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| Live Updates: New Orleans Missions Trip |
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| New Orleans 2007 Missions Trip WHEN: Leave MD July 27, arr. New Orleans July 28 Leave New Orleans August 3, return to MD Aug 4 WHAT: Serve in rebuilding/reconstruction projects in flood-ravaged areas, street witnessing, prayer walks, and Vacation Bible School for underprivileged children. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: http://www.adventures.org/a/trips/level3/1779.htm WHO: Adventures in Missions, and the Youth/Teens of Crossroad Christian Church Team Leader: + Crystal D. Team Members: Dorothy A.
Daniel B. and * family
* Brandon, * Brook, and *Scott L. * Rachel M Kathy P. * Kelly and Ann R. * Ryan R. + Jamie W. + Danny W. * Dimitri W. Names with stars (*) are teen team members Names with crosses (+) are church staff / youth leaders Please pray for: 1. Unity among the team members; that they would truly serve and move as a team. 2. Humility and a servant’s heart for all team members. 3. Wisdom for the group leaders. 4. Finances for the trip/projects 5. Health/Safety for all team members during planning, travel, ministry, and return 6. Preparation in the hearts of those in New Orleans, to hear and receive the Gospel. 7. Preparation in the hearts of the team members, to grow in their personal devotional life, relationship with Jesus, grace, and knowledge of the Word of God Additionally, please pray for God to bring lasting change and fruit that remains: 1. Eternal life in those who hear in New Orleans 2. A lasting heart for ministry/outreach, especially among the teen team members. Also, please remember to bind principalities and strongholds keeping the gospel from reaching the poor in New Orleans. This area is known for high rates of alcohol/drug addiction and for demonic strongholds associated with witchcraft, divination, and voodoo.
WATCH THIS SPOT!!!!!!
Thanks to a suggestion from MyChurch member Mark Wigly from Calvary Community Church, I am starting this blog so that my husband, voice_in_DC, can provide real-time updates and prayer requests while the team is on the road and on site. Please continue to watch this blog for live updates in the comments section, and please continue to hold the team and the people of N. Orleans in your prayers. |
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| July 24, 2007 |
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UPDATE 7/24/07: There will be a total of 8 youth groups representing at least 9 different churches participating in this missions trip. From the website of 'Adventuires in Missions', here are the churches participating in the same outreach with us (group leaders are in parenthesis for each church group):
Mission Life Center, VA (Moura Ayad)
Calvary Bible, PA (Sean Fitch)
Holcomb Evangelical Free, NE (Polly Pearson)
St Johns UMC, IA (Pennie Kellenberger)
Rose Hill Presbyterian, WA (Doug Ranney)
Crossroad Christian, MD (Crystal Deitrich)
First Baptist Old Ocean, TX (Omar Cantu)
Sung Il Church, CA (Samuel Oh)
Please keep all of these churches, their youth missionaries, and their group leaders in yuor prayers for this trip, as well.
Thanks! |
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| July 26, 2007 |
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Question: did you get a new sleeping bag for this trip, and if so what color is it?
(If you don't know what this is about, ask "Voice".) |
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| July 26, 2007 |
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I gave the newer sleeping bag to my daughter to use. Mine is olive drab (ooo-Rah!!)
Back to serious business: Kelly and I are all packed. The van has been vacuumed. The posters and VBS supplies are prepared. Sack lunches are in the 'fridge for the ride tomorrow. We are waking up at 5:45 to grab a quick bite to eat, then meet up at the church parking lot by 7 a.m.
Tomorrow we will drive to Alabama, spend the night, rise and hit the road, and arrive at the missions center in N.O. at about 4 p.m. The first day will be orientation and understanding of the area (the spiritual climate of the city, the exact areas where we will be ministering), finding the 'how-to's' for the building projects, meeting participants from other churches, and adjusting to the scheduling they have set up for visiting work teams. Monday we start with building in the morning and VBS in the afternoon. |
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| July 27, 2007 |
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Just heard from the team. They had one vehicle and three people cancel at the last minute this morning.
