Saturday, October 31, 2009

NOLA3 - Proofreading- why it's important

I left a word out from my last post.  It's  a small word-  this will continue to show how the small things make big differences!  The word was "not."  

I meant to say that Mississippi was NOT fully recovered.  NOT.  

I also didn't put the link to the blog:  www.rodscof.blogspot.com


Ok-  that's it.  

Thanks again for the great support and response!  

R

--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Re: Caring Rose Fundraiser for Neighbors, Inc.

I'm in. -  I will spread the word!  



On Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Polly Brantner <gracie1513@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks for your "If you don't, who will?" blog, Rod. This is my calling... Hope you can make it! And tell all your friends/co-workers/contacts! :)
 
Thanks!
Polly
 
 
 
@~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ @~~ 
Caring Rose Fundraiser for Neighbors, Inc.

$12 = A Dozen Rose Bouquet
All proceeds and donations will go to Neighbors, Inc. in South St. Paul
 
Sunday, November 22nd
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Please come and help support our local foodshelf by purchasing a dozen roses. The monies raised from the rose sale will do more than double-duty by providing food, paying a bill, or even just offering a little glimmer of hope for someone in need as this holiday season begins. The flowers themselves will brighten your day - or their recipient's! - and help kick your holidays off in grand fashion!

The rose bouquets will include 12 roses and baby's breath and be wrapped and ready for you to just grab & go! The roses will be available in a variety of colors, so there's bound to be something for everyone!
 
This fundraiser is open to any and all that would like to participate! Tell your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc!

Participating locations for bouquet purchases:

First United Methodist Church
140 - 6th Street North
South St. Paul, MN
 
~ and ~

Faith United Methodist Church
1530 Oakdale Ave
West St. Paul, MN

The Caring Rose Fundraising Event is sponsored by:
Fred, Polly, Richard, & Zachary Brantner and "A Little Something Flowers & Gifts"
First United Methodist Church of South St. Paul ~and~
Faith United Methodist Church of West St. Paul




--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Friday, October 30, 2009

NOLA3- Epilogue-- Think small

We started the NOLA 3 at commissioning with Pastor Dave encouraging us to be our part of the Body.  And that our part was really pretty small, considering.  If you think about a body, there are arms and legs and eyes or tongues, etc.  And each of those parts may be the United Methodists as the arms,and the Catholics as the legs or the Charismatics, tongues (get it?) etc.  And that maybe we, as individual members or attenders or watchers of those churches, are cells that make up the arms, legs, eyes, etc.  Just small.  Tiny.  Yet significant, each playing out own part in the body as The Body.

I think we all wonder on  trip like this, "What is my part?"  And when we go down, there's not a lot I know how to do when it comes to building.  I rely on Bob or Howard to tell me what to do, and how to do it.  And when they're busy, I have to look to find what best helps the team.  So I do some sweeping or moving bags of cement, or carry garbage, or run to Lowes, or drive Kim to the other job site, or etc.  Some of that might seem like not a power playing part.  I didn't help hang drywall, or install the cabinets or blow the texture on the wall, but if I hadn't done the parts I did, who would have?  This is not to justify my presence on the team, it's to set up my next point.

Kim and I met with Dale Kimball, who oversees the work projects for Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery.  He is a very compelling speaker and is very motivational.  I have mentioned him in past blog entries on previous trips.  Anyway, Kim and I taped an interview with him on our last day there.  Dale has a pretty realistic view of the recovery process.  He has had a very successful run on the North Shore (Pontchartrain) and they say they are mostly recovered there.  He is now focusing on the Gentilly neighborhood in New Orleans.  And there is still sooooooooo much of New Orleans that is not restored.  People ask him when will it be done?  He says, "when y'all stop coming."  He said, "Look at the homes you worked on this week.  If you hadn't come, they wouldn't have been worked on."   The part we play might seem like a small part in a big city, but if we didn't do it, who would have?  

 God is not calling everyone to get in the van and go to New Orleans or Mississippi or Texas to clean up and help rebuild.  But if God is calling you, And if you think, "What can I do?  I don't have anything to offer.  My talents are insignificant. etc."  I would ask, If you don't, who will?  Maybe your role is talking it up at your church, or sending notes of encouragement to the people that go, or praying for the people on the trip and the people affected by these storms, or maybe donating money or gas cards or other things to take down.    Maybe your role is getting in the van and seeing what happens when you get there.  Donna's role on our last trip was to cook meals for us for when we got back after working all day.  Kim's role was to shoot video to help recruit for next time.  

Everyone that is receiving this email or reading this blog have been asked if you want to get it, or have been told how to get your name off the list, and really, just receiving this email or reading this blog entry is answering a call.  It's a small part in a big picture.  If from reading it, you are compelled or motivated to get more involved, then great.  If not, then you've already done everything you are supposed to do-  and thank you!  It is very helpful to us knowing that there are people following along, cheering us on from wherever you are.  

There is still a lot to do.  And New Orleans has a LOT of houses in many neighborhoods that still need work.  And there are a lot of people still not back in their homes.  -  some not back to Louisiana.  And that's just Louisiana.  Mississippi is still not fully recovered.  And Texas was hit pretty big by Ike in 2008.  When we went to Mississippi to catch up with some of our previous homeowners, we met with Elijah Mitchell, who was the coordinator of Disaster recovery in Mississippi for the United Methodist Church. I asked him which area needed more help, Louisiana or Mississippi.  He refused to answer, saying that to the homeowner or homeless person affected, their problem or need is the most important.  There is work to be done everywhere.

So what can one little person or group do?  Whatever you can.  Think of Gideon against the Middianites.  Or Elijah against the prophets of Baal.  Small groups verses large odds.  Being obedient in the small things brings big results.  What can you do?  Whatever you can.  And if you don't, who will?

Thanks to everyone again and again and again who made this possible.  Jim P. who wrote a lot of letters and did some great fundraising.  Medtronic, MIdway Party Rental, Allied Rental, Boyer Ford Track and Van rental, Robert Street Business Association, Millwood, Inc., the Riverbend Church group, The Outback Steakhouse in InverGrove Hts, and everyone that donated, prayed, encouraged, etc.

NOLA 4-  Spring of 2010-  who's in?



--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Fwd: NOLA3 eval meeting and debriefing

NOLA team and Riverbend churches-  

On Sunday, November 15th, at 4:00pm at Davanni's on Grand in St. Paul, the Riverbend Mission Team will be having a debriefing and evaluation meeting.  This will be a little like our "Show and Tell" dinners.

We will be looking back at the past trip (and probably previous trips) to celebrate God's amazing ability and desire to use us.  We will laugh again about the things we laughed about, and remind each other of the things we saw.

We will also be looking forward to the next trip, using what we have learned on this trip to make the next one even better.

This meeting is for anyone that was on the trip, anyone that wished they were on the trip, anyone that is interested in hearing about the trip, and anyone thinking about or planning on going on the next trip.

