Why Not Minot? Work Day 1

Today we got up and the church we are staying at provided breakfast.  (Thank you!)  Lewis did devotions this morning about always sharing your faith.  Always being ready to share it.  It was a very good way to start the week.  

We drove from the church we are staying at, which is about 30 mins north of Minot, to the church where they are basing Lutheran Disaster Response.  We were a few minutes late, but the people there didn't even bat an eye.  They gave us our work assignment.  That's right.  Just one.  All ten of us went to work on gutting a house on the northeast side of Minot.  It was right by the river.  There was some junk in the basement, but we hauled it out and started tearing out drywall and insulation, etc.  With Bob's leadership, we got into a pretty good rhythm and flow with people carrying stuff outside while nobody was blocking the door.  Then Howard showed us that we could fill a bucket and just push it out the window in the basement.  Matt and Erin and I took turns emptying the buckets into a pile on the curb.  Shirley is like the energizer bunny. She just keeps going and going and going...  They told us this job would take about 2-3 days.  We finished it by 4:45.  

Ok-  I want to back up just a little bit.  -  The weather.  We are absolutely not in New Orleans!  There was frost on our windshields this morning when we went to leave.  And when we were getting supplies at the base church, I thought I didn't have enough warm clothes.  It was COLD!  But once we got out of the wind, and started working, we warmed up.  

A few years ago, Howard and Ali and three other people and I went to Mason City, IA to muck out a basement for a friend from Mount Bethel UMC, (one of the original River Bend Churches) when Mason City and surrounding cities flooded. The difference between that house and this one is that on this one, it wasn't so much mucking as it was just demo-ing.  There wasn't much down in the basement that was soaking wet, and there wasn't that swampy, hot humid jungle damp smell.  But after a shower, I still feel like I smell like mold.  

Every house in the neighborhood we worked in today was badly damaged.  Some people are waiting to see what the City and the engineers decide about rebuilding.   It's possible that the house we worked on today will be razed anyway, and the home owners bought out and not allowed to rebuild there.  The people are hearing a lot of different reports and rumors about what is going to happen to their property.  They are also saying that 2012 is supposed to be a pretty wet year also.  Which begs the question, "Why are we gutting this house when it's possible they are going to tear it down anyway, or if it's going to flood again?"  And I guess the answer is, "What if they don't tear it down?  And what if it doesn't flood?"  Nobody knows for sure what is going to happen.    There aren't answers today.  But we have hope.  And we know that God is still God.  And we believe that God directed us to come to Minot.  And the agency that was still working was Lutheran Disaster Response, so we are working for them and are under their authority.  And if they say, "Gut this house," then we will gut this house.  

Tomorrow we have a new house to gut.  

Please pray for Lewis.  He has a pretty bad cold.  He is trying to make sure none of the rest of us get it.  Also please pray for our health as we work in these moldy houses.  

Thank you to the people that wrote a little note.  It's encouraging to know you are cheering us on from afar or "anear"

I haven't posted any pictures on our picasa site yet.  But Matthew took a bunch of pictures today with my camera.  I think Kristen has posted on our blog (www.rodscof.blogspot.com).  And you can see a few pictures on Facebook of you're on there.  (Search for River Bend Mission team-  and "like" us or be a fan or whatever the latest thing is.)

Peace and joy to you!

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: Why Not Minot? Day one on a new mission adventure

Paul and I are holding all in prayer! Thank you fo doing the Lord's work in a much needed way. We pray for safety, productivity, the spreading lf the gospel and changed lives!

Please also hold us in prayer as today we continue to meet,  fellowship and feed homeless folks in the Washington DC area. We will be working with 2 different food shelves/soup kitchens located in the heart of the city. Weather has been unusually warm here and DC law does not prohibit the homeless from sleeping in public areas so there are lots of folks in need and in plain site.

Peace and blessings to all!
Pastor Deb

Connected by DROID on Verizon Wireless

D.C. - New York - Day one on a new mission adventure

Dear Rod,

Greetings in Christ!  Thanks for the Missions update.  Our group and staff will continue to keep you in our prayers.  Mission Immersion DC-NewYork left Friday night.  We had one person cancel last minute so we drove by Eko-New Market and picked up an intern Jeremy Morris to take her place.  He has been a real God send with his guitar and worship leading skills. Thus, Pastor Paul can preach, bus drive and not have to play guitar as well.  The 24 hour bus drive went well and we are staying at a Lutheran Church in downtown DC. We worshiped today at “Luther Place” and enjoyed the music and message.  We spent the day touring the Capital on foot and were blessed to see the Martin Luther King Memorial dedicated today.  We enjoyed the music of Steve Wonder, Cheryl Crowe, James Taylor and others.  For supper we ate Pizza in the park and fed homeless persons nearby.  An interesting side note is the DC revolt taking place similar to the one on Wall Street. We ate lunch with the protesters and listened to a variety of speakers discuss anti-war and other  issues.  At 8:00 tonight we went to the women’s shelter nearby and played BINGO with them.  Our kids learned that homeless persons come from a variety of backgrounds.  One was a teacher who lost her job and another one was homeless because of a divorce and her husband did not pay support like he promised.  Tomorrow we spend the day making food for the homeless and learning more about why systemic poverty exists.  Pray for us in DC as we pray for those serving in Minot.

In Christ’s Love and Service,

Pastor’s Paul and Deb Marzahn

Why Not Minot? Day one on a new mission adventure

Hi all!

First let me start the same way I always do.  If you are new to getting this, I added you because I thought you might be interested or at least willing to pray for us.  If anyone, new or old, would like off this email distribution list, let me know and I will do so.  

Today, the River Bend Mission team started out for Minot, ND to help with flood relief.   

Why Minot?  -  Last Spring, over 11,000 people had to evacuate as water topped the levies on the Souris River in Minot, ND.  This wasn't as sensational as the hurricanes of the past six years, but devastating to the people directly affected.  Last Spring, when we were in New Orleans, we felt like we have done a lot of good things there, but that it was time to move on.  This was hard because there is still a lot to be done in New Orleans.  When the tornados his Joplin and Tuscaloosa, we wondered if that's where we were supposed to go next.  The more I prayed about it over the course of the summer, the more I got "Minot."  

So here we are.  There are ten of us on this trip:  Me, Howard N., Lewis W., Bob N., Matt S., Erin C., Kristen B., Rod St., Shirley S., and Ron C.  

We left Inver Grove Heights this morning right after church, just before noon.  We are driving a rental van and Howard's truck.  Rod St., and Shirley left from Pipestone around the same time.  (If a little white van with two people leave Pipestone, MN around 12:30pm, and a big white van with five people accompanied by a small blue pick up with three people leaves Inver Grove Heights at noon, what time will they get to Fargo?)  

We read on the United Methodist website for North Dakota that they wanted donations of blankets and quilts.  One of the churches in Pipestone donated 13.  And Rob W.'s (has been on three previous trips) church from Bemidji donated 14.  Rob met us in Sauk Centre to hand them off.  (Thanks, Rob!)  Plus there were a few donations from our church in Inver Grove Heights.  We have 30 quilts to deliver to the United Methodist Church this week.  