They are somewhere near Cleveland Tennessee as of 9:00 tonight. I am not sure when they left this morning. I left them at 7:40 and they were packing things in the vehicles at that time. Per the note from my wife, they had a little rain in southern Virginia, but the rest of the way has been smooth sailing.
She says that there is one purple sleeping bag on the trip, so indeed we have a purple sleeping bag headed to New Orleans at this time. |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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Update from the missions trip...
They arrived at Ft Payne, Alabama last night about 10:30. That was their destination for the first day's driving. Folks were tired. It was a long day.
Up and started by 8:30 this morning. If things went well, they would be to New Orleans by dinner time.
....however, things took a strange twist today. While stopping in Pachuta, MS for gas, somebody locked the keys in the van...with it running. Well, Pachuta is a long way from the nearest AAA facility, so AAA wasn't much help. Although called, they didn't call back with a time for service, so the team used some ingenuity and called the local sheriff. They arrived shortly and were able to get the doors open easily. I have not been told the complete details, but I was told they have pictures of Crystal D being put in the squad car... |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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BTW, I have received many emails from people...I guess they don't want to post comments so others can read them. Here is one that is typical...
Thank you for the info about Ann & Kelly's mission trip. I prayed for them this evening and will try to remember to pray each day. A mission trip is a wonderful experience for any person, but especially for a teen. My son hasn't been on a trip in the last two years, but the five or six trips he did made a big impression on him. I have friends who went to New Orleans last year and they said they were really excited about the way God was able to use them while repairing houses and the number of people who asked why they were there -- giving them the opportunity to share God's love with them. |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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All arrived in Louisiana at 5:30 eastern time..
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| July 28, 2007 |
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| BTW, Sword_in_DC is not in this picture. Crystal D who is leading the team is the blonde sitting in the white shirt. My daughter is standing behind the sign... |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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| Text message at 6:40 eastern time - they have arrived in New Orleans. |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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| Cool. I will be praying for them They are doing a noble thing. A nun I know, who helped out there for about six months talks about how bad it still is down there. |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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Arrived at the mission headquarters about 7:00 eastern time. Here they are getting a bite to eat as they get processed...
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| July 28, 2007 |
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Hey Voice, while you are here you need to come over for dinner. Call me ...I will leave my number in a message to you right now.
Hazard |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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Webyouthpastor,
As I noted in my message back to you, I only wish I could stop by. I am still in Maryland while the rest of the gang is in NO. However, don't be surprised if Sword (my wife) gives you a call. |
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| July 28, 2007 |
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From the team...
140 youth praising God together- Presbyterian, Orthodox, Reformed, Evangelical Free, independent, & us.
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| July 28, 2007 |
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| Wow, wish I was along ! These are life changing times in young men and womens lives. your wife is really special to take your daughter on this trip. Oh. and an olive drab bag, not purple? oh, BTW, $2.50 ! |
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| July 29, 2007 |
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Team goes to Sunday morning service...
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| July 29, 2007 |
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| Test message with above picture: The crew @ Firehouse Ministries for church. Worship was great. |
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| July 29, 2007 |
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Awesome! And thank you Voice, for all of these fabulous pics :)
$5.51 |
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| July 29, 2007 |
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Text message from team:
Met Gail @ Firehouse. She said the church had 140 people preKatrina. Half the members evacuated and never came back bcuz there was nothing to come back 2. Some were Ok .Some lost all. The community was decimated - jobs, schools, whole neighbhds gone.
