Team 20 Day 2

Man I love this! Being down here, the whole last 16 months (wow!) of this effort comes back. Walking through flooded neighborhoods. Driving by the lower 9th. And just that long ago I didn’t know anything about this place or any people here, and really had no reason to visit so probably wouldn’t have. Now it’s started to feel like a 2nd home to me that I need to rebuild and where I have family I care about.

By volunteering to come down here, we’ve all become part of this very tight community. People have stopped us on the street, strangers we’ve never met before, just to thank us for caring about them. “We love the God who sent us”, we tell them or something to that effect, but they really feel so blessed by our efforts. When you haven’t been for a while its easy to forget that; the sensation that you really are part of something important, even monumental.

If you can’t tell, I don’t have any pics for you tonight so I have to write  That’s OK though, I feel there’s something to say so let’s see what comes out…

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread” (Matthew 13:33). “Even through she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough”. The little work we’ve done on a house here, or a house there; maybe a block over there has spread. Our work has multiplied and more “yeast” has grown to do more work. The people (flour) here know the work we have done and that we’ve done it in our Father’s name. Even those we haven’t helped directly.

The gospel is a monumental thing. That one can be reconciled to God through Christ is a monumental thing. That we are called in our commission generally, and for most of us more personally to do this work is a monumental thing. We’ve been drafted into the army and we’ve performed admirably. If our glory weren’t in heaven we’d be parading around with medals on our chests. But the people also see that we don’t. That we serve as our savior served. That we put others first. That we love them even though they may not feel deserving, like He did. And that is the most monumental thing; our witness.

We strive with and for them without expectation of earthly reward and can’t bear to accept their personal praise for coming to help them, but insist we had no choice… we had to come… we are called to help. We benefit more, “you have no idea”.

I am so proud to know all of you, all the people who have hosted our teams and all the storm victims I’ve met. Especially the “Pearl Merchants” (see Matthew 13:45) who have persevered unceasingly for all those months or many of them.

“These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” (Matthew 12:49-50) We’re all family who have came to work here, from all over the country, and from many different churches. We’re all family with those storm victims we have worked for, met, cried with, and prayed with. We’re all brothers and sisters in and with Jesus because we’ve followed the will of our Father to do this.

Thank you family.

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So our work today was much the same as yesterday. We painted, we hung doors and set counter tops, we laid floor, we hung drywall and finished it (to the best of our ability). Some people’s spiritual gifts for the day were having skinny arms that can reach under a bathtub to start a drain connection. Others was laughter and the amount of paint their hair and face could hold ;-) Some on this team have these massive intense spirits and unbounded energy that inspires everyone else. Some people’s gifts were showing up late at night in a strange town, sleeping little, and spending the day working next to others from another state in another generation.

For everyone it was listening. This far after the storm, the most important thing for victims is to be remembered and to tell their story. We’ve all gotten them still. Was evacuated to a bank roof and spent 7 days there waiting for help. Was picked up in a boat and dropped off on a shrimper. Spent 8 days using tarps to collect rain water in barrels to drink, bathe, and wash clothes. Mother, Aunt, Grandmother, didn’t make it. Sons are flooded out too.

On the plus side, really, this is a place where people can live now. Estimate 1 in 30 businesses open, but essentials are there. McDonalds, Da Parish Coffe House, Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuits, and the stores I mentioned in earlier postings. Some people are living in their restored homes, but many many people are now living in trailers on their lot rebuilding their home, or, the lot having been cleared, planning their rebuild. Slab removal signs are up which seems weird, but you don’t remove the old slab unless you have a new home plan that needs a different foot print.

140k houses (pre storm) are now selling for 32k rather than the 5k they were getting a few months ago. The streets are busy. No traffic jams or anything, but plenty of traffic. We have helped this community come back from complete destruction. That’s monumental.

We took tonight for our run to the French Quarter. Had dinner at a great restaurant with Brendan and some frequent and longer term volunteers. He says hi by the way. Stopped by Café Dumont for beignets and coffee (which is why I’m still awake) and took in Jackson square with Christmas lights up.

I got to meet Mayor Nagin tonight! He was outside Café Dumont when we went in. Said hi, shook his hand… and left it at that. Well… what would you say or ask?

Anyway, we’re having the usual wonderful week. The newbies are suitably shocked by the situation and excited about the work and the old pros are showing their confidence and faith. Everyone’s glad we’re here, volunteers and locals alike. Wish I could do this all the time.

How ‘bout you? I’ll be scouting where to send volunteers to stay. There’s several opportunities there and St. Bernard Project (Zak and Liz) have good work to do. Plan some time in your schedule for the new year to come back, or come for the first time and tell you social network about the continued need, and successes we are having. This really is a monumental thing we have going. Gotta share that with everyone we know.

For those inclined to intercession, please continue praying for our volunteers and the people they are helping. The need is no less, nor less urgent.

Till tomorrow…

John McGuire