Now having said that we are giving quilts the the UMC, we are actually working for Lutheran Disaster Response.  They are housing and feeding us and giving us work assignments.  We are being hosted by Trinity Lutheran Church in a small town just north of Minot.  The church is very inviting and seems very open.  

So we get our work assignments tomorrow morning.  We'll tell you more about who we're working for and what we're doing.  

Please pray for our health and safety while we're here.  And for our finances.  It isn't a very expensive trip, but we didn't do any fundraising, just relying on donations that come in and the cost each person is paying to come, and the reserves we had in the bank.  Also pray for the homeowners we will be working for.  

If you would like to follow us on Face Book, search for "River Bend Mission Team."  Tell your friends!  Also-  We will put pictures on our picture website when we get some.  And Erin and Kristen and anyone else I can get to contribute will be writing for our blog- which I'll give you the link to when we've put something on there from this trip.  -  

Again, if you don't want this email each evening, let me know and I'll take you off the list.  

And thanks a bunch for those of you that are going to go along for the ride with us.  Let us know you're following along and praying for us.  We are glad to know!

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

Hello Glenburn! (Where?!!!)

Today seemed like a VERY short trip in comparison to our 2 day trips to New Orleans in the past (and we're staying North of Minot in this tiiiiiiiiiny little town called Glenburn, where most of us don't have cell reception).

All this week I have been thinking about our departure and many things have run through my mind.  I kept coming back to a song by mewithoutYou (talking about us without G-d) and the lyrics, "I do not exist, only YOU exist..." kept floating through my mind.




**Disclaimer-- this music isn't for everyone, but the message that he is proclaiming is very powerful... 



As we step out this week, L-rd... remind us that we do not exist without you... only You exist and these people who have experienced disaster need your hope.

--Kristen

Two Mission to Minot Options

Hi again all!

Ok, we have two options.  

#1-  as previously emailed, we have been invited to participate in helping to gut Faith United Methodist Church in Minot.  We would be joining a team from Washington.  It would be leaving here on Tues, Sept. 20 and returning on Sat Sept. 24th.  

#2-  I found an agency that is not pulling out until November.  We would leave on Saturday October 15th, work Monday through Friday on houses-  gutting, getting some ready for winter, etc.  and come back on Saturday the 22nd.  So instead of NOLA7, we have MINOT1.  There are a lot of unknowns at this very moment.  But it sounds like there is a church for us to stay in and use for our cooking, etc, and showers available at the local Y for free for volunteers or soemthing like that.  I'll check into it.  

Cost shouldn't be much.  Not as far to go, cheaper to stay, etc.  

Let me know if you'll be getting on the bus.  

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

Re: Mission to Minot

Hi Rod and Everyone
Thanks so much for considering a trip to Minot, ND. This is the town Vern and I call HOME. We already have our "I helped rebuild Minot" T-shirts after a 2 week stint of flood work in July.
I am sure you have all heard of the devastation the town felt. About 1/5 of the population was evacuated. 4000 homes had flood water problems, over 800 of them had at least 6 feet of swamp water on the main floor. 5 schools are totally wasted and many churches were affected.
The bad thing in the Minot area is that they need to get as much done as possible before the winter sets in. Unlike some of the southern areas, once November hits they are pretty much done until late March / early April. I'm sure that if the dates set don't work the area would accept help whenever you are able to go. There is a site that will coordinate people / churches that NEED help with people that are able to help.  You will also find that those directly involved will be there busting their buns to help.  One of the FEMA reps when we were there commented that he had done disaster work in 40 states and that Minot had gotten more done in 2 weeks than some places got done in 6 months.

What church are you looking at helping? I know that Christ Lutheran / Augistana Lutheran / and Faith Methodist all had at least 3 feet of water in the sanctuary. Several other churches had the basements full.
The housing issue is bad. Housing was in short supply BEFORE the flood with the influx of oil workers...now with 4000 homes unable to be lived in, it is even worse. In many cases, the pastors of the churches lost not only the church, but their own homes as well and many of the parishioners that would ordinarily open their homes to mission groups no longer have a home.
That said- if you are interested in going to the area, I may be able to help with some logistics.  We have made 4 trips to ND already this summer, so don't know if we would be able to do it again now.   I do have 3 sisters in town that all know lots of people and have a relationship with all three churches that were totaled.
*Christ Lutheran - my sister Verla is president of the church. She said they would be spending $250,000 just for cleanup - they didn't have a $$ for the rebuilding phase of it.
*Augistana Lutheran - my mom's pastor had her office there.  My Mom and sister Marlys's church, Faith Lutheran in Surrey ND, had been housing mission groups there. They have cots, bath-rooms, kitchen.  They had an agreement for the workers to shower in the school locker rooms.  Also the YMCA was offering free showers to workers.  Surrey is just a few miles from Minot.   Augistana is also currently partnering with my sister Jen's church.
*Faith Methodist was the church Vern and I attended when we lived in Minot.  They are currently partnering with the church my Father-in-law attends.

Let me know if you would like me to pursue more information or call on my sisters for their thoughts.
God Bless you all
Linda and Vern Emerson

Mission to Minot

Hi all-

I was contacted by an agency in Minot who heard we were trying to bring a team.  The timing is not the most ideal.  

They want us to bring a team on Sept. 21, 22, and 23 (this is a Wed, Thurs, Fri) to help gut out a church that was pretty much destroyed by the flooding last Spring.  We would have to be pretty much self-contained, meaning there aren't accommodations, etc.  We would have to pretty much bring our own tools, etc.  We would be joining a skilled but smaller team from Washington.  

I would not be able to go.  I've spoken to Howard about it, and he says that he will check his calendar, and barring any conflicts, he's in.  

Cost is TBD.  I have to figure out lodging and food and transport and all that good stuff.  We really wouldn't need to buy much in terms of materials, so that cost is low.  I will try to keep it under $200 again.  

Who is interested?  

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

Boiled Peanuts...

One of the things I love about the south is Boiled Peanuts.  Since there were people on our trip who hadn't yet experienced them, we stopped at this great little family store that had boiled peanuts advertized on their board out front.  We stopped to find the neatest little market complete with all sorts of fruits and canned goods (made by the lady in the photos).   She was cooking the most delicious smelling food when we were there, some sort of italian sauce that she was going to be canning that involved a whole lot of eggplant.  You'll see in the photos, the colonel was asking her all about it and she invited the colonel right into her kitchen to see what she was cooking!  Great little mom and pop store, complete with a little tyke running around.  I got the feeling that this was their home and they lived upstairs, though I'm not sure about that.

The trip was an amazing experience, and meeting people along the way is what it is all about.  I wish this were a corner store in my own hometown so I could shop there on a regular basis to support this woman's family, but I guess for now a bag of boiled peanuts and the memories must suffice.  I am looking forward to the next trip, hoping for just as many great experiences and new friends.

Until we meet again,
Kristen

Boiled Peanuts

RE: NOLA 6- Epilogue

Thank you all for serving God in this manner.

Blessings on your day.

Jodelle Ista

RE: NOLA 6- Epilogue

Hello Rod,

Thank you for always sharing with us…it often feels like we are with you in person…we are however, with you in spirit!  God’s many blessings on all those that served, serve and will be serving. 