Speaker last nite said kids have been out of school 4 last 2 yrs bcuz schools still closed in some areas. Many other plcs ppl were moved and shuffled 2 new areas & r still getting lives back 2 normal so no school. |
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| July 29, 2007 |
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Today the team spent the day after church going through orientation. They were able to tour parts of the city where they will be working. Sword called tonight and left me the following notes:
-While driving through the area you get a sense of eerie silence. Where once children played, cars drove, dogs barked, now there is nothing. Houses are falling apart from lack of repair. Weds have overgrown lots where flowers once stood. The only noises to be heard are bugs and frogs.
-The area where they are use to hold between 50,000 and 60,000 people. Now there are only a few here and there who are living on thier lots in trailers.
-The only way to describe it is "total, utter devastation" {My editorial note: My wife and I did emergency relief work for Hurricane Andrew, so we have seen what damage a hurricane can do. She leaves these remarks with that experience as a comparison.}
-They walked through some of the houses. Many were totally ruined, floors rotted, walls full of mold, and windows gone. In one they saw stuffed animals and it made them cry. Kids who were there lost all their security in one storm.
-They have been told that nobody is coming back because there is nothing to come back to. One church on the edge of the area had a sign up that proclaims "We're Back!"
The following pictures are of the area. Note the big red "X" on the homes. On the top of the X is the date when the emergency crews first stopped at the house (the storm was on 8/25). To the left are two numbers. The first is how many people were found and the second is how many bodies needed to be carried away.
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This one includes daughter Kelly... "
Here you can see several members of the team... "
...remember...it was an "eerie silence" that they heard...where a suburban area of 50,000 or more people once lived...now there is nothing...and this is the way it is two years after the storm...
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| July 29, 2007 |
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| Bear with me folks. I am learning the limitations of my abilities in formatting the pics and text. Hopefully, I will get better as time goes on. |
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| July 29, 2007 |
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For those of you who don't know what the dollar amounts are all about...
Cathy Diemer posted blog updates while their team was in New Orleans earlier this year. Mary Ann, who was on the trip posted a blog about her sleeping bag. Both of these posts have sadly been deleted. However, you can see some of the details on Mary Ann's blog here.
When their team came back they had left one family there who still needed windows, but they had exhausted all their funds. So, we decided to auction off Mary Ann's red sleeping bag (she wanted a purple one anyway) for donations to purchase windows for this family. We raised so much money Cathy sent out the cry to stop sending money!
So you will see here some comments about purple sleeping bags and you will see some people giving a dollar amount. It is their way of showing they are behind the team and wishing them well.
To all, I say...thank you very much. It is amazing to me how much work still needs to be done and I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to support such work. |
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| July 29, 2007 |
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Scott Larson from Crossroads addresses the main group @ the eve services.
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| July 30, 2007 |
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| Text message from the team: BTW- Scott was the only speaker last night. He brought a testimony & a word of encouragement to the whole grp from all churches.
Good job Scott! |
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Crystal and Chris w Alfonso, he stopped by the park where we met this morn for prayer. He said he never comes by there & it is far out of his way, but 'something' told him to stop.
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| July 30, 2007 |
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I have left some of the personal details out here...
Alfonso joined us 4 prayer & thanking God 4 sending us 2 encourage him & the city. |
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Crystal talks w leaders of Desire St Ministries. Grp1 is renovating old storefront to be inner city church, youth center, and school @ St. Roch Ave. Houses in back r all being renovated by residents & other ministries.
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Dimitri W. in front of trailer park @ end of St Roch. Residents still live here while houses being rebuilt. Starting next month they must pay rent.
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Brandon takes a break in front of our Group 2 project house. None of the houses in this 9th Ward neighborhood have power or water.
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Grp 2 in front of Scooter's house. X is shows 1st responders came 9-10. X is so high because thats where people could reach from the boat
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Sword with a brush...
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Daughter Kelly lending her hand to the toil...
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| July 30, 2007 |
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| So much to do will it ever get done we have so many out here who have not decided to stay or return. |
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| July 30, 2007 |
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And scrubbed and prepped
Sorry Dorothy...not a good pic...
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Danny powerwashing...
