Aimee Goldmeyer writes...
Here we are, rolling east out of New Orleans and reflecting on our experiences over the past week. If I could say one thing about the trip it would be that the storm affected people from all walks of life and there is still much work to be done before the city is fully revitalized, especially in the Ninth Ward and other areas more deeply flooded by the levee breaks two and a half years ago. No neighborhood directly affected by the floods has fully recovered and March is one of the busiest months for volunteers throughout the year.
Yesterday found us unloading cabinets for one of the houses that St. Charles Presbyterian Church and Habitat for Humanity will dedicate just a few days from now. For those in our group who started out initiating reconstruction work in the months right after the storm, wielding a paintbrush instead of hauling out people’s memories of life pre-Katrina brought a sense of joy to the occasion yesterday. The rest of us felt a sense of satisfaction in completing the tasks assigned to us to this week – painting, building a porch, making and installing window sills, cleaning out construction debris in preparation for interior work, and other jobs related to home construction.
Of course, when we drove away from Ferry Place at the end of the day, we left many tasks left undone and the Habitat crew continuing to work so the first completed homes will be ready for occupancy in the days ahead. Having just crossed the first state line on this journey home, I wonder who is out at the site now to continue the process of helping these partnered families find a place to restart and move forward to the next phase of their lives. Are they doing touch up work on the paint jobs, helping the work crew finish installing the cabinets, cleaning up the rooms, or something else I can’t think of at the moment? Whatever this new team of workers is doing continues the work we took over from the teams that blazed the way for our time in this city with its unique history and place here in the United States.
I also find myself remembering the frustration I felt earlier in the week as I watched my teammates return to the site on Wednesday morning while I recuperated from a close encounter with a motor scooter earlier in the week. Yes, that’s right – I got a little too close to a motor scooter while walking to the neighborhood park to enjoy a gorgeous Spring day, but that’s a story for another day. Seriously though, I came away with the idea that effective ministry to others requires time spent taking care of our own needs, particularly if we are ill, injured, or want to uphold the importance of Sabbath to congregation members or others we are entrusted with. This is a lesson I hope to carry with me as I get closer to fulfilling God’s call, lest I get so caught up in ministering to others that I forget to take care of myself – we are commanded to love others as we love ourselves after all. (Not to worry, I did get back out to the worksite on Wednesday and spent a couple of hours wielding a paintbrush before we quit for the day.)
The scenic route along the Gulf Coast that we just drove on added further insights to our understanding of how Katrina affected people across the region. To see the empty lots with or without foundations to remind us that someone used to live there, the random fence along the roadside, crews out working to restore or rebuild people’s homes, and other evidence of the storm’s impact helped us remember those outside New Orleans whose lives were forever changed too. Let us not forget those whose lives were changed by Katrina or another natural disaster.
As we continue our journey home, we carry with us new insights into the state of humanity, memories of the things we have accomplished and the people we have encountered on the way, and perhaps a broadened worldview that will make us better equipped for our unique ministries in the future. We look forward to sharing the rest of the story with you and continuing our journeys to become all that God has created us to be. May God go with you and with us until we are together again. See you on the flip side.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Basketball, Cats, and Service
Alex and Mike King write...
Pumped by a home win for the New Orleans Hornets against the Houston Rockets, the team came to rest with an intercessory prayer Wednesday evening. Tom the Ticket Man, a.k.a. Captain of the Golden Nugget, tied with Chris Paul for the MVP title that night and was given an honorary “two clap” affirmation by the team.