If you're going to plan on coming, please let me (Rod Scofield.) know so that we can plan on enough chairs and tables set up in their back conference room.  Parking at Davanni's is not always easy, so riding with other people is recommended.

If you are out of town and want to participate via the web, let me know and I will try to figure out a way to make that happen.  I know Rod and Ginger were going to give that a try.

Questions or RSVP-  email or call me.

R


--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey



--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

And we're back.. Again!

Hello All! Ali here. You are all so lucky because you get to read all my thoughts and reflections after a busy and action packed week! It is my hope that something I write is relatable to your own thoughts, feelings, fears, etc.

I worry about sounding redundant when I post on this blog, when I do my devotions, when I pray with the group... However, I have come to the conslusion that it is bigger than my own or other's perceptions. It encompasses my thoughts, feelings and heart. (This may be me giving myself an out for an incoherent entry... Oops.. there I go again).

So, a large focus this trip was about the message that we are trying to convey to others about the ongoing need for people to join us or other groups going down to rebuild the Gulf Coast. I think that this is a complex idea that requires attention to all aspects. People wonder why there is still so much to be done. People are afraid they won't be a good fit or bring skills that are useful. People wonder why we travel all the way to NOLA when there is work to be done here. And the truth of the matter is, I can get behind the thought process of all these things.

Seemingly, if everything and every system worked the way it should-we would be farther along in the rebuilding process. HOWEVER, Katrina was a stinkin' huge storm and things don't always work the way they should. At the end of the day, we are only as far as we are.

Seemingly, if this is a trip that is titled "rebuiding" there would be a certain amount of "rebuilding skills" that would be required. However, I think we generalize what "rebuilding skills" includes. Yes, I am amazed by Howard, Bob, Jeff, and Gary Baker's building abilities. Sometimes I think it is superhuman. But I am amazed also in the same scope by people's hearts and passion and ears to listen, eyes to see, hands that reach out and willingness to step outside of their comfort zone (including the aforementioned superhumans!) I think that just by being willing to go, taking a week out of your life to show up for people who have been waiting for someone to show up for them since 2005, that is all the skill you need. God will provide the rest. And at the end of the week, you may have surprised yourself. (IE- I used a power tool which is right up there on my scary list between forgetting to wear pants and reptiles! Corrine- You are my inspiration!)

And finally... Seemingly, it appears funny that we are going all the way to New Orleans to serve God, when there are people right in our back yards who need help and love just as much. I think about this one a lot because I work with these people on a daily basis. However, at the end of the day, I know God calls us to do His will based on things that are WAY above us. It has been my experience that when I think something should go a certain way, it goes the exact opposite. It has become the way I navigate the roads in my life and has brought many amazing people and experiences to me.

Also, I think we get caught up on the idea of who is our neighbor? In Luke, Jesus and the lawyer are talking about what you need to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus, so clever that he is tells him to look at what the law says (Hello, you're a lawyer?! ha!). It says, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind: (And here is the kicker) AND your neighbor as yourself.
Our neighbors are the people who live next door to us, in town, in the state, in the country, in the world, in New Orleans. Our days are filled with chances to help our neighbors. When we practice kindness, when we give up our precious time, when we smile at people, when we ease the burden of someone else- that is when we are saying that we are trying to live the life of love that God wants us to. That is when we are doing His will. That is what we do every trip we take to New Orleans. When we see a need unmet, God wants us to meet it.

I remember the Spring of 2009 trip when a team from Louisianna was having a fundraiser for a mission trip to Iowa. So if we are worried about our neighbors when we leave... God has got it on lock-down.

In closing, I encourage anyone teetering on the fence to really think about what God calls us to do for our neighbors. (And really, get on board before Rod comes and pushes you right over to our side). I think it is his way of giving us a "gentle" reminder that we are called to help our neighbors, rich and poor, young or old, no matter where they live. These trips help us show Jesus to all people. AMEN!

See Ya'll in the spring?!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

NOLA 3 The drive back

We got up on Saturday morning and intended to leave North Rampart Community Center by 8:00am.  We pulled out around 8:45.  We dropped Rod St. at the airport since he had to get home right away to preach at his church on Sunday morning.  We drove for hours uneventfully.  At one point, though, I was sleeping and Corrine was driving.  Pete woke me up and told me the chains were dragging on the trailer.  I told Corrine to "pull over now!"  Apparently I was a little brusque, because when I got into the van after fixing the chains, she was in one of the back seats sitting meekly like she did something wrong.  She thought I was taking the keys away from her or something.  I guess I didn't say why she was pulling over.

We arrived in Kirkwood (St. Louis) a little after 8:00pm.  And the coolest thing happened.  There was a group from their church there to greet us and help us with our luggage.  They had cooked dinner for us and they hung out with us for awhile.  They treated us like conquering heros.  They had cooked chicken with cheese and mushrooms and all sorts of deliciousness into it.  And a salad, and a jello dessert, and pumpkin cookies.  After dinner, they did devotions for us.  Barb, who is leading a team to New Orleans in the Spring also, told two stories about their previous trip.

When Barb was first considering going on a mission trip to the Gulf, she asked around about where they would be staying.  And at first, they heard there would only be one bathroom for the twenty of them.  This would make things very difficult.  In the end, it turns out there were two, and only two showers.  But it turned out to be one of the best parts of the trip, because when they got back from working, they would gather in dining area talking about what they did and saw that day.  They would hear someone yell, "next!" and the next person would go get cleaned up.  When everyone was done, they would have dinner together, but this waiting provided some golden time for them to grow and fellowship and enjoy each other and hear their stories.  What could have been a crabby, impatient time, they used, and God used for good.

On their trip, one of their home owners, on the first day they were working, met them and welcomed them and thanked them, and told them she was on her way to the doctor's office for a scan of some kind. They prayed for her and went back to work.  A couple days later, the homeowner got the results.  She told Barb's team that she had been diagnosed with cancer.  Barb's team stopped working and came around and prayed for her and cried with her and just spent time with her.  It turned out that one people on Barb's team had MS, and could only really put in about a half day.  From that time on, that person sat and talked with the home owner for hours at a time.  God used Barb's team to minister to this woman in such a profound way.  It turns out the important thing wasn't getting so much further on the house as it was being there for her in a dark time.  It also goes to prove that God will use the people that are willing, MS or whatever.

So if God is calling you to come with us the next time, and you don't think you have anything to offer, by all means come and offer what you can.

On Sunday morning, we left Kirkwood shortly after 8:00am and headed north.  We had breakfast in Hannibal, MO at Howard's favorite buffet.  And I will tell everyone that I didn't miss any turn, I MEANT to drive 5 miles out of the way to drive over the Mississippi River, over a couple of cool bridges, and right into Illinois.  And if you believe that I meant to, you may want to check your gullibility filters.  (I figured out something was wrong when I saw bridges, and KNEW something was wrong when there was a sign that said, "Welcome to Illinois!")

