We left at 5:30 AM.
As a rule of thumb, some of us feel it is not right to wake up before the sun does. But wake up we did, to Ms. Julie's peaches & cream oatmeal waiting on us downstairs one last time. We loaded into the vans and crossed the causeway while the morning light sneaked over the horizon and Baton Rouge glimmered in the distance.
We noticed that, and some other pretty stuff. Then we fell asleep.
Most of the day was like that. Wake up, have a snack, talk a little, sleep. Wake up, get out at a rest stop, grab more snacks, go back to sleep. Wake up, "Who needs to pee again?!," get out at another rest stop...
you get the picture. We're driving from the southern tip of Louisiana all the way back to south central Illinois. Nothing too exciting happened. (Well, we hit Missouri and it got cold again and asked ourselves WHY we wanted to leave the warmth...but that's beside the point.)
We ate lunch at a McDonald's in Mississippi and began our debriefing. Each of us shared a story or perspective of our trip and reflected on what God taught us throughout. We learned patience, faith, trust, and how to hope in the face of adversity. We noticed the great hospitality of our neighbors in the inner city. We concluded that we felt love in New Orleans, and that even though our experience seemed backward (from finishing a house to gutting it), in some way we still made forward progress. Our week was not wasted in any sense of the word--we finished the works we were called to do. We built a few relationships while we were at it. We bonded as a team and as friends.
We trust that God will see our good work through to completion: in ourselves, Willie Brown, the Urban Impact staff, New Orleans, and Greenville as we return.
We pray that in the rest of our lives we would continue in the faithful service we learned and took part in this week, that we would continue to be diligent and intentional in building for God's kingdom, and love others across borders of class, race, nationality, and comfort.
As for the next team to go: Tally Ho! We're with you, and we rejoice in thankful praise as your team forms and prepares over the next months.
Hope & Blessings,
Marh '09 Team
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Day 7, Part 2: Cajuns!
Once we washed up from the block party, we piled into our two vans and headed to the Lower Ninth Ward. If you remember, the Lower Ninth was hit particularly hard by floodwaters from Katrina. Residents in this section of town had to scramble to their rooftops and wait in order to survive. Many houses were literally pushed off of their foundations and set somewhere else--on top of another house, or car, or boat a couple blocks over.
Several of us were very anxious to see the Lower Ninth because we had been there before. When a few of us went, there were lots of houses and debris that hadn't been touched. Houses were still resting on cars, the street signs were made by do-it-yourselfers with cardboard and paint. It looked as though Katrina had happened a few months ago rather than a few years. We were hoping to see improvement and forward motion.
For those who had never seen the Lower Ninth, it was hard to know what to expect. We saw the devastation as we watched the news broadcasts back in 2005 and we relived that experience when our team gathered to watch "When the Levees Broke." But how could we imagine what we might see in the Ninth Ward?
But as we drove through, we had an encouraging as well as an eye-opening experience. Those who had been there before rejoiced at the sight of real street signs, a homeowner re-bricking his foundation, and clean, debris-free streets. We laughed out loud to see a group of jr. high boys playing basketball in the street--last time we had been here, the streets were deserted. It was a ghost town. But the Lower Ninth is indeed coming back. Between lot after lot of emptiness with vague footprints of a foundation, there are new homes and, in them, original homeowners from before the storm. Although it is still a disturbing sight to see a neighborhood that was once wall-to-wall houses reduced to something more similar to a country subdivision with grass and garbage for lots on end, we left with an overall feeling of hope.
Not to mention, we gawked at the Make-It-Right homes being funded and erected through an organization run by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. These homes are state-of-the-art, gorgeous works of art that run completely green energy. Better yet, we're pretty sure they're being sold/given to returning homeowners at a cost they can afford. You can read more about the project at http://www.makeitrightnola.org.
After being encouraged by the residents of the Lower Ninth, we drove on to experience a radically different part of the city: The French Quarter. We freely roamed about Jackson Square viewing the art of street vendors and ignoring pitches for tarot and palm readings. It was a perfect day--warm with a light breeze, perfect for skirts, shorts, and short sleeves. After an hour or so of wandering in and out of some boutiques we stopped at Mama Fiorella's for the best food we had in our lives.
At least, that's what it seemed like. Maybe we were just hungry.
The distinct New Orleans/Cajun flavor was in everything, and it was fantastic. Several of us ordered red beans and rice with sausage or a porkchop. Others got fried chicken, shrimp, po'boys, pasta...it was all good, and it was all New Orleans. (Truthfully, my mouth is watering as I type. No kidding.)
After dinner, we turned out on the town in smaller groups to grab souvenirs for family and friends. We trekked over to Bourbon Street for a picture by the sign posts and some of our braver souls wandered farther down to explore. We returned to Jackson Square to meet up and, much to our delight, found ourselves in the middle of a second line parade for a wedding held in the cathedral on the square. A live jazz band serenaded the couple with fast, dancy jazz while their attendants and audience waved parasols and hankerchiefs. It was a beautiful wedding procession that brought joy to everybody nearby---because it was just plain FUN! A couple of us stole a bit of their thunder by dancing to the music they provided. It was an experience unlike any other--a joyous bit of the New Orleans rich life that, for a moment, we were a part of.
To conclude our evening, we walked over to Cafe DuMonde --a famous historical hotspot for coffee and beignets. We showed off our trinkets and treasured to one another and indulged in the best beignets on the planet. (For those who don't know, a beignet is kind of like a fried doughnut topped with powdered sugar....but WAY better.)
Finally, after our night of a little indulgence and fun, we returned to Yellow House (and Franklin House) for about 5 hours of rest.
Morning--and our trip home--is certain to dawn to soon. But this was a great ending to our trip.
Blessings,
March '09 Team
Several of us were very anxious to see the Lower Ninth because we had been there before. When a few of us went, there were lots of houses and debris that hadn't been touched. Houses were still resting on cars, the street signs were made by do-it-yourselfers with cardboard and paint. It looked as though Katrina had happened a few months ago rather than a few years. We were hoping to see improvement and forward motion.
For those who had never seen the Lower Ninth, it was hard to know what to expect. We saw the devastation as we watched the news broadcasts back in 2005 and we relived that experience when our team gathered to watch "When the Levees Broke." But how could we imagine what we might see in the Ninth Ward?