Thursday, March 20th: Unbeknownst to Hank, one of our fearless and beloved Americorps leaders at
The day was filled with a plethora of activity. While we were painting, digging post-holes, building HVAC platforms, steps, and climbing where some of us had never had climbed before (scaffolding and 6’, 8’, 16’ and 24’ ladders), relationships continued to develop through active listening. Some of us shared faith journeys, call stories, and our personal struggles with the person next to us. A greater realization of the complexity of life experiences that help shape us and a great appreciation for the one who was willing to share a glimpse of the fabric of their life began to develop, while a visible amount of progress was made on material that was being transformed into future homes for a handful of God’s children affected by the unfathomable devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
A local kitty has been dubbed Mayo Naise, affectionately dubbed for her proclivity for mayonaise sandwich scraps. Although none of us have been able to pet Mayo Naise yet, she is still, nonetheless, a welcomed face we look forward to seeing everyday. With her yellow eyes and her timid nature, she peers through the burnt rubble of a nearby home left unclaimed by a local victim. Her presence and that of a chirping bird are visible and audible reminders of the hope left in
A welcomed morning break of coffee and doughnuts was also provided by St Charles Pres. member turned gourmet volunteer chef, Jim Hobden. Additionally, since we were unaware of the forthcoming hospitality, we sent a 3-person crew into town to retrieve coffee, as well. This team would soon come to the reality that 6 hands and 20 cups of coffee were no match for the federally unfunded roads of
Sadly, we said goodbye to 5 newfound friends from
Despite our busy schedule, a few of our team members have been dedicated enough to continue (or start) their strict running programs.
We were graciously hosted by Sandra and Richard Freeman for an authentic
Our night ended with a well-suited devotion by
In Christ,
Alex and Mike King
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Bird By Bird
Katie Cashwell writes...
A few weeks before leaving for New Orleans I was at U of R listening to faith writer Anne LaMott reflect on her writing life, spirituality, grace, and an assortment of faith topics. Anne recalled a story about her younger brother having to work on a school project when they were children. Her brother had to identify dozens of birds and put together a booklet of them. In a moment of being overwhelmed with the task ahead and the huge amount of birds he had to identify, Anne's father looked at her brother and said, "Just take it bird by bird." One step at a time. One bird at a time. Bird by bird. Eventually you'll have all the birds identified.
Bird by bird is certainly the motto to live by here in post-Katrina New Orleans. The rebuilding process is slow and it requires much work and patience. There is no other way to do the work other than one day at a time, one house at a time, one paint brush stroke at a time. I remember during the year that I lived here I would finish gutting a house with a group of volunteers (the process of removing flooded and destroyed household items and then bringing down the moldy walls, "initiating reconstruction" is what Andrew and Ginny call it) and I'd walk out on the street and look to my left and look to my right, and all I could see in either direction were blocks upon blocks of flooded homes that still needed to be worked on. I would feel so frustrated and so overwhelmed. My one house gutting job seemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things. How was this city ever going to come back? How long was it going to take? How many hands touching houses were needed? Were peoples hearts really big enough to keep giving and going to New Orleans? Did homeowners and volunteers have enough patience to charge ahead and keep those hammers swinging? These were the questions I asked in 2006, and these are still the questions I ask now, two years later, as I move about this broken but beautiful city with 12 new friends.
Bird by bird seems to not only carry the answer, but the grace and the hope that New Orleans needs right now. It is going to be a long time for New Orleans to come back to its pre-Katrina days. Even then it won't be the same. But it will be done one day at a time, one prayer at a time, one nail at a time. When our group leaves two days from now our work and time here, in many ways, will be a drop in the bucket of rebuilding. But it is a drop. It is one more bird identified. Overtime enough drops and enough birds identified will fill up that bucket and finish that project. Another group will come after us next week and add their drop and identify their birds. They will add their paints and their nails, their trim work and their sanding, to ours. So perhaps it is in filling the bucket and identifying the birds that defines what the Body of Christ is in New Orleans right now.
Oscar Romero (Catholic archbishop who was assassinated in El Salvador during a mass service) captures this "bird by bird" idea quite well in his prayer, Prophets of A Future Not Our Own. So I will leave you all with his words. Peace and love from the bayou!
A few weeks before leaving for New Orleans I was at U of R listening to faith writer Anne LaMott reflect on her writing life, spirituality, grace, and an assortment of faith topics. Anne recalled a story about her younger brother having to work on a school project when they were children. Her brother had to identify dozens of birds and put together a booklet of them. In a moment of being overwhelmed with the task ahead and the huge amount of birds he had to identify, Anne's father looked at her brother and said, "Just take it bird by bird." One step at a time. One bird at a time. Bird by bird. Eventually you'll have all the birds identified.
