YOUTH

ELCA National Gathering Update from Lois

Thank you everyone for your enthusiastic support of the Youth bake sale.  With the sale and last minute donations to the 144 Envelope program, we received just over $1,000.00.  Last minute cans & bottles redemption added to $100.  An additional gift form the Emmaus Foundation brought the total to $1400.  One more very large thank you as we set out on our adventure

Reporting in for Tuesday, July 21

We got off to a great (ha!) start this morning. The bus that was supposed to take us to Portland was over an hour late picking us up at Central.  So, of course that got us to Portland airport an hour later that we had planned.  And of course, by then the check in line at Southwest was a million miles long.  (Actually, we got our luggage checked and our boarding passes in about 45 minutes.)  After running through the security, we did make it to the gate, some of us with minutes to spare!  

Well, next stop was Chicago, where some people got off and more got on, while we stayed on the plane and moved into different seats.  Next stop, Nashville, where we changed planes after finally having an opportunity to get something to eat.  All the planes were filled to capacity, which led to some interesting conversations with seat mates.

Got to New Orleans at 5:15; got our bus to bring us from the airport to the hotel (we had an driver regale us with all sorts of trivia on the ride); checked in the hotel; had some dinner at the "Crested Parrot'; and now, 11:00 p.m. New Orleans time, we are all heading for bed.  

The plan tomorrow is to do some sightseeing before we attend the opening session.  Tell you all about it then.  

Lois

 

Wednesday, July 22

Our day began with a boat ride up the Mississippi.  Even with the noise of the people and the noise of the boat, the river seemed very quiet.  We had a buffet lunch on the boat that included red beans and rice--a good New Orleans meal.  Following that, we joined Central for a bus tour of the city.  We learned about the history of New Orleans, about the cemetaries, and lots about Katrina and its aftermath.  Two & a half hours of information to process!!  

The evening worship session is held in the Superdome, or as the airport bus driver called it, the Alien Space ship.  Two speakers shared their stories.  One works here in the St Bernard Parish to rebuild houses and bring people home.  The other works at providing schools and medical help throughout Africa.  Great music began and ended the sessions.

Tomorrow is our service project.  We have to be at the launch site by 7:00 a.m. for training before we head out somewhere to help local children in some reading projects.  We also will be donating the books that we brought.  I'll let you know exactly what we did tomorrow.  In the afternoon we'll spend some more time exploring this great city before we head for another Superdome evening program.  

Keep us in your prayers.  It's hot and humid and everyone is still tired and the place is just full of people--many of them wearing Jesus, Justice, Jazz t shirts!

Lois  

 

Thursday, July 23

What a day!  We began the morning at 6:00 a.m. with breakfast and then headed over to the Convention Center for an orientation meeting.  Then we joined three other churches at Lincoln Elementary School in Jefferson Parish for a morning of reading and writing with 1st & 2nd grade students.  Watching our kids interact with the children was an absolute joy.  And, boy, were the children entertaining.  I am so glad that we had the opportunity to take part in this particular series of service projects and were able to participate on the first day.  

We chose to sit on the floor of the dome for the evening session.  It took a lot of effort and coordination, so we might not try it again.  But it was fun to be involved in the conga line and the high fives.  The three speakers focused on how God's love can change lives-both ours and the lives of others.

Lois

 

Friday, July 24

Well, the day was not quite as hectic today.  We didn't have to be at the Convention Center until the late, late hour of 9:00 a.m.  That's where we went to spend several hours exploring God's word in workshops and other forms of interactive learning.  You'll have to ask the kids to share their learning experiences with you when we have our celebration get together which will happen sometime in early fall.  Then, lunch at Mother's!  O boy, talk about great food.  Po' boys of all varieties (Gary had the soft shell crab po' boy) and bread pudding to die for.  After lunch we split up as many of the group wanted to go shopping and some decided a quiet afternoon in the hotel was much more important.

Tonight's speakers shared the challenges they faced in their lives.  The first had lost both legs to disease by the time he was five.  The second one had been kidnapped to serve as a child soldier in Uganda.  Very intriguing and challenging stories.  

Tomorrow's day at the Interaction Center begins at 10:00!  Yeah!  (Sunday, though we need to be packed and ready to leave the hotel before we head to the Superdome for closing worship that begins at 9:00.)  I'll have lots more information about the Interactive Center tomorrow night.  

Thank you for your continuing prayers.