When we got to Albert Lea, Rod St., joined back up with us and picked up Ginger.  We did our final devotions and said goodbye to Rod and Ginger, and to Lewis, who Howard would be dropping off in Lakeville.













When we got to Salem UMC, there were a group of people there to help clean up the van and unload the trailer.  It was more than I expected since Erin wasn't on the team this time, but her parents showed up anyway.  Jeff, who was supposed to come with us brought his family as did Pastor Carolyn.

A good trip come to an end.

After I dropped Corrine off at her home with all her stuff, (and yes, Bob, I did leave that bucket of dried drywall mud at her house), I got that nostalgic end-of-camp feeling.  When you spend that kind of time together, you just can't help but miss them when they're gone.  Even after two long days cooped up in a van together.

We will be getting together again soon to debrief the trip, do some evaluation, etc.  We will not be having the traditional Show and Tell Dinner we have been having.  We decided that we spend too much time on inside jokes and stories and it drags out and on and on an out.  We are putting together a little "Thank You!" video to show at the churches instead.  I think I will open that meeting up to anyone that wants to come, because in essence, we will be starting to plan the next trip.  (April 24-May 2nd-  I signed us up for a few more slots than usual......  If you want to come, shoot me an email.)

In a couple days, or maybe tomorrow, I will post some closing thoughts, etc.  Ali told me she would post something within the next day or two also, so come back and check out what she has to say about the trip.  I don't know if Kim will post on here or not.  Maybe when she's got some of the videos done, she will put some vids here.

NOLA 3 Thursday and Friday


I started this on Thursday, added a tiny bit on Friday, and now, here I am on Saturday night (Sunday morning EARLY) trying to remember everything about the past three days.  Wow.

Today I woke up (Thursday) and felt like they might have to bring my work project to me in bed.  And I wasn't the only one.  Usually, Bob is up around 5:00 or 5:30 or so.  Today, I got up just before him at 6:30.   We are all a little tired.

At Bob's house, we got to meet our home owner today (Thursday).  Her name is Patricia and she is a friendly, energetic lady with a lot of spunk.  Her home (the one we are working on) has been robbed 4 times, and she was the victim of contractor fraud.  She has been waiting and waiting for help, and it has been long in coming.  She is so grateful to finally get some help.  And actually, she is pretty close to being able to move back in.






Howard's team is working for Janice and Janice made them a big old bucket of seafood gumbo for us to have with out dinner tonight.  I really enjoyed it.   Lewis wasn't thrilled about it, though.  There were crab parts in there that he thought should probably have been left out.





Thursday evening, Jeff S. was supposed to do devotions, but because he had to back out due to sickness in his family, he wasn't there to do it.  Thanks to technology, however, we piped Jeff in via the internet and he was able to participate.  We did the same thing with Pastor Carolyn on Friday night.  






On Friday, we wrapped up our projects.  The people at Southeast Disaster Recovery want their tools back by about 3:00pm, so we have to stop early.

What Howard's team (Howard, Ali, Ginger, Lewis, Corrine) accomplished:
Hanging a straight door in a crooked place
Hanging drywall in a jigsaw puzzle pattern complete with obstructive plumbing
Installing a vanity in a bathroom- uninstalling it, ripping up some of the tile looking for a drain, reinstalling the tile, and then installing a vanity that fits in the space
Reinstalling tile on three steps
baseboard and trim
rebuilt a screen door
reattaching the screen door frame to the cement floor of the porch
reattaching a closet door to the floor-  found 4 empty whisky bottles circa 1920ish

What Bob's team (Bob, Rod St., Pete, Matt, Rod Sc.) accomplished:
remove and replace drywall on a whole wall with plumbing issues
installed cabinets and countertops on same wall
installed tile as a backsplash on the wall
mud and tape on other walls that needed it
sprayed texture on some walls
built a deck off the back door
reinstalled some broken tile pieces (replaced the broken ones)
cleaned up the back "yard"
tried to install a toilet and pedestal sink, but they are the wrong size

After we dropped off the tools, and equipment that we had borrowed, we drove through the Lower 9th Ward and the St. Bernard Parish.  There is a lot that has been done.  Brad Pitt's organization has completed work on several houses (cool looking houses!)  There is more done, but still so much to be done.  When driving around the Greater New Orleans area, you see all sorts of places that are not fixed, or even started.  Many aren't going to GET fixed.  The task seems overwhelming.

One of the things Kim did today was to interview Dale Kimball for our video.  Dale is in charge of the United Methodist Church's response to Disaster Recovery for the state of Louisiana.  He is a highly energetic and enthusiastic speaker.

Oh-  don't flush celery down the toilet.  It doesn't go very well.  Even when it is cooked to mushy.  ("Rod, can you dump out the leftovers in this pan?  The celery?  I guess you could dump the whole thing down the commode.")  So then, even if the celery appears to go down, the next person to leave anything of significance (use your imagination or don't.) will need to use a plunger....

When we got back, we had dinner (pot roast a la Donna!).  Some walked down to the French Quarter to the Cafe Du Monde to get coffee again.  Then we walked a few blocks down Bourbon Street.  I have decided that when you have seen 1 block of Bourbon Street, you have seen them all.  And now that it's Tuesday, I can't remember what Pete bought....  But we took a picture that made it look like an alligator was going to eat his head.  He is actually standing on my back to pose for this picture.




This week seemed to go by a lot faster for me than previous trips.  I don't know why that is, unless it's because I was always thinking about what had to be done next.  When to take Kim to the next house.  When to interview Dale.  When to take the people to see the Lower 9th.  When to do this or that.  We try to get a lot of good experiences into a week.  Something to think about will be how to live in the moment.

I apologize for not getting this done sooner.  Here it is Tuesday evening after the trip and I am just getting to post for the end of the week.    I'll post a few more observations and thoughts and highlights from the drive back.

And the next trip?  April 24-May 2.  We will be staying at the Southeast Station (the site that equipped us each day.  There are bunks and a showers and I think I saw laundry and a kitchen and etc.)  It is about  15 minutes drive from downtown, in what is known as the Gentilly neighborhood.  

Stay tuned...

Oh-  I would love to encourage to leave a comment and / or sign up to "Follow" our blog.  Tell others about what we are doing, and encourage people that want to come along next time.

R

Thursday, October 15, 2009

NOLA 3 Wednesday

Thanks to all who have been praying for us and following us along on this trip.

Usually on Wednesdays, we are encouraged to knock off after a half to see some things and experience more of the area we are in.  Traditionally, we have gone to look at the Lower 9th Ward and other areas.  This time, though, most of us took the hour and a half drive to Biloxi to see some of the home owners we have worked for in the past.  From Biloxi 1, we got to see Nate and Isaac both.  From Biloxi 2, we visited with Cici and Ida Mae.  From Biloxi 4, we got to see Thomas.  All were happy to see us and told how they have been since seeing them last.  We also visited a favorite restaurant from the past:  Lil Ray's.  We decided it really was important to see and reconnect with these people again as it continues to show God's love in tangible ways.  We have not forgotten about these people after our work projects are done.  They are still important to us and significant, to us and to God.

