LCR Disaster Relief

End of the week

2010-11-12T20:22:00.002-05:00

It is the end of the week.

Our work these five days is done.

Years of work remains for those that stay and live in New Orleans.

It is now time to go home to our families and the work we have in and out of the home.

This week, this 7th mission trip to New Orleans for LCR, has again taught us a lesson:

"It is times like these that you learn to live again

It is times like these that you give and give again

It is times like these that you learn to love again

It is times like these time and time again."**

Every trip we learn and realize something new. Our work, our time, our decision to be here together has changed our perspective, has changed us. We have been shown that the way we were living needs to change, how we give needs to change, how we love each other has changed and that, again, we have answered God's commandment to love our neighbor as God loves us. I expect that the 8th trip to be no different.

So long from Slidell, LA and Peace Lutheran Church.

Love,

Jason, Ken, Dave, Chris, Dave, Mark, Jerry, Jack, Matt, Larry and Jerry

** "Time Like These" by the Foo Fighters

Ribbon Cutting

2010-11-12T00:26:00.004-05:00

Today we were able to experience a "ribbon cutting", which is a ceremony officially completing a project that turns over a house to the recipients. Today was also Veterans Day and the Secretary of Energy did some "mudding" and was able to see the ribbon cutting. He spoke along with others about the work that is occurring in New Orleans. One of those asked to speak was the home owner. I apologize for not remembering her name but she stated that she liked to sing and invited us all to sing the following:

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

What hit me in this song is the following: "America! America! God shed his grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood".

I have been working with the same family all week and have had the chance to get to know and love them. I am not going to get a chance to see their ribbon cutting which should occur in the next month and a half but I could imagine it with today's festivities. So much happiness and love and joy between everyone that one family is resurrected, all manifested in one song.

Today we had all of th St. Bernard Project staff and volunteers, the Secretary of Energy, United Way representatives, the home owners and veterans volunteering with St. Bernard Project and from the area celebrating the resurrection of a new home and family.

We are America; we are God blessed; we are a brotherhood; Today I saw God's work manifested in a single house, made real by a song. Tomorrow it will occur again by me picking up the paster, bucket, and mud and continuing that work which I am called. Whether we are working in Gods master plan for New Orleans or in Cincinnati or Youngstown or abroad; we are all God's children, one brotherhood, doing our best from sae to shining sea.

light and darkness

2010-11-10T20:41:00.004-05:00

Tonight we gathered for worship with Pastor Barb of Peace Lutheran. We followed the Evening Vespers service with Communion service included. The evening service in the "cranberry" book spoke to the Light and the Darkness.

A couple blog posts ago, I spoke to the light and the darkness. How, we coming to New Orleans and working, doing what we can, are bringing the light back to New Orleans. Last night we talk about how much work remains and that we won't get a chance to see the end product. If you think about God as the master foreman, we each are doing the step in his master project plan to restore full light and resurrection to New Orleans. Sometimes, I feel like all the work I do is a single stroke of a paint brush to restore the picture of creation of this city and surrounding community.

Here is Jason stapling wire. Jason has been on electric work all week. Jason can actually say he has brought light to the houses he has touched.

2010-11-10T08:34:00.004-05:00

Morning of the third day, some of us are off for new work assignments, others to finish what they started.

Fellowship last night was great! Seafood and beer at Camilla's:

from the bottom left: Mark, Larry, Dave,

Ken, Matt, Jason, Jerry, Jerry, Chris, Dave Jack

What is love

2010-11-09T18:41:00.004-05:00

Many on mission trips we are told to keep an eye out for Jesus in those we are helping, the needy. I have found Jesus in those I work for, the long term volunteers, representing Jesus with a compassionate heart that can't turn away from helping those in need. Today I saw someone looking at me and my friends as Jesus. The couple we are working for are so thankful we are there and working that they made us lunch. We say in the end that we get out of the work more than they will but it may be a draw. Although weighing a warm turkey sandwich against pork chops, hamburgers, sausage, all of which was barbequed, is not fair. The four of us were so happy for the homemade lunch; the couple and their son were so happy for us being there working; love was all around.

Neighbor

2010-11-08T19:55:00.004-05:00

"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

11 men set out this morning to follow the commandments as outlined by Jesus (Matthew 22:38-39)

Mud Boys

2010-11-08T19:48:00.002-05:00

Jerry, Jerry, Ken: aka the Mud Boys.

The spirit has given everyone specific gifts, to some the ability to speak in tongues, to some healing the sick and to some mudding !?

2010-11-07T21:22:00.004-05:00

Sunday November 7th. 8:00pm CDT.

All 11 of us have arrived and settling into the Peace Lutheran Mission Center, our home for the next week. Below you can see our accommodations. Heavy sleepers needed, nice echo for the snorers.

The great news is that all of the driving was uneventful and boring. 12 hours in the car has made us all antsy and ready to work. The time change and time zone shift has also got us a bit of schedule and anticipating a very early morning.

For me, I am always reminded of John 1:4-5, "through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Over 5 years ago, a great darkness washed over this region of America. Tomorrow I get a chance to use my hands, my back and hopefully my wits to help bring a little more light to New Orleans.

Raising Spirits

2009-11-15T16:16:00.003-05:00

In reflecting on the past week I recall the Club 52 verse from the Saturday we left for Slidell.

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Act 20:35.

No truer words express our week. Each day as we drove home we were covered in dirt, sweat, sawdust, or insulation. Our muscles cried out in protest, our bodies yearned for rest, yet in our hearts we knew we had done a good thing. That feeling of accomplishment would carry us through the next morning to be motivated to do it again.

We helped to build houses, we helped to organize for those there for the long haul but more than any of this I believe we helped to build spirits. After four years much of the US and the world look at New Orleans believing the effects of Katrina are long gone. I've seen first hand that it is not. I heard that 60% of the residents have returned but certainly not 60% of the damage has been repaired. The houses, buildings, trees, and property that suffered due to water and wind are barely a portion of the loss. Companies who provided income suffered damages and simply left. This means their employees not only have no home or damaged homes but no income to make repairs or even put food on the table. Children whose friends were displaced and no school to attend either drop out or must travel to the few schools available. The teen suicide rate has more than doubled since Katrina. These are the broken spirits and utter dispair the people of New Orleans have lived in for four years.

We first met those at Catholic Charities who operate Operation Helping Hands - one of 14 such centers around New Orleans. They operate out of the former St. Raymond Elementary School. School classrooms now function as a paint room, a garden shed, a wood shop, or storage areas. The church sanctuary no longer houses pews or hymnals. Those have been replaced with stacks of plumbing supplies, pre-hung doors, pallets of tile or flooring. The stain glass windows high above still allow the red, blue, and yellow light to shine on those below and the crucifix still hangs with the image of Jesus looking with approving eyes on all those who enter.

They have changed from demolition and cleaning to construction and work with various volunteer groups week after week to build homes for those displaced near St Raymond. They spend countless hours trying to get as many people placed as they can. Our job was simple, make what they do easier. We cleaned, sorted, took inventory, and even discarded broken or unusable material. Hopefully our efforts will allow them to continue their work more efficiently without spending time looking for what they need to continue construction.