But as we drove through, we had an encouraging as well as an eye-opening experience. Those who had been there before rejoiced at the sight of real street signs, a homeowner re-bricking his foundation, and clean, debris-free streets. We laughed out loud to see a group of jr. high boys playing basketball in the street--last time we had been here, the streets were deserted. It was a ghost town. But the Lower Ninth is indeed coming back. Between lot after lot of emptiness with vague footprints of a foundation, there are new homes and, in them, original homeowners from before the storm. Although it is still a disturbing sight to see a neighborhood that was once wall-to-wall houses reduced to something more similar to a country subdivision with grass and garbage for lots on end, we left with an overall feeling of hope.
Not to mention, we gawked at the Make-It-Right homes being funded and erected through an organization run by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. These homes are state-of-the-art, gorgeous works of art that run completely green energy. Better yet, we're pretty sure they're being sold/given to returning homeowners at a cost they can afford. You can read more about the project at http://www.makeitrightnola.org.
After being encouraged by the residents of the Lower Ninth, we drove on to experience a radically different part of the city: The French Quarter. We freely roamed about Jackson Square viewing the art of street vendors and ignoring pitches for tarot and palm readings. It was a perfect day--warm with a light breeze, perfect for skirts, shorts, and short sleeves. After an hour or so of wandering in and out of some boutiques we stopped at Mama Fiorella's for the best food we had in our lives.
At least, that's what it seemed like. Maybe we were just hungry.
The distinct New Orleans/Cajun flavor was in everything, and it was fantastic. Several of us ordered red beans and rice with sausage or a porkchop. Others got fried chicken, shrimp, po'boys, pasta...it was all good, and it was all New Orleans. (Truthfully, my mouth is watering as I type. No kidding.)
After dinner, we turned out on the town in smaller groups to grab souvenirs for family and friends. We trekked over to Bourbon Street for a picture by the sign posts and some of our braver souls wandered farther down to explore. We returned to Jackson Square to meet up and, much to our delight, found ourselves in the middle of a second line parade for a wedding held in the cathedral on the square. A live jazz band serenaded the couple with fast, dancy jazz while their attendants and audience waved parasols and hankerchiefs. It was a beautiful wedding procession that brought joy to everybody nearby---because it was just plain FUN! A couple of us stole a bit of their thunder by dancing to the music they provided. It was an experience unlike any other--a joyous bit of the New Orleans rich life that, for a moment, we were a part of.
To conclude our evening, we walked over to Cafe DuMonde --a famous historical hotspot for coffee and beignets. We showed off our trinkets and treasured to one another and indulged in the best beignets on the planet. (For those who don't know, a beignet is kind of like a fried doughnut topped with powdered sugar....but WAY better.)
Finally, after our night of a little indulgence and fun, we returned to Yellow House (and Franklin House) for about 5 hours of rest.
Morning--and our trip home--is certain to dawn to soon. But this was a great ending to our trip.
Blessings,
March '09 Team
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Day 7, part 1: Canadians
The final day of our trip dawned too early for all of us. After a week of waking up before dawn, it seemed to some of us that our bodies were finally wearing down. After the previous day's work of tearing apart a house, it seemed to some of us that our spirits as well as our muscles had been torn down. But after another great breakfast of peaches & cream oatmeal, we began to rouse and get ready to go.
By 8:30 we were piling out of our vans and into Mr. Brown's house. As we filed past the tool box, each of us grabbed a breathing mask, goggles, a hammer or two and a crowbar--all the tools we'd be needing until we were ready for cleanup. Eleven of us spread through the six rooms while Dan climbed into the attic, preparing to take down the ceiling once the walls were finished.
The pounding began.
We each worked at the best rhythm our sore bodies could provide, but we could not help but feel that our work had slowed considerably. What took 10 minutes to do the day before with fresh energy took 25 to do now. For some of the girls especially, it was incredibly frustrating to find that our backs and biceps couldn't match our zeal for the work. Though not a single person complained, the dominant mood in the house was discouragement--and we tried to fight that too.
We'd been at it for a few hours when the cavalry came in--in the form of what seemed like 80 Canadian Mounties!
Once we recovered from our shock, we realized that it was not a troupe of 80, but 20-30 at least. All with fresh energy and a good work ethic...(and oh, yeah, they weren't actually Mounties. But they were actually Canadian.)
For the rest of the afternoon, our crews worked side by side. We were thrilled to have them sent to our aid. At any cost, we wanted to finish Mr. Brown's house as fast as possible. (Not to mention it was nice to distribute the workload.) Our entire crew was able to take a group break for lunch and head over to Ms. Emma's house for lunch, a resident whom we had forged a relationship with and promised to eat with on our last day. We sat on the front porch with Emma and her puppy, Fido, for most of the week. Today, we feasted on PB&J while Fido (sadly) stayed inside--he had misbehaved earlier that morning and was receiving discipline. We had a wonderful long lunch with Ms. Emma and said our goodbyes, all the while with her encouraging us in our work, offering us whatever she had in her fridge, and asking us to stop by if any of us came back.
We returned to find the Canadian crew still hard at work with most of the house finished. Cleanup was now the order, carting the drywall into the empty lot across the street for later pickup. But when the work day ended at 1:00, the house was done.
Bare studs. Bare rafters. Naked insulation and white, powdery floors.
It seemed both a step forward and a step back.
But we knew we had done the work we had been given for us and that, however backwards it seemed, it was all forward motion in whatever round about way God would have it. Our jobsite supervisor reminded us that nothing is eternal. Even though all the teams before had wanted to build something to last just as we had wanted to build something to last, nothing is eternal. Only God's work in that neighborhood will sustain the lives of its people, and this was a confusing part of God's work.
By 8:30 we were piling out of our vans and into Mr. Brown's house. As we filed past the tool box, each of us grabbed a breathing mask, goggles, a hammer or two and a crowbar--all the tools we'd be needing until we were ready for cleanup. Eleven of us spread through the six rooms while Dan climbed into the attic, preparing to take down the ceiling once the walls were finished.
The pounding began.
We each worked at the best rhythm our sore bodies could provide, but we could not help but feel that our work had slowed considerably. What took 10 minutes to do the day before with fresh energy took 25 to do now. For some of the girls especially, it was incredibly frustrating to find that our backs and biceps couldn't match our zeal for the work. Though not a single person complained, the dominant mood in the house was discouragement--and we tried to fight that too.