Bob's group worked a half day and mostly finished mudding and taping.  They also started putting a deck on the back of the house.  Howard's full team worked a half day, but Howard, Corrine, and Ginger stayed and continued working on projects in the house.  Howard reported a long list of things they accomplished.  But he also said that he feels that now that they have laid a lot of groundwork, they can get started toward the places they should have been on Monday.

While in Biloxi, we also had an opportunity to speak with Reverend Elijah Mitchell.  Rev. Mitchell was the coordinator of disaster recovery in Mississippi for the first two years after Katrina.  He now pastors a church just north of Gulfport and is very involved in ministry to the homeless.  We asked him for his perspective on the barriers to recovery and the long term impacts.  Many people are asking why, after four years, in America, are we still not recovered?   Rev. Mitchell and his wife pointed to some systemic and institutional problems dealing with insurance and access to resources.   We also asked him what the best way we, as individuals and churches can help serve those that are still suffering from the effects of Katrina.  He said the best way is to "adopt" a family.  We asked how to go about doing that and he said you just DO it.  It's not a formal arrangement through any agency.  He knows of churches, cities, and even the "State of New York" that has "adopted" families still in need.  He explained that when we adopt a family, or a home, the people there get more of their needs met because there isn't a red tape agency bottle neck of any kind.   To me, this feels messier, and kind of scary.  How do you find families to "adopt?"  What is the time commitment?  What is the money commitment?   What if you don't agree with their lifestyle?  There may not be easy answers to any of these questions, but they are legitimate things to think about.  And while it feels messy and scary, it also seems very right.  God's economy and our economy are not the same.  God is not bound by FEMA regulations or donation caps.  God is in the business of restoration and redemption and love.  If we can show that or better, BE that love to a family, then I think we are doing the right thing.  This is God's people serving each other in love as each's own part of the Body.  (Remember, Pastor Dave talked about being a part of The Body at Commissioning!)

Lighter notes:
Bob and Pete ate raw oysters.
Howard's team found some old whisky bottles from the 1930's.  They look like they had been hidden from someone.
Kim disturbed a mound of fire ants which then ate her, me, and Lewis.  (Thanks, Kim!)
Lewis was startled by a lizard.  We decided that it's partially because it looks like a micro-gator.

I posted more pics on the picasa site.  To access them, click here

Shoot us a note.  Sign up to "follow" our blog.  Thanks again for your love and support.  Keep praying.

R

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

NOLA 3 Tuesday

Tonight, I will make this quick and this note is the same as the blog entry.  

Great day-  Rained hard for awhile, but otherwise pretty hot and sweaty!  

Today, Ali found a pretty big cockroach and offered it to Donna for something to cook for dinner.  Donna agreed, but said that Ali would have to skin and filet it.  (We had spaghetti for dinner)

Bob's team reset the cabinets correctly and did a lot of mudding and taping, and general cleanup inside and outside.  

Howard's team put in a door, made a screen for a front door, and prepped for laying (re-laying really) some tile.  

I think the folks over at the supply shed (where we had our original orientation and where supplies are kept-  hmm) are getting tired of us needing more and more stuff.  Howard was stymied by the lack of a hammer drill.  And here all this time I thought a hammer and a drill were different.

After dinner, Jim P. did devotions with us over the phone.  He says he is recouping pretty well.  

I also talked with Pastor Carolyn today.  She is getting better now, too.  

And Jeff never did get real sick.  But his wife is just now getting better.  

So thank you for your prayers in all this!  

After dinner, some of us walked to Jackson Square.  There was a guy there playing a "glass harmonica," which was a bunch of different sized glasses filled to varying levels with water.  He played several different songs on them.  It was kinda hokey and kinda neat.  Certainly something you don't see every day.  

I posted more pictures on the Picasa website.  Take a look by clicking here.  Pictures!

Ok that's all for now.  

Thanks for your prayers and emails and comments on the blog www.rodscof.blogspot.com 

More tomorrow.

R

--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Monday, October 12, 2009

NOLA 3 Monday

Sorry I missed a day.  I spent a lot of time last night with Kim trying to figure out how to best handle all the data from the video she is shooting.  Some of it got emailed to her son, who will start to configure it and maybe even post it soon so I can include video on here.

So to catch up-  I got a chance to talk to the Senior Pastor at La Croix UMC where we stayed on Saturday night.  I asked him the obvious question, "How did you do it?"  and "I'm guessing you are an empowering pastor that says 'let's try it.'"  He said it's easier to have a baby than to raise the dead, meaning it's easier to start a new church than to try to resurrect one that is already dead or dying.

We left a little later than we were going to.  (This is becoming a theme!)  We drove through Memphis, Jackson, etc., and arrived at the place we are being housed around 6:30pm.  JoAnn, who is the coordinator of this site we are staying at, gave us a tour and told us about the facility we are at.  The facility is at the edge of the French Quarter.   We do have to be careful about what we leave outside in the vans, just in case someone wants what's in there in the middle of the night.  We are parking right on the street outside the door to the building.  There is a sleeping room for the men, and another for the women.  They are pretty comfortable-  lot's of space.  There is a kitchen facility that Donna is enjoying, and all the meeting room anyone needs.  It is an old building with some charm.  I don't think anyone has taken any pictures of it yet, but when they do, I'll post them.


Today we got our work assignments.  Howard's team (Ali, Lewis, Ginger, Corrine) are working on a house in a nice neighborhood.  The house is owned by Janice, and is split into a duplex, where she and her mom lived until just before Katrina.  They have some pretty unique challenges in this house, including a "jigsaw puzzle drywall challenge," a bathroom vanity that doesn't fit the space, kind of, and termites.


Howard's team is working on this house, and for this homeowner, Janice.



Before


After


Janice was the victim of contractor fraud.  She paid someone to come and work on her house.  They took the money and didn't do the work.


Bob's team (Rod St., Matt, and Pete) are working in a not-so-nice part of town, about 5 miles or so west of Howard's house.  I don't know anything about this homeowner yet.  The task so far is to put up some drywall and install cabinets.  The team or contractor (?) that put up the drywall in this house, closed in some plumbing before it could be inspected.  So some had to be ripped out before it could be inspected.  Our job was to re-rock the wall and then install cabinets for the kitchen.  While Rod St. and Bob and Matt worked on that, Pete and Rod Sc., and Kim cleaned up the back yard a little, preparing for putting in a deck.  This house used to be a duplex, but they are making it one house.  The back deck connects the two parts.



This is the house Bob is working on.



The wall before



the wall after

Now remember I said this was not so good a neighborhood?  We had to attach the cabinets to the wall so that looters couldn't come in and steal them overnight.  We didn't have time to do it right, so we had to just attach and run.