Tuesday through Friday was spent working with East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity. Each morning we stood in morning circle listening to "Miss Debbie" share stories of success, stories of hope, and stories of how far they are from their goal. With 87 homes under their belt, they feel they've barely scratch the surface of the need. We worked with AmeriCorps volunteers who would organize, teach, and keep us on task. We met people like Ralph and Rich who already had their Habitat home and continued to help others attain the same dream. We met Kiwana as we worked on the home that was to be hers. She showed up each day to talk to us, thank us, work on her house but mostly to watch her dreams come true. We also met Brigett and Gigi, two hopeful homeowners working on their hours to be able to select their home.

From the workers at Catholic Charities, those at Habitat, Ralph, Kiwana, Gigi, or the countless cars that drove by as we worked to honk and wave, our presence sparked new hope in them to know they are not alone. Helped them to know others in the country care. Helped them believe they will see things get better.

As I prepared to leave on Saturday, I read the Club 52 reading for that day and I came to realize God had used me for his will. Yes I had provided physical signs of progress during my week but more importantly I think I was able to share not only hope that things will improve but shared God's love so they can believe.

"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 1Thess 2:13

Jerry Kern

Enablers

2009-11-15T15:59:00.002-05:00

en·able:

1 a: to provide with the means or opportunity b: to make possible, practical, or easy

So, it took me a few days to figure out how to put into words what I was seeing and experiencing while working in Louisiana. From Monday to Friday I worked alongside a great group of people that helped me to see that being an enabler is not always a bad thing. That is what we did this week...from Catholic Charities to Habitat for Humanity we worked, so that others would have the opportunity to pass it on down the line.

First we worked to make the job easier for the other volunteers at Catholic Charities. By bringing a little order to their chaos, hopefully we have made it possible for them to focus even more on helping those who need an extra hand.

Helping to get Kiwana's house to the next phase of construction, we brought her just a little closer to her dream of having a safe home for herself and her family. By coming back to Slidell from Atlanta and wanting to raise her family there, she was committing her time to improving her community. Kiwana's commitment to her family and the girls she teaches on her dance team is strong and she will be a link that strengthens those she touches.

Working together we also made it possible for each of us to experience new skills and meet new challenges. As a team we supported and challenged each other to do the best we could and accept the different talents and personalities as valuable to the cohesiveness of the whole.

Everyday we were "enablers". Everyday I saw God at work in our midst - strengthening us to meet the call He had put before us.

Gina

Day 5

2009-11-13T22:43:00.003-05:00

Farewell Slidell

2009-11-13T22:42:00.003-05:00

This week has been an amazing experience for me. When the hurricane hit four years ago I was just a few months pregnant with our first child. After the blessing and start of our family, life became crazy and it was hard to make time for others; other than my newly growing family. Two years later we added a second child to our brood. As life went on, I kept hearing of these mission trips our church was coordinating down in Slidell to help with the rebuilding effort in Louisiana. I repeatedly thought to myself, "That would be such a great experience to assist in those efforts." But schedules, jobs and "life" kept getting in the way.

As time went on these mission trips kept organizing and I began to wonder why these groups kept going back. There can't possibly be that much to do in Louisiana?!? This week, that question was answered with a very resonate and emotional, "YES THERE IS!"

The devastation that I witnessed this week, still leaves me speechless. As Zach and I prepared to leave our children for 7 days for the first time in their young lives and our young parenthood, I cried over our departure and the thought of them not being with us, being thrown off schedule, and spoiled by grandparents while we are away. I am grateful for these problems to have and worries I fretted over. The worries that I had as a parent were legitimate, but nothing compared to the mothers who worried about their children's next meal, where they would live, sleep, bathe, etc. after the devastation of losing everything in the aftermath of Katrina.

This week I saw some of those faces from that terrible day in August 2005. They lost everything, or mostly everything they owned. A few momentos rescued here and there; wedding photos saved by a daughter who just happened to be planning a 50th wedding anniversary gift for her parents; a rocking chair that her parents used to rock their babies to sleep; china. Materialistic as they may be, that is all they have of the 50 years they spent together. They were ever so grateful for our work to help rebuild this city and thanked us for returning so many times.

I am sad to leave Slidell tomorrow. Sad that I cannot do more. Sad that I cannot finish nailing shingles to finish a roof that will keep a family dry. Sad to say goodbye to my crew and our leader, Xavier. Thank you for being so patient as we all learned and tried new things, and as we worked together to show Christ's love to the world and the city of Slidell.

I am also happy to leave Slidell a different person. This experience has changed me and I am even more grateful and compassionate for the people of New Orleans and their spirit. Thank you Gabriel for giving me this experience. I think of you everyday. I wish you were here, but I know you had a purpose...hope.

"Whoever receives this little child in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent me. For He who is least among you all will be great." Luke 9:48

Deanne Maus

The Perfect Ending...

2009-11-13T17:12:00.003-05:00

As we worked this week, I noticed that everyone who drove past the site blew their horns or waved at us. Sometimes they would see and recognize our site leaders, but when it was only us volunteers they would still do it, and I just didn't understand why. As we began to clean up today for the last time I saw the mailman driving down the street. As I prepared to cross the street he slid the door back while driving past, looked me in my eyes and said "God Bless You." At that moment it became crystal clear that the people were essentially greeting us as a means of thanking us for taking part in rebuilding their community.

This week I saw so many good things and met so many good people. I thank God for his grace and mercy that has allowed us to successfully take part in helping His people. I will never forget the love and inspiration that I saw this week, the sheer determination to get the job done and done right. In my mind this trip was truly in alignment with what I believe the definition of Christianity is (following the teachings and manifesting the qualities of the spirit of Jesus Christ). Through our words, through our actions and through our prayers for this city and its people we manifested the qualities of Jesus Christ. To God be the Glory...

"...the blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord. (Psalm 129:8)

Blessing to all,

Kyle J. Moore

2009-11-13T17:06:00.000-05:00

The below Devotion was written by and given by Matt Wehrman at the Habitat for Humanity morning circle Friday morning.

This devotion is inspired by the work and experiences we had this week. For some of us this is our first mission trip, for others their fourth or fifth. I based it upon a piece particular piece of scripture from the book of John chapter 1 verse 5: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." John 1:5

The darkness has many forms.

The darkness came in the form of Katrina, as we have learned this week with more clarity from the Habitat stories and devotions at morning circle, speaking with Pastor Barb at Peace Lutheran, and others we met along the way.

The darkness easily sets in from the worry of not knowing where the next paycheck, meal, or shelter will be come tomorrow.

The darkness is the depression that can snaps ones energy, that can make one withdraw and live internally separated from society.

The darkness can work on each of us, be it from a storm, lack of or inadequate employment, poverty, or illness.