We'd been at it for a few hours when the cavalry came in--in the form of what seemed like 80 Canadian Mounties!
Once we recovered from our shock, we realized that it was not a troupe of 80, but 20-30 at least. All with fresh energy and a good work ethic...(and oh, yeah, they weren't actually Mounties. But they were actually Canadian.)
For the rest of the afternoon, our crews worked side by side. We were thrilled to have them sent to our aid. At any cost, we wanted to finish Mr. Brown's house as fast as possible. (Not to mention it was nice to distribute the workload.) Our entire crew was able to take a group break for lunch and head over to Ms. Emma's house for lunch, a resident whom we had forged a relationship with and promised to eat with on our last day. We sat on the front porch with Emma and her puppy, Fido, for most of the week. Today, we feasted on PB&J while Fido (sadly) stayed inside--he had misbehaved earlier that morning and was receiving discipline. We had a wonderful long lunch with Ms. Emma and said our goodbyes, all the while with her encouraging us in our work, offering us whatever she had in her fridge, and asking us to stop by if any of us came back.
We returned to find the Canadian crew still hard at work with most of the house finished. Cleanup was now the order, carting the drywall into the empty lot across the street for later pickup. But when the work day ended at 1:00, the house was done.
Bare studs. Bare rafters. Naked insulation and white, powdery floors.
It seemed both a step forward and a step back.
But we knew we had done the work we had been given for us and that, however backwards it seemed, it was all forward motion in whatever round about way God would have it. Our jobsite supervisor reminded us that nothing is eternal. Even though all the teams before had wanted to build something to last just as we had wanted to build something to last, nothing is eternal. Only God's work in that neighborhood will sustain the lives of its people, and this was a confusing part of God's work.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Day 6: Gut-Wrenching
Today we gutted a house. It's hard work. We stripped the walls down to the studs with our hammers, crowbars, and bare hands.
Thing is, the house we were gutting was Willie Brown's.
The same Willie Brown,
the same house,
the same walls we had been carefully mudding, taping, sanding, and painting for the past 3 days.
It is difficult to even begin to explain the feelings that have gone on amongst our team today. Around noon those of us who were working on Willie's house received the order to stop all we were doing and begin to rip down all of the drywall. Initially we asked our worksite supervisor if he was joking. He grimly admitted that he wasn't. The drywall which had been installed in the house had been donated. As it turns out, it had also been imported from China and some of the material it was made from posed a significant health risk.
It isn't necessary to belabor the details. What it all means is that Mr. Brown's house, which was finally nearing completion after 31/2 years, is being gutted for the third time since Katrina. An unknown amount of other residents will also have to gut their houses all over again--some of which have been completed and residents moved in. Mr. Brown quietly shed some tears when he was notified...and quietly closed the door to our work and our team. Truthfully, some of us were amazed that he held it together even that well.
So from 12 pm to 4:45 pm we gutted with heavy hearts. Our thoughts flew to Mr. Brown and the many others who will be affected by this deeply unfortunate turn of events. To put it quite frankly, it absolutely sucks. Not for us, not because we had to tear down our work. Absolutely not that. But it absolutely sucks that Willie's hope has been taken away once again. In a matter of a weeks time, he saw his house being rebuilt, and the rebuilding process being deterred. Our onsite Supervisor reminded us that even through our frustration we have to remember that these things are not eternal, however even if we believe this to be true, our hearts are hit hard. We cannot begin to understand how Willie feels.
It is difficult to wrap our minds around why and how these things happen. Why--when it seems to us that justice is finally being done--does good and diligent work get set back by 7 paces? Why is Willie Brown still waiting on his house while the drug dealers down the street thrive? How can you even say this is in your good time, God? In the words of the psalmist, in the words of Habakkuk, "How long, O Lord?"
Today we have prayed while we swung hammers and crowbars. We have meditated as we broke screws and punished walls on which so many hopes had been written and floated. Our hearts remain heavy as we wonder what will happen now. EFCA Crisis Response has to pick up a $30,000 tab to replace the drywall as quickly as possible. They also have to assess and formulate a plan of action to recall the hazardous dry wall. But the money is not here. The materials are not here. The skills and laborers and time is not here. So we are lifting our eyes to the hills;
Where will Willie Brown's help come from?
This day stripped us down to our bones just as we stripped down Willie's house. We are discouraged, needy, wanting, hoping, trusting God as we shake our heads in sadness and disbelief. The hugeness of this problem is difficult to believe--the solution to the problem is even more difficult to envision.
But even as we struggle, wrestle, and pacify ourselves with busy work and prayer, we know that we serve a good God. We know that his timing is good and that he is watching even when he seems blind to plight. We know that he is orchestrating redemption even when it seems as though he is content to allow chaos. We know that he is with Mr. Brown behind his closed door, grieving with him and being more comfort than we could possibly be.
But man. We've pulled our guts out. And we need prayer.
EFCA Crisis Response,
Urban Impact Ministries,
Castle Rock Community Church,
and Central City New Orleans NEED your prayers and, if you feel so drawn or lead, please act, if you know of anyone that hangs drywall and feels lead to donate their time or if you know someone that is willing to give financially, please contact us and we will direct you to the right people.
As for us, we'll gut our guts out tomorrow morning and get that space ready for the new materials to come and to stay.
Seeking Shalom,
March '09 team
Thing is, the house we were gutting was Willie Brown's.
The same Willie Brown,
the same house,
the same walls we had been carefully mudding, taping, sanding, and painting for the past 3 days.
It is difficult to even begin to explain the feelings that have gone on amongst our team today. Around noon those of us who were working on Willie's house received the order to stop all we were doing and begin to rip down all of the drywall. Initially we asked our worksite supervisor if he was joking. He grimly admitted that he wasn't. The drywall which had been installed in the house had been donated. As it turns out, it had also been imported from China and some of the material it was made from posed a significant health risk.
It isn't necessary to belabor the details. What it all means is that Mr. Brown's house, which was finally nearing completion after 31/2 years, is being gutted for the third time since Katrina. An unknown amount of other residents will also have to gut their houses all over again--some of which have been completed and residents moved in. Mr. Brown quietly shed some tears when he was notified...and quietly closed the door to our work and our team. Truthfully, some of us were amazed that he held it together even that well.
