Nearly eight months after Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana, many of her victims are still struggling to regain the most basic of necessities. Recently, a team of 11 volunteers from Christian Life Center in West Milford spent a week helping in New Orleans. They worked through Victory Fellowship Church (www.victoryfellowship.net) and Blood-n-Fire Ministry (www.bloodnfire.com) rebuilding, cleaning and distributing food and supplies. Some of the group gutted a flood-damaged home. They removed all of the sheet rock, rugs and water-damaged fixtures, which is the first step toward restoration. The next step is to treat all of the affected areas with chlorine bleach to completely kill the remaining mold and mildew. Once this is done, rebuilding can begin. In another home, which had already been gutted and treated with chlorine, the carpenters in the group purchased and installed new windows and doors while other volunteers worked on wall and floor replacement. Members of the team from West Milford said they felt a sense of renewed hope in many of the Katrina victims, much of which is fueled by the non-profit groups such as Victory Fellowship and Blood-n-Fire. If you are interested in helping with Katrina relief efforts, Christian Life Center will be sending additional groups to New Orleans. Call them at 973-728-3479.