2013 NOLA Mission Trip Day 3

Work day 3 went well, we arrived plenty early to the Yuan house on Marigny Street. 

I will post the family story below. 

Austin pulled another shift of mowing, so again-you won't see him in photos. 

We finished up on the metal corner bead for doorways, and drywalled in the last wall. Barb Kinder came with us to the house today. Roberta Humphries, Leah Denby and Amy Brookover are working for the St Bernard Project warehouse. 

We headed out a little early from the site to go to a "Welcome Home" party for some SBP homeowners. The Lennox family had been waiting 8 years for their home to be rebuilt. They were fortunate that his father lived around the corner from them, and they all moved in together. 

The neighborhood was heavily damaged by Katrina, with 11 feet of water rushing in when the levees broke. The abandoned and damaged homes are considered "blight", with the city estimating 35-40,000 still existing. We have seen so many. 

If you look closely, you can still see the x and markings from when they checked homes for survivors, deceased, or electrical/gas issues. 

Following the party, we took the scenic route back and saw the oldest black subdivision in America-some truly amazing homes!

Lunch was delicious, ham sandwiches are the best when you've been working hard. We showered, but part of our group went to paint a house in the neighborhood. Yellow with red trim. :/ only in New Orleans! 

The girls hung out in the sleeping room, had some good bonding time and laughed a lot! Rachael and Kate modeled for us, and Maddy and I had some good quiet chat time. 

When the paint crew returned, we headed down to the ferry area, where there was a small festival. Vendors, food and a three piece band. Sax, piano and drummer. We walked the levee, and had some great photo ops. 

There was delicious food, which many said was their "high" when we shared "Hi-Lo" time. 

Church time is when we sit down as a group and talk about the day, our experiences and what we need to be thinking about. Dave and Chip both pointed to the day a their "low", because the trip is more than half over. We all love working together, and Max shared how impressed he is with the lack of conflict in this group. We have had a great time. 

Worship tonight was very touching, as the speaker was discussing the things she has survived, and in the "Full Armor of God" theme, discussed the helmet of God, and protecting your thoughts. 

I often allow negative thoughts to invade my mind, and this was a good lesson for me in terms of not allowing those thoughts to destroy my peace. 

We have a full day tomorrow, and I will keep you posted on our work!

Blessings!

Audra

2013 NOLA Mission Trip Day Two

Whew. Okay, day two was a little rough. Literally. Hanging replacement drywall is often complicated for experts, but when you add in youth and inexperience--well, you understand. So, we power-tooled through and moved on!  

We have been working shifts this week, and we are mornings. If you know Dave, you understand how hard this is, and if you know me, it's not. :) the kids are all taking it is stride. Austin has moved over to a lawn crew apart from Centenary, and feels very empowered in his experience with mowing this summer. We miss him, but mission is about growing and we are growing to appreciate him more in his absence. 

The girls worked on "mudding" drywall seams yesterday, while the boys and Anissa tackled that pesky drywall. 

I got to do a little special corner correction, where drywall was crunched and needed to be cut out and patched with 45-min mud. It suited my OCD learned behavior, thanks Pop. 

We have a great site manager, Meg. She's great with the kids, lots of positive reinforcement. We have been fortunate this year--no drama--and no tears, yet. It will come, but maybe in worship, rather than on site. 

Did I mention that we have our own port-o-potty? Yeah, God is good. 

Blessings!

2013 NOLA Mission Trip-Day 1

Today was the first day of our New Orleans Mission Trip for the Centenary United Methodist Church Youth Group. 

They are all doing fantastic! We start early, as in get up at 5am, early. But there were no complaints. As we are working for the St Bernard Project, we work split shifts, and we are 7a-1p. This is a super short workday for us, as we are accustomed to working 8-4, but we got a 2 hour nap today! Woo hoo!

The youth were very excited and enthusiastic, and got straight to work on drywall prep work for tape and float, which we will do tomorrow. 

The SBP Americorp worker said we were the best crew she has had in 10 months of service! This is such a blessing for Dave, as we know how great all these kids are, so to hear it confirmed by a stranger is a great affirmation that the work is does is truly spirit les and spirit filled. 

Thanks to all who are sponsoring us and supporting us. There is more to come!

Stay tuned!

Living in Small Town America

This morning, Trini and I went for a walk downtown. She is up for going anywhere, and so I chose to walk down toward the sun-and you can see the river over the flood wall. Seeing the renovation of the Broadway Corridor and all the little businesses give me such an appreciation for what the town is trying to do-improve an area that was forgotten. 