14 of us came to Slidell from Cincinnati and Detroit. Some of us not knowing what to expect. Before leaving most of us participated in a service to send us on our way. Our Pastor, encouraged us to find Christ as we work. I personally thought that I may find Christ in those who's houses I would be working on but I did not get a chance to really engage anybody being stuck on a porch with the same task for 3 days.

I did find Christ in those I was working under. On Monday it was Bethany at Catholic Charities, a long-term volunteer there who is volunteering for 3 months. I saw Christ smile Monday in every long-term volunteer that came to view the shelves we built to give them more room to work. I saw Christ in Drew, Jacob, Xavier our Ameri-corp guides this week at Habitat, we are only here 4 days and worked do what we could to advance the projects; They will continue to receive new volunteers and work those projects to completion. I saw Christ in the others at Habitat who continue to fight for Slidell, overseeing the volunteers, leading morning circle, working each day at a site to ensure the projects are completed with quality and care.

This week, I experienced the light and love continuing to break through darkness. With every pound of the hammer the darkness was pushed aside, with every J-channel hung more light appeared, with new skills learned and the shout of "I just learned how to use a circular saw" light broke through the darkness, fears were conquered letting in light where darkness will never shine again. Friendships were straightened that will guard against the tide of darkness.

Day 4

2009-11-13T01:05:00.002-05:00

Day 3: He is Here

2009-11-11T20:45:00.003-05:00

roofing rememberences

2009-11-11T17:48:00.002-05:00

This is the type of trip where even if you are unskilled, there's a place for you. I love that about these mission trips to Louisiana. This is my fourth. By no means am I a person who is well versed in the ins and outs of construction. Still, there is a place for me here amongst all the handy people. You know the ones. The ones whose idea of a fun weekend is to build a shed or refoof their house. These are the kind of people who run power tools and don't quiver in fear for their digits. Those kind of people. There is a place for everyone here. Yesterday, I helped put in cross braces so that the houses don't become unstable and sway. Today, after caulking with fire stop, a magical ingredient that keeps fire from running through walls, I ended up roofing. I was two stories up wielding a roofing gun and yes, that was a little frightening. But I did it.

Every trip I learn how to do new things and I learn things about myself. It is truly amazing to be working on a place that a family is going to live in. Those shingles I put up today will keep the rain off someone, someone whose already seen enough water to last a lifetime. Those pieces of wood that I helped bolt into place will make the house a place where the family doesn't have to cringe with each whip of the wind.

This is gratifying work, no matter what your skill level. New Orleans is still a city that needs a helping hand. And how many times in your life can you say that you're part of jump-starting a city? So I would say to the people who thought they didn't have a place here, whose hands treat a hammer as an alien object, just come. Four years after the storm, there is still much to do here. There are so many people who are still waiting for a decent place to live. So come.

-- Scheffie Lindquist

Did you know that Christ knows how to use a pneumatic palm nailer?

2009-11-11T17:35:00.007-05:00

I saw Christ at the work site today. No, REALLY, I did see him. He was standing with the group at 6:50 AM in our circle with a silly tag on his chest filled out with duct tape and sharpie, that was supposed to say His name, but instead, it said something like "caulk dude". We all kind of fell about the place thinking about why he was called that, but also the progress that he had made on a job that he did not know anything about the day before. Really good stuff!

Amazing how motivated He is at the job site. His efforts really showed as the project managers kind of inferred that they had no idea her efforts with Tyvec Weather Tape and Insulation would be completed so early this week. Early enough to complete all of the insulation work, move on to other parts of home building. Today, he was able to work with another of our workers to complete cross beams under the homes to shore up the building. I got to work closely with him later as he helped me cut deck hangers to support a second floor platform that will ultimately attach to stairs that proceed down from the 10 foot high first floors (he said something about avoiding floods in the future, and that maybe we could use 2 x 6 boards, instead of two by twos (a little joke...he could not resist)).

I later noted that he climbed a very tall ladder, which has been a fear of his for some time, and got up on the roof to cut shingles, because this effort is a bit about overcoming fears and doing things we have never done before. I later found out that the time frame on the roof was 1/2 hour. It's pretty high, so that's quite a feat!

Did I mention that she took some time to stop and memorialize the efforts with pictures. I never knew Christ was a photographer, but I guess someone should think about how we remember the things that we have done. I think some of the photos will be on the blog and Facebook sites tonight.

Siding and fascia. No problem. He took the time to work with others on making sure that the job was done right on the front porch. Small cuts, measure twice, cut once, no....measure again, then cut. It's all looking very good. Our homeowner even stopped by to see both houses, and you can tell she is pleased. He makes her smile and laugh, and she knows that He cares that she will be in the home soon. She said Christ has been out here many times. It's very good to see that He can take the time to be involved amongst all of the other important things that go on in his days.

Best of all, at the end of the day, Christ came to sit with us for a few minutes before we left the site. He talked about all the things that he had done today, how she thought it was amazing that what seemed like a tough building job is actually something that can be done by volunteers with sincere hearts. She talked about dirt, and nails, and laughs, and smiles, and most of all, doing something very positive today, and feeling like his work was accomplishing something better, today.

I asked him what He would do tomorrow. He said, "I'm going to wake up tomorrow just like I did today, and look east to the last bright star in the sky before the sunrise (Venus), breath in the crisp cool air of morning, and think about what the new day will hold for Mission #7. And maybe, just maybe, we'll scar someone with this volunteer foolishness that we call the love of Christ!".

Tomorrow morning, if you get a chance, look east to the sky before sunrise, to the light and hope of the Morning Star, and remember that me and Christ will be up, looking there too! We'll be off to do something more and something new to help this New Orleans, and to spread a little bit of LCR around the city. Hope you can join us next time!

David Alexander

Closer to God...

2009-11-11T17:17:00.003-05:00

In 24 years on this earth, I have never been on top of a roof, until today! Today I conquered a fear that has been evident in my life for many years, and as I reflect on the day I feel some how closer to God. Of course I sat in a place higher than I usually do, but I feel closer to God because I overcame the fear. As I climbed down the ladder in my mind I recited the scripture, "God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of strong mind." (II Timothy 1:7) Preparing for the trip I was extremely excited about the idea of taking part in serving others. Service is the very backbone of humanity because in its own right it's a form of serving and worshipping God. But I thought very little about anything but those that we would be helping this week, little did I know the inspiration and growth that would take place in my own spirit and life.

This makes me aware of all of the blessing that are constantly flowing around us. The blessing of sound mind, functionality of limbs, safe travel, inspiration, new homes, happy families - of course I can go on and on - but the most important of all is the blessing of LOVE. The love that makes a group from Cincinnati make a stranger from Detroit feel like a true part of the group, the love that makes us go out each day despite the aches and pain to serve our fellow man, the blessing of seeing the smile on the face of a soon-to-be homeowner, or to put it plain - the love of Christ.