Bird by bird is certainly the motto to live by here in post-Katrina New Orleans. The rebuilding process is slow and it requires much work and patience. There is no other way to do the work other than one day at a time, one house at a time, one paint brush stroke at a time. I remember during the year that I lived here I would finish gutting a house with a group of volunteers (the process of removing flooded and destroyed household items and then bringing down the moldy walls, "initiating reconstruction" is what Andrew and Ginny call it) and I'd walk out on the street and look to my left and look to my right, and all I could see in either direction were blocks upon blocks of flooded homes that still needed to be worked on. I would feel so frustrated and so overwhelmed. My one house gutting job seemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things. How was this city ever going to come back? How long was it going to take? How many hands touching houses were needed? Were peoples hearts really big enough to keep giving and going to New Orleans? Did homeowners and volunteers have enough patience to charge ahead and keep those hammers swinging? These were the questions I asked in 2006, and these are still the questions I ask now, two years later, as I move about this broken but beautiful city with 12 new friends.
Bird by bird seems to not only carry the answer, but the grace and the hope that New Orleans needs right now. It is going to be a long time for New Orleans to come back to its pre-Katrina days. Even then it won't be the same. But it will be done one day at a time, one prayer at a time, one nail at a time. When our group leaves two days from now our work and time here, in many ways, will be a drop in the bucket of rebuilding. But it is a drop. It is one more bird identified. Overtime enough drops and enough birds identified will fill up that bucket and finish that project. Another group will come after us next week and add their drop and identify their birds. They will add their paints and their nails, their trim work and their sanding, to ours. So perhaps it is in filling the bucket and identifying the birds that defines what the Body of Christ is in New Orleans right now.
Oscar Romero (Catholic archbishop who was assassinated in El Salvador during a mass service) captures this "bird by bird" idea quite well in his prayer, Prophets of A Future Not Our Own. So I will leave you all with his words. Peace and love from the bayou!
It helps now and then to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a small fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about: We plant the seeds that will one day grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it well. It may be incomplete but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
If I were a carpenter...
Jessi Bullard writes:
As I’m giggling to myself about Mercedes ‘neutral’ colors and picking dried spots of paint of this first shade of pink from my forearm, I see that it’s made a design because the paint came first and the sunburn came second. After utilizing the sand on my face as an exfoliating scrub, I look down and realize that those chunks of wood?!? and pieces of earth were not in the shower before I was. This reminds me of the sign that hangs on the door to the entrance to the showers/laundry room, “Please remove all nails, screws, etc. from pockets before washing”. Another reminder of where I am and why I am (where I am). All these little pangs feel so good. My hand shaking from exhaustion, while just trying to open a shampoo bottle, reminds me. It reminds me why my hand is shaking. My hand is shaking because I hammered nails. I hammered nails to secure a roof to its frame. This process is called, “hurricane proofing’. Hurricane proofing. Yet another reminder of where I am and why I am (where I am).
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Ferry Place
Nancy Wazenegger writes
I certainly am lucky that I am on a trip with such tech savvy people but this blogging thing is beyond me but here goes…
Today was the first day on the Habitat for Humanity sight, a road name
We did get a lot accomplished today-painting, cleaning out houses after subcontractors have done their jobs, pulling nails out of salvageable wood, stapling mesh under insulation to keep the insulation in place under the houses (I think that I have finally mastered this one), and even some placement of siding. One of my favorite memories from the day was working alongside Mercedes. Mercedes lived in the lower 9th ward with her daughter prior to Katrina. She evacuated to
By 2:30 we began cleaning up tools and materials and were eager to hit the showers. We were a very tired crew but I am sure that we will wake tomorrow eager once again. I look forward to learning a lot more about construction and my fellow teammates on the trip. This has been an experience I will not forget and am so glad that I have been able to meet some of the
Kids and Leprechauns
Christina Evans writes:
“Oh NO we have a problem: The Leprechauns are in the trees”
Our St. Patrick’s Day Monday morning began with quite a treat. We had the chance to go back to the care free and energetic days of elementary school at
Some of us were fortunate enough to hang out with the first and second graders on the playground. They were AWESOME! First off you know you are living life right when running around the playground in circles with 10 of your closest friends is considered class credit. However, it was not simply tag, kickball, and football tossing that we observed-no we had front row seats to a well organized highly sophisticated Leprechaun hunt. While building a basketball shelf Ginny, Andrew and Christina suddenly realized a hush and whispering little voices around the flower pot to the right of the playground. Six boys and girls from the kindergarten class were intensely hunched over a pot of pansies. The leader of the group reminded them to whisper and listen. We too tried to listen….but for what? Minutes later a little girl came running up suggesting Debbie heard tiny footsteps. The running and searching continued: in the slide, over the bench, beyond the mural, on the basketball court. Suddenly the charismatic leader ran back to playground where his search team was hard at work and with great sincerity and authority pronounced: “LISTEN! We have a problem: the Leprechauns are in the trees!” The search subsided, but the playing raged on and our joyful laughter ensued.