And to finish your salutation:  Onward Christian soldiers!

 

God’s blessings

Trish

 

From: Rod Scofield [mailto:rodscofield@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 11:47 PM
To: rodscof.ofcourseitquacks@blogger.com
Cc: Ali Stemme; Barb Adams; Corrine Mahoney; Ginger Stemme; Howard Newton; Jeff Shaw; Judy Miller; Krissy k; Kristen Butler; Leanne Clouse; Lewis Whitehead; Linda Greene; Matthew Sanderson; Pastor Rod Stemme; Rob Warmboe; Robert Newton; Rod Stemme; Sue Letourneau
Subject: NOLA 6- Epilogue

 

We left Slidell around 8:30am on Saturday morning and drove to Kirkwood, MO.  It took almost 11 hours.  

We left Kirkwood, MO just before 8:00am and arrived in Inver Grove Hts. just before 8:00pm.  Almost 12 hours.  

 

Somewhere just north of Waterloo, IA, I followed a sign for Highway 20 instead of the normal highway I usually take.  It added about 15 minutes or so to my trip.  Jeff was driving my car, and Rod St. was driving his van.  They took the normal way and ended up in a hail storm.  And when they stopped for gas, they noticed a tire on my car that was wearing pretty thin.  So they found someone on a Sunday in Iowa that had a used tire that would fit, and had it changed.   Howard had been driving his truck and had fallen a little behind.  We all caught up in Albert Lea, MN where we did our final devotions and prayed together and said goodbye for now. 

 

About the time we were arriving in Albert Lea, we started to hear reports of some pretty bad weather in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis.  As it turns out, there was extensive damage.  It was the kind you can't believe is true when you see it in person, even though your own eyes are telling you it IS true.  For the most part, the only weather we ran into was when Jeff and Rod St. were in the hail in Iowa.  

 

Corrine said that this trip was the best one yet.  There was a lot of work accomplished, and we connected strongly with our homeowners.  For those that have been following, you might remember that after the last trip, (NOLA 5) I was skeptical about the projects we were getting from Disaster Relief agency we were working with.  I had a careful eye on this trip, to see if these houses fit the criteria of "least, last, lost" that we were trying to serve.  People that wouldn't be able to do it any other way.  And I think all three projects we worked on-  or to put it more humanely, all three homeowners we served, were divine appointments from God.  

 

Courtney and Kevin, Bob and Evalynn, and Chanel have changed our lives, and I hope we have touched them, too.  God is good.  

 

There were 22 people on this trip.  About half were from the original "River Bend" Churches, and the other half from other places.  There were 5 or 6 people in their 20's, and 6 people that got the Senior discount at the Golden Corral.  7 people joined us for the first time.  It was a good team that gelled together.  

 

I challenged everyone on the team to read Phillippians a few times before the trip, paying special attention to Chapter 2.  It talks about unity and serving God and each other.  And that's what we did.  

 

What's next?  I have been saying for a few months that this was our last New Orleans trip (for now).  Roma (a previous team member) wants us to go to Tuscaloosa.  Obviously there are floods and tornados all over the country.  And they are predicting a heavy hurricane season again.  We will have to wait and see where God directs us to next.  Wherever it is, we'll get on the bus.  

 

There are more pictures uploaded to the Picasa site (www.picasaweb.com/rodscofield/nola6#)  Or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/River-Bend-Mission-Team/197364267016).  

 

Thank you for riding the bus with us in the way you have.  Your prayers and letters of encouragement are very important and appreciated.  

 

Onward!

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

NOLA 6- Epilogue

We left Slidell around 8:30am on Saturday morning and drove to Kirkwood, MO.  It took almost 11 hours.  

We left Kirkwood, MO just before 8:00am and arrived in Inver Grove Hts. just before 8:00pm.  Almost 12 hours.  

Somewhere just north of Waterloo, IA, I followed a sign for Highway 20 instead of the normal highway I usually take.  It added about 15 minutes or so to my trip.  Jeff was driving my car, and Rod St. was driving his van.  They took the normal way and ended up in a hail storm.  And when they stopped for gas, they noticed a tire on my car that was wearing pretty thin.  So they found someone on a Sunday in Iowa that had a used tire that would fit, and had it changed.   Howard had been driving his truck and had fallen a little behind.  We all caught up in Albert Lea, MN where we did our final devotions and prayed together and said goodbye for now. 

About the time we were arriving in Albert Lea, we started to hear reports of some pretty bad weather in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis.  As it turns out, there was extensive damage.  It was the kind you can't believe is true when you see it in person, even though your own eyes are telling you it IS true.  For the most part, the only weather we ran into was when Jeff and Rod St. were in the hail in Iowa.  

Corrine said that this trip was the best one yet.  There was a lot of work accomplished, and we connected strongly with our homeowners.  For those that have been following, you might remember that after the last trip, (NOLA 5) I was skeptical about the projects we were getting from Disaster Relief agency we were working with.  I had a careful eye on this trip, to see if these houses fit the criteria of "least, last, lost" that we were trying to serve.  People that wouldn't be able to do it any other way.  And I think all three projects we worked on-  or to put it more humanely, all three homeowners we served, were divine appointments from God.  

Courtney and Kevin, Bob and Evalynn, and Chanel have changed our lives, and I hope we have touched them, too.  God is good.  

There were 22 people on this trip.  About half were from the original "River Bend" Churches, and the other half from other places.  There were 5 or 6 people in their 20's, and 6 people that got the Senior discount at the Golden Corral.  7 people joined us for the first time.  It was a good team that gelled together.  

I challenged everyone on the team to read Phillippians a few times before the trip, paying special attention to Chapter 2.  It talks about unity and serving God and each other.  And that's what we did.  

What's next?  I have been saying for a few months that this was our last New Orleans trip (for now).  Roma (a previous team member) wants us to go to Tuscaloosa.  Obviously there are floods and tornados all over the country.  And they are predicting a heavy hurricane season again.  We will have to wait and see where God directs us to next.  Wherever it is, we'll get on the bus.  

There are more pictures uploaded to the Picasa site (www.picasaweb.com/rodscofield/nola6#)  Or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/River-Bend-Mission-Team/197364267016).  

Thank you for riding the bus with us in the way you have.  Your prayers and letters of encouragement are very important and appreciated.  

Onward!

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

NOLA 6 The last day

Friday was a big day.  We were asked  by the Director of the Epworth Project (our  hosting agency) if we would be willing to appear on a local TV news program in a series called, "Rhythm and News."  They wanted to show a large group of volunteers as a kickoff to their volunteerism season.  There was a concert by a local musician, Tab Benoit (If you have seen the iMax video on Hurricane Katrina and the wetlands, you have seen this guy before) and they interspersed the news throughout.  They interviewed the Director of the Epworth Project, me, the Director of the local Catholic Charities, and a volunteer from that group also.  The asked why we came down, and I just started listing the homeowners we have worked for in the past.  I told them that if we didn't work on their houses, they might still be waiting, or at least would have had to wait longer.  The music was fun, and the Epworth Project was happy to get the exposure.  Sometimes mission work isn't hard.  

