those of us who flew are home. haven't heard from the driving team yet

hi everybody,

it was with heavy hearts that we left our friends in new orleans.  we always wish we could do more but we also know we did a lot.  no matter how many nails were pounded or walls were painted or drywall hung and taped we made a difference.  everyone you talk to thanks you so much for the contribution you make to getting new orleans back.  as so many have said - if they had waited for the government to do any of what we do, they would be no where near moving home.  that is what keeps me coming back and i bet that is a pretty common feeling among all of the team members.

we are all very tired and sore but uplifted.  i tell people these mission trips have been life changing for me and i truly mean it.  i get way more than i give.

friday was a half day for us and a wrap up on many projects.  i personally went with my original team and finished up a few things on malcom's house and said good bye.  that is so hard for us since we come to think of these people as our family.  working on someone's home is so personal.  after a few tears and a good luck prayer we left to join the team at trinity church where we had our candle light service.  there was a team there  all week working on the roof and we joined in doing some caulking and priming.  i got to clean upstairs of the church where there were 3 rooms each with 3 foot piles of demolition leftovers.  i admit i only got one one room done but that was a dent in the junk piles.  we finished our work week at 12 noon and went back to camp restore for a pizza party, our final bible study, and showers!  then we were on our own.  we had to pack up and clean up and get to bed early the next day.  we were on our own for dinner and many went to the quarter.  we chose to go to magazine street - the artsy area of new orleans.  we had dinner on the patio of "catch" a fairly new and wonderful restaurant.  we got quite a kick of eating outside on january 22.  most teams were back very early because we needed to be up by 4 am to pack the truck and on the road by 5ish.  we were all anxious to get on the road or on the airplane to get back to our families.

i drove down but flew back.  i was home by 11:30 this morning and while i missed m driving team i was glad i had flown because along with tee shirts and saints hats, i brought back a nasty cold as a reminder of my trip.  i feel kinda yucky and i need sleep!!!!  in my own bed

there is so much left to do down in new orleans.  there are so many homes that haven't been touched but we did notice so much progress since last year.  the lower 9th that was so bad is bustling with building and revitalization.  many homes are in the process of being built and many are occupied.  we all remarked how wonderful that was.  what a treat it has for us to be a very small part of the rebuilding efforts.  we are blessed.  many of the homes that are not touched are at the point that they may have to be pulled down and demolished.  the rot and neglect has made them very unsafe to work in much less live in ever again.  how sad.

i am ready to start planning my trip for next year (after i rest up and get over this cold).  i can't not go back.  i  love the homeowners we have worked for.  what wonderful people they are.  they are just like you and me.  they had homes and families.  jobs and cars.  kids and grandkids.  moms and dads.  brothers and sisters.  grocery stores, hospitals, churches.  in a matter of minutes that was all taken away from them.  remember - and this is a major thing to remember - it wasn't the hurricane that caused this trouble but the levees that broke and flooded over 80% of the city.  yes - they maybe should have evacuated but how could they predict the levees wouldn't hold the storm surge.  again - it wasn't the hurricane but the aftermath.  i've spent a lot of time studying the storms and the levees and the people of new orleans.  i have read almost everything i can get my hands on.  i have read the minute by minute weather alerts and warnings.  i have studied their mayor and the government in that city.  i have talked to people who lived through the storm and the surge.  i read the new orleans paper almost daily.  i have no idea how to fix new orleans, the levees, or the government, but i know that i can do something for one person at a time.  i can paint one room or clean one church room.

my homeowner is probably sleeping in his house tonight for the first time in 4 1/2 years.  yes, i think it is inadvisable to be back there. yes, i know it is no where ready for someone to move back in, but yes - i know that he probably moved his bed into one of the bedrooms before our car turned the corner on the way to trinity church.  he just wanted to "go home".  he is out of money so his house is at a stand still.  he has enough to have the plumber in to put in a toilet and a kitchen sink, probably balanced on a couple of orange crates and a sheet of plywood, but he will be "home". maybe someday he will get it all done but right now the smallest step home is the most important thing in their lives.

please keep them in your prayers.  please think about coming with us next year.  you have about 12 months to plan.

also - we give all of you a big thank you for keeping the home fires burning while we are gone.  we thank you for your prayers and encouragement.  we thank you for the warm welcomes we got when we got back.  we do love each and every one of you.

if you want some dynamite insight into our week away log on to gulfcoastmissiontrip.com and view the videos.  they are outstanding.  we thank our leader dave moll for that. also, thank you for your comments on the blog, too.  i really appreciate it.  i think the blog was my way of decompressing  at the end of the day as much as it was a way to give you a little taste of that was going on while we were gone.

we love you all.