Now you may notice I left out Donna and Kim and Rod Sc.-  Donna is along to help support the team with meals.  She had ham dinner ready for us when we got back today.  She spent the day at our housing site (North Rampart Community Center), cleaning the kitchen and throwing out old, expired stuff, and getting dinner ready for us.  She arranged the dining area to facilitate a family like dinner, with everyone sitting at the same table (kind of).  She just kept bringing out more food.  It was amazing.  On past trips, Barbara and Ginger worked hard to do dinner right for us, but they just didn't have the time to put into it like someone that comes that is committed to serving the team like this.  It was amazing.  I would even go so far as to say it was better than Ms. Cynthia's cooking from the last two Biloxi trips we were on.  (see old posts about how we raved about Ms. Cynthia's cooking).


This isn't cooking at the center, but Donna is in charge of all the meals- the ones on the road, too.  And we are mighty blessed because of it!

Kim is shooting video for this trip, so we can make some promotional, and "thank you" videos to show when we get back.  We have sent some of this video to her son, who is going to edit these for us.  It is possible you will see some video of this trip before it's even done.



Thanks to everyone that has sent us encouraging notes.  I have shared them with the team here.  You can go to my Picasa website and see more pictures from this trip by clicking Here (Photos).  

Feel free to shoot us a comment. -  Oh and become a follower by clicking "Follow Blog."  I think people have to have a gmail account to "Follow" us, but I'm not sure.   

Oh-  Kim and Ali have access to this blog and may post.  I'll have to remind us all to tell who it is that is posting.  Erin C. from past trips also has access to post, but as she is traveling around singing with Youth Encounter this year, I don't expect to see her posting.  (Erin- it's up to you!)

Ok, that's enough for now.  

It sure is good to be back.  

R


Saturday, October 10, 2009

NOLA 3 on the road!

Well, we are off and running!  We left a snowy and icy St. Paul, MN this morning.  The final count is 12.  Jeff, Jim, and Pastor Carolyn were unable to come because of health issues.  We are praying for their quick recovery.  

Usually, we stop and eat lunch someplace outside on the way down.  Today, it was just too cold when it was lunch time.  We got out of the car for gas I think just south of Cedar Rapids, around 2:00pm.  Finally, when we got to St. Louis, and got gas again, it was time to take off the jackets and sweatshirts.  

We left a little earlier and drove a little farther than usual.  Right now, I am in La Croix United Methodist Church, in Cape Girardeau, MO.  And I am in awe.  Absolutely astounded.  This church is HUGE!  And what a set up.  I'm not kidding when I say it is the most exciting United Methodist Church I have ever seen.  Their education wing is done like a jungle, complete with fabricated trees and vines etc.  Their areas are clean and well done and they have spent some money.  Their sanctuary/worship center could host concerts or plays, and they probably do!  Jake S.-  their media booth probably launches rockets.  You would be amazed.  I will try to take some pictures in the morning.  

What do we do in the van all day?  -  well, one person drives, (hopefully!), sometimes we play games, some people sleep, some read, some do homework, some do Sudoku puzzles, some eat chocolate chip cookies or chex mix or other stuff.  Some just sit.  Some do all of the above.  It's really one of my favorite parts.  

Kim has been shooting a lot of video that we intend to use to make some DVD's.  I haven't seen anyone take any pictures yet, so I can't give you any here.  

Shoot us a note, or make a comment on our blog (www.rodscof.blogspot.com).  Or give us a call while we're on the road.  

Tomorrow, we get up and leave for New Orleans around 7:30am.  

Prayer requests:  the sick folks that aren't with us, Erin C.- former team member traveling with the Youth Encounter ministry, Pete D's knee.  Apparently, he twisted it getting into the van today, and continued safe travels.  

Peace and thanks for coming with us!

R



--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Prayers and happy thoughts

Friends, supporters, lurkers (Hi DG!), and others-

Three people on our team are possibly going to have to be benched.  

Jim P.  is sick and has been since Wed.  His Doctor advises him not to come if his cough is not better by Friday.  
Jeff S.-  His wife and two daughters are both sick.  He suspects he'll start to show symptoms on the way down....
Pastor Carolyn-  Has bronchitis.  I haven't heard from her since Sunday, so I'm not sure how she's doing.  I know she didn't go to committee meetings on Monday night at church.  

You prayed for Kim O's family and son, Conor.  He's well.  Doing fine.  No H1N1.  

Otherwise, we are just about ready to go.  We got some great info on the place we are staying at from a friend that went on a New Orleans trip last year and stayed at the same place.  Thanks to Barb in St. Louis for the info!  

I think that's all the news for now.

If you are in the Twin Cities, we have our commissioning service on Friday night at 7:00pm at Salem United Methodist Church in InverGrove Hts.  We invite everyone to come and pray for us and send us out.  

Thanks everyone!

R


--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Monday, September 28, 2009

NOLA 3! Getting ready to go!

Hello everyone!  We are gearing up for our next trip to New Orleans to help restore people into their homes.  We leave on October 10th and return on October 18th.  There will be 15 people on our team, mostly repeaters, but 3 new faces to the mix.  

The Go'ers:
Rod Sc.-  7th trip
Howard N.- 7th grip
Lewis W.-  6th trip
Corrine M.- 6th trip
Bob N.- 5th trip
Rod St.- 4th trip
Ginger St- 4th trip
Ali St- 3rd trip
Jeff S.- 3rd trip
Matt S.- 3rd trip
Carolyn W.-  3rd trip
Jim P.- 2nd trip 
Kim O.- 1st trip
Donna G- 1st trip
Pete D-  1st trip.  

We will be staying on the edge of the French Quarter at North Rampart Community Center.  One of the challenges for this trip involving where we are staying will be parking.  There is no off-street parking for this facility.  I think I have found a place to park our van and trailer, but I am still waiting for approval (from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation).  

Six months ago, they told us that the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain was 85% "done," and that the greater New Orleans was only 10% "done."  We are looking forward to going and serving in this area that still is a long way from being restored.  

We had our mega-fundraiser at the Outback Steakhouse in InverGrove Hts.  Numbers are not in, but I would guess we made about $1500.  Thank you to everyone that came out and had a steak.  

Some things to pray about for us as we continue to get ready for going:

1.  Notice that Barbara S, Erin, C., and Darold S. are not coming on this trip.  Darold is in Korea working for the next two years, Erin is traveling around the US with a music ministry, and Barbara had some things come up that she just couldn't get out of.  We will miss them and their energy on this team.  

2.  Pete and Kim and Donna are our new members.  Pray that God uses them in ways that surprise everyone.  

3.  Pray for our parking and transportation situation in New Orleans.

4.  Pray for us to be able to see what God would want us to see, and respond in a way that glorifies Him. For those of us that have been on these trips since the beginning or close to the beginning, for us to be able to have the same awe and wonder at seeing God at work.  