So from 12 pm to 4:45 pm we gutted with heavy hearts. Our thoughts flew to Mr. Brown and the many others who will be affected by this deeply unfortunate turn of events. To put it quite frankly, it absolutely sucks. Not for us, not because we had to tear down our work. Absolutely not that. But it absolutely sucks that Willie's hope has been taken away once again. In a matter of a weeks time, he saw his house being rebuilt, and the rebuilding process being deterred. Our onsite Supervisor reminded us that even through our frustration we have to remember that these things are not eternal, however even if we believe this to be true, our hearts are hit hard. We cannot begin to understand how Willie feels.
It is difficult to wrap our minds around why and how these things happen. Why--when it seems to us that justice is finally being done--does good and diligent work get set back by 7 paces? Why is Willie Brown still waiting on his house while the drug dealers down the street thrive? How can you even say this is in your good time, God? In the words of the psalmist, in the words of Habakkuk, "How long, O Lord?"
Today we have prayed while we swung hammers and crowbars. We have meditated as we broke screws and punished walls on which so many hopes had been written and floated. Our hearts remain heavy as we wonder what will happen now. EFCA Crisis Response has to pick up a $30,000 tab to replace the drywall as quickly as possible. They also have to assess and formulate a plan of action to recall the hazardous dry wall. But the money is not here. The materials are not here. The skills and laborers and time is not here. So we are lifting our eyes to the hills;
Where will Willie Brown's help come from?
This day stripped us down to our bones just as we stripped down Willie's house. We are discouraged, needy, wanting, hoping, trusting God as we shake our heads in sadness and disbelief. The hugeness of this problem is difficult to believe--the solution to the problem is even more difficult to envision.
But even as we struggle, wrestle, and pacify ourselves with busy work and prayer, we know that we serve a good God. We know that his timing is good and that he is watching even when he seems blind to plight. We know that he is orchestrating redemption even when it seems as though he is content to allow chaos. We know that he is with Mr. Brown behind his closed door, grieving with him and being more comfort than we could possibly be.
But man. We've pulled our guts out. And we need prayer.
EFCA Crisis Response,
Urban Impact Ministries,
Castle Rock Community Church,
and Central City New Orleans NEED your prayers and, if you feel so drawn or lead, please act, if you know of anyone that hangs drywall and feels lead to donate their time or if you know someone that is willing to give financially, please contact us and we will direct you to the right people.
As for us, we'll gut our guts out tomorrow morning and get that space ready for the new materials to come and to stay.
Seeking Shalom,
March '09 team
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Day 5: Life in the Neighborhood
Our team was split between two different places today. Dan, Mishona, Carrie, Wendy, and Hannah remained at Mr. Brown's house to finish the dry wall and painting. Chris, Evan, Kerry, Manda, Laura, Katie, and Lindsey all went to the property of Miss Pat to work in her yard. Chris and Carrie had both worked on Miss Pat's house last year, so it was an exciting day for them.
Before the team split, though, there was still too little work to go around for all of us. So Manda, Mishona, Hannah and Lindsey went for a walk around the neighborhood that morning. While we were walking, we ran across a woman who lived next door to the house Hannah and Chris had worked on 2 years ago. For about 30 minutes we just hung out on her front stoop, talking about life and hearing her story. As Manda tells it,
"A few of us went for a walk this morning. We met a lady named Emma...and her puppy, Fido. It was a great time just sitting on her porch listening to her talk about the neighborhood and Hurricane Katrina. She even offered the four of us bottles of water. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to go on this trip. In addition to getting to know people in New Orleans, it is fun to get to know the people from Greenville better.
New Orleans is an eclectic city and I love driving around. However, the people are even better. I pray to keep meeting more people and learning from them."
We had a wonderful time with Miss Emma and her 3 month old puppy, Fido. A couple of us are going to strive to visit her again tomorrow for a few minutes. Most of her old neighbors have moved since Katrina hit, so she doesn't have many people to talk to on her block--we feel really blessed to be able to spend life with her, though.
Once the groups did split up, though, work went much smoother for both teams. The team at Mr. Willie's house had a great time and spent most of the afternoon laughing at one another. Our worksite supervisor, Kevin, also seemed to enjoy the workday better. He cracked jokes left and right and had an interesting habit of singing at odd moments in a very uncharacteristic falsetto---see, he's kind of like, 6'5". Over at Ms. Pat's house, the team did yard work. When they arrived, the yard was a mess of overgrown weeds, grass, and debris. By the time they left, it looked like a cleared garden just waiting to be planted. Better yet, everybody walked away with a little bit of a tan to take back to Illinois. (Something to flaunt about in March in Illinois!)
We also saw a lot more of Mr. Brown today. He allowed us to help carry in his groceries and fetch him some lunch.
Speaking of lunch, everybody on the team chipped in to buy some po'boy sandwhiches. If you're not familiar with this type of food, it's similar to a sub sandwhich. They come in 3 sizes...a large bun, an 18 inch, and a "loaf"...which is probably about 3 feet long. The shop was a little hole in the wall gas station which was absolutely flooded through the lunch rush, but we managed to get our sandwhiches and get out. It was a great meal for a great deal...most of us split the 18-inch ones, so we all payed about $2.50 for a hot lunch. Good things. Better yet, we were able to get a po'boy for Mr. Brown and eat on his front porch. He stayed inside yet again, but he accepted our sandwhich...and left the door open.
Things got very real early in the afternoon, though. It would be difficult to explain the details through a blog format so I won't even make an attempt, save to say we were struck deeply by a realization of what life in the neighborhood is like. It was shocking for some of us, startling for all, and stood in stark contrast to what each of us has grown up with in our own neighborhoods. But in the city, vice and desperation are a part of every day life...and some people deal with it differently than others. In this particular situation, the desperation and emotion of life in the inner city was made distinctly clear to us and though we need not fear, we realized again that we should keep our eyes open and alert; perhaps not just for safety, but for the opportunity to grasp what millions of our peers live with day in and day out.