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Crew painting...
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Brandon & Scott work together to get rid of that big nasty X
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| July 30, 2007 |
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I talked to Sword tonight. She said they are all doing well. They were able to log in and see this post at the AIM headquarters. She also mentioned something about using a lizard for an ear ring...whatever!
Daughter Kelly told me that she worked really hard taking rust off of things so they could be painted. She also told me how much she is enjoying the prayer walk in the morning where they just walk through the neighborhoods and ask people if they would like prayer, then they pray for them if they say "yes".
BTW, they still appreciate our prayers. |
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| July 30, 2007 |
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Ryan, Crystal, and Jamie helped lead worship tonight w 'Sweetly Broken', which has become our grp theme song.
Click Here to view it. |
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| July 30, 2007 |
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| Folks, I can't post videos here. The team has sent me some. I have uploaded them to photobucket.com and will include links to them as I did above for the Worship service where Ryan, Crystal, and Jamie helped lead it. |
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| July 30, 2007 |
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If you can't get to the video, here is a pic of the worship service...
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| July 31, 2007 |
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My bride and daughter taking a break together...
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| July 31, 2007 |
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I didn't get any pics from the team today. Just got off the phone with Sword, though. They had a very busy day. Let's see what I can recall...
--Street prayer in the morning. Walking through the neighborhoods asking people if they wanted prayer.
--Danny had a quiz game he was doing and Ryan did some pretty awesome rap.
--VBS with the kids.
--Testimonies and worship tonight. Danny on the keyboards.
Lots of testimonies, as one would expect. However, those are their weapons, so I will let them share when they can.
All are doing well, being stretched beyond their comfort zones, leaders are being tested and made more pure, as God is doing a great work. Keep them in your prayers. This kind of thing does not go unnoticed. |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Slide 1 of 1  Yes, Dorothy cleaned & weeded that entire section by the wall |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Danny w Gloria-originally from Baltimore-replants shrubbery.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Ryan with Yehiam Cohen, taking break to get dessert from New Orleans ice cream truck.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Yardwork Duet-Brandon on weedwhacker, Chris on leafblower.
(My comment - Duet sounds so....soft...how about "Men with Toys")
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Team members w Gloria in front of her FEMA trailer-like most FEMA trailers, it has hazardous levels of formaldehyde inside.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Danny, Brandon, & Scott shoot hoops w some neighbors in the hood.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Grp 2 walks the neighborhood inviting folks 2 a free BBQ 2-nite & VBS 2-morrow.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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| This blog is terrific! |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Short note because I am on a borrowed computer-
This morning we were in an area called 'Lakeview'. It was a beautiful neighborhood before Katrina, with stately 100-yr-old magnolias and beautiful yards with lots of gardens. It was under 10 to 15 ft of brackish salt water for 21 days, before the water receeded. The salt water killed all the grass, bushes, shrubs, gardens, and the neighboorhood lost 80% of all the trees.
We worked with a group called 'Beacon of Hope" Welcome Home Center. It is a group helping old neighbors move back in, especially since many of the Lakeview residents were elderly/retired. Many times, someone will come back and be the only person on their block to have returned. B of H helps them with removing trash/sludge, yardwork, and getting the place to look like a neighborhhod again. This has been a 'grassroots' project, with the local neighbors helping each other to get everything looking like a neighoborhood again. As a result, Lakeview is leading New Orleans in the pace of reconstruction, and the crime rate has been reduced noticeably.
New Orleans also has a trememndous rodent problem right now - one neighbor or two will be back in a whole block, and the other yards will be totally overgrown with no one to care for them. That is why we spent today doing yardwork - replanting shrubs, clearing weeds, weedwhacking, clearing brush, etc.
Most of the people in the area are still in their FEMA trailers. Everywhere you go, you see beautiful houses (or shells of beautiful houses) with trailers in front - not large double-wides, either, but the size of a large camper trailer- with PVC pipe coming out the back, supported by tape or straps on top of cinder blocks for the sewage connections. And this is two years after the storm!