Beyond the hilarity of searching for little green people carrying pots of gold, we saw the amazing intelligence and beauty of spirit in these kids. While painting one of our group members warned his second grade friend about playing with the paint brush and getting paint on his clothes. Moments later after not heeding the warning the boy was left with paint on his shirt and our team member lovingly joked with him about it, which unfortunately caused him to break out into tears. Filled with contrition our team member tried to apologize and while doing so the little boy’s friend came to his defense. This other second grade boy approached an adult he didn’t know and calmly but firmly said “You know you hurt his feelings and you need to apologize. You should make it right. You should always do the right thing man.”
It was said in devotion Monday night that it is clear that those children are incredibly loved. This was evident in the joyful energy the kids exuded on the playground, the sincerity of their interest in new visitors at their school, the post Katrina art therapy program, the energy of the French immersion classes, the warm and the dedicated staff.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Tour of the City
Charles Young Writes:
Monday afternoon, the group of us, along with a group from PDA, were given a great tour of New Orleans by two very knowledgeable and skilled locals from St. Charles Ave. Presbyterian Church. It was a long, but very exciting and educational van ride. We were able to tour the different parts of the city that were damaged by Katrina, learn some history of the city of New Orleans and learn our way around a bit too. All but three of us piled in the first van, and the others went with the PDA group. We were able to see the lower ninth ward, upper ninth ward, the seventeenth street canal, the city park (designed by the same person as Central Park and twice the size), the sliver by the river, Tulane University, Loyola University, and many other sites, as well as
Many of us were amazed by the overwhelming evidence of destruction and stories of clean-up after the storm. It was stressed by the guide that Katrina was an “equal opportunity storm,” bringing flooding and destruction to all people, no matter of race, income, etc. This part was true, but our group also noticed the disparity and the recovery time for the “haves” and “have nots” did not seem equal. It seems like people who had the resources to return and rebuild have been able to return more quickly, and people who did not have the resources to return have been less able to come back to their homes. As we drove through neighborhoods with torn down and abandoned houses, it seemed like evidence of a former time, before the world changed, and we could not help but wonder where these people are, what they are doing, and how many people want to or are planning to return when they are able.
Monday afternoon, the group of us, along with a group from PDA, were given a great tour of New Orleans by two very knowledgeable and skilled locals from St. Charles Ave. Presbyterian Church. It was a long, but very exciting and educational van ride. We were able to tour the different parts of the city that were damaged by Katrina, learn some history of the city of New Orleans and learn our way around a bit too. All but three of us piled in the first van, and the others went with the PDA group. We were able to see the lower ninth ward, upper ninth ward, the seventeenth street canal, the city park (designed by the same person as Central Park and twice the size), the sliver by the river, Tulane University, Loyola University, and many other sites, as well as
Many of us were amazed by the overwhelming evidence of destruction and stories of clean-up after the storm. It was stressed by the guide that Katrina was an “equal opportunity storm,” bringing flooding and destruction to all people, no matter of race, income, etc. This part was true, but our group also noticed the disparity and the recovery time for the “haves” and “have nots” did not seem equal. It seems like people who had the resources to return and rebuild have been able to return more quickly, and people who did not have the resources to return have been less able to come back to their homes. As we drove through neighborhoods with torn down and abandoned houses, it seemed like evidence of a former time, before the world changed, and we could not help but wonder where these people are, what they are doing, and how many people want to or are planning to return when they are able.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
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.
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.
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