But still there is hope. We love our time here in New Orleans and for some of us--Carrie in particular-- living and working in this context seems more and more appealing. The great thing about this city is that the great indulgence and vanity of the city is positioned right beside the great poverty and desperation it contains. The residents of New Orleans make no attempt to hide this--in one breath we have met people who thank us for doing work because it is so needed and then exhort us to go spend time indulging on Bourbon Street of in one of the many party scenes. New Orleans is definitely rough--but it also seems to be definitely and unapologetically honest.
We pray that we can learn to reflect this attitude in our own lives; to own up to all of our shortcomings and overindulgences and still remain thankful for our blessings and in touch with our own desperation and need. Even when life in the neighborhood gets a little scary and uncomfortable, we realize that it's still just that; it's life, and we're experiencing it together. As Kerry so simply put it,
"I feel so blessed to be working with each and every individual on this trip. Sometimes I will just look over at one of my team members and notice how determined and hard working they are. Everyone is eager to serve each other as well as the community. The community is also very encouraging. They see our I Love N.O. shirts and thank us. Even when some of us girls were on a run in our shirts the other day, we had so many people yell encouragement to us. A school bus of children went by and they were telling us to keep it up! What great support."
Indeed. In New Orleans, we have learned to be neighbors and others have been great neighbors to us. It has given new meaning to Jesus words' in Luke chapter 10. The one who has mercy is the one who is a neighbor. The merciful Samaritan, despised and living in an ignored section of the country, is praised. The great and educated lawyer is told that he would do well to act more like some guy from the Neighborhood.
We're learning the same lesson here. We're learning from New Orleans' neighborhoods...and as we examine ourselves, we learn where we need to take our place in our neighborhoods back home. We've received mercy here and, by grace of God, we're getting a little better at giving it.
Peace,
March '09 team
Before the team split, though, there was still too little work to go around for all of us. So Manda, Mishona, Hannah and Lindsey went for a walk around the neighborhood that morning. While we were walking, we ran across a woman who lived next door to the house Hannah and Chris had worked on 2 years ago. For about 30 minutes we just hung out on her front stoop, talking about life and hearing her story. As Manda tells it,
"A few of us went for a walk this morning. We met a lady named Emma...and her puppy, Fido. It was a great time just sitting on her porch listening to her talk about the neighborhood and Hurricane Katrina. She even offered the four of us bottles of water. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to go on this trip. In addition to getting to know people in New Orleans, it is fun to get to know the people from Greenville better.
New Orleans is an eclectic city and I love driving around. However, the people are even better. I pray to keep meeting more people and learning from them."
We had a wonderful time with Miss Emma and her 3 month old puppy, Fido. A couple of us are going to strive to visit her again tomorrow for a few minutes. Most of her old neighbors have moved since Katrina hit, so she doesn't have many people to talk to on her block--we feel really blessed to be able to spend life with her, though.
Once the groups did split up, though, work went much smoother for both teams. The team at Mr. Willie's house had a great time and spent most of the afternoon laughing at one another. Our worksite supervisor, Kevin, also seemed to enjoy the workday better. He cracked jokes left and right and had an interesting habit of singing at odd moments in a very uncharacteristic falsetto---see, he's kind of like, 6'5". Over at Ms. Pat's house, the team did yard work. When they arrived, the yard was a mess of overgrown weeds, grass, and debris. By the time they left, it looked like a cleared garden just waiting to be planted. Better yet, everybody walked away with a little bit of a tan to take back to Illinois. (Something to flaunt about in March in Illinois!)
We also saw a lot more of Mr. Brown today. He allowed us to help carry in his groceries and fetch him some lunch.
Speaking of lunch, everybody on the team chipped in to buy some po'boy sandwhiches. If you're not familiar with this type of food, it's similar to a sub sandwhich. They come in 3 sizes...a large bun, an 18 inch, and a "loaf"...which is probably about 3 feet long. The shop was a little hole in the wall gas station which was absolutely flooded through the lunch rush, but we managed to get our sandwhiches and get out. It was a great meal for a great deal...most of us split the 18-inch ones, so we all payed about $2.50 for a hot lunch. Good things. Better yet, we were able to get a po'boy for Mr. Brown and eat on his front porch. He stayed inside yet again, but he accepted our sandwhich...and left the door open.
Things got very real early in the afternoon, though. It would be difficult to explain the details through a blog format so I won't even make an attempt, save to say we were struck deeply by a realization of what life in the neighborhood is like. It was shocking for some of us, startling for all, and stood in stark contrast to what each of us has grown up with in our own neighborhoods. But in the city, vice and desperation are a part of every day life...and some people deal with it differently than others. In this particular situation, the desperation and emotion of life in the inner city was made distinctly clear to us and though we need not fear, we realized again that we should keep our eyes open and alert; perhaps not just for safety, but for the opportunity to grasp what millions of our peers live with day in and day out.
But still there is hope. We love our time here in New Orleans and for some of us--Carrie in particular-- living and working in this context seems more and more appealing. The great thing about this city is that the great indulgence and vanity of the city is positioned right beside the great poverty and desperation it contains. The residents of New Orleans make no attempt to hide this--in one breath we have met people who thank us for doing work because it is so needed and then exhort us to go spend time indulging on Bourbon Street of in one of the many party scenes. New Orleans is definitely rough--but it also seems to be definitely and unapologetically honest.
We pray that we can learn to reflect this attitude in our own lives; to own up to all of our shortcomings and overindulgences and still remain thankful for our blessings and in touch with our own desperation and need. Even when life in the neighborhood gets a little scary and uncomfortable, we realize that it's still just that; it's life, and we're experiencing it together. As Kerry so simply put it,
"I feel so blessed to be working with each and every individual on this trip. Sometimes I will just look over at one of my team members and notice how determined and hard working they are. Everyone is eager to serve each other as well as the community. The community is also very encouraging. They see our I Love N.O. shirts and thank us. Even when some of us girls were on a run in our shirts the other day, we had so many people yell encouragement to us. A school bus of children went by and they were telling us to keep it up! What great support."
Indeed. In New Orleans, we have learned to be neighbors and others have been great neighbors to us. It has given new meaning to Jesus words' in Luke chapter 10. The one who has mercy is the one who is a neighbor. The merciful Samaritan, despised and living in an ignored section of the country, is praised. The great and educated lawyer is told that he would do well to act more like some guy from the Neighborhood.
