First Day in New Orleans

We arrived early this morning (8:30am, local time) in New Orleans. Everything on the travel down went flawlessly.
We spend the morning getting situated and then tried to spend some time in New Orleans, but it was pouring rain, so we headed over to the site of our swamp tour, which was in the bayous. The tour was great, and we'll post some videos of alligators and photos of the kids holding a baby alligator tomorrow when we have more access (right now I'm writing from a public computer at the Y where we are staying). The kids had a great time and we say some of the most beautiful and spectacular natural scenery...
We're back at the Y, waiting for our BBQ and the kids are hanging out in the pool and fitness center here at the Y. We worship tomorrow at St. Charles Presbyterian Church www.scapc.org

Everyone we have encountered today, from the woman behind the counter at Enterprise Rent-a-Car to the guy at the bayou say to us "thank you" for coming here to help rebuild their community. We have not yet even started our work, yet are already experiencing gratitude and Southern hospitality. We have seen a bit of the devastation that Katrina left in the bayous, tomorrow the kids will see New Orleans and the coastline of Mississippi and begin to see what is ahead for them in work and service.

Yesterday I spoke to Irene and Ed who head up the D'Iberville foundation we'll be serving. They said that most of the people we will be serving are elderly and disabled, those who were already "marginal" before the hurricanes and now live lives even more precariously on the edge....

We are all excited about the richness of experience and spiritual growth that awaits each of us in this place...

Shannan

Devotions...

We'll be sharing devotional time on our trip in the morning and mid-day using devotional cards that we have made for our use on the trip. The front side is a scripture reading and the back side is a quote with a question for reflection. We'll be posting these as well up on the blog so that those reading can follow along with us....Our evening devotions will be shared with everyone who is serving in D'Iberville and Thursday night of the trip we will have a worship service together.
These are our devotions for the first day of our trip...

Saturday June 30, 2007
Morning Devotion
God turned rivers into wasteland, springs of water into sunbaked mud; luscious orchards became alkali flats because of the evil of the people who lived there. Then he changed wasteland into fresh pools of water, arid earth into springs of water, Brought in the hungry and settled them there; they moved in—what a great place to live! They sowed the fields, they planted vineyards, they reaped a bountiful harvest. He blessed them and they prospered greatly; their herds of cattle never decreased. But abuse and evil and trouble declined as he heaped scorn on princes and sent them away. He gave the poor a safe place to live, treated their clans like well-cared-for sheep. Good people see this and are glad; bad people are speechless, stopped in their tracks. If you are really wise, you'll think this over—it's time you appreciated God's deep love. Psalm 107: 25-43

Saturday June 30, 2007
Morning Devotion“You will have found Christ when you are concerned with other people’s sufferings and not your own.” -Flannery O’Connor
Q: We are on this trip to “be there” for other people who have suffered. But we all suffer in one way or another; we all have our issues and problems. How can this trip be a time of healing for you? As we travel today to New Orleans reflect on your life as it is right now. Ask God to use your energy in healing the suffering of others and in doing so, anything of your own that you have…


Saturday June 30, 2007
Evening Devotion
In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. Ephesians 4: 1-6

Saturday June 30, 2007
Evening Devotion
“Prayer is the bridge between our conscious and unconscious lives. Often there is a large abyss between our thoughts, words, and actions, and the many images that emerge in our daydreams and night dreams. To pray is to connect these two sides of our lives by going to the place where God dwells.” -Henri Nouwen
Q: As we begin this mission experience together what are your dreams and nightmares? How can you share these with God in prayer?

Getting Ready to Go....

On June 9th one of the elders at the Rumson Church led the youth (and the adults too!) through a dry-walling class in the church parking lot. Bob taught us how to measure, cut, spackle, and install drywall. It was a great day and at the end of the day we all signed the wall we built.







Our final project...the leaders in D'iberville told us to practice drywalling because we will be doing a lot of this on our trip...so we are now ready!