"...and now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these three is love." (I Corinthinas 13:13)

Blessings to all,

Kyle J. Moore

In Between the Studs

2009-11-10T20:39:00.006-05:00

Christ rests in the walls of a home being built. He is yellow and orange foam squeezed between the cracks of windows and studs, keeping out cold and holding in the warmth of family. He is Tyvec tape used to seal paper on the back of yellow R-13 insullation. He brings warm temperatures to hard working disciples eager to see his presence with them, even if just a glimpse of his smile or comforting hands. He holds up soffets, drills holes in cross beams, and moves a simple broom across a floor, cleaning the desbris of dust and hard work, assembles tools, and pounds huge threaded screws into foundation poles. He operates the saw that cuts the siding that occupies time committed by volunteers. He comes in the steps of wet sand that sticks to the bottoms of workboots, fills the hearts of long distance workers, and He amazes the project manager who expected a job to take days instead of hours. He brings sun and cool wind to the days of cold and clouds, and lightens the load of the worried who look to his resurrection as a sign of their new lives. He....is everywhere that we go here in New Orleans.

If you have your doubts, then you should look into the eyes of Wanda, who will occupy one of the homes that we worked on this day. For 17 months she has come to the well looking for water, and leaves each day with life giving and eternal water. She will feel his warmth at Christmas, when they hand her the keys to her HOME, and in the silent moments of her first night in her home, after 10PM, when all the kids are asleep. When she can be still, and know that God has answered her prayers.

Check out your workroom, your utility draw, or your garage closets. Which tools will he ask you to use?

David Alexander

Day 2: Habitat for Humanity in Slidell

2009-11-10T20:03:00.000-05:00

Finding Ralph

2009-11-10T18:41:00.008-05:00

Before I left on this trip, Pastor said to me, "Look for Jesus." Today, I think I found him. His name is Ralph.

As we began our day we met and then commuted to a site of multiple Habitat houses. Some homes were occupied and some still waiting for their owners to cross the threshold. Our job today was working on two homes that were under roof and mostly sided. A majority of us worked the morning installing insulation, while another group finished the siding on the second home.

When it was time for lunch we all gathered our "brown bags." Then came the question, where are we going to sit? As we were walking over toward the pile of lumber to find a spot on a 2 x 6, one of the Habitat home owners invited us to his table outside on the patio.

Ralph (the home owner) as we came to find out, was born in Canton, Ohio. He moved to Louisiana 50 years ago when his sister needed a ride down to visit a friend. He was 18 then, and "never looked back," as he stated. Ralph, invited us to his table for a place to sit, enjoy our lunch, and share in some conversation. As we sat there you could not help but notice that Ralph was a Christian. His table was handmade with wood burnings of scriptures, crosses, and Biblical symbols on the top. It was then that I realized the similarities: Ralph is a carpenter, as showcased by his beautiful table and other construction upgrades he was making to his new home.

Ralph lost his home in Katrina. Ralph at one point, was poor and lost everything five years ago. As we sat there around Ralph's table, I realized there were 12 of us from LCR. LCR's 12 disciples, two friends, and our new companion Ralph, all sitting around the table breaking bread. He invited us back to share his table and rest our bodies for the remainder of the week.

Jesus helped the poor, was the advocate for the poor, and showed compassion for all. Today, that compassion was shared with us by Ralph. No matter how inconsequential, a table to sit at or a nail driven into a post to resurrect a new home for a mother and her three children; that compassion surrounded me today. Jesus is here in everything. Pastor, I have seen him, but I will not stop looking.

Blessings,
Deanne Maus

The Visual Side

2009-11-09T21:45:00.003-05:00

Since I'm not one for words and prefer to speak through pictures, I will lead you through the week with the help of my trusty camera. For additional photos see LCR Relief on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LCR-Relief/174626746951?v=photos&ref=ts#/album.php?aid=124337&id=174626746951

2009-11-09T21:03:00.002-05:00

As usual I am amazed at the energy and knowledge of team members. Build a stacking shelf -- no problem. What will it look like -- well how about triangle legs with stacking arms and cross braces. Has anyone seen one like it? Well, lets invent. I don't think the local Catholic Charities staff knew what they had in the potential of the group. This was not a group that was going to stop with stacking things in boxes and sweeping up trash even though they would gradly do this as well. By the end of the day it was apparent that a significant clean up and organization was accomplished and that a real contribuition was made to supporting the local staff in their relief work in the city. What a blessing to be with this community.

God's Hands Left Behind

2009-11-09T18:14:00.002-05:00

We arrived today with a sense of anxiety and anticipation: What will we do today? Having been on a trip once before, there seem to be allot of old memories of things that were accomplished, and the hope that our efforts will be as good, if not, better, that each prior trip. Yes, that is a bit unnecessary, as every moment we give is well received by the people that we touch, but it's a nice goal to shoot for.

Our distination was St. Raymond School, a Catholic School converted into a staging area for housing rehab. in the New Orleans area. They are working on mulitple houses, equiped with a volunteer staff of young people converted to project managers, and several professional contractors that have given up their livelihood to make a differnece in New Orleans. Most come as novices, and it appears that they will leave as semi-skilled, housing experts, with a bit of Christ's grace spilled on them for life!

Our task for today: clean-up of the facilities. While seeming somewhat mundane compared to rebuilding houses, the fact that the building materials in the facilities are numerous and necessary for each job requires allot of organization, and after each group volunteers or completes a project, there is a bit of random replacement back at St. Raymond of materials. In addition, new materials come in daily. In other words, it's like our home: after a week, there is a need to clean up after living.

I briefly noticed in the gathering area for the day that past attendees of this place had placed their hands in paint on the wall behind us.........

In the place of what once were classrooms were scads of materials used for rebuilding: drywall mud, screws, paint, beading, doors, insulation, tiles, molding, windows. For the most part, there were general areas, but the items are moved in and out as needed, and after a few weeks, the place gets a bit upside down. Our Army of 12 came ready, following the orders of our project manager, Bethany, with a goal of making tidy the rooms full of "stuff". The efforts by all were concerted, and in no-time, we were getting things in order. But.........how do we make a lasting impression on the peoples of New Orleans? I mean, this is not recovery work. This is much like cleaning our basements every once in a while.

I wondered through the gathering area to get a drink, and noticed there was periodic writing under the the painted hands on the wall.........

Pondering the situation, several things became apparent to the more skilled in our group: we need shelving. Lots of molding, beading, wood trim have a tendency to become scattered, and between Mark Meyer, Curt Martel, and Zack Maus, the braintrust of woodworking was in full swing. Before the end of the day, the "door and wood" room was equiped with what many lumber yards would consider a great rack for holding trim and the like. Several minutes later, there was room for all the wood trim, and more in this part of the building.

At lunch, I noted that the people who were here before us came from all over: Valparaiso, Canisius, Portland University, Marywell College, Columbus,OH, Grand Rapids,MI, Arizona.........

As we wondered into what once was the sanctuary of the church and was now a large materials area, a request for more shelving was sent our by Bethany, and the woodmen went back to the work of shelving to hold corner bead and added trim in a second room. Maybe our impression was taking hold. This place was going to be tops and clean when we were through. Those who followed would find good use of well build shelving, as our contribution to St. Raymond (who at this time I think might be the patron Saint of building materials!).