From there, we went to our work assignments.  Kristen's group had completely finished everything they could do for their house.  Primed, two coats of paint, and painting trim.  Son on Friday, they went to join Bob's team, who needed more help, especially with painting.  There was some nervousness about having 13 people on one job site being a little much, but they got into a groove and finished strong.  Bob was very satisfied with the work they accomplished.  And from Bob, that is huge!  Howard's team got most of the eight interior doors they had to set, baseboard cut and set (not nailed in because of the door trim not installed on all the doors yet).  The transformation at this house was also very visible.  In our debriefing, each team described a similar transformation.  

The Epworth Project asks us to have tools back by 3:00pm, so we finished early on Friday.  From there, we drove down through the Lower 9th and tried not to act like tourists gawking.  It was meaningful for the people that hadn't been there before, and satisfying for the people that had.  Each time we follow the route they suggest, there is more development and rebuilding.  

For dinner (because some people want to know everything!) we went to "Parkway" which is a restaurant that serves Po Boys.  President Obama ate there when he was in town some time ago.  My friend from college, Joann and her husband Terry, choose it and met us there.  It has quite an atmosphere.  

We left Slidell this morning and have arrived in St. Louis.   We will get back into town tomorrow.  I get frustrated on the road because I think everything takes too long.  Ali has been great at giving me a look that says, "Check yourself!" when she sees me getting frustrated.  It is just hard to get a group this size moving all at the same time.  It's not bad, it just requires more orchestration.  I have to figure out how to balance letting adults be adults vs. urging and pushing and trying to stay on "schedule."  

As we were planning this trip, we said this would be the last trip to New Orleans (for now.)  It is hard to see the work needed to be done still, and to hear the stories and talk to the people at Epworth and not want to just sign up for another trip.  But there is need all over the country.  We will have to spend some time praying where to go next.  I don't think anyone is done serving yet.  It just is a matter of where.  And when.  

I'll send out another email to summarize some things in a couple days.  There will be some more pictures (Krissy is emailing pics off her phone to me, and Kristen's camera has some weird computer chip that won't allow me to copy her pictures, so she'll email hers to me later, also).  

As always-  Facebook (search for River Bend Mission Team) or Picasa (www.picasaweb.com/rodscofield/nola6#) and our blog (www.rodscof.blogspot.com).  I don't think anyone has added anything to the blog that I haven't emailed out, but Kristen and Ali have access to post on it and they probably will at some time.  

Onward!

--
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 6 Thursday

I think I figured out why I can't send pictures in here-  Didn't gmail used to have an "insert picture" button or something?  I'm guessing that because I have blind copied everyone except the team, if I attach a couple files, it looks more like spam.  -  So to see pictures, you'll have to click over to our Our Picasa website with pictures or our Facebook Page.  I think that Kristen has also posted some pictures on our blog www.rodscof.blogspot.com.  

Howard's team ran into a very "jenky" floor when trying to lay laminate flooring.  It took us twice as long to do the kitchen as it did to do any other room in the house.  We had to get pretty creative about it.  Roma B., who was on a few of our trips and with whom I have worked on a couple of these floors before, would maybe not have enjoyed this one.  We also worked on an exterior door and some interior doors.  We are really enjoying the homeowners.  They cooked lunch for us today.  

Kristen's team finished everything they can do for their homeowner.  They said they also enjoyed their homeowner, Bob.  Their project was priming and painting his entire house.  They got it done (garage included!) in four days.  They will be going to Bob's site to help him tomorrow.

Bob's team has been working on a myriad of projects at their house.  They have been glad to have Laban on their team because Laban has set tile for a living before, and there was a mighty big tile job to do.  They have also been painting and installing trim and baseboards and doors.  They have also spoken  highly of their homeowners.  

The weather has been great.  No too hot.  Well, today was more humid and warmer.  

Tomorrow we are going to be on TV.  There is a local news station that is having a concert with a local musician that writes songs about Katrina recovery.  They want to interview a volunteer team to help kick off their summer volunteer season.  I don't know much more than that, but I know we have to get up early for it.  We are also going to see the Lower 9th Ward and some other places that were hit damaged and still affected by Katrina.  

Thank you to everyone who is praying for us and supporting us.  Prayer requests for tonight and tomorrow would just be that we get as much done in quality that we can on Friday.  It's a shorter workday and there is still much to do.  

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

A few phone pics...Day 2 on site

Today started with devotions at the Epworth Center (which is a building in the Aldersgate UMC complex).  Lewis talked about having hope in the Lord for all situations.

On our way to the work site yesterday, Ken took us by this little paint shop.  It's a family owned store and the kids from the family all work there.  They were all super friendly and helpful today when we stopped back to pick up a couple of paintbrushes.

This is Bob, digging right in and painting with us.  When they redid the house the first time, he basically did most of the work himself.  I was painting on this side of the studs there and he was talking all about their experience with the storm and the various crews that have come through.  His comment was that they saw more quality work from the volunteers than from any of the crews they hired to do jobs in the house.

Leanne and Ali, painting away!

Here Ali was telling stories about being on worksites with Carolyn's (who is on the left) brothers (Howard and Bob).  She gave total permission for retaliation to any "flack" received from either of them on a worksite.  :)

That's all I have for today folks!!  We'll see what tomorrow brings!

Peace!

Kristen

NOLA 6 day two

I don't have any new pictures on the Picasa site-   But I did add a couple captions.

The weather has been mild.  Not too hot or cold with lower humidity.  Supposedly this is going to change soon.  

Kristen's team got a lot done with their painting project.  They expect to be done by noon tomorrow.  We will find out if they get another assignment or get shunted over to help Bob's team.  The lower humidity has helped the paint drying time.  Their homeowner's name is Bob.  He is retired Air Force.  After Katrina hit, they had 6 feet of water in the house.  They spent the first year after Katrina in a FEMA trailer while he used his own money fixing up their house.  They found out a few months ago that the drywall that had been used was the Chinese drywall and it was corroding his home.  They had to tear it out and start all over again.  Leanne and Ali  Tell me that Bob is a really nice guy.  He is easy going and quick to laugh.  He has jumped right in with them in both working and socializing.  He has been seen painting and cleaning out brushes and paint pans.  They said that he is just as fast to tease and joke around with the team as they are with each other.  His thankfulness comes through in his involvement with the team.  

There was talk about going on a swamp tour tomorrow night, but we didn't want to leave our worksites early.  Instead, we are going to go down to Cafe DuMond tomorrow night after dinner.  Depending on how late we get back, I might not get to post anything tomorrow.  -  

Some people have sent notes of encouragement.  I shared those with the team tonight.  Thanks, everyone!

If you use Facebook, you can "like" us and follow those posts.  You'll see a note that one of the homeowners we are working for posted on our "wall."  

We have been sharing our living space with another team from North Carolina.  They are a group of mostly college aged kids and they are leaving tomorrow.  They have been fun to hang around and we will miss them.  -  

More to come!

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: NOLA 6 -- ooooops! First work day

Praying for you and all on the  trip.

