Northern Hospitality

Students from Northern Michigan University, in Marquette spent last week in Bogalusa working on three Habitat for Humanity homes on Pearl Street.

The 13 young volunteers represented two different student groups: Chi Alpha, an NMU student ministry, and NMU Service 2 Go, a secular organization.

The latter group is new and was making its first visit south, but Chi Alpha is a veteran.

“This is its sixth trip to the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina,” said Deborah Heino, campus pastor for Chi Alpha.

Her 20 years of experience planning and organizing, which she said started with her being reared as a “Southern Baptist Missionaries kid,” made Heino a logical choice to be a leader of the expedition.

Friday, as students hammered and helped get the houses closer to being ready for occupancy, she said it had been a good trip.

“They’ve been feeding us real good,” said Heino. “We’re going to take some of them home to cook for us. I think of all the trips, we’ve had the best meals on this one.”

The previous five visits were to Biloxi, she said.

Besides the chance to eat some good food, the NMU group has gained experience and even a few college credits by participating in the local Habitat trip. One student is a construction major who got to oversee the roofing phase. Another was filming and conducting interviews, in her spare time, for a documentary on Hurricane Katrina.

Heino seemed to relish the project.

“I have a heart for this area,” she smiled. “If I didn’t have to go back, I wouldn’t. But I have a husband there, and a 13-year-old daughter who’s in school or she’d be here now.”

The team from NMU headed back north on Saturday, but their gift will not be forgotten. And they will return.

“Students plan to come back in May or August,” said Heino. “And they plan to raise awareness in the upper peninsula that the job here is still not done. You’re not recovered. You’re getting there, but you’re not there.”

The people of Bogalusa, the Gulf Coast and the rest of the stricken region are certainly a lot closer to being there because of folks like the team from NMU.