An Open Door...

Thursday, July 23...Youth Mission Trip at Sager Brown Depot

    I'm not always able to post here in Lousiana...sorry about that. Yesterday we helped hand out 625 food boxes which Catholic Services coordinates monthly for the people who qualify.  We worked in the Depot verifying School Kits and those with muscles helped move furniture at Chez Hope a place where victims of domestic violence can go to be safe and to start their lives over.

    Today, we went to a home that belongs to Chez Hope and put down vinyl tiles on the floors in all the rooms.  A woman and her children hope to move in over the weekend. They were excited that we had finished it today.  We have worship tonight with the other group from Norcross UMC and the Depot staff.  As the body of Christ we will celebrate communion together on this last night.  See y'all tomorrow night!

Tuesday, July 21...Youth Mission Trip...Sager Brown Depot

  Yesterday, Monday, we worked here at the Depot warehouse in Baldwin, LA. We unloaded a truck from another area of the country which had flood buckets in it.  Then, we made some flood buckets until the clothes pins ran out!  Then, we unpacked school kits and health kits from the boxes churches had sent them in and transferred them to large bins where they will be verified one last time before they ship out to be given away to those who need them.  There are large fans in the Depot warehouse, but with the heat of July, we were all dripping by the time we finished in the late afternoon.

    Today, we painted a house for a woman.  People who want work teams to come in and do home repair must apply and meet certain criteria. The house we painted belonged to a woman who is currently undergoing chemo treatments. We started in the morning with a break for lunch. We finished the house in the afternoon. Yea! All the youth are working hard...you would be proud of them...I know I am. Thank you for your prayers...

 

Sunday, July 19th...We've arrived...UMCOR Depot, Baldwin, LA

    This morning, we attended worship at Rayne United Methodist Church in New Orleans. The Reverend Callie Crawford made us feel so welcome as well as many members of the congregations. We've met several true southern gentlemen and southern belles!   The picture is the altar table set for the communion we shared with the stained glass cross in the background. One gentleman gave us an important safety tip: if an alligator chases you, do not run in a straight path...turn...the alligator can't easily turn!

    After church, we loaded the two vans we are renting and drove around in some of the areas in the 9th ward that still have not recovered from Hurricane Katrina.  We had a wonderful lunch together  at Felipe's Mexican restaurant.  

    We arrived at the Sager Brown Depot around 3:00 p.m.  We are staying in dorm rooms in this building.  The rooms are simple and nice.  We have air conditioning ...  yea!