It's really hard to know where to begin to journal about our mission trip to New Olreans. An awful lot of great things and great photos happen durning the course of a week like that. I encourage you to visit www.dropshots.com/theNET2007. You'll find lots of great pictures of our trip. But, I want to share a few highlights.
We gutted a yard. If homeowners don't keep their yards under control, even though they can't inhabit their homes, they can get fined without their knowledge and have their homes taken for their unpaid debts. Our yard gutting team:
Fats Domino's house and studio in the lower 9th ward is being restored by a local jazz group:
The first two new homes built in the lower 9th ward: (They now have to be a minimum of 3 ft. off the ground)
The new levee, which is the one that replaces the one that failed in the lower 9th ward, is now built to withstand a category 3. The previous one was only designed to withstand a category 2. The concrete wall is 15 ft. high, plus on a slope.
We finished gutting this family's home. They hope to begin rebuilding in about a month. They spent a few weeks with family, 6 months in a hotel in Dallas and have been in a very small FEMA trailed in their yard for over a year.
We worked on gutting another older home, but I don't have any good pictures because I didn't want to take the camera in there too much. It was old with plaster walls and I don't see how in the world they'll be able to rebuild anything in it. I bet is gets dozed.
My dad was working in Baton Rouge and got to join us in New Orleans for a little sight-seeing on Sunday afternoon. Here we are at Jackson Square:
Our team met for dinner at Bubba Gump's Sunday evening:
Lee bumped his head, we surveyed some residents for an LSU study of how to best help residents recover, we served some free meals at a community center, we cleared a field that will be used for a day camp next week (our work there made it into the New Olreans Times-Picayune newspaper) and Andrew lost a tooth.
We began the job of restoring a community basketball playground in the lower 9th ward. Luke says it's a really popular one that has been featured in a streetball video game. The ice cream truck came at just the right time to relieve the heat and Karen spilled a glob of oil-based exterior paint which we turned into a message of love from Kentucky.
On our last night there, Micah wiped out on a bicycle that was hanging around the Operation Nehemiah compound and I took him for seven stitches and a shot of antibiotics.
There's lots more to say, but I'm still a little tired and can share more later. It was a great trip. We're all tired, but to be honest, given a few days rest, I would go again.
First I have to say that I am privileged and honored to the point of tears to get work with these great kids. This group, which reflects its great leadership, is the most serving, hardworking, giving, sharing group of kids on the planet. Megan and Andrew look up to them so much and I'm grateful because they are awesome examples. Folks, the future of our church is strong!
We gutted a yard. If homeowners don't keep their yards under control, even though they can't inhabit their homes, they can get fined without their knowledge and have their homes taken for their unpaid debts. Our yard gutting team:
Fats Domino's house and studio in the lower 9th ward is being restored by a local jazz group: The first two new homes built in the lower 9th ward: (They now have to be a minimum of 3 ft. off the ground) The new levee, which is the one that replaces the one that failed in the lower 9th ward, is now built to withstand a category 3. The previous one was only designed to withstand a category 2. The concrete wall is 15 ft. high, plus on a slope. We finished gutting this family's home. They hope to begin rebuilding in about a month. They spent a few weeks with family, 6 months in a hotel in Dallas and have been in a very small FEMA trailed in their yard for over a year. We worked on gutting another older home, but I don't have any good pictures because I didn't want to take the camera in there too much. It was old with plaster walls and I don't see how in the world they'll be able to rebuild anything in it. I bet is gets dozed.We worshipped Sunday morning at Operation Nehemiah with some of their volunteers and staff. Bobby, a brother from Boston who was there volunteering for two weeks spoke to us. He was amazing and his enthusiasm for the Lord was contagious. Please pray for his son who is 13 and has sickle-cell anemia.
My dad was working in Baton Rouge and got to join us in New Orleans for a little sight-seeing on Sunday afternoon. Here we are at Jackson Square: Our team met for dinner at Bubba Gump's Sunday evening: Lee bumped his head, we surveyed some residents for an LSU study of how to best help residents recover, we served some free meals at a community center, we cleared a field that will be used for a day camp next week (our work there made it into the New Olreans Times-Picayune newspaper) and Andrew lost a tooth.
We began the job of restoring a community basketball playground in the lower 9th ward. Luke says it's a really popular one that has been featured in a streetball video game. The ice cream truck came at just the right time to relieve the heat and Karen spilled a glob of oil-based exterior paint which we turned into a message of love from Kentucky. 
On our last night there, Micah wiped out on a bicycle that was hanging around the Operation Nehemiah compound and I took him for seven stitches and a shot of antibiotics.
There's lots more to say, but I'm still a little tired and can share more later. It was a great trip. We're all tired, but to be honest, given a few days rest, I would go again.
2 comments:
WOW!!!! You all packed in a lot in just a few days. Glad you had an awesome trip and welcome home!
Sounds like you all had a productive and eventful trip. Glad you were able to go and work with the youth. That Micah sure is a dare devil.
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