We're learning the same lesson here. We're learning from New Orleans' neighborhoods...and as we examine ourselves, we learn where we need to take our place in our neighborhoods back home. We've received mercy here and, by grace of God, we're getting a little better at giving it.
Peace,
March '09 team
Day 4: St. Patty's in N.O.
This morning came too early for most of us, but we muscled through. We ate a great breakfast at Castle Rock and headed out to our job site by about 8:00 am. One of our team members, Hannah, stayed back to help out at the Urban Impact Leadership Academy, a private school for 14-18 year olds run by the organization. Meanwhile, the rest of the group headed back to Mr. Willie Brown and his house.
Mr. Brown didn't come out of his apartment while we were working on his house today, but we did see him coming in and out. It seems like he is still recovering from the way he was treated in the past. Hopefully tomorrow we will have a chance to connect with him a little bit more tomorrow.
The work day was a little rocky today. We all have eager hands but we only have so many square feet to work with. As a result, a few of us were mudding and taping for most of the day while others of us divvied up smaller jobs throughout the day. It seemed a little slow, but then that's the way with the second day on just about any job. We put second coats on all the rooms we finished yesterday and made some good progress in finishing the mudding and taping in the next rooms.
Hannah's work day at Urban Impact Leadership Academy was kind of similar. The program iteself was really unique--the curriculum the school ran allowed the kids to move at their own pace through the subjects until they mastered the concepts, so each student was at a different level. It also taught the students time and money management by way of a fictional economy based around the monetary unit of "Bling." Bling allows students to rent out and decorate their individual office spaces and work towards rewards of Starbucks and other treats from Urban Impact team members. If the students save the Bling they earn, they can buy their office and other students' offices and thus begin collecting rent from them. It seems to be a great system for training students in money and resource management. Apart from being wowed by the curriculum, though, there wasn't much to do other than supervise and participate in a read-aloud of To Kill A Mockingbird. The day was very enjoyable, but, like the rest of the group experienced, it was very long.
Later in the evening, Lindsey and Evan got the opportunity to be a part of Castle Rock's SLAM night--their Jr. High youth gathering. Here's what they had to say:
Lindsey-- During SLAM night as I was working with the youth I realized how important role models are to these youth. You could tell that they are looking for someone to really care for them and encourage them.
Evan-- While we attended SLAM we hung out with the kids outside for a little while. Then we went inside the church to have a bible study over the story of Joseph which was supposed to relate to how we value our family. At the end of the bible study they had a discussion about the story and how to apply these values to life. Trying to connect with these kids was a good experience for me. It helped me realize how much of a close relationship they wanted to form with the helpers. After the bible study we went back outside and played a couple of rounds of dodgeball which was a lot of fun because this helped them work together as a team.
After dinner and SLAM, we all went to Community CoffeeHouse on Magazine Street to hang out and relax. Observing St. Patrick's day in New Orleans was quite interesting...we could very literally smell the beer as we drove down St. Charles street with our windows down.
Once we got back, we pretty much collapsed in anticipation of our long work day tomorrow. Still no injuries for the klutzy ones (although death fell to the lid of a toilet tank.) Thanks for praying us through, all!
Shalom,
The March '09 team
Monday, March 16, 2009
Day 3: Workin', Playin', Lovin'
Workdays with Urban Impact and EFCA are long ones. They typically look something like this:
6:30 am- Breakfast
7:30 am- Orientation
8 or 9:00 am- Report to worksite
12 pm- Lunch @ worksite
4:30 pm- End workday
5:30(ish) pm- Dinner
7:00 pm- Seminar
8:30 pm- Group debriefing
9:30 pm- Free time...by which we mean shower, journal, and flop into bed exhausted.
This has been our day. It's been long. It's been utterly exhausting, and already eye-opening. But, as Chris put it in our story log: "We having Fun!"
We will be spending our days volunteering at the school and working on the house of Mr. Willie Brown. So far we've done some painting, dry wall work, mudding, and sanding. As we left the house today, two rooms (of 6) were finished with their first coat of ceiling and wall paint, with the third only needing some ladder work done. We've had a great time, and we really want to work hard and do as much work for Mr. Willie as possible. He's been living in an apartment adjacent to his home since Katrina and has been burned in the past by people who promised to help him fix up his house, so we want to do the best work for him that we possibly can.
After our workday finished, some of us went for a bit of a run down St. Charles street. The residents of New Orleans are so encouraging; several people cheered us on and encouraged us to keep the pace and keep going as we ran about. Of course, it may have helped that we were still wearing our issued I (heart) N.O. t-shirts. As you'll read in a moment, those t-shirts and Urban Impact's work are very well respected in this area and serve as a gateway for conversation and storytelling. We look forward to hearing and sharing as much as we can with people over the next several days.Showers followed the down time, and so did a great dinner: Jambalaya, corn bread, sausage, and some fantastic chocolate-minty-cake confection from Julia, the Yellow House cook. After stuffing ourselves, a few of us played a little impromptu volleyball and then headed to Israelite Baptist church for worship and a message from Pastor John. The service was great, and the message was challenging. John filled us in on some of the stories of Urban Impact and encouraged us to "Love God with all we got and love people till we drop." That's pretty much the attitude around here...and it's totally contagious.
After the service, the team drove to Starbucks for a little coffe and chai action, as well as a debriefing meeting. As we discussed and processed the day, two locals, Chita and John, joined us in our conversation and thanked us for what we were doing. Chita had been a resident in the upper 9th ward when Katrina hit and had to evacuate to Arkansas for 2 years. She just moved back about a year ago and has, like most N.O. residents, a lot of disappointment with how things have been handled. John, on the other hand, was just a really fun guy who appreciated our service and seemed to really want us to kick back and have some fun in his home town.
But that's just the basic jist of things. Here are some snapshots of our day from various team members. We've got narrations, quotes, funny stories, and serious reflections.
From Lindsey:
We're painting three rooms while playing 20 questions in replacement of a boom box!
From Katie:
Being here in New Orleans actually working on houses is such a surreal experience and it puts everything into a new perspective. It is amazing how even the people who don't know us come up to thank us just because we are wearing our I (Heart) N.O. shirts. WOW!
From Kerry:
This morning we had a speaker talk to us about when things don't go right, we say "that's how we like it." It took us a little bit of time to finally reach our site this morning because we didn't know what house it was, but that's how we like it! =). We actually passed a house 3 times that Hannah & Chris had worked on 2 years ago. We've been getting arm muscles by painting & sanding...and that's the way we like it!