Downtown has a lot of broken down buildings, closed restaurants and merchants. There is a lot left to be done. Bringing in a casino was only the beginning, Cape Girardeau needs investors and people to run new restaurants and businesses. So how does that happen? I don't know the answers, but I want to see this town succeed. 

I watched the town my mother grew up in die. It was tiny, but still, when you see your church shut down, it breaks your heart. The gas station I spent summers getting a coke from, and ate burgers there in high school-it burned down a few years ago. There's no grocery store and and I found out recently that my grandmother's house is gone, as Miranda says "the house that built me". 

I digress. 

This small town still has life. And it's really not that small, there is a major university here. Well, at least I think it's major. Eleven thousand students is nothing to scoff at, and my walk this morning confirms that there is a spirit of America here. Want to see?

It's a nice place. And as for the truly American feel?  Well, here it is...

Yeah. That's a deer. Riding a bike. In a wedding gown. 

Small towns can be fun, too. 

"Keep Cape Weird"? Well, not as catchy as the original Austin phrase, but it will do. 

Prayers at 5am. Prayers for sisters.

It's 4:45am. I don't need to be awake, but I am. I spent 30 minutes in a courtroom yesterday while a man was sentenced for killing his wife. Clay Waller killed Jacque Waller in a fit of rage, but he had predug the whole to bury her. It was her sister Cheryl who made the greatest impression on me. She got up and spoke about how wonderful her sister was, and how sad they all were to have lost her. My heart was saddened for her, as she talked of raising Jacque's children. 

I woke up because my own family is out of town, and I was anticipating a text when they arrived at their destination. My head and heart are still swimming in the details of the Waller case. When I checked my phone, I decided to go ahead and read the Upperroom devotional. 

Today's scripture was:  Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2 (CEB)

The writer spoke of siblings lost to death, and how those left behind are comforted-seeing God directly through the love and support of others. It goes without saying that many have supported Jacque's family, but I couldn't help but see her sister's pain in the text.  

My prayer today is for Cheryl Brenneke. Her loss is deep and sorrowful. And I pray that she feels the love and support of her friends and family during this sad conclusion to a two year long ordeal. An ordeal that is long from over, as she raises her sister's triplets. 

 My prayer is for the Rawson sisters. Rest in peace Jacque, and live in peace Cheryl. 

SUNDAY DINNER

It ain't lunch on Sunday...
After worship today, as we were gearing up for the first NASCAR race, I decided to make dinner. Knowing we were out of propane for the grill, I decided to try the meatloaf in muffin tins that I had seen on Pinterest. I had thawed patties, so I broke them in half and put them in metal cups. It left a hollow cup that I filled with picante sauce.
I had one leftover patty, and split it to create caps for them and then topped with BBQ sauce.
Baked at 400 for 30 min or so, and voila!
My spin on easy meatloaf, with whatever is handy!
Enjoy!
BTW, thoroughly enjoyed Junior finishing second with no wrecks! Go 88!

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT REIGNS

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT REIGNS SUPREME-DECEMBER 5, 2012

Today on HLN, I saw a story about a veteran who paid the electric bills of several people in line behind him at the power company where he was from (I at first thought they meant a veterinarian-silly me).  The man said that he had been homeless just the day before.

I shopped with baby girl yesterday for our Angel Tree gifts, two young people wanted simple gifts-boots for the girl and a gaming store gift card for the boy.  While I was out shopping earlier in the day, I overheard a man say that he "sadly needed to buy a Cape Central sweatshirt".  He revealed that he too was shopping for an Angel Tree child.  I politely tried to eavesdrop as to why he said "sadly".  Turns out, his kids attend Notre Dame, the regional Catholic high school.  It was then that I rudely laughed out loud, turned to him and rudely said "Glad you are able to lower yourself."  I wasn't feeling his pain, as my poor little tropical storms very proudly attend Cape Central High School.

But the truly important part of the story isn't my rudeness or his pride, but rather that we both had taken it upon ourselves to shop for someone else for Christmas.

For the past 5 years, Mr. Hurricane, the little tropical storms and I have participated in The Advent Conspiracy-a program to encourage families to give each other homemade, handmade, or other such gifts, and then take the money that they would have budgeted and give it to charity.  This year, we have opted to give through the Angel Tree program, and are actually buying gifts for the little tropical storms too.  Either way, we are giving more than we ever have.  Perhaps it is a trend everywhere?  We hope so.

If you would like more info on The Advent Conspiracy, go to their website:  www.adventconspiracy.org

                                

Happy Giving!