Troops are in good spirits. Pleqase pray for continued unity, encoruagement, boldness, strength (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), wisdom, guidance, and GOOD WEATHER! Vacation Bible School and BBQ attendance depent onm the weather, and it is starting to storm here now.
I doubt I'll be able to 'live blog' again, so many thanks to Voice for keeping up the blog and posting the pics.
Oh, BTW- one point of praise that I haven't even gotten to share with voice yet- I got a call from our bookstore this morning that someone in New Orleans had seen our big red van on the streets (it has a sign advertising the bookstore on the back) and called long distance to Maryland, just to say 'thanks'. |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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| You are welcome, and TGBTG!! |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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| I gotta tell you folks, I am really proud of this team. I can't imagine what they have gone through, but it looks like they have allowed God to work through them. I can't wait to hear their testimonies. |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Grp 1 did VBS today for about 20 neighborhood kids. The team thought the kids would enjoy face paint-O boy did they!!! Here Ryan shows off the kid's artwork.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Two young New Orleans artists decorate Danny while Kelly watches-and giggles.
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Mr. Dave Johnson-red hat-braved the rain 4 our free BBQ dinner. Francisco-our host at the house where we stayed-gave hm a dry shirt. Note the Miami Hurricanes logo on shirt and made w his hands. Francisco is a U of Miami grad-just like Yours Truly. Go Canes!!
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Text message from team:
Yesterday we met Sam from Amman, Jordan. Melissa-one of our AIM hosts-called all around town to find baklava. Today we went back & gave him & his son a plate of baklava, pastry, and dates. |
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| August 02, 2007 |
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I just found this site too and read through every bit of it and loved seeing all the pictures.
No doubt you have all been a blessing to those you've come in contact with.
God Bless.
Have a safe trip back home.
Can't wait to see you Jamie, we love you and miss you,
Mom and Dad |
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| August 02, 2007 |
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| Haven't heard anything from the team today. Will be out all day, but returning late this evening. Please check in tonight. I will post any updates when I return. |
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Hi all ~~its so good to see all of you are being blessed and are blessing others with your hard work and love.. I feel so blessed to know im apart of a church that is raising up youth and furture leaders with a heart for God and people. Keep up the good work and May God Bless all of you and keep you safe.
We shall see all of you soon..
Have a safe trip back
Love
Lorinda Jiggetts |
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Remember the house with the big nasty red X? Here's what it looks like now.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Team members with Otie- the 'guard dog' at the house we painted. The team blessed Otie with some fishing gear we got @ Walmart for him.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Lunchtime @ the park. Scott decides to cool off in the fountain. Cora helps.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Kelly & Dimitri join the fun.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Kelly with Jahira at VBS.
(My note - my heart just grew 20 times larger...)
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Ryan, Brooke, & Dimitri of Grp 1 serve the troops on the last night.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Jamie & Kathy of Grp 1 serve iced tea & water.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Ryan shares a testimony @ the evening service
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Saying goodbye. Our fearless, inspired, annointed, tireless leader-Crystal- with our AIM guide-Cora.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Jaimie, Melissa-our other AIM guide, Crystal, Cora, and Kelly.
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| August 02, 2007 |
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| May God bless you for the work you have done and the seeds you have planted for His Honor and Glory! Mark Wigley <>< |
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| August 02, 2007 |
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From Mrs Baxter at the church in St Leonard, MD via the team in LA:
Our youth missions team will return from Louisiana on this Saturday the 4th around 5:00 pm. Please spread the word! We would like to have as many people as possible here to receive them with a very warm “welcome home”. Please come with many “good job” phrases, balloons, banners, etc., and an endless supply of hugs!! We want them to know how proud we are of their efforts! Remember…please spread the word!