Some quotes:
Chris- Don't worry, Evan. I will just snuggle with you.
Evan- Just don't squish me!
Wendy- If I have to pee any more tonight, I am going to freak out!
From Laura:
It hit me today that I am a terrible relator...at least in this context--in New Orleans. I have not gone through the agony of losing my house, my community, my family, my security, and in many ways, my hope. And if that is not enough, to live with that reality for 4+ years, seeing little progress, and little future. As I was thinking this, I was hit by the words of Pastor John tonight: "Do you expect God to do great things? or are you just chillin'?" I realized that lately (and many times in my life) I haven't been expecting God to do much in my life & in the world...maybe because of my complacency on the terrible things that happen, or the pain I see others go through on a daily basis. I think hope is on the horizon. It is here; it is now. And we are his vessels, no matter how small or insignificant we may feel.
"A knowledge that springs from love may require us to change, even sacrifice, for the sake of what we know." - Parker Palmer, author
As a group, we now possess a knowledge which springs from love; of the city of New Orleans, its people, our own team members, and the love of God. And it is beginning to strike us that we may need to change or sacrifice or become more aware of our lifestyles for the sake of what we now know of our own poverty and the poverty of others. But we are not left with no course of action. We aspire as a group to live out the words of 1st Peter 4:8 "Show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
Love can cover the tracks of Katrina, of poverty, of inconsistency and unfairness. And love is what we aspire to show. Because, as our t-shirts boldly confess,
We Love N.O.
Peace,
March '09 team
We're painting three rooms while playing 20 questions in replacement of a boom box!
From Katie:
Being here in New Orleans actually working on houses is such a surreal experience and it puts everything into a new perspective. It is amazing how even the people who don't know us come up to thank us just because we are wearing our I (Heart) N.O. shirts. WOW!
From Kerry:
This morning we had a speaker talk to us about when things don't go right, we say "that's how we like it." It took us a little bit of time to finally reach our site this morning because we didn't know what house it was, but that's how we like it! =). We actually passed a house 3 times that Hannah & Chris had worked on 2 years ago. We've been getting arm muscles by painting & sanding...and that's the way we like it!
Some quotes:
Chris- Don't worry, Evan. I will just snuggle with you.
Evan- Just don't squish me!
Wendy- If I have to pee any more tonight, I am going to freak out!
From Laura:
It hit me today that I am a terrible relator...at least in this context--in New Orleans. I have not gone through the agony of losing my house, my community, my family, my security, and in many ways, my hope. And if that is not enough, to live with that reality for 4+ years, seeing little progress, and little future. As I was thinking this, I was hit by the words of Pastor John tonight: "Do you expect God to do great things? or are you just chillin'?" I realized that lately (and many times in my life) I haven't been expecting God to do much in my life & in the world...maybe because of my complacency on the terrible things that happen, or the pain I see others go through on a daily basis. I think hope is on the horizon. It is here; it is now. And we are his vessels, no matter how small or insignificant we may feel.
For several of us, this week has already proved transformational. The guys in our group have had some great opportunities to share our food with a woman who was hungry and courageous enough to ask. She, like many others in the neighborhood, recognized the t-shirts and was emboldened to seek help. Another man, Jeremy, sat with the boys over dinner and recited beautiful poetry while they ate.
We have seen clearly today that our hunger is deep and profound, and although we may have food and shelter, we still hunger and thirst for community, for righteousness, for purpose to our work and hope for our future. So as we continue our work in New Orleans, we find that we are being fed--through insight, love from our neighbors in the inner city, and hope from (it seems) everyone we meet. But the damage and poverty are troubling. The discrepancies are visible. And right now, most of us are just trying to get our heads and hearts around this place which we find ourselves in. We've reflected on the following quote:
We have seen clearly today that our hunger is deep and profound, and although we may have food and shelter, we still hunger and thirst for community, for righteousness, for purpose to our work and hope for our future. So as we continue our work in New Orleans, we find that we are being fed--through insight, love from our neighbors in the inner city, and hope from (it seems) everyone we meet. But the damage and poverty are troubling. The discrepancies are visible. And right now, most of us are just trying to get our heads and hearts around this place which we find ourselves in. We've reflected on the following quote:
As a group, we now possess a knowledge which springs from love; of the city of New Orleans, its people, our own team members, and the love of God. And it is beginning to strike us that we may need to change or sacrifice or become more aware of our lifestyles for the sake of what we now know of our own poverty and the poverty of others. But we are not left with no course of action. We aspire as a group to live out the words of 1st Peter 4:8 "Show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."Love can cover the tracks of Katrina, of poverty, of inconsistency and unfairness. And love is what we aspire to show. Because, as our t-shirts boldly confess,
We Love N.O.
Peace,
March '09 team
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Day 2: Trinity, Thai Thai, & Team Building
For the first (and possibly last) time, all of our team members woke up refreshed from their stay at Yellow House. So far, we've had no ceiling fan injuries, no falls from the top bunk, no cuts, no scrapes, and no bruises. With some of the clutzes in our number, that's a blessing But...well, we'll keep you posted.
We began the morning by driving to the North Shore of Lake Ponchartrain to attend church at Trinity EFCA in Covington, LA. It was a unique experience for those of us who were used to our small, country churches back home, but we enjoyed our time with Trinity and their willingness to host us during their service. After enjoying the sacrament of worship, we drove down through Covington to take part in our communal meal...at the wonderful, bizarre world of Thai Thai by Ricky.
Just a word about Thai Thai...the food is Fabulous! And the service is as well. Even though we showed up at 11:15 and the restaurant didn't open until 12:00 pm, Ricky himself came into the parking lot as we were pulling out to leave and flagged our two vans back into the parking lot. Afterwords, he showed us into the restaurant, took our complicated order, gave us about 8 glasses of thai iced tea on the house and called all of us his "honey"s. As it turns out, Ricky spent three years living in Elgin, IL, a town familiar to several of our group members. He regailed us with the...interesting...history of Thai Thai by Ricky and explained how his "flavor" was different from the rest. And, honestly, just ask any of our team members...Ricky's flavor is certainly different. Most of the team split the entrees and still managed to walk away with full stomachs, full wallets, and a lunch FULL of stories. After treating all of us to a great lunch, Ricky even took pictures of our group so we could commemorate our first meal together in Louisiana.
