December 19, 2005
Like all displaced Tulane students, Nathaniel Berrios watched the TV news coverage of Hurricane Katrina’s havoc with a mixture of fear and worry.
“The scary part was all the uncertainty,” says Berrios.
But the San Diego, Calif., native, who had arrived at Tulane as a freshman neuroscience major only hours before he had to turn around and leave, found comfort doing what has long brought him peace of mind—singing gospel harmony.
A tenor in the trio “N3-4-JC,” Berrios evacuated to Oklahoma and then went to Texas, where the final production and mixing of the compact disc entitled Deliverance was done in a private studio. The trio, whose members have sung together for years, had been working on the compilation of uplifting songs prior to the hurricane, and in the aftermath of the devastating storm, Berrios says, “Listening to and mixing the songs gave me peace.
He believes others affected by Hurricane Katrina might find solace in the songs, too. He and his group have produced a special edition of Deliverance and dedicated it to the hurricane’s victims and survivors. The CDs are being distributed to Katrina survivors through various means such as religious organizations and Habitat for Humanity. For more information, visit their website.
“We’re not looking for financial gain, reimbursement or recognition for this action,” Berrios writes on the website. “We just want to help lift the spirits and the faith of the survivors.”
Berrios enrolled for the fall semester at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. But he’s anxious to return to New Orleans in January and get on with his studies at Tulane.
He made his decision to attend Tulane after he visited campus last spring, and psychology professor Gary Dohanich spent nearly an hour talking to him about the neuroscience major.
Then there’s the allure of New Orleans’ music. “I like all kinds of music—blues and jazz,” says Berrios.
He says he’s prepared for whatever awaits him at the university. “God has a plan for us all. Sometimes we just don’t know what it is.”
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