NOLA8- Epilogue

Where did I leave off?  

The last work day?

On Friday, we planned on being done around noon.  The Epworth Project wants their tools back early on Friday, and there is a lot of value in taking time to see more of the community we are working in.  All the teams left their job sites about 1:00pm.  

Howard's team finished the roof.  (except one small run of ridge shingles -  we ran out of shingles...)  

Bob's team finished the cabinets.

Louie's team finished the drywall and other projects

Kirk's team was working on drywall and a small addition. They did NOT finish, but Kirk and Terri were asked and agreed to stay a few more days to help finish that project.  Terri sent an email a few days later with their progress:  

Kirk and I returned from Slidell Tuesday afternoon. When we left Sheryl had running water in her kitchen and bathroom. No hot water yet, but water. She was pretty excited. Her bathtub is due to be tiled in the next week or so. She told me it's been 5 years since she has taken a shower there.
The laundry addition is finished and the plumbing has been run to it also. Mr. Glenn wanted to make sure I got photos of the laundry door because Leanne was "frettin" ( his word) about the cut she made for the opening, worried it didn't look very good. Well, the door fit perfectly.  There is a new washer and dryer in the warehouse for her.
I cleaned out and pruned some landscaping when Kirk and Glenn were working on plumbing. Also used Iron Out on her toilet which was pretty badly stained.

We had a nice talk with Sheryl when she got home from church on Sunday. She said that she had reached a point, before anyone had started work on her house, where she thought God had forgotten about her and she almost lost her faith. Then she got the call from Epworth that gave her hope again.

Right before we left Glenn got a call that a group from Maryland that had been working at Sheryl's a couple of weeks before us had raised the money to drill a well for her. (About $3000).  The water at Sheryl's now is a water hose running from her neighbor Denice's, whose house River Bend worked on last year.

Kirk and I had a great time on the trip, getting to know other team members & helping those in need.

After the job sites, we came back to Epworth and cleaned up and went to see parts of New Orleans.  We drove through the Lower Ninth Ward.  And even eight trips and almost ten years later, I am still surprised at what isn't done there.  And sometimes by what is done.  And what is being done.  We drove by a HUGE school campus being built.  And a lot of houses that haven't been touched since Katrina.  Terri did devotions at the Levy.  

Then we went to the French Quarter to be tourists a little.  And then a friend from my college days told us where to meet for dinner.  We went to a great place called New Orleans Hamburgers and Seafood.  Awesome.  

The next morning we packed up and headed north.  Made it to St. Louis early enough to look at the Arch and still get some pizza to eat before it got too late.  Another college friend came and hung out with us for a few hours.  

After uneventful travel the next day, we made it back to St. Paul around 6:30pm.  Unpacked the trailer, took back the rental van, and the trip was over.  

But not really.  Because is it ever really over?  

The lion's share of these trips has a purpose of serving people in need that probably aren't going to get it anywhere else.  But another large hope of mine is that the people that go on the trips come back changed.  That when we go serving God, God serves us also.  We don't see things the same.  We don't feel things the same.  We remember that Christ's love for us is real, and that means something.  That we CAN and do make a difference where we are.  Which is why it's never really over.  Because the "mission trip" might be over, but the missional hearts are fired up and looking for places to serve in our own communities, families, circles.  What was that Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker?  (Spider Man)-  With great power comes great responsibility.  We who know Christ, and know His heart, and HAVE His heart, cannot just sit by and see the "least the last and the lost" in our own communities and not do something about it.  You, the reader of this email/epilogue/blog post/facebook link have also been encouraged by us during this trip to see your neighbors through Christ's eyes.  You don't have to go up on their roof, or hang drywall or buy them cabinets.  But maybe giving a drink of water, or a tank of gas, or better yet, an hour of your time- doing nothing but being with a person- is EXACTLY the response a person could have.  We are grateful for your participation with us on our trip-  prayer, encouragement, finances, time, sharing the story, however you have been involved.  It's not over.  Amen.  

Two more things:  

1-  You know that as a team, we have been praying for a little girl named Amalia who was born premature at 26 weeks.  She is up to 2 lbs. 3.3oz.  her surgery went  well.  She is on a ventilator and her heart is beating kinda fast.  Mommy got to actually changer her diaper on Mother's Day.  (the first time Mommy has gotten to do that.)  Jamie and Eric (Mom and Dad) ask for continued prayers as Amalie still keeps trying to get stronger and more stable.  

2.  Next trip is October 11-19.  Crisfield 2.  Who is in?  

Rod

--
True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation.  --C.S. Lewis.

NOLA8 the last work day

Everyone finished their projects, although an hour-ish later than we had planned.  

Then we cleaned up, had lunch, (leftovers from previous dinners-  let's clean out these refrigerators!)  and went on a driving tour of New Orleans to see neighborhoods that are still not dealt with.  Houses still boarded up, vandalized, rotting, etc. this long after the Storm.  Yes.  There is still a need.  