5.  Pray for Kim's family's heath.  Her seventeen year old son has been exposed to H1N1 and is now starting to show symptoms.  

6.  Personally-  I will be taking a week unpaid from work.  Others are also leaving obligations and financial responsibility and loved ones behind.  Pray that God fills in the blanks.  He is God.  He will provide.  

If you are getting this email and would rather not, please shoot me an email and I'll take you off the list.  I'll probably send out one more of these before we go, and then each day (or close to each day) while we're gone I'll send updates.  You can always keep up with us on our blog:  www.rodscof.blogspot.com  I would encourage people to "follow" our blog (when you visit the site, look for a small box near the top left that says "follow" and click on it.).  I honestly don't know if that means you get a note in your email box when someone posts or not.  

Ok- I think that's it.  

As my friend Carol says, 
Til He comes or I go...

R






--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

A great video I found

I found this video hanging out on Youtube.  It appeals to me on a number of levels.  It has always been a favorite song of mine.  And I think what they are doing is great.  Working together through music to promote peace and community.  Christian attributes, not a Christian band.  I'm ok with that.


Monday, June 22, 2009

NOLA 3

Hey all-  We should start thinking about getting together for our NOLA meetings to start getting ready for the fall.  How does July 19th work for everyone?  (Erin, I know you'll be out of town that weekend, but I believe you will be gone with YE when it comes time to go, anyway.  ---  )

If I don't hear a bunch of people screaming, "NO!" Then I will schedule us to meet and start recruiting for JULY 19th.  -  Someplace with air conditioning...  

Things to figure out quick:
1.  For sure dates:  Right now we are gunning for October 10th-18th
        
2.  Do we like leaving on Friday?  

3.  Fund-raising and the cost of the trip per participant

4.  Recruiting

5.  Schedule of meetings

Email or call (651-248-xxxx) with questions or concerns or "Rod, I want to go on the trip, but I can't make that first meeting."  etc.  

R

--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Monday, May 11, 2009

This Time Around...

Is there anything later than a epilogue? The life of a college student is not conducive to prompt follow up.

So we've been back a little over one week now, but I had some closing thoughts about the trip. AND, since I am so late in doing so, you will get the best of my thoughts over the past 7 days (Atleast that is my spin on being too busy). Oh, this is Ali by the way, I just assume everyone knows (yes, my head may be growing so large I will have to give my hats away).

Now I realize that two trip to New Orleans does not an expert make, but I still use these experiences to get on my soap box every once in awhile (What? A social worker dismantling people and "telling them like it is", that's weird). I feel like these trips and experiences have taught me a lot, and this trip specifically about being grateful. If my family fell into that stereotypical tradition of going around the table at Thanksgiving and saying one thing we are grateful/thankful for, I would have this locked up for the next two decades. I could start with Buffalo Wild Wings, Vera Bradley handbags, a loving family both in my home and in my church, a roof over my head and on and on and on. But, at the top of the list would be God's indescribable gift that is outlined in 2 Chorinthians. The gift of eternal life and forgiveness. For me personally, I always feel like I need to reciprocate any kind of nice gesture or action. I have to stop myself before I start sending out thank you cards for thank you cards I receive. I have this strong desire to "be square" with people. But really, I can never repay God's gifts, but lucky for me He doesn't expect me to.

BUT, (isn't there always a but?), we ARE called to give our money, time and talents (YES, we all have them. Mine is as simple as fitting into small spaces) to accomplish God's purpose. We are to feed, clothe, and house the poor (Or, what NDRI, the organization we worked for, referred to as the least, the last, the lost.. And yes, I am going to steal that and use it in my practice). I think we are to paint, mud (400 lbs worth!), lay flooring, wash houses, learn and grow in each other and the community and show God's love by our actions and tell people about our hope in Jesus Christ.

Knowing God changes our thinking... I know Rod has talked about how it is not all about us, but rather it is about God working through us. When we open every aspect of our lives to God's guidance, we become more effective disciples. We can then bless others as we share what God has given us. I guess I feel like that is a lot of fancy talk (That's what you get after 5 years of college and 2 degrees) for saying that God calls us to show His love to the people who feel forgotten and really need to see His gifts and purpose at work. These trips are an excellent outlet for this.

Soo.. We are back and back at our everyday life and the challenge of keeping the passion and purpose is threatening to creep in as we descend the mountain top experience into the valley and what my Dad calls the "nitty gritty." BUT, I trust that God will provide everything we need and we won't forget why we went and why He called us there.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

NOLA 2 Epilogue

Obviously, we are back.  Thanks to everyone who prayed for us and wrote notes during the trip.  

We left Slidell, LA just after 8:00am on Saturday.  We drove to St. Louis, where we saw the Arch for a few minutes.  When we got to the church we stay at, I couldn't find anyone from the church, but the code to get in worked and the rooms we stay in were unlocked.  It felt a little odd, but we've been to this church eleven times now, so our routine is pretty set.  We unloaded and made a dinner plan.  Usually, we have gone to a pizza joint around the corner a few blocks away.  We found a new pizza place to eat dinner that was a lot better pizza and a lot better service.  

The next morning, we left Kirkwood (St. Louis) shortly after 8:00am.  We arrived at our church parking lot pretty close to 6:30pm.  This is pretty good considering a stop at McD's for lunch and a stop for our last devotions.  Sue L. and several others were there to help clean out the vans and welcome us back.  They made signs that were taped to the windows of the church.  (IF anyone from the team got a picture, post it on the blog if you can or email it to me?).  

The next day, I took the rental equipment back to Midway Party Rental and the van back to Boyer Ford.  Jeff took the trailer back to the rental place we got it from.  (notice I am not mentioning their name.  They gave us a deal on the trailer, but gave us one with no working jack-  we had to have people hang on the back of it to get it on and off the hitch.  Funny for memories, not funny for paying, although if I spent $5.00 on empty cups, why WOULDN't I spend $275 on a defective trailer?--  If anyone knows where we can rent one from next fall, let me know.)

So for this trip, there is just some paperwork to bang together, and the Show and Tell dinner (May 17th 5;30 at Faith UMC in West St. Paul) before this trip is "over."

And people are asking, "How was it?"  -  It was good.  

Obviously, every trip is different.  There are different dynamics based off the projects we work on, where we are, the people that go, etc.  The other dynamic is the time elapsed after the storm.  The relationships we developed with our homeowners is different than it was right after the storm.  The relationship with the neighbors, with the community, with everyone is different.  We don't do what we do for thanks or praise, but you notice now, that you don't get it as much.  And again, it's not what we are there for.  It was a dynamic that surprised us at the beginning.   People seemed to want to talk about the storm and where they were and etc.  This isn't the case anymore.  My team didn't even meet Herbert (our homeowner) until Thursday.  So we are not developing the relationships that we did before.  In previous trips, we made it a point to try to get out into the community at night to talk with and listen to the people.  This time, we stayed at the church compound most nights.  -  Made a few connections on the basketball court, and with the Indiana team that was staying with us, but generally, we hung out mostly with ourselves.  So the "benefits" are more pure.  We are helping people get back into their homes because it is the right thing to do.  Not for praise.  Not for recognition.  Just because Jesus loves them and us, and gave us the resources and ability and the desire to help.  

