This reflection is by Jon Ciatti, a senior from Milwaukee, Wis.
When we had the opportunity to talk to Bishop Rodi about the damage that had been done, he mainly spoke not of the damage, but of the people and their desire to come together and really help one another. I could picture Biloxi as a place where multimillion dollar houses meet golf courses and beachfront life. It appeared to have been an extremely luxurious place. But now, none of that mattered and every one was equal. This was the new Biloxi; a city in which the wealthy people of the coast lost everything, and were no longer on a different level than those further inland. This, I think, was the most stunning and humbling part of the experience.
To see those that have always been independent and wealthy enough to live on their own, living in a trailer park in a donated trailer, is shocking in many ways. To think of losing everything, and then having to live somewhere completely different, must be devastating. But among the devastation, one truth rang out from everyone we met. “I have my life, my friends, and my family, and I’m blessed by God.” I have always felt that people are the most important asset to anyone’s life, and hearing it from those who have nothing left helps me to know that it’s the truth. In a way, amid all the devastation and destruction, I think that the people of Biloxi have gained a new understanding of what life is about and what it really takes to make a person happy, and I was able to share that with them. I am extremely thankful for the experience, and will keep the memories and lessons with me the rest of my life.