I sat at lunch and pondered a Christo moment about the wall of hands: allot of these hands on the wall have been left behind by people just like us. No idea what they could contribute, no expectations of reward or acknowledgement for their work. Just a simple idea that we can all make a difference. And they left their hands on the wall to simple say that they have stopped by to give a little bit of themselves. Seems they left enough for people like me to know that there is something better here as a result of their work in this community.......I guess the effort to help is a bit contagious!

Right before we left, a couple of the project managers came dragging in from their work. One of them looked over his right shoulder at the "lumber yard" shelves, turned on his heals, and wandered back into the doorway of that room. "Cool!", he said, in a quiet and drawn out voice. Then her turned again to the tool room where he was originally going, and I heard a bit of "wow" from him as he explained to his colleagues that the shelves "really rock" and are "sweet".

We were not afforded the opportunity to put our hands on the wall, because that was there for someone else (and the wall was very full). But we got something just as wonderful: every person who draws a piece of wood, moulding, corner beat, dowel rod, etc...from the shelves will have a little boost from the 7th mission group from New Orleans. Maybe that saves a moments in looking for something. Maybe that creates some order in chaos. Maybe that is God's work through our hands.

David Alexander

Getting Ready!!

2009-10-29T12:48:00.002-04:00

We are just over a week away from our 7th mission trip to New Orleans/Slidell! We will be leaving on Nov 7/8 and returning on Nov 14. We will be staying at Peace Lutheran Church in Slidell again this time.

On Monday, we will be working with Catholic Charities of New Orleans. We will then be working with Habitat for Humanity in Slidell for the remainder of the week.

For this trip, we have 14 volunteers - about half repeat volunteers and half new. Praise GOD! Please keep us in your prayers while we are gone.

The volunteers are: David Alexander, Gina Kern, Jerry Kern, Scheffie Lindquist, Jason Leupen, Curt Martel, Deanne Maus, Zach Maus, Mark Meyer, Kyle Moore, Jack Newfield, Ken Smith, Chris Stegman, and Matt Wehrman.

Please continue to follow this blog for additional information and reflections during the week. We hope to post updates at least daily.

Thanks for your generous support and prayers,
Jason

Pastor Zorn

2008-11-19T19:24:00.001-05:00

LIGHT TO THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS
“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78

As we return from our flood relief mission trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and I look at the calendar, I am struck that the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany season will soon be upon us. In the spirit of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, and his prophecy that we call The Benedictus (Latin: the blessing or praise), I am reflecting on the light that shone in the darkness two thousand years ago and continues to do the same even today.
These are the facts: The Cedar River is 300 miles long. As a result of severe rains in the Cedar River watershed last spring, the river flooded its banks from June 8-21, 2008. At its crest, the Cedar River was 27 feet above normal, flooding more than five thousand homes and one thousand businesses along the river. The Midwest flooding made headline news for about a week in June and was forgotten thereafter. Several phone calls to churches and disaster relief agencies in the area led me to conclude that it was right for us to head west rather than south for our November relief trip this year. One of the houses flooded in Cedar Rapids was located three blocks from the river. It belonged to a man named Jose who was born in El Salvador and has lived in Cedar Rapids for eighteen years. By the tender mercy of our God our relief team was led to that house for a week of work.
Jose works as a manager for a hotel in Cedar Rapids and his wife has an administrative position at a college. They have three children. They own six rental homes. Five of them were flooded! Jose had purchased the home that we worked in for $35,000 and added $50,000 of improvements to it. It was a very nice little house. Before he could rent it for the first time it was flooded. Given the economics of the situation, Jose could have turned the keys over to the bank but he told us that he didn’t want to do that. He had a real fighting spirit which we really appreciated. It is very rewarding to help somebody like Jose! Unfortunately, in the current economic environment, Jose is finding it very difficult to negotiate with his lender. He faces an uphill battle, but somehow I suspect that he is up to the challenge.
The group of volunteers that worked before us put new subfloor in the house. Our task was to replace insulation and sheetrock as high as four feet up on the first floor of the house. I suspect that the next volunteer crew will tape and mud and the crew after that will paint. With each volunteer work crew Jose is one step closer to recovering one of his properties….and light is given to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death!
I found the situation in Cedar Rapids to be much like what I experience in New Orleans, except on a much smaller scale. Blocks of homes were unoccupied and boarded up. Piles of mucked debris lay in front of many homes. We even saw one house that had just caved in on its foundation hours before we stumbled upon it! The downtown area is vacant and most businesses evidence no sign of recovery. Certainly the current economic situation exacerbates any recovery efforts. The picture is bleak and sad. As you drive around these areas devastated by flooding your gut is wrenched and your heart aches for people who have suffered great loss. If there is any hope it is that the churches are the ones who are providing relief and light to those affected! That is the same reality that we have heard from people in the Gulf.
I have found that these relief trips are spiritually deep and very rewarding on many levels. On this particular trip, given the current economic situation, I came back home with a few reflections; the “loss” in my pension account doesn’t seem quite so large! I am not getting a salary increase in 2009, but I am very thankful to be employed in my vocation. We are very lucky to live in an area of the country that is relatively unaffected by natural disasters. The spirit of Christians working together and motivated by Jesus to shine light into darkness is a beautiful thing! The challenges caused by natural disasters are monumental but each of us can make a small difference by extending the mercy of God to those in need! I didn’t spend any money in Cedar Rapids, but I did “buy” my first Christmas present this year; a week of my time and a small wooden cross gifted to an appreciative stranger named Jose. “Just as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family…” (Matthew 25:40)
So what hope do I have after a week of volunteer work in Cedar Rapids? Maybe some day I’ll return to that city and see a family renting Jose’s house and like Zechariah, my heavy heart will sing The Benedictus!
Peace, Pastor

2008-11-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

Jack Newfield
I have a new appreciation for the concept in scripture that “chaos” is represented by “the waters” and the need for the “mighty wind” of the Spirit passing over the waters to bring order. The devastation of floods is so total and the area affected so widespread and uniform as to leave no spot where a community’s life must not be rebuilt.
I definitely saw the “Spirit” in the welcome and support of the local Presbyterian Church community. I am sure that we and other relief groups were constant factors requiring “work arounds” in their lives but there was nothing but joy in the atmosphere. One evening a lady saw my attempts to balance a soup bowl and a plate and she jumped up and came over and helped carry my food to the table. As her story developed, she had lost everything in her basement to the flood but no one would have known that she faced this kind of loss from meeting and talking with her.
Another inspiration from the week was that of the various disaster relief groups that cycled through the Church while we were there. You know that it cannot be easy for an 80 year woman to “camp out” in a church and spend the day mucking out a house but never was there a word of complaint from any of the workers.
My impression of the city was that there was this was a community of the poor and lower paid workers. The fact that major factories were located in the heart of the downtown area certainly had something to do with this impression, that and the size and conditions of houses that had nothing to do with the flood. This was definitely a pocked of need.
As usual it was a blessing working with the LCR community and the “can do” attitude of the group. Sharing time in the evenings both discussed sources of hope and effected hope.
Thanks for making a space for me.