More later on thoughts of the day.  -  

There are more pictures on Facebook.  

Prayer requests:  -  

Praise God that Amalie's surgery went well today.  

That we finish strong. 

For our home owners, Betty, Landry, and Sheryl.  

Safe travel

Thank you everyone!

r

--
True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation.  --C.S. Lewis.

NOLA8- the last full work day

I feel like I talk most about Howard's group, but it's the team I know the most about since I'm on it.  We had setbacks today and had to wait for supplies and it really slowed us down.  We didn't get the shingles on the last portion of the house.  But we did get the felt paper down and repaired the rotted out plywood deck that was bad.  (just one sheet).  Tomorrow, Louie is going to come from his team to help us get done.  

Louie's team got their jobs done today.  They finished drywalling the living room and a bunch of other touch up tasks for their homeowner.  Their homeowner, Landry, is very excited and enthusiastic about what has been done.  He enjoyed having the team there.  Tomorrow, some of the team are going back there to help clean up a little more and do a couple other little things for him.  

Bob's team got the cabinets mostly installed.  They are almost done.  And so is the drywall.  They intend to get done tomorrow.   

Kirk's team has been putting together an addition off the trailer.  Leanne said that today, they just clicked as a team and worked very well together.  Kirk and Terri have been asked to stay on and help out a few more days until they get the whole addition done.  They expect it will be Tuesday or so.  They have agreed to do so.  

All the teams worked a little later tonight, trying to get a little further along.  

This team has a lot of fun together.  We all get along pretty well.  The devotions have been fantastic.  This is a great team.  I am very blessed to be able to work alongside them.  

There are a lot of pictures on our Picasa Photo website (click the blue words to go to the link to see them).   There are pictures of all our sites and our homeowners.  

Thank you to everyone that has written us notes here and on Facebook.  And Thank you to everyone that has "liked" us on FB.  There are more pictures posted there, too.  (some that are not on our Picsasa site.)  

Tomorrow we are working a half day, then going into New Orleans for the afternoon.  I might not post anything tomorrow night-  and then if I remember correctly, there is not a wifi in the church we stay in on Saturday night.  (at least not one I can access.)  So it might be a few more days before I post anything again on this trip.  -  Or maybe a really short one tomorrow night.

We are so grateful for the prayers that you have been offering up for us and with us.  We are still praying consistently for Amalie.  She is currently scheduled for surgery on Friday morning at 8:30 Central Time.  Please pray for her continued growth and wellness.  And for comfort, peace, and assurance for her parents Eric and Jamie.  Also please pray for Barbara's health.  She's feeling under the weather.  Also please pray that we finish well.  There is still a lot of work to do, especially on Howard's site.  

We are grateful you are with us.

R

--
True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation.  --C.S. Lewis.

NOLA8- the Third work day (Wed)

Another day in the epic saga of River Bend Mission Team!

Kirk's site is starting to click along.  Building a shed like structure that will hold laundry appliances next to the house.  

Bob's cabinets are coming a long.  He is expressing frustration with the home-owner.   He says she is making decisions about the house that he feels she will regret.  Design issues.  Layout issues.  Reconciling code restrictions with taste issues.  It's a hard place to be in.  Besides that, it sounds like she is procrastinating making a decision.  It makes for a frustrating day for Bob.  This kind of begs a question about service and how do we reconcile doing what we think will look or function better when the homeowner says something completely different?  Are we obligated to use our best judgement or go with what the homeowner wants?  

Louie's team got a lot done.  But they came to a point where they couldn't do anything else until the texture on the walls dries.  So they showed up at Howard's site around 3:30pm.

Howard's team again today had the privilege of having four guys from a Mennonite organization help with the roof.  They work well together and got a lot done.  They are strong and can lift or carry the bundles of shingles up to the roof.  They are NOT going to be there tomorrow, which means Howard and I are pretty much it for going up on the roof.  The good thing is that we only have one more side to go.  Howard thinks we will finish it tomorrow.  

After our work sites and dinner and devotions, most of the team went into the French Quarter to have coffee and beignets.  It was a nice time.  

We have started to think about wrapping things up.  Tomorrow is our last full day on our work sites.  We started looking at what we can and can't get done.  On Friday, we'll take a half day off so Epworth Project can get their tools back.  

Once again-  pictures can be seen at:   click here for the NOLA8 Photo album  (as I am writing this, I am uploading 70 more pictures.  It is uploading slow, so maybe wait until tomorrow to click on them.  But DEFINITELY check them out!

Also, you can "Like" us on Facebook.  We almost have 200 people that "Like" us.  Just about all the same pictures are posted in both places.  but on FB, you can see postings from other people besides me.  

We continue to pray for Amalie and ask you to do so as well.  Other prayer requests are:  

Ability to finish our projects

Team Unity (so far so good!)

That God reveals Himself to us.  

Ok-  that's all for now.

R

--
True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation.  --C.S. Lewis.