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| August 02, 2007 |
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Our house hosts, Autumn and Francisco, with Scott in the middle.
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| August 03, 2007 |
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The ladies' sleeping accomodations-that is Brooke on the 3rd floor 'penthouse' bunk.
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| August 03, 2007 |
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WOW this is so awsome.....I cant wait till sunday to hear the testimonies...love all of you
Lorinda |
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Last picture as leaving N. O. - hard to make it out here, but the remnants of 3 massive roller coasters and two huge towers stand silent guard over the ghost town that was once Six Flags New Orleans.
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| August 03, 2007 |
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My take aways from this trip, from the safety and comfort of my home office...
1. I am amzed at how much there is left to do. See Mark Wigley's post (click here).
2. What a difference a small group of people can make.
3. There are some people who are giving a lot to help - AIM leaders, for example. This may become their life ministry.
4. What we have here is so temporary and can be gone in no time.
5. What we have here is a gift to enjoy every day, and not take for granted.
6. Helping others changes us as much, if not more, than anything else.
I am sure there is more, but that is what I have today. |
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| August 03, 2007 |
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What do you DO on a 26 hr van ride? Well, you might sleep,
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Or sleep,
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Or mold tootsie rolls into edible barbed wire,
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Or braid tootsie rolls together into a stylish hair accessory,
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Or take pictures,
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Or stick a lemon lollipop in Scott's mouth after he falls asleep.
Click here for video |
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Wonderful testimony in all these photos, thank you so much for posting them Voice. Your devotion to the team is uplifting. My own bride would like to be included in the next C3 trip down there this fall. ~mike
ps... up at the top, Mark Wigly is credited, but his (our) church name is wrong. Should be Calvary Community Church. |
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| August 03, 2007 |
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The team surprized Brooke & Kelly @ dinner by celebrating both bdays.
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| August 03, 2007 |
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Thanks for the note, Mike, about the church name. My wife will have to edit it when she returns.
Just received a txt message from them. They are approaching Chattanooga, TN. |
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| August 04, 2007 |
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| They stayed overnight outside of Johnson City, TN last night. Haven't heard from them this morning. |
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| August 04, 2007 |
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| Just heard...at Roanoke, VA and coming home strong!! |
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| August 04, 2007 |
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| All arrived home safely. All changed. For His glory! As always, TGBTG!! |
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| August 04, 2007 |
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| We arivved home tonigth. We all started crying we didnt want to come back |
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| August 05, 2007 |
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| This so blessed me. Thanks Ann and Larry. We'll do this again. God Bless!!! |
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| August 05, 2007 |
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'LESSONS LEARNED' for future missions trips:
A note to anyone who plans to have a 'Live Blog' like this on any future missions trip:
1. I was incredibly grateful to have my husband, voice, at home keeping the pictures posted and the blog updated. Mark, you were right - it is incredibly important to have someone back home keeping the live updates. It would have been absolutely impossible to do it well from the missions site.
2. We were able to live blog with pictures without bringing a computer on the trip because I took pictures on my cell phone and sent them with text message notes/updates to my husband at home. I really feel that the live updates were critically important (for prayer, etc), but the near-real-time pictures added an incredible amount to the blog.
3. On the way home, there were several pictures from the cell phone that I could not send, because I could only send attached pictures while in the Verizon network. Therefore, I recommend that anyone considering doing this in the future check ahead of time to see what the cell phone coverage in their target missions area is, and if they can send pictures or not with the cell plans they have.
To everyone who prayed, cared, gave, wrote, encouraged, responded, or went, THANK YOU!!!! |
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| August 05, 2007 |
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| I am adding a second blog to share the testimonies, praise reports, and other thoughts after returning from the trip. Anyone interested can find that blog HERE. |
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| August 14, 2007 |
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| God keep you in his arms and know you are loved. Bless you for your work and your compassion! keep up the LOVE IN ACTION. Praise God for these youth. |
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