In Christ,

Pastor Paul

NOLA 6 -- ooooops! First work day

If this is the first time you are getting this email-  It's because your server rejected it the first time because I had too many pictures attached.  (5)-  So I am taking off the pictures and encouraging you to look at the pictures either on our Picasa site or on Facebook.  If you are getting this for the 2nd time, please accept my apologies for hitting your mailbox twice, and you can stop reading now.  For the rest....  

I uploaded pictures to our Picasa website-  Check them out at This Picasa website.  

I also uploaded a bunch (many of the same) to River Bend Mission Team's Facebook page River Bend Mission Team on Facebook

The first workday is always a little chaotic and it takes awhile to get going.  We get work assignments and figure out who's going where and with whom and what the projects are and what you need for them and what they don't have so you have to come back for and where is your worksite and it's usually a good 10:00am before even getting close to the first work day.  From there, you have to assess the work needed because it's not always exactly what they said.  And then you need more tools and someone's got to go get them and then it's lunch time.  You get as much done as you can, but I always walk off of a Monday thinking we didn't get much done.  Today was not different.  

We have three projects.  (This is an answer to prayer-  we were only going to get two, but we prayed for three-  and turns out we got three.  Instead of having 10 people working all on top of each other, we had about 6 at each site.)  Howard's team is putting down sub floor and laminate flooring.  I am on Howard's team.  I've done this on two other worksites before, but this time it's a different product and has to be handled differently.  Learning new things is good.  Bob's team is putting down ceramic tile and hanging doors.  He has Laban on his team, who has done this for a living.  Kristen is leading a team this time also.  Her team is painting.  They got as far as they could go today around 2:30pm and had to call it a day.  They completely primed the entire house and the garage.  (interior.)  

Our worksite is in Slidell, and only a couple minutes from where we are staying.  Our home owner's name is Courtney.  She and her husband were going to be homeless with three young children and one on the way when her family said they could use the house that her Grandmother had.  This house had been pretty much uninhabited since Katrina.  She and her husband have been trying to fix it up.  When we got there today, she told us that she wanted to help and was not going to just stand around and watch us work.  Keep in mind she's pregnant.  Her husband has been trying to do a lot of the work and fixing up, but really doesn't have the experience to know how to do these things.  They are living in the house as is.  While working today, Howard was trying to pull out a nail and his pry bar slipped and he took the pry bar to the face at high velocity.  He could probably use a stitch or two, but he has been nursing it with a paper towel all night.  Last I heard, he said it didn't hurt.  

More about the other homeowners and projects over the next couple days.  

Lastly,  I am going to enable Ali and Kristen to post on the blog-  so check in to see things that any of us put up that didn't get emailed to you first.  www.rodscof.blogspot.com

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

NOLA 6 - The road to Slidell

Hi All!

NOLA 6 has started.  We have arrived in Slidell and have settled in to our housing.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  

  

On Friday night before we left, we had a Commissioning service at Salem UMC.  Our District Superintendent, Liz Lopez, officiated. We shared in Communion and prayer.  

Well, even further back than that-  Last week we had our jazz concert and silent auction fundraiser.  We ended up raising a little over $2000 and had a blast.  World Beat Connection was awesome and I would love to see them again some time.  It was a lot of fun.  And who knew that "deco beads" could be so highly sought after?   Many thanks to those who sent some checks and bid on stuff at the auction and bought Party Light Candles.  (We raised about $700 in Party Light).  Our finances look decent.  The price of gas went down about almost $.40 per gallon as we went south.  ($3.62/gallon in Slidell)

We are excited to have arrived in Slidell.  The trip was uneventful.  That is to say, nothing bad happened.  There was some concern about flooding along the way.  We didn't really see anything on our first day, but today there were sandbags holding water off the road in southern Missouri just a few miles north of Arkansas.  Then when we went through Memphis, you could the Mississippi VERY swollen.  I saw a sign almost underwater that said, "Road Closed."  Without the sign, I wouldn't have known there was a road.  I think Kristen got some pictures.  I'll see if I can post more of  them tomorrow.  

We ended up with 22 people on the trip:  Howard, Barbara, Corrine, Bob, Lewis, Ginger, Jeff, Matt, Rod St., Ali, Kristen, Rob, Krissy, Carolyn, Leanne, Judy, Barb, Louie, Shirley, Laban, and Linda.  

We brought 4 vehicles.  Our rental van, Rod St.'s van, Howard's truck, and my Focus.  

Things to pray about for us:  Unity with the team we are sharing this space with from North Carolina, health and safety, 

If you want to follow us on Facebook, search for "River Bend Mission Team."  To follow our blog, go to www.rodscof.blogspot.com.  I will give you the link to our pictures when I get some posted.  And if you want off this mailing list, let me know and I'll take you off.  

Peace!

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

New Orleans one more time

Hi All!  

First let me say if you are getting this email you have been blind copied on a list that is for people that have, or would like to, or I would invite you to be a part of our New Orleans Mission trip support team.  Support comes in a lot of different ways.   Some people read the emails and make themselves aware of what is happening (from our perspective) in New Orleans in terms of Hurricane Katrina relief (yes, even after 5 years).  Some people pray for us while we're gone, or if you're not the praying type, at least think happy thoughts for us.  Some people send us encouraging notes.  Some people send money.  Some people attend our Commissioning service or our "Thank You" dinners. Some people "Like" us on Facebook (search for River Bend Mission Team), or follow our blog (www.rodscof.blogspot.com) In advance, thank you for your support! 

I send out emails to this team of people (today, numbering 276) regularly while we are on our trip, and an email or two before and after the trip.  If you would prefer to NOT get this email, please respond to this and tell me so, and I will take you off the list.  

This year, our trip is May 14th-22nd.  It looks like we are going to have about 20 people going.  I was a little surprised by that number.  I wasn't expecting quite as many!  We have 6 (maybe 8) coming from Pipestone, MN.  We have 3 coming from Rochester, and one from West Concord, MN.  Bob will be joining us again from Indianapolis.  Rob is joining us again from Bemidji.  I haven't accepted Roma's "I can't come on this one" yet.   That leaves 10ish people from the Twin Cities.  It is exciting to have such a big group.  We can get a lot done!  

The agency we are working with on this trip is called "The Epworth Project."  They are affiliated with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).  We will be staying at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Slidell, LA.  We have stayed in this site before.  I believe the work projects will come from the "South Shore" or in Greater New Orleans.  We have actually worked in Slidell, or the "North Shore" a few times.  The work we do will be dependent on what we are capable of doing and what projects the Epworth Project needs help with when we are there.  I am hoping to put the drywall skills that Bob taught me on the last trip to good use again.  On this trip, we will have Laban K. from Rochester who actually lays tile for a living.  

I don't usually do this next thing I'm about to do.  And I promise I'll only do it this once.  

