The second of two church buses rolled into Lincoln just after noon Sunday. It stopped in front of the People’s City Mission and the people inside walked into the Nebraska sunshine, greeted with handshakes and hugs.

Inside the mission they would find a noon meal waiting, then hot showers and fresh sheets.

In all, more than three dozen people, single men and single mothers, families and extended families, took a chance boarding those buses, trading in their uncertain circumstances in Louisiana to start anew here.

The first of the Hurricane Katrina evacuees arrived here early Saturday morning from Shreveport, the second 34 hours later from Baton Rouge, assisted on their journey by Mission Executive Director Tom Barber and volunteers from local churches. The mission, area churches and human service agencies are working together to find housing and jobs for the new arrivals.

Photojournalist Krista Niles and reporter Cindy Lange-Kubick were on hand Sunday to greet the evacuees and, with their permission, to introduce a few of them to our readers.

In a makeshift photo studio inside the mission’s health clinic they posed for family portraits and told their stories.

In their words, here is part of what they shared.

We welcome them to Lincoln.

Name: Percy Johnson

Age: 68

Home: New Orleans

Possessions: One backpack filled with clothing, a carrying case with toiletries. Two books: The Holy Bible, “Your Best Life Now,” by Joel Steen.

I was part of an evangelism group in New Orleans, street evangelism, shopping evangelism, just spreading the word. I lived in an apartment near the French Quarter.

I hitchhiked to Texas before the storm came, that’s where I got the books, in a shelter at a church there. I’m trying not to accumulate too much.

The shelter closed up and I went back to Louisiana and ended up in Shreveport. A Catholic sister at the shelter there asked me if I’d like to come to Nebraska.

People here have been very nice. Someone here is helping me get a job. I might go back to college. I’ve been wanting to do that.

I don’t feel a loss, I feel a change, a great change.

I’m going to stay here in Lincoln, as far as I can see it is a good place.

Name: Miriam Louper

Age: 55

Name: Ashley Louper

Age: 20

Home: New Orleans

Possessions: Left home with nothing

I lived in New Orleans all my life. My neighbor got me out. We had to break out a kitchen window and crawl out. I didn’t take anything, my life means more to me than things.

An Army boat brought me to the shelter. It’s just me and my daughter Ashley, she has autism. My husband is still in Louisiana. He ended up in another shelter, but as soon as I can get an apartment, he’s going to come to stay.

Everyone here has been treating me nice, like home. It’s been really good, knowing that people care.

Name: Michael Ventry

Age: 17

Name: LaRonda Ruffin

Age: 18

Name: Michael Ruffin

Age: 8 months

Home: New Orleans

Possessions: Left home with nothing

(Michael)

We left our house on Corn Street after the levee broke. We held the baby up high and walked through the water from downtown all the way uptown, more than two miles. We sat there until a man came and drove us out of town.

Our family is all split up. My mom is in Arkansas. My 16-year-old brother is down in the Astrodome by himself. Pastor Tom is going back down there to get him.

LaRonda is my high school sweetheart, little Michael, he’s our son. Me and my girl had just moved into a place of our own, but I don’t think there’s anything to go back home to…

I was just starting 11th grade but here I need to get a job, I really do. I’d like to get my GED. Work during the day and get my GED at night.

We were the first ones to get on the bus in Baton Rouge when they asked if anyone wanted to come to Nebraska.

For us, coming to Lincoln, Nebraska, that’s a new fresh start.