NOLA

Okay, so clearly I have been slacking on posting about our New Orleans trip. I have decided to just post some highlights instead of posting about every day...because I can't exactly remember what happened on which day now :-)


Some highlights from playing with the kids in the projects:

A little girl was asking us where we were from and when a team member answered "California" she responded with, "Oh, is that where all white people come from??"

On the first day we arrived to the projects one little girl, about 10 years old, spotted one of our male team members and was determined to make him her best friend. The little girl played with our team member all day and eagerly awaited his arrival on the second day. When we finally arrived on the second day she presented letters, poems and pictures to our team member. We teased him about his new girl friend but were really touched when he read her letter and it stated that no one ever played with her because she was the fat, ugly girl. Our team member was committed to making sure she got all the attention she deserved and it was wonderful. They even went on a picnic together in the projects.

Some highlights from demolition:
We got to demolition a whole apartment complex rather than a house.

The apartment complex owner also owned a doughnut shop so we got free doughnuts in the morning!

Our work on the apartment complex will not only give homes back to families but will also give a means of income back to a family.

Street Ministry Highlight:
We met a husband and wife that survived Hurricane Katrina. When the hurricane hit and the water rose in New Orleans he swam 2 miles with his wife on his back. They left their house with only his wallet, which the wife held in her mouth, and a Bible.

Random Highlights:
Jenna almost beat everyone during a Speed Tournament..after she pretended she had never played before.


We went to a swamp area and got to see alligators and it was sweet!

Matt and some other guys from the team saw a brutal beating and called the cops while in hot pursuit of the suspects.

The upstairs toilet overflowed and leaked through the ceiling of the first floor and Matt just happened to be standing under it...and this happens...Matt gets peed on during a game of Mafia.

Mission Trip Flexibility Moment:
We planned on going to church one night...and had even prepared...we were dressed and ready to go when our YWAM leader showed up to tell us the church service was the night before. Oh, by the way, this is after he checked the website earlier that day to see what time the service was at!