A trip like this generally costs about $600 per person to pull off. Previously,we have been asking each person to contribute $200 each for the trips.  The remainder has always been covered by fundraisers and donations.  We do this to keep the cost down to make it doable for volunteers to go.  This time, we are asking $275.  We have had some money at the end of each trip that we have been floating from trip to trip.  This year, that seed money was lower.  Well, and without going through all the boring math, we need to raise about $4000.  To do so, we are doing two fundraisers.  The first one is that we are selling Party Lite Candles.  Party Lite has a program that we can sell certain products and 50% of the sale goes directly to us.  We are selling tea lights, votives, and pairs of some small globe candles.  The cost is $15, $20, and $20 respectively.  If you are interested in some candles, let me know.  They come in all sorts of great smelly varieties!  :-)  The other fundraiser we are doing is a jazz concert/silent auction.  This is going to be a lot of fun!  It will be at Faith United Methodist Church in West St. Paul on May 7th at 7:00pm.  There will be desserts and coffee.  If I can figure out how, we'll do coffee drinks, too.  Some of the items already donated are:  a pair of tickets to see the Twins, a four night stay at Elbow Lake Lodge, a couple different hot air balloon ride packages, a weekend at a time share at Wisc. Dells, and a few other things.  We would invite you to come participate, bid, etc.  There will be no cost to get into the event.  We are looking for more donations for the auction and people to bid on them!  And finally, any out and out donations to the trip are tax deductible.  Email me for info on how to do that.  

On our prayer list:

The funds to make the trip possible.

Donna G.'s husband is having surgery.  Obviously we want Donna to come, but more importantly, for her husband to be well.  Pray for a quick recovery.

For all the logistics to fall in to place

For team unity.  Especially for those that live outside the Twin Cities and can't make it to team meetings.  

That's it-  Again, let me know if you want off this list.  

Peace and Joy and Thank you!

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

Fwd: NOLA 5 Tuesday- 2nd work day

Here is a note we got from Kim O., who was on the NOLA 3 trip and is still looking for her glasses.

R

You guys are awesome.

However,

the story I'd place on your hearts is David and Goliath.

Read it!

David, our psalm-singer who knew God's promises not because he had a Bible book to open but who carried them in his heart and songs, remembered who should REALLY be champion/hero to Israel, remembered the promise God had given to Joshua and his people about beating those nasty giants who wound up in Gath.  

Israel was in trouble and needed a hero.  Goliath was the champion and whoever won, won all.  How do you define a hero?  they do what we can't -- because we're in trouble.

The people of Israel had gotten stubborn -- thought that tall Saul was the way to go -- against the likes of tall Goliath.  But Saul let them down.  People do that.  Government's do that.  We are God's people and if we act as if we remember that, then our hero, our champion is God, and we remember His promises and let him be the one to do the hardest work....

David pointed to God throughout it all -- so when people thank YOU for being a hero -- share who your real hero is!  Jesus did the hard work of being our champion and did what we CANNOT -- he's all about taking our place so that sin, death and the power of evil can't defeat us.... echo David -- be a good leader and point to the real champ!

You guys are awesome -- and have an awesome God!!

That's what you get for having a friend in Seminary........

Praying for you all!!

Kim

Re: NOLA 5 = the last work day

Still praying for you.  Have a safe journey home.
Pastor Paul

Sent via MOTOBLUR™ on Verizon Wireless

NOLA 5 = the last work day

It's pretty late and I'm pretty tired.  Here's a recap-

Worked a half day.  The place we are working out of wants their tools back, so we have to knock off early.  

Group photo!

Carla and a few others wanted to see a New Orleans cemetery, so we drove around two of them.  Both closed at 3:00pm and we got there at 3:45.  They took some pictures.

Wandered around the French Quarter for a few minutes.  I saw an amazing street duo.  They are really good.  (www.tanyandorise.com)  

Then we met a college friend of mine that I had not seen in almost 20 years for dinner.  She suggested a local place that had great food and good prices and was not in the French Quarter.  We got to see another part of town that was kind of neat, called the Irish Channel.  

This is just a short rundown of things we did today.  

I posted more pictures, and put captions on them.  (www.picasaweb.com/rodscof/nola5)  

Our FB page is under "River Bend Mission Team"  leave us a note there if you would like.

Our blog site is:  www.rodscof.blogspot.com

We are leaving for St. Louis in 6.5 hours.  I better get some sleep.  I may or may not be able to write more  before we get back.  

Pray for safe travels and meaningful processing of our trip.  Continue to pray that God opens our eyes to what He wants us to see.  And that we have the wisdom to interpret what we are seeing the way He would want us to, and that we have the courage to respond in a way that brings Him glory.  

Amen

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

NOLA 5- Wed and Thurs

Some things from Wed. and Thurs-

Bob is a genius.  I just have to say.  (I suppose this requires explanation now.  Bob is very good at renovations, construction, repair, building, etc.)  -  I am in awe of what he can do.  

 I had never HUNG sheet rock before.  I have sanded and mudded, but never hung.  I had to figure some things out on my own.  And cutting a triangle to fit in the right spot is no easy thing.   I kept telling Rob W. (who worked alongside me today and yesterday) that I am a genius.  I have learned a few things from Bob.  And have improvised a little. It has been rewarding.  I can probably fix that hole in the wall in my bathroom now.  

Kathy and Barbara have been making meals along with Rhonda, who is from the Pennsylvania team, with whom we are sharing our housing site.  All I can say is, wow!  They are doing great.  

Turns out that I do not have to fly home to work at all this week.  But I have used up all my banked up good will and favor.  We have an attendance point system.  If you miss a day unexcused, but call in, you get 2 points.  If you get up to 10 points, you are dismissed.  Well, my boss starting only working one shift on Fridays, so the my first shift counterpart and I switched this Friday.  My boss is upset.  The grapevine whispers that he says I manipulated the system.  I wouldn't say manipulated it.  I would say I worked within it.  Maybe even took advantage of it.  (Although how going to the edge of what's allowed in attendance absences, using up all my goodwill, and going a week without getting paid is getting an advantage, I'm not sure.  Everything costs something, right?)  Prayers for my work situation would not be wasted.  Some people will say I did the wrong thing by going on this trip.  But this is where my heart is.  And I can't be who I'm not.  

Also pray for Matt's eye.  He scratched his eyelid?  or his cornea?  -  anyway, it's giving him trouble.  The Colonel (who was a physician some years ago) put a patch on it today before he went to the worksite.  

Both worksites are getting ready to wrap up.  ON Bob's site, most of the drywall is done.  On Howard's site, they are ready to spray texture.  They ask us to stop work early on Fridays so they can get their tools back.  I hope we have enough time to everything done we want to accomplish.  

My friend, Brody, told me to video record what we are doing.  I have been trying, but it has been tough to.  And then editing the video is long and tedious.  Brody said our videos would go viral on Youtube.  I'm skeptical, but I have gotten a couple good things recorded.  I will try to get them out in a timely manner once we get back.  Remind me.  Bug me about this.

I posted an entry on our Blog site that I didn't email out to everyone.  You can read it here if you would like.  It's about the homeowner my team is working for and some of the feelings around "who deserves help.  

There are a couple more pictures on our photo web page-  photos here.  I will put some captions on some of these before I go to bed tonight.  

And you can visit us on FaceBook.  Become of fan of the "River Bend Mission Team"

One more day.  

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

Workin' on Wednesday and Thursday

We hung a significant amount of sheet rock.  It felt good to take over some of the drywall duties.  When Bob was busy with something else,  I looked for things to keep busy, and usually found them in another room with more sheet rock.  I'm not going to lie.  I'm not very good at it.  When Barry, the construction coordinator we are working with stopped by, he suggested we make a few changes, which we did on Thursday morning.

