We drove easily onto St. Charles, via River Road and Magazine Street. Little traffic, mainly military. Once at Napoleon we saw the standing water. Church of the Annunciation is up the way on S. Claiborne. I wanted to see the building in order to figure out what we're dealing with, so I started wading until the toxic water reached my waste. The smell is horrific. About Freret Street, I saw two men in a row boat and flagged them down. Turned out to be two Iranians who own a nearby gas station. They gave me the boat saying, "It's just for you Father. Keep it with you."

So, the Dutch cameraman and I paddled up to South Claiborne where we saw water still near the tops of cars parked on the high neutral ground. We sailed easily over the five foot fence in the front of church, navigating power lines and branches to reach the back entrance.

Inside we found about 3"- 4" of water spanning the entire length of hall into the other side of the building. It had reached about 1 1/2' at its zenith. More awful smell, incredibly dank. We also noticed that there had been company: beer cans and cigarette butts in the conference room, the offices had been broken into. I could never have been prepared to view the state of our beautiful old church.

The waters peaked at five to six feet, now resting at about four. Pews turned over, bibles, prayer books and hymnals all floating. The water had reached one foot up the high main altar where someone had put out a cigarette. Praise God the sacristy was still locked.

We filled a garbage bag full of vestments and the remaining silver, locked everything up, loaded the boat and began paddling for my house about 7 blocks north. There we discovered the water still about 7 feet high. You can't even see the front door. Most of our things were on the first floor, completely submerged.

Again we docked the boat, filled a few garbage bags with clothes for the kids from the in-tact third floor and then paddled back down Napoleon to where our journey began. Almost immediately I broke out in a rash and now have stomach issues. Taking antibiotics and threw away most of the clothes I was wearing.

The news we heard while in the City was horrific and don't wish to share any of it. Today one of my young parishioners showed up here at St. Luke's, her seventeenth birthday, with just the clothes on her back, hungry, her disabled mom and autistic uncle in tow. Now have to figure out how to help and where to send them.

Stacy ran her over to J.C. Penny to find some birthday clothes. I also have a young man and his dad stuck in an apartment in Metairie, the roof blown off and windows blown out, no food, water or power for the past week. We're going in tomorrow (getting too close to curfew) to bring them out.

We have yet to hear from 22 parish households. Every day we find a few more lost sheep. We can't thank folks enough for the outpouring of supplies and donations. Your expressions of love and care are heartening to us and making an incredible difference. Clothes, hygiene items are immediately given out.

Cash is helping us assist stranded now homeless folks and purchase needed items. Be assured of our prayers. Special need: we are looking for a good price on a very used inexpensive SUV vehicle to get us around. My treasurer's truck is under water back at the parish and the two other trucks we have are just loaners.

If anyone has a good buy for us, please email. Stacy is hanging tough, kids now in school at St. Luke's. We're all being well cared for by the amazing folks in this area. The church here is responding mightily. God is good. Please keep us in your prayers. Many blessings from higher ground,

jerry+ op and all www.stlukesbr.org

--The Rev'd Jerry Kramer is rector of the Church of the Annunciation in New Orleans