NOVEMBER 11, MARK WEGMEYER

2008-11-11T18:37:00.002-05:00

This morning dawned cold and wet. About 35 degrees with rain, but that beats snow! Our group was singled out from the other two as "more skilled," (no idea what gave them that impression!) which is why we ended up at Jose's house. We are quite happy with this assignment, as it allows us to be inside, in a weather tight structure.
Today we continued with the shimming and the drywall. The process is slow as every stud seems to need a slightly different shim setup, but we press on! In the end though, the house will again be a home for someone, and that's a good feeling.
The high point of the day probably came at lunch time as we ventured to the near by "locals" joint. With an airplane on the roof, an aviation motif, and a menu that specialized in large hot dogs, it was quite fitting of it's name, "The Flying Weiner!" (I may need to buy the T-shirt!).
Dinner is almost ready, and although it won't be quite as good as the wonderful spread put out last night by our hosts, we are very thankful for the dinners prepared by wives and LCR members, and look forward to sharing our evening meal with our Detroit friends.
Please keep us in your prayers as you are in ours, as we continue in the Lord's service.

Mark

November 10 - Jason Leupen

2008-11-10T17:44:00.007-05:00

Everyone arrived safely at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids last night. John and I (Jason) arrived around 8pm Eastern Time and the other 3 (Pastor, Mark, and Jack) arrived around 11pm ET. We were greeted by Loren (the volunteer coordinator) and shown to our room. The five of us are staying in the Bell Choir room, sleeping on air mattresses on the floor. There are 2 other groups here - one from Chicago and one from Detroit.

The church is very nice inside and the people are very welcoming. Our "bedroom" is adjacent to the fellowship hall and kitchen. The neighborhood that the church is located in is one of the rougher parts of Cedar Rapids, so we will probably stay inside. Of course, it was 22 degrees (14 windchill) when we got up this morning, so we don't want to spend much time outside anyway.

This morning we left for our first assignment. Loren led us to a 2 story house just a couple blocks west of the river. The whole community was flooded. This 2 story house was owned by Jose. He is an immigrant from El Salvador who has been in the U.S. for 21 years. He and his wife had purchased 7 homes over that time period and had been renting them out before the flood. 5 of the homes were severely damaged by the flood! Unfortunately, the government here does not recognize Landlords as either homeowners or businesses so Jose and his wife are not getting any help from the government.

During the flood, the water had risen to about 3 feet above the floor of the main level (this is probably 8-10 feet above street level!) Several months ago, the house was mucked and all of the plaster and lathe was removed to that level. Our work assignment is to install insulation and drywall this area. Today we installed the insulation and began preparing to install the drywall. Since the existing walls were made of plaster and lathe, we have to shim the studs out so that the drywall will line up with the plaster. Tomorrow, we should be able to complete the shimming and can begin installing the sheetrock.

-Jason Leupen

p.s. Did I mention it was cold here??

2008-11-05T20:39:00.001-05:00

LCR will be on a mission trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa from November 9-15, 2008.

Our Unique Experience

2008-06-30T15:49:00.001-04:00

As we reflected upon the week, on Saturday, we realized that we all have changed, we shared in a unique experience.

Empathy. As we discussed what we had done this week for others, people that were strangers a week ago and are no longer strangers, and for people who are still strangers. Many of us felt that we had grown in our empathy for others. We felt that we would never look at our own homes and neighborhoods in the same way again. Through this unique experience we have changed.

Appreciation. Everywhere we went, restaurants, stores, and the people in the neighborhoods where we served, said “thank you”! Everyone was so appreciative of the work we were doing to help rebuild their neighborhoods. People seemed desperate to have their neighbors back home. As we talked about how often we heard “thank you” we came to the conclusion that the residents of New Orleans and the surrounding areas are feeling forgotten, feeling that the things may never improve and they wanted us to know that they are grateful to those that are still coming to help out. Through this unique experience we have changed.

Words cannot adequately describe the unique experience we shared this week. We saw homes, modest homes in neighborhoods that we probably would not venture into in our own towns. We saw people living under the highway in tents, the kind of tents we might camp in for a weekend. These tents were their homes, providing shelter for people without other resources, those looking for work, those working but that cannot afford any other shelter. We worked in homes that had been broken into, not for anything we would think was of value, but broken into because it might have more than the next abandoned house. These people live in a very humble world where they lost everything in one great storm. It is the people that continue to offer their time and gifts that offer hope in this humble world. What we brought was a variety of gifts and physical abilities that offered hope to those living, working, walking through the neighborhoods were we ministered.

Our ministry was in the paint, drywall, roof tar, brooms, rakes, sanders, plumbing wrenches and hammers that we used each day in these humble homes. Our ministry was in the coming together of two congregations, the combining of gifts and talents to make one unique group. Our unique experience was in the hope we offered in the blue shirts we wore each day that indicated we were there to offer our gifts in the recovery. Our unique experience was in the time and place that we were serving as instruments of God’s messengers of hope and love.

In this experience we were all humbled and gained so much more than we gave. We will never be the same, we have changed. It is our hope that through this change we can help others to be inspired to reach out, in their own unique experience, to love and serve their neighbor.

Over the Hump in New Orleans

2008-06-25T22:25:00.003-04:00

Yesterday one of our groups completed a drywall job!! It is great to see a project complete down here as there remains much to do.
In the past three days we have met many people, just walking by our sites, police on the street corner, and our homeowners that are most appreciative of the work being done here. They thank us continuously, no matter where we are for our love and care of our neighbors here.
Today we mixed-up our groups and went out to our two other job sites. One of our teammates stayed at the Mission Center to do tons of laundry from last weeks over capacity crowd.
As one of our groups traveled to a job site, in the University Hosptial/Superdome area, we noticed that a tent city we had seen the day before was moved across the street. Many tents were set-up under the highway, one next to the other, there had to be close to 20 or more and many people standing around watching the rush hour traffice drive by. We do not know if these people are homeless from the storm or homeless since the storm.
As we drove home today, we took the Rt. 11 bridge back to the Mission Center, to check on the progress of this area of the North Shore. For those of you who have been here you may know this area as the place with all the waterfront homes that are built on stilts. There are some homes that have been rebuilt, most lots still are vacant with only the old stilts sticking out of the water. There are also some homes that are not yet rebuilt and remain as the storm left them.
As we approach the third anniversary of Katrina the evidence of the storm is still everywhere. Homes are still marked with the "X" that let officials know that the house was inspected and whether there were any found dead in the home, as indicated by a 0 or another number in one the "X" quadrants. People here are still living in FEMA trailers and there are still many streets that have only a few complete homes while the rest of the neighborhood stands vacant.
Tonight, at our evening devotions, we reflected on the days work and our experiences on this hump day. We ended with a blessing: "...but may we realize that, whatever we can do, great or small, the efforts of all of us are needed to do thy work in this world."