 

Saturday, July 25

Our Saturday schedule began a little later than previous days.  We didn't have to be at the Interaction Center until 10 a.m!  The Interaction Center had a lot of activities and a variety of information available.  People put health & school kits together.  Although none of our kids participated there were opportunities to give blood and and hair.  (Yes, you could get your hair cut for Locks of Love.)  The Center was also where we turned in our donations for Change for Change-a challenge to help raise 1 millions dollars for ELCA Hunger Appeal.  Each one of us had brought our own individual offering for the program.

Following the morning at the Interaction Center we split into two groups.  Some went on a walking tour of the French Quarter--shopping and enjoying the sights.  The others rode a ferry across the river to a part of New Orleans known as Algiers.  It is one of the oldest parts of New Orleans and had not been damaged by the floods of Katrina.  We enjoyed the old buildings and the friendliness of the residents. 

Evening speakers included Portland author, (Blue Like Jazz) Donald Miller.  The evening band was a group called the Katinas.  After evening devotions, we packed in preparation for Sunday and headed for bed. 

 

Sunday, July 26

Bishop Mark Hanson was the preacher at Sunday worship.  The visuals incorporated in the service were also very effective.  Two table tops set on saw horses created the altar which was surrounded by a variety of tools that had been used in some of the service projects.   I'm not sure how many stations were set up for communion, but it only took about 20 minutes to serve all 36,000 people!  

We ended our time in New Orleans with a jazz brunch at Court of Two Sisters.  Right in the middle of the meal, a thunderstorm hit, so we had to adjust the umbrellas and the chairs before we could finish eating.  (Yes, we were outside.)  The food was so good, though, that we kept eating between raindrops.  Of course the rain continued all afternoon, se we were quite wet by the time we walked to the bus that brought us here to Bay St. Louis. 

And now we are in Mississippi for the rest of our time.  Tomorrow morning we will find out exactly where we will be working and on what.  There was a little bit of a mix up with communication, so we are borrowing towels and sheets from previous volunteers here at Mission on the Bay.  We'll let you know how well we survive.

Again, please keep us in your prayers.  People are tired which can lead to short tempers.  Ask God to keep us energized and at peace with one another.

Lois

 

Monday, July 27

Our first day in Mississippi.  Our group was divided into two.  The seven boys went with Wayne to build a shed, dig a trench and do some electric work if Wayne thought it was feasible.  I think they got the shed done; the rest will be completed tomorrow.  The rest of the group was scheduled to paint a cemetery fence, but we got stuck in a down pour so we stayed at the camp and stripped insulation off of copper wiring.  They will be selling the copper to help raise money for this program.  (One of our kids suggested that it might be a way for Emmaus to raise money for the next mission trip!)  The  project managers here try to recycle or reuse as much as they can.  

We didn't have chores tonight.  Tomorrow and Wednesday we are in charge of picking up the evening meal, setting up the supplies for dinner and cleaning up afterwards.  Everyone was glad that we aren't scheduled for bathroom duty!  

Dinner is in about half an hour-  worship is scheduled for 7:30 and lights out at 10:30.  I think this is another night when everyone will fall asleep quickly!

Lois

 

 

Tuesday, July 28

Another day of work in hot, humid weather.  Wayne's group continued to work on the shed.  The family that lives in the house is very excited to have the team out there.  Nanci & I took a group to another volunteer facility where we helped move signs, wood, chairs, and all sorts of other stuff.  Back at the camp now and expecting another thunder and rain storm.  I've heard it's hot in Oregon, too, but right now I think I'd like the hot you have versus the hot that is here.  Give me the weather in the Pacific Northwest any time.  One more day and then we're heading home.  Lois   

 

Wednesday, July 29

Well, our time in Mississippi is coming to a close.  Wayne and his team completed the work they were doing and Willie (the homeowner) treated them to a home cooked lunch.  Wayne says its the best meal he has had the entire time and one of the boys just said that "Willie is an awesome cook."  The team with Nanci & I completed building the cardboard recycle box and we moved about 75 mattresses from a volunteer facility that is shutting down to the one that will continue operating.  This has been an eye-opening experience.  Some people don't want to talk about Katrina, but most are willing to share their stories.  And the variety in the stories is mind boggling.  Thank you all for your support to get us here and for your prayer support while we were here.  Watch for information about our sharing and celebration get together, probably in early September.

Lois