The house Howard's team is working on is about ready for texture to be sprayed on.  On the past few trips, I've seen all the houses we have been working on.  This time, I don't think I'll get a chance to see Howard's house, except in pictures.

It wouldn't be honest if I didn't wonder about this house we are working for.  It's half of a duplex.  (This is the house Bob's team is working on).  And I hesitate to talk about this, but honesty is better, right?  The owner lives in the other half.  And I think (from overhearing him talk to a guy delivering plumbing parts) that he owns the house next door.  I'm not sure he qualifies as "least, last, lost."  It's probably better not to ask if you don't want to know.  But I am curious.  And I want to know how this guy qualifies.  Usually, we can say, we helped get someone back into their home.  This time, I think we would have to say, we helped a guy be able to rent out the other half of his duplex.  So am I a schmuck for asking?  Maybe we are supposed to just bless.  And be blessed, right?  Does someone have to "deserve" restoration on their house?  In the Bible, I guess it says that if someone sues you for your tunic, you give your cloak also.  If they force you to walk a mile with them, walk 2.  That is the best I can find to tell me how to respond to this.  The only other thing to tell myself is that I don't know the situation for sure.  I have been asked to hang drywall.  I will hang drywall.   I might not be very good at it, but I will do the best I can.

NOLA 5 Tuesday- 2nd work day

I want to apologize for the crazy photo disaster last night for those of you that got about 3 emails from me.  I think several ISP's think I'm a spam sender now.  

This morning, The Colonel (Carolyn N., Howard and Bob's sister) did devotions and compared Noah's Flood to NOLA's flood.  She talked about how Noah sent out birds to see if it was safe to come out of the ark.  In the same way, there are a lot of people still wondering if it's ok to come back.  

Howard's team thinks they may be able to get more done on their house than originally thought.  Bob said tonight, too, that he thinks we might get our house taped.  We actually started hanging sheet rock.  

Not a whole lot else to tell.  Work and more work.  Neither team has met their home owners.  

I did put more pictures on our Picasa website.  You can see them here:  www.picasaweb.com/rodscofield/nola5

I will try to put more captions tomorrow night.  

Thanks to my friend, Brian Norton, who called at 7:00am to encourage us.  We are supposed to read Ephesians 3:14-19.  I will have to look it up.  

More later!

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

Electronic fail....

Some people got the last email I sent.  Some people didn't.  

I apologize if you did and are getting yet another email from me tonight.  -  

I think the fail had to do with the pictures I tried to attach.  

Let's do this instead:

To read about our latest adventures in New Orleans, including our first work day, and how Bob and I got pretty wet, click here:  www.rodscof.blogspot.com

To see pictures from our trip so far, including a picture of Bob and me pretty wet, click here:  www.picasaweb.com/rodscofield/nola5

To visit us on Face Book, click here:  Our FB page

--
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 5- The first work day

We started out the day with devotions and then orientation.  A little about orientation....

They give a bunch of information about the work that's been done, and how to stay safe on the jobsite, and who the staff are that affect what we do, and a little about the houses we are working on.  Then they assign the houses and then it's like a free for all.  People are trying to get tools for the job, figure out who is going to go on which team, shuffle the coolers around so everyone has the lunches they packed and enough water for the day, and trying to find the assignment folder that nobody gave to Howard, but he seems to have it in his tool bag anyway, even though it's not the site he's going to.  (True story).  At the time, it feels a little stressful, but after it's done, you look back and kind of laugh.  

The worksite that Howard's team is working on is finishing drywall and texturing and painting.  They said that for the most part, the previous team did a good job with the drywall.  This is unusual because usually when we go in behind a drywall team, we spend a day or the week fixing what they did.  But for the most part, this team did pretty well.  Almost.  Just a couple closets.  I have not been to this site, but it sounds like it's pretty close.  Howard, Ginger, Lewis, Jeff, and Carolyn are on this site.  

The worksite that Bob's team is working on has actual hanging drywall.  We spent the first day just getting the house ready for the drywall.  We had to take down some plywood on the wall.  (Not nearly as innocuous as it sounds.  This was double layered with many many ringshank nails.)  We also had to pull down part of the ceiling.  It was particle board tile, and then we had to go around and pull out the staples that the tile was holding up the tile.  Two rooms of that.  The best part of the day for me was when I was working with Bob on removing that evil plywood from the bathroom.  There was a piece with a hold cut out of it, and there was a pipe sticking out-  as if for an eventual shower head.  Bob said we had to take off the cap on the end of the pipe or else we wouldn't be able to get the plywood off the wall.  (I wish I had a picture)-  As he started unscrewing that cap, I started to hear a rushing sound.  It happened pretty quick, but I thought, "I wonder what's going to come out of that pipe?"  Bob can't hear super well, so I can only assume now, that he didn't hear the wooshing sound.  I didn't say anything because I guess I forgot his hearing is a little impaired and I thought he heard it.  And really, there was no time.  As he got that cap off, a big blast of water hit him square in the face.  As the water continued to gush out of this uncapped pipe, I started looking for a shutoff and Bob tried to put that cap back on.  We both got pretty wet. I can't say it didn't feel good.  Bob's team includes Bob, me, Carla, Corrine, Matthew, and Rob.  Bob says we are going to actually start hanging drywall tomorrow.

The pictures are:  (In I'm not sure what order....)

Matt pulling staples out of the wall

Orientation

Rod and Bob all wet

Carla hard at it

Howard and Lewis right after devotions before Orientation.

I will get more pictures from the other team tomorrow.

You can visit our blog at Click here for our blog

You can see more pictures at:  click here for more pictures

See us on Facebook at:  click here for our FaceBook Page

Thank you to everyone who is praying for our safety and for our impact.  (both the impact that is made on us, and the impact we make)  Also thank you for your encouragement via emails and leaving messages on our FB page!

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

Your New Orleans travels

Rod,

Did you need our location for this trip?  Thought your trip was early October.  Let me know if you do -- because you're always welcome.  If not, that's okay, too.

Safe travels and blessed mission work!

Micki Seeling

NOLA 5- day two- traveling some more

Left Cape Girardeau and didn't make as good time this time.  Arrived in New Orleans around 6:30pm.  I had to ask the PA team to pick up Carla at the airport because were were about 2 hours out when she called saying she landed.  When we met up, Carla fit in PERFECTLY with our group.  She is a joy and blessing to add to our team.  

We went out to dinner.  We said we would just drive around until we found something.  Bob found a Rally's.  It's just food.  Just eat it.  

Devotions were awesome.  I asked everyone to go around the room to tell why they came.  This was couched as introductions so Carla could get to know us.  When Carla's turn came, she talked about her cancer and why she is bald and why she wanted to come.  She explained that when she got the invitation, God convicted her right then that she was to come.  And then He provided the money for the plane ticket.  Then we talked about Psalm 37:5-6  (Click here for that verse).  It was powerful.