June 23, 2008

2008-06-23T22:44:00.002-04:00

Today is the first day of work and we went into East New Orleans. The houses are spaced so close together. The three teams were assigned our jobs and we went. I went with Bob B. and Pastor. We gutted a bathroom in a house where a family was living. It was a nicely appointed home and the family was gracious. There were eight members of the family living there, three generations. The water came up three feet into their house and the house was a five step climb up from the ground. The home next door was boarded up and may be torn down. The gutting was dirty work, Pastor pulled down some drywall and black sooty powder went all over his head and down his shirt!!! He pulled off his shirt and I helped him wash up with a hose!! It was all on the "up and up!" This is a great experience and the people are so thankful for the help. Thank You Lord, for this opportunity.

Day 1: Our tour through FIVE States!

2008-06-21T23:00:00.003-04:00

It is 10 pm local time and we have arrived in Laurel MS. I would say it was record time but probably not as we took our time and had trouble finding a hotel thanks to baseball games and The Mississippi State Games. But we all safe and there was no traffic and no construction delays! We are looking forward to more great days filled with God's blessings and doing good work.

End of the week

2007-11-16T22:40:00.000-05:00

This has been a very eventfull week. I had been uneasy about returning to New Orleans even though we had been gone for over 20 years and could not consider New Orleans as an immediate past. I knew intellectually that my old neighborhood has been hit hard. We arrived early on Sunday and I had a chance to tour my old neighborhood. It was even worst than I expected. My former house was within 4 blocks of one of the levie breaks and was "gone". There seemed to be only a handfull of houses that had any signs of activity (FEMA trailers or any efforts at rehab). My parish church was gone but there was some signs of rebuilding. The public school my children attended was closed with no sign of rehab. The neighborhood of my closest friends was even harder hit since it was within a block of another of the major levie breaks. All of our immediate section of town (Lakefront area near the University of New Orleans) was in terrible shape. And this was more than 2 years after Katrina. This was not a neighborhood of the poor and I know that most of my friends had "alternatives" so although the houses were in terrible shape the consequences were not as sever as for those in other neighborhoods. However, it was still a shock to see and it made the true plight of the poor that much more vivid.
The rehab work in which a spent a week on a stairwell and even at that did not finish what needed to be done demonstrated for me the enormity of the rebuilding task. On our drive into and out of the worksite I saw many families that were doing rehab work on a part time basis at the end of a full work day. So I know that for them a week in stairwell is but a small part of what they have to cope with. We heard stories of the additional problems heaped on the citizens in terms of civil regulations, contractor "rip offs" and outright theft. However, despite all of the "downside" at the end of week I knew that there was one stairwell in New Orleans that was on the road to recovery and I truly felt that the city is on a positive slope for recovery. I can't specify what this feeling is based on other than the fact that I saw no neighborhoods in which "something" was not being done. There were no totally abandoned neighborhoods that I saw. So, the week ended on a positive note for me.
One morning as we drove over the lake into town I saw a pelican. When I first went to Louisiana, pelicans were common. Nowever, a few years later the entire pelican population was killed off by DDT ingestion. The pelican means a lot to Louisana (it is on the state seal) so this could not be left unchallenged. Pelicans were reintroduced from Florida and the population was slowly rebuilt. So if this can happen for the pelican community it can and surely will for the human community.
So I pray for the people of New Orleans and for the conversion of the "systems of evil" that oppressed the community and the pelican gives me hope that these prayers and those prayers of the poor will be heard.

2007-11-15T21:21:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos showing how much more work needs to be done:

2007-11-15T07:15:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, Curt and I met Robin- the homeowner for the house we are working on this week. Robin greeted us with hugs and thanked us and all the other volunteers that have helped to restore New Orleans.

Robin shared how her life was impacted by Katrina and the ensuing flood. The water had reached 9.5 feet in her home during the peak, and was at about 4 feet for an extended period of time. Robin has 4 children, the youngest of which is a 15-year old boy that was really shaken up by the hurricane & flood. Robin and her extended family (siblings, aunts, etc.) relocated to Houston and tried to get back on their feet.

Robin finally got a FEMA trailer this (2007) spring and has been splitting time between New Orleans and Houston. Her 15-year old son is still in Houston and is finally starting to recover. He does not want to move again. It was obvious that this is very difficult on her.

Please pray for Robin and her family. I gave her one of the Prayer Bears that we brought down and let her know that people are praying for her.

It felt good to meet Robin and hear her story. I think it will have a good ending. Her house is getting close to completion and many of her neighbors are back in their homes. Slowly but surely, things are getting better!

-Jason

2007-11-14T08:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday started a very difficult day that lead most of us to do some soul searching. A 46 year old man named Lance vonUhde stop at our construction site and said he wanted us to know that the house we were working on had been home to a drug distributor. He knew this because his house across the street (as he found out after Katrina) had a drug dealer who's wife was NO police women. He explained in great detail with much authority and knowledge the corruption within the political system in New Orleans and the problems most people are facing. Lance is a homeower of 10 rental home with 6 almost completed, he runs the family business, a florist shop but it is still not up and running yet. He is single taking care of his 80 year old mother, Alice, who is blind. This man is broken and disheartened even with the church. Two (2) of the prayer bears were given to him, one for him and one for his mother. He asked that we pray for him, his mother and his mother's dog who just suffer a stroke (the dog). They are still living in a FEMA trailer since he has been restoring his rental properties for income. After Lance left it was difficult to put muscle into our work. As Ed said, "It took the wind out of my sails."

Today we'll work to do the tasks at hand and look for God in our work.

2007-11-12T22:34:00.000-05:00

Monday, Nov. 12

Being in New Orleans again brings back thoughts of past experiences. For LCR, this is the fifth trip. For me, it is my third trip. It reminds me again that out of disaster comes a spiritual connection. It is a chance to think about all we take for granted and how vulnerable we are.

As a group of 14, we split into four workgroups. Marty (LCR), Danny (Ascension), and I (LCR) worked on a small roofing project today. We tore off a really rotten roof and rafters, leaving the salvagable ceiling joists. We also removed the drywall on the ceiling. After cleaning up our mess, we were able to put up new rafters. Tomorrow we will put on plywood and start reroofing.

This trip is missing something though. Her name is Cindy Zorn. I think this would have been her fifth trip. That says alot about who she is. We heard some good news today, and our thoughts are with you Cindy.

Thanks to all the families of the people who are here volunteering. Your support allows us to be here. There has been a tremendous amount of recovery in a little over two years. It is encouraging. But, there are still hundreds of empty houses. Hopefully, people will continue to remember the needs of the people here and come down to help out.

Peace, Justin Long

2007-11-12T22:23:00.000-05:00

Well, everyone made it down here safely and we had our first day of work today. Our group was assigned to work on 4 different houses this week, so we split up into 4 separate small groups. Curt and I were assigned to work on the home of a woman named Robin. We did not meet her today, but she is supposed to be coming tomorrow.

Today, Curt put 2 coats of paint on the laundry room and I put 2 coats of paint on the hall bathroom. In between coats of paint, we also filled several holes in the walls & ceiling and installed 3 new exterior light fixtures. Here is Curt working on one of the lights.