There is still a LOT to be done.  There aren't as many people going to help as before, either because of today's economy or because people are tired of it or because they don't know the magnitude of people still waiting to get back into their homes.  I can hear some saying that it should be cleaned up and done by now.  They haven't gotten back into their homes because they're lazy or welchers or whatever.  This just isn't the case.  Northshore Disaster Recovery Inc., says that the main demographic they service is single women over 70.  Its' not that they don't want to do anything, it's that they just don't have the resources.  Disaster "specialists" say the recovery period for a disaster is usually 18 months.  Based off their own model and the magnitude of the damage caused by Katrina, the recovery time here should be about 11 years.  It's only been 4.  It's not time to get tired or bored with it.  It's not sensational anymore.  And  house after house gets tedious, I think, but it is still the right thing to do.  God has given us the resources, the abilities, and the desire.  NOLA 3 this fall.  Who's in?

The pic is our team photo-  You could be in the next one!  
Front row, Rod Sc., Ali S, Jill H., Bob N., Darold S.,  
2nd row:  Paul A., Mari F., Corrine M., Kathy B. Erin C. 
3rd row:  Pastor Carolyn, Barbara S., Matt S., Ginger S., 
Back row:  Jeff S., Howard N., Jake S., Lewis W., Rod St., Roma B.  

Last things:  The Blog-  www.rodscof.blogspot.com   There is a link to our pictures.  (I think you could also see my family's Christmas pictures if you tried...)  Erin and Ali and Jake can also post on there, and they might put in some closing thoughts or more pictures.  We will also put in some other tidbits, like the date that Dale Kimball from NDRI will be speaking in St. Paul, and some of the notes/etc. from some of the devotions that different team members gave.  

Ending with this:  
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor, 
   heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives, 
   pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace— 
   a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies— 
   and to comfort all who mourn

Amen
--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Saturday, May 02, 2009

NOLA 2 Friday

Last work day-

Howard's house finished the first coat of mud on their drywall.  Bob N. said they used 400 lbs. of mud....  they also finished the porch roof and started putting soffit on it.  

Darold's house finished the laminate flooring in both bedrooms, washed the house, finished painting the inside, and did a lot of cleaning up of Herbert's stuff (Herbert is the home owner--  I have posted some of this info on the Picasa pictures site, and some on previous blogs, can't remember what's repeat and what's not)

The people at NDRI (Northshore Disaster Recovery, Inc.) wanted their tools back by 3:00pm, so we had to stop early.  I think if hadn't had to cut out early, Roma and I could have gotten a good part of the laminate flooring done in the living room.  -  And Bob could have had the folks there get a couple more rooms 2nd coated with drywall mud.  

But that's not the only reason we are here.  It's not all about trying to get all the work done.  It's about interacting with people, serving where needed, growing in faith with each other, and learning more about the area.  For some, the value of getting as much done as possible, verses the value of positive relationships with the people are we are working for and with is a difficult conflict to reconcile.  The best thing to remember, I think is "It's not about you/us."  If we have a huge desire to get something done, or see one more site, or whatever it is, I think we need to check the motivation and ask if what we are trying to do glorifies God or assuages our earthy wants.  Much easier said than done.  

So we knocked off a couple hours early.  We ran a few errands around Slidell and went to dinner at a new restaurant called "Crayfish Paradise."  It just opened around Easter.  

So have you ever had Crayfish?  They are boiled in something spicy.  And they look like mini-lobsters.  They look EXACTLY like something I dissected in High School!  -  So anyway, you break off the tail, peel it, eat the meat on that's on the inside.  Then you take the other part you broke away from (The head) and you suck the juice out of it.  Ask Jake S. how that is.  He was a trooper and tried it and liked it and at a lot of it.  

Howard flew out today. 

We are kicking off early (8:00am....) and going as far as St. Louis tomorrow.  I usually have a tough time finding a wifi signal at the church we stay at, so don't look for an email from me tomorrow night.  

Roma and Jill fly out tomorrow p.m.  It was great working with Roma on the flooring project.  And it was great to have Roma and Jill from my hometown in MIchigan along with us.  It was good to catch up and hear the latest news.  

Ok- that's all for now.-  Go to the blog and click on the link for the pictures.  There are over 100 pics there and they almost all have captions.  Some are out of order but you'll get the ideal.  

Pray for:
Safe travel.  
Continued unity
Low gas prices?

Thanks all!

R
--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Thursday, April 30, 2009

NOLA 2 Wed. and Thursday

Thanks for your patience yesterday.  We worked a half day, and then went to New Orleans.  We walked around a bit and had dinner at a Gumbo restaurant in the French Quarter.  We drove back across the long bridge that spans Lake Pontchartrain and got home kinda late.   Jake S. needed to try to experience every single cultural thing about the South and New Orleans.  So whirlwinded a bit.  On our way in, we did a tour they gave us around areas mostly affected by
Katrina.  We went through St. Bernard's Parish and the Lower 9th Ward to name a couple areas.  There is more life in the Lower 9th and in St. Bernard's Parish than the last time we came through.  But there are still many many many homes that are not being lived in or even worked on.  The next picture is of the Lower 9th from a hill near the levy.  
 In the Lower 9th, there are a lot of houses that haven't been touched, a lot of cement slabs just sitting there, and some houses that are showing activity.  Most notable, I thought, were the houses that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are having built.  There were several of them in a few block radius.  The houses all looked really neat-  a non-traditional architecture.  I thought other people were getting pics of some of these houses, but not many did.  Even still, there is still sooooo much to be done.  The next two pictures are of Branjolina's homes.  The link for their website is :  www.makeitrightnola.org/


 Disaster Recovery says that Slidell and the northern area around Lake Ponchartrain is 85% restored.  The greater New Orleans area is about 15% restored.  This is due to several factors, some political, some geographic, some logistic.  Remember that at first, they weren't letting people into New Orleans.  Slidell was not closed off and took all the volunteers they could get as soon as they showed up.  This organization hopes to be "done" with St. Tammany Parish (North Shore of Lake Ponch.) by the end of 2009, and can then focus all their attention to the South Shore.  They say they have logged 2.6 million hours of work.  There are other statistics, but I invite you to pay attention to announcements in this blog about when Dale K. from Disaster Recovery will be in St. Paul.  If you're anywhere close by, we would love to have you stop in when he speaks.  He is compelling.  

Other things we have done:
Darold did devotions Wed. night
Paul did devotions Wed. am
Jill did devotions at night
The team working with Rod Sc. started laying laminate flooring.  See the picture below.
The team working with Howard continues to be a drywall machine.  They will get as much as they can done before it's time to go on Friday.  

Our team (Rod) met our home owner today.  His name is Herbert.  We are taking him out to lunch tomorrow.  He is really excited to be getting so close to getting back into his house.  


Chicago won by 1 point in triple OT.  I don't know who got voted off the island on Survivor yet.  (DON'T tell me!  I'll watch it when I can!)  

That's all the news I can think of.  

Prayer requests:
Team Unity
Safe travel for Howard (He has to fly back to St. Paul on Friday afternoon)
Herbert's health (our Homeowner- he didn't offer specifics and I didn't ask.)
Continued safety on our job sites 
Pastor Carolyn and Jeff S. left kids at home with their spouses.  
Pray for Jeff S.'s back
And that we get adequate sleep.  (I keep telling them that when I was on my trip in Cuba, we took a nap after lunch each day.  Nobody is getting the hint.  )

Ok-  thanks all!


Greetings from N'awlens!


We are still dragging. As Lewis put it, we just didn't have it today. We still got a lot of stuff done and had a lot of fun in the process, but we didn't quite have our usual pep and energy.


That being said, we wouldn't trade our experiences here for anything, not even extra sleep.


Though we weren't moving as fast as we have earlier in the week, we are seeing completion on some projects, and much progress in others.



In process...

At my site, Howard, Lewis, and Jake have finished the ceiling on the front and back porch, and have started the siding part of the job. (For more details, ask one of them, as I was inside taping and mudding drywall all day long.......)



After the craftmanship of Howard and his trusty assistants.



Ali really getting into her work...




I like to mud.



I like to mud.



I really do like to mud....



That has been my mantra today. I really do enjoy taking the sheets of drywall attatched to studs and making them into walls. I like to and am fairly good at smoothing the ridges out and filling the holes. But we are working on the whole 3 bedroom 2 bath house, and *all* of the walls and ceilings need to be done. We have each found our niche, though. Matthew takes a screw gun and makes sure the screws aren't sticking out. Corrine and I have been doing the inside corners and ceilings, working corner to corner and meeting in the middle. PC and Ali have been sharing the duties also, Ali doing the upper part while PC gets the lowers. Mari seems to always be hiding out in closets, Rod and Jeff are the go to guys for finding the studs to screw the drywall in more securely, while Bob is just a blur, a one man mudding machine!






Through this process of living and working together so closely, sharing meals and sleeping in close quarters, you really get more of a glimpse into the heart of each person. Bob is a perfectionist, but really cares about people and is very encouraging and empowering. Mari seems shy and quiet, but there is a passionate powerhouse somewhere deep in there. And Lewis was a bounty hunter! Who knew?


It is just past midnight, and I am a little sad, because we only have one more day here to do the work we are meant to do, to see and hear and experience and learn what we are meant to, and to make whatever difference we can. Please pray we can be effective, productive, and open to God' leadings, and that despite our sleep deficit, we can finish up strong.



Thank You for all your support and prayers!


NOLA 2 Wednesday

It has been a long day and we are all pretty wiped out.  We spent a half day in New Orleans (as opposed to Slidell where we are usually at) looking at damage in other areas and doing a little cultural enrichment.  (We saw Jackson park and ate dinner near the French Quarter.)  

It is pretty late and I am pretty tired and nobody gave me their cameras to download pics off from.  

Pray for energy for us for the next couple work days.  There is still a lot to do on each of our sites.  We will post again tomorrow.  

Check out previous posts on the blog:  www.rodscof.blogspot.com

Peace-
Rod

--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

NOLA 2 Tuesday

Today I had a petty moment.  Very petty.  

My team went out to a new site out in Mandeville.  Our team didn't have a bathroom onsite, so we went over to Wendy's so a couple ladies could engage in bathroom activities.  (No need to be specific, I suppose).  Jill and I were talking about painting, and said it would be nice to have some cups or something to use for paint for dipping the brush in for cutting.  I had the brilliant idea of using chili cups from Wendy's.  I ran in and explained to them that we were from Minnesota and helping rebuild their community (not exactly in those words, but I tried to convey that) and could I get three cups they us for chili?  They said that was "product" and they couldn't give it away.  I was surprised (Don't they want to help us?-  feel free to detect a little arrogance on my part) and asked how much it would cost to buy the cups.  They don't sell the cups.  OK Fine.  "Give me three orders of chili, but without the meat or sauce."  I'm not kidding.  I was going to make a point.  It was going to cost me almost $5.00.  But I got those cups.  She asked if I wanted the lids.  I said OF COURSE I did!  

That's not the worst part.  When we left town, I stopped back in and said I didn't get the spoons and could I have them please?  

I felt like I was entitled to those cups.  Who in their right mind wouldn't just fork them over?  I realize now, how absurd that sounds, but at the time, I was offended.  So once I got over myself, I thought about assumptions and what we think we deserve, and attitudes about serving, and motivations about serving.  Because I feel like we're not getting much done this time.  We're not meeting our home owners (for the most part), we're not getting out into the community much.  And I have to remind myself that this about following God where HE is leading, and serving God where HE calls us.  And maybe this trip isn't about all the interactions with the community, but with each other.  Lewis did a devotion last night about supporting each other as God's traveling workers.  And at devotions today, Ali and Mari talked about how we are like Social Workers, which can be a thankless job.  

I don't want to be thankless.  I want to be thankful.  Thank you, God for calling me/us.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be here at this time with these people, serving His people, without expectation or condition.  

The other stuff:

*Howard's team kept working on their house.
*Darold's team got a new house about a half hour out where they (we) are painting, cleaning, and will be laying laminate flooring.  I'm not going to say that the floor in this house isn't level, but playing marbles in this house would be a challenge, and someone sleeping could possibly roll off the bed...
*and AMAZING pot roast for dinner!  Thank you Ginger and Barbara!
* Ice Cream and Apples to Apples game for fun
* Devotions by Kathy tonight.  
* We are going to New Orleans tomorrow. 

Thanks to those that are supporting us and praying for us.  

Prayer requests:
Pastor Carolyn's son is having a hard time with her being gone.  (We think that's why he "doesn't feel good.")
Jeff did something to his knee.  Pray that it feels better
Team unity
The Homeowners we are working for.  
Ralph P. from Hale, Michigan.  -  struggling with cancer

Check out Erin's post on the blog, and click on the link to see more pictures on our Picasa site.  www.rodscof.blogspot.com  

Peace!
Rod


--
The spiritual life cannot be made suburban.  It is always frontier, and we who live in it must accept and even rejoice that it remains untamed.
--  Howard Macey
Here are some pictures, taken by Kathy, Corrine, and Erin.
This is the sign for our hosts, called the cadillac of volunteer housing (Are we blessed or what!)


Howard on a ladder, on the porch, by the cow.

Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil, the next generation.

Our very own Rosie the Riveter! (Corrine)

Some of us went for a walk and finally got to take some pictures of these beautiful trees!

Can you find the Pastor hidden in this picture?