We are excited about what God is doing here already.  We have been praying that God show us what He would have us see.  That we would have the wisdom to interpret what we are seeing the way He would want us to understand it.  And for the courage to respond how God would have us respond.  Amen

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

Day 1 - on the road

One of the things I keep thinking about is trying to find ways to make these email notices different than the past 8 trips.  My friend Brody tells me I need to shoot video each day, and post them on Youtube.  I shot about a total of .5 hours of video today, and I can't find anything in there that seems like exactly the right thing to show that tells the story.  And since I was shooting video, I didn't take any photos.  

But here are my observations so far.  And a couple things that happened and a couple things to remember.  And maybe a couple things to think about.

1.  At the Commissioning Service, Pastor Paul Marzahn gave us to remember 3 things from 1 Thessalonians 1:3.  Bonus points if you can pick them out.

  Click here for that verse.  

2.  This morning at devotions, Rob reminded that God has called us to do three things from Micah 6:8.  Bonus points if you can pick them out. 

Click here for that verse 

3.  Howard lost one of our team credit cards.

4.  Carolyn (The Colonel) won the mobile game of Apples to Apples.  She was good!  

5.  Watching adults play on playground equipment brings joy.  

6.  Last Spring, our team was 29 people strong.  This time, we are 13 people and still just as strong.  And while I like being able to say we have 30 people on a trip, I like the group dynamics from a smaller group better.  This will be a source of tension for me as I ask God which is better and what He would have us do.  Bigger is better, right?  Bring more people in to experience what God is doing, right?   Am I feeding my own ego by having more people?  Glory to God, not glory to rod.  

7.  We made great time in the van today.  12 hours to Cape Girardeau-  that included 2 gas stops and lunch.  This church is HUGE!  

8.  We forgot to bring one of the roasters for the meals.  We will need to stop and pick one up.  

9.  We are having a good time with each other.  God is good.  

10.  We are looking very much forward to having Carla join us tomorrow.  Carla is from Hale, Michigan, my home town.  This will be her first trip with us, but already, she fits in great!  

11.  It was great talking on the phone with Kristen, Roma, and Pastor Bruce.  It was also neat to share the emails and Facebook messages you sent with the team.  Vicki, we loved your prayer!

12.  We are going to have a contest to name the trailer.  Send your submissions.  I'll put some video and some photos online.  Entries will be due by the end of the trip.  More info forthcoming about this.  I just now made it up and have to decide the details. 

It is late and I think I'm the last one up.  I am excited about tomorrow.  Thanks everyone for their love and prayers.  

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

NOLA 5- Here we go!

Usually, I send out a few more emails before this, reminding people to be praying for us, and reminding people of the Commissioning Service and etc.  

In a couple hours, I will be at the church, loading the trailer and getting last minute things ready for our trip.  It kind of worked out really well that the company I work for is only working 1 shift on Fridays, and this today was the other shift's turn to work.  (the significance of this will come up again in a few days.)  So I had today off, and the ability to run errands, and get a lot done for the trip.  It feels like Christmas.  It's a similar anticipation.  The weather was great, and as I was driving the rental van to go pick up the rest of the things from the party rental and the team t-shirts, it felt like all was right with the world.  I was exactly where I was supposed to be.  Doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.    A few years ago, my pastor at the time, Bruce Ruggles, preached about operating out of your "sweet spot."  That place where your gifts and interests and heart and experiences all sync together and allow you to bless and be blessed all at the same time.  I've known how much I enjoy doing these trips, but today, it just clicked again.  And I KNEW what Pastor Bruce was talking about.  

I am so excited to be going back to New Orleans to get more people that much closer to being in their homes.  I am excited about the camaraderie that comes from riding for hours on end in a van together.  I am excited the bond that is created when you are working alongside someone else for someone else.  I am excited to see what God has in store for me and for our team this week.  I am grateful that God has allowed me to be a part of this.  

The team:

Howard N.

Barbara S.

Corrine M.

Lewis W.

Bob N.

Ginger S.

Matt. S.

Jeff S.

Kathy B.

Rob W.

Carla M.

Carolyn N.

and me.

I asked the team members to find someone to pray for them personally this week, and specifically this week.  I've asked that they pray that:

1-  We will see what God wants us to see.

2-  We will have the wisdom to understand what God is showing us

3-  We will have the courage to respond how God would want us to respond.

If you want off this mailing list, let me know and I'll take you off.  Otherwise, I'll send out an email once a day or every other day or so.  I have a new little video camera flip thingy, so maybe some video on the way, too.  

Thanks for your love and support.  Feel free to pass this on.  

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

NOLA 4/NOLA 5 Coming and Going

I feel like I never put closure on the NOLA 4 trip.  Obviously we are home and that trip is done.  People ask me how it went and I tell them we got a lot done, which we did.  We had a lot of people on the trip and there are a lot of stories.  The biggest thing I noticed will sound like a broken record, but just how much work there is to do still.  -  This time, the house I worked on was in the Upper 9th Ward.  Now we had been several times to the Lower 9th, and seen the damage and devastation there.  In the area we have visited, it was pretty much wiped out.  In many neighborhoods we have driven through before, there are usually 3 or 4 or 5 "good" houes and 1 bad one that is in obvious need of attention.  In the Upper 9th, it is the other way around.  4 or 5 "bad" houses and 1 good one.  This begs the question of what is going to be done to them?  Many people just aren't coming back.  What will happen to these structures?  What will happen to the property they sit on?  There is still sooo much to be done. 

 

As I said in the last update about the trip, UMCOR (the United Methodist agency we have been working with) has run out of funding as it pertains to Katrina/Rita relief.  They will not have any projects after December 31st.  The people overseeing these agencies still have a heart for the ones they call "The Least, the Last, and the Lost," and they said they would try to hook up with another agency or create their own.  So I don't know what will happen with the homes of those that are still in FEMA trailers?  Unknown.  This makes me wonder if we need an agency to work with?  What if we just went down and found a FEMA trailer and asked what they needed.  And THAT makes we wonder if we just went to people in our churches that had evidence of need and asked how we could serve them?  Or if we went to Wadena, MN (tornados) and just asked where we could serve.  And that makes me think that really, you don't need me to put that together for you.  Just keep your eyes open.  In our Commissioning service, Pastor Gail encouraged us to leave a trail of blessings on our trip.  I would encourage you to leave a trail of blessings in your day to day life. 

 

That being said, we have another trip in the works.  NOLA 5.  October 16-24th.  We will be staying at the same housing site we stayed at last time.  Working with UMCOR again.  I signed us up for 20 spaces.  We will be joined by a team from Pennsylvania that coincidentally, we housed with in Biloxi back in 2006.  We have spoken a little bit about combining some resources. 

 

There's one small problem.  I can't go. 

 

Well, that's not exactly true.  I have been informed that I cannot take the week off from work.  (I burned up my vacation when my mom was in the hospital and for NOLA 4)  My Plant Manager DID offer a compromise, though.  I will be able to do part of the trip but will need to fly back and work during the middle of the week.  So that will add to the challenges.  Every trip is different, right?  So shoot me an email and let me know you're in.  The cost will be $225 per person.  And watch for more info about where and when to find the planning meetings. 

 

Get on the bus....

 

R

 

 

 

As I said
--
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