Tomorrow we will be doing some shelving, plumbing, and trim work.

Peace,

Jason

Two Missed Trips, Prayers, Hope and Two Successful Outcomes (we hope!)

2007-11-10T14:19:00.000-05:00

In June of this year, I was scheduled and excited to be involved with the Mission trip to Slidell. In late May and early June, my father, then my mother was hospitalized. While up in Chicago, we received word that my mother was diagnosed with lymphoma. Unfortunately, I had to call Cindy Zorn to tell her I could not join the trip and needed to support my parents. With prayer, family and friends support and numerous rounds of chemo, she has joined the ranks of a cancer survivor. I later found out the June trip was very successful in helping and supporting our neighbors to the south.
Again, I am scheduled and excited to join the November trip to Slidell. However, now we are informed that Cindy Zorn can not make the trip due to her medical situation. Pastor Zorn will not be making the trip either and will be in the role of family support. Again, with prayer, family and friends support and her planned treatment, we hope she will join the ranks of a survivor. Join us in prayer for Cindy and for her successful outcome and that of our November Mission trip.
Marty Kochevar

New Orleans, the one and only place.

2007-10-30T12:05:00.000-04:00

I have many memories of New Orleans. I spent 5 years in Lafayette La as a teenager and visited New Orleans on many occasions. Later, as a young adult, I moved to New Orleans and lived there for 10 years. Two of my three daughters were born in New Orleans. I have experienced hurricanes while there (Carmen, Camille, and Betsy are names that immediately come to mind). My family has been gone from the city for some time before Katrina so we did not did not experience that terrible blow. One thing we learned early on is that New Orleans culture is truly unique. People born and raised there did not posses the same "geographic mobility mind set" that marks much of the rest of the country. For them, there was only one place and that was New Orleans. So, I know that there will be very heavy hearts while the rebuilding and return goes on. I also know that the work that LCR and ELCA have done much to heal this hurt and I am happy to be able to join in these efforts through the 2007 trip.
Jack Newfield

Trip Planned for Nov 11-17!

2007-10-01T17:23:00.000-04:00

Please call the church at (513) 474-4938 if you are interested in joining us!

Some Members of the upcoming Relief Team:
Back Row: Mark Meyer, Marty Kochevar
Front Row: Kathy Meyer, Curt Martel, Jason Leupen, Justin Long

Last day here

2007-06-08T16:01:00.000-04:00

Today was our last day here and we went to the house where Cindy, Xan, Sarah, and Vasati had been working at. It was a cute little house. I started to do some sanding and it was ok but not the best in the world then I started to do some mudding and that was a blast. I really like rebuilding houses and doing things for other people in need. We had a great day out there today. It was our last day and its very sad to go home but we will return and have more fun soon. I know that other people call it work that we have been doing but in my mind it has all been a little game of fun. I have told people that and they say thats fine, but they say that it is work. This kind of fun is more for us adults with the drywall and mudding and insulation and it was really fun to do. See you sometime in the future Slidell, Louisiana. We will return!!! I know that I will return since it was such fun. So bye for now. Loved it here but now we have to return to our old lives. Gods prayer and love, Kristina.

Kristina Durtsche

2007-06-08T00:14:00.000-04:00

Today was the last day that we worked at the site across from the soup kitchen. Maggie and I were finishing putting insulation in the roof where the sun was showing through. It was fun doing that. We all finished up and we went with Jay one of the guys there to this girls and boys club and checked out what they had done to this place. It had been rebuilt all the way and it looked really nice and it was nice with the air on in there. Then we went to the rainbow child care center to drop off some books that we had brought with us for the kids at the daycare. Then we went back to Peace Church so we could get ready to go to New Orleans. When we got there we went and ate. It was nice. After we ate we went down to the gift shop and bought some stuff. Then we walked a little more and then Cindy said we could split up. So Carol, Barb, Xan, Sarah, Vesti, and I went down the street away from the others. We had so much fun in New Orleans we saw a parade and it was fun. I got a picture with this guy that was spray painted with silver pretending that he was a statue. Then we turned around and walked the other way and when it was almost 9 pm when we were suppose to meet everyone at one spot we were there. We stood by this cafe that was called 544 with music playing and they started playing "Respect" and I started to dance to it. I really like that song. And when the others came we were dancing to "Shout" it was so awesome. After a hard days work you can go and enjoy yourself sometimes when you are in another state and city. Thats all I have to say for now but this trip has been great for me. I love it down here in Louisiana. I will probably come back in November or something. Its fun down here in Louisiana. Next time more people should come. Your missing out on all the fun even if you do have to sweat a little. By for now see you soon Ohio. God bless everyone that came with and helped out. It is so nice just to do something for someone when they have lost everything in the world. Love being down here, Kristina.

Carol Bublitz

2007-06-06T22:56:00.000-04:00

Hey All you Christians,

Having a wonderful time here in Slidell, this place ROCKS!
Today we finished the roof insulation (25 feet high), and it was plenty Hot. We almost completed the wall insulation also . Our two surprise volunteers, Tim and Will (12 & 14 yrs. old respectively), have been there this week to help us out and they are awesome workers, not to mention polite and cute. Our foreman Jay and Mike are so kind and patient with us. They just love having volunteers come down to work.

We eat at the soup kitchen across the street and the lovely ladies are cookin' us up some black-eyed peas tomorrow. They want us to experience the true Louisiana cookin' down here in the south. God Bless them they are awesome ladies and great cooks to boot.

We went to the beach tonight in Mississippi. Beautiful white sand and very warm soothing waves. We all loved it!
Love and Prayers, Carol Bublitz and the Insulation Team

June 5th 2007--Maggie and Justin

2007-06-05T23:25:00.000-04:00

We survived day two!! The eight of us that are working on the soup kitchen set the ambitious goal to finish hanging the insulation in the ceiling. It was at least ten degrees warmer up there in the rafters, but we steamed on ahead with the sweat in our eyes and almost completed our goal. At the end of the day we ran short on insulation--by only 8 pieces--but we will finish tomorrow!! Our next task is to insulate the walls in hopes that the drywall that was delivered today can be put up as soon as possible.

The current soup kitchen has set up across the street from the building we are working on, and the staff there is sweet enough to cook us lunch every day. They are so grateful and warm-hearted--willing to share everything that they have. All are so excited to move into their new building and be fully operational once again.

Our group of four that is working to finish drywalling a house had a lovely experience today. They were blessed enough to meet the homeowner and share in her stories. It is truely amazing how strong, positive, and hopeful these survivors are!

The town of Slidell has really come a long way back to being "normal" again. There are still a lot of businesses not open and houses not finished, but, things are really looking up for these people compared to a year ago. Later this week we will take a tour of areas that have not yet begun to recover--places that were flooded with 7 or more feet of water and oil combined. It is hard to believe that after all this time, the work is not finished, but it is a reminder that we still need to support these people with our time, sweat, prayers, and thoughts.

We would like to