The Journey Down

Andrew Talyor-Troutman Writes:

Duke Ellington once said that there are two kinds of music in the world: good and bad. With respect to the great Duke, our group is finding that our experiences on this trip are a little more complicated. So far though, we are finding that the swirl of emotions ends up a beautiful shade of joyful.

We spent Friday night at with Marilyn and Chuck Taylor in Lexington, North Carolina, who were gracious enough to open their home to us for the night and provide a professional chef to cook a breakfast extraordinaire the following morning. We’re not kidding; family friend and business partner, Sidney, doubles as a bacon frying, egg soufflé-ing wonder worker!

After thanking the Taylors and Chef Sidney, team New Orleans hit the road on Saturday, March 14th in two cars: a fifteen passenger van named “Lady Day” after late, great Billie Holiday and a Honda Accord christened “The Golden Nugget” on account of its brilliant paint job. How does one adequately describe a 14 hour drive across 7 states and 2 time zones? Well, we’ll try to hit the highlights for your blogging pleasure.

First of all, a road trip is only as good as the food in the car; again, we were indebted to Marilyn Taylor, this time for her snack mix. Not to be outdone, our own Jessi Bullard packed baggies full of snacking goodness for our munching pleasure. As far as food for thought, President Brian Blount will be happy to learn that his “Catalyst for a Conversation” is capable of sparking the free flowing exchange of ideas, even at 65 mph down interstate highways. We also feasted upon Timothy Tyson’s Blood Done Sign My Name, a dynamic look at race relations in the 1960s that provides ample sustenance for 21st century appetites. Music mixes created on CDs by Union-PSCE students and supporters Mike Watson, Esta Jarrett, and Alango Otieno provided the perfect backdrop to these serious dialogues and Sarah Otieno’s efforts to engage the rest of her group in road traveling games.

The crews from the Lady Day and Golden Nugget stopped near Biloxi, Mississippi for one last fuel-up before making our much-anticipated triumphant entry into New Orleans. Ready, set…oh no! The keys to the Lady Day were discovered on the wrong side of a locked car door. But, as every cloud has a silver lining, every locked door has a silver “wonder tool.” While Christina Evans and Nancy Wazenegger attempted to pick the lock with coffee stirring straws, a zip tie, and their unshakable confidence in the miraculous ability of the Charlotte/Richmond campus alliance, other team members approached the kind folks working at the gas station. These employees proved once again that a friend in need is a friend indeed, providing a lock-picking kit absolutely free of charge. What happened next can only be immortalized in haiku form:

Mike King, live your name,
glory! take that wonder tool;
don’t call “AAA”

Mike King, live your name,
King of locks that will bow down,
before your deft touch.

Mike King, live your name,
open the door to great cheers,
send us on our way.

Thanks to the heroism of Union-PSCE’s Alexandra King’s husband, we reached our beautiful residence at St. Charles Presbyterian Church and slept soundly, a rest well earned and gratefully received.

Sunday dawned bright and early, revealing clear, blue skies and sunshine enjoyed while sipping coffee from the white rocking chairs on the front porch of our residence. Relaxed and refreshed, we attended worship at St. Charles. The architecture, newly refinished less than a year ago from the Katrina damage, was exceeded only in beauty by the full orchestra and choir performing portions Rudder’s Requiem to the delight of the worshippers and the glory of God. And all God’s children said, Amen.

To bring us full circle, Duke Ellington said that one could tell the difference between good and bad music by listening closely. While we certainly do not claim to have the ear that the great Duke did, our mission team is trying to listen for the wonder of revelation in all that we do, see, and experience. We start work first thing tomorrow morning, hoping and praying for the health of our team and to have a hand in the restoration of the city and those who live here. The outreach ministry of St. Charles says it best: Rebuilding Hope in New Orleans.