Following our group meal, we drove back across the 24.6 miles of the Causeway to spend an afternoon exploring New Orleans. Mishona took us through Magazine Street, the artsy, college-y, boutique-and-coffee-shop, thrifty-yet-expensive section of New Orleans. (For those of you who are familiar with St. Louis, it was the section of the city much akin to The Loop.) It was beautiful. It was eclectic. And after attempting to figure out how to operate the parking meter for 5 or 6 minutes, we realized that the parking was free. Utter perfection.
We meandered the streets for an hour or two, stopping into such shops as the Funky Monky (a thrift/costume shop), Sabai (a beautiful jewelry store featuring the most beautiful nature- and hindu-inspired jewelry), a fairly non-descript souvenir shoppe and a funky, overpriced modern furniture store. Best of all, though, was our group stop into Sucre--a ritzy ice cream/gelato parlor. We each got a sampling of flavors including turtle, blood orange, coconut basil, banana bread, and nectar cream to share among the group. In addition to ice cream, Sucre also produced their own line of chocolate and glittery, prettiful pastries. It was a wonderful end to our afternoon.
Upon our return to the Yellow House, the girls took a group siesta upstairs while Mishona and Evan ran an ungodly amount of miles down St. Charles Street to stay in shape for track. Throughout the afternoon and evening other teams began to show up and we have started the process of getting to know them and learn how to share room in the Yellow House.
70 women.
6 showers.
We're going to learn a lot of grace.
This evening we have completed our team orientation, made our lunches (PB&J by Wendy), sent the boys to stay at Franklin House, and will soon be headed to bed. Today we have seen the metropolitan side of New Orleans. Tomorrow, we will rise at the crack of dawn and head away from the Garden District and Magazine Street and into the streets of Central City. For the rest of the week we will work beside the residents of New Orleans--and it looks like we'll be painting a house and assisting in the schools. As always, we covet your prayers as we walk into our work.
Much Love,
Spring Break '09 team
Day 1: Road Trip
We drove. We stopped. We drove. We stopped.
But 13 hours later, we have conquered. This post is our first ever from Urban Impact's very own Yellow House! Thanks for your prayers and support for us to arrive safely.
For 13 hours, we have had inter-van dance parties, pranks, get-to-know-you sessions, and LOTS of snack food. (As it turns out, we probably should've restricted our liquid intake a little more, but who's really counting anyway?)
Over the course of the day, we watched through the windows as the landscape and the weather changed from farmland to woodland to flood plain and from sun to clouds to rain. As we speak, a balmy rain is splattering our windows here in the Yellow House and the air conditioning is running...a distinct difference from March inIllinois
But 13 hours later, we have conquered. This post is our first ever from Urban Impact's very own Yellow House! Thanks for your prayers and support for us to arrive safely.
For 13 hours, we have had inter-van dance parties, pranks, get-to-know-you sessions, and LOTS of snack food. (As it turns out, we probably should've restricted our liquid intake a little more, but who's really counting anyway?)
Over the course of the day, we watched through the windows as the landscape and the weather changed from farmland to woodland to flood plain and from sun to clouds to rain. As we speak, a balmy rain is splattering our windows here in the Yellow House and the air conditioning is running...a distinct difference from March in
P.S. Pictures tomorrow! Promise.
Tomorrow we will wake and drive out toTrinity Church
As we rest and prepare for the week, we are filled with anticipation. Specifically, our team members are looking for
-an understanding of what has happened here
-a new perspective
-building relationships with the residents of New Orleans
-spontaneous insights
-witnessing grace
-making a difference in the lives of others
-learning about issues of social and financial diversity
and, for all involved, spending a week (or yet another week) in community with our peers as we learn to serve and be served in New Orleans.
Tomorrow we will wake and drive out to
As we rest and prepare for the week, we are filled with anticipation. Specifically, our team members are looking for
-an understanding of what has happened here
-a new perspective
-building relationships with the residents of New Orleans
-spontaneous insights
-witnessing grace
-making a difference in the lives of others
-learning about issues of social and financial diversity
and, for all involved, spending a week (or yet another week) in community with our peers as we learn to serve and be served in New Orleans.
Friday, March 13, 2009
T minus...and counting
Welcome to the pilot post of our first-ever blog! The Spring Break 2009 mission trip to New Orleans is just hours away from launch. Our team members are alternately excited and exhausted as we prepare, pack, and pray for our journey to New Orleans.
Each of us are excited for different reasons. For some of us, this will be our first mission experience ever. For others of us, it is the chance to experience service in an urban setting for the first time. For some, it is an exciting opportunity to put our education and our hearts into practice, and still others look forward to visiting the city for 2nd, 3rd, or 4th visits. All of us, though, are joined in by prayer and will to serve.
Tomorrow (March 14th, 2009) we will leave at 10:00 am for our 12(ish) hour trip from Greenville to Trinity Church, located just outside the city. We invite you to pray for our safety and sanity as we cozy up in the two vans provided for us and our belongings!
This blog will be updated daily with photos, stories, and insights from our time in New Orleans. We hope that you'll take the time to journey with us and, if you're contemplating a trip, can find encouragement as you explore the possibility of service with GC, Urban Impact, and the Katrina Project.
Anchors Away!
-The Spring Break 2009 team
Each of us are excited for different reasons. For some of us, this will be our first mission experience ever. For others of us, it is the chance to experience service in an urban setting for the first time. For some, it is an exciting opportunity to put our education and our hearts into practice, and still others look forward to visiting the city for 2nd, 3rd, or 4th visits. All of us, though, are joined in by prayer and will to serve.
Tomorrow (March 14th, 2009) we will leave at 10:00 am for our 12(ish) hour trip from Greenville to Trinity Church, located just outside the city. We invite you to pray for our safety and sanity as we cozy up in the two vans provided for us and our belongings!
This blog will be updated daily with photos, stories, and insights from our time in New Orleans. We hope that you'll take the time to journey with us and, if you're contemplating a trip, can find encouragement as you explore the possibility of service with GC, Urban Impact, and the Katrina Project.
Anchors Away!
-The Spring Break 2009 team
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