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.

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

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