's talk about that.
DiJon: I got saved. I know a lot of people made promises to God that if they made it through this (Katrina) they would serve Him, well I was real with my promise. I gained peace of mind. I got on the basketball team in Houston. I didn't think I'd make the team. I was into music, not ballin' but I felt like I had to do something to keep my mind off all that I that I'd gone through. People in Houston would crack jokes and talk about us. We felt like refugees. All of the schools would have fights with students from New Orleans everyday. See Houston was one of our biggest rival cities, so to play for our own rival was hard, but I just got into the game to get my mind off of my troubles. I started praying and God showed up. I'd get blessed with opportunities to make money and I'd go out and earn it. We finally got an apartment and our family came back together under one roof. I went to Discovery Camp in the summer of '06 as a lukewarm Christian and was just blown away by God. I was filled with the Holy Spirit. The whole experience with God opened my eyes and I decided there was no turning back. I didn't want to live half way with my faith anymore, but I wanted to give my all to God. Instead of worrying about how much I lost, I began to give things up to God...and when I focused on giving it all up to God, that's when it seemed like I gained more than I could ever dream.
Fred: Now that you're back in the N.O. w/ God as a major part of your life, are you scared of another disaster like Katrina?
DiJon: No, cause I've been through the worst, and I'm still here, so I only fear God now.
Fred: Well thanks for sharing your story with us. If there was anything that you'd like to share with youth workers who will read this and hear your story, what would it be?
DiJon: Tell them I said keep on connecting with the kids where they're at. Even stuff like what I talked about: band, basketball, Jamboree (our version of homecoming) that's stuff that I'm into as a teenager, and if you show some interest in what I'm into; I'll want to get into what you're into like God. I remember my pastor said, "Rules w/o relationship leads to rebellion". I'm glad that I'm getting back to my normal life (slowly but surely), but it's good to know that I'm not alone. I have a youth pastor who's got my back as I'm trying to get it together.
Sharing the gospel from 'Street to Street',
Fred Lynch III
GodStyle Productions
Fred Lynch is the founder of GodStyle Productions, a ministry committed to changing youth culture. For more information on Fred, visit his website or check out his latest project, The Epic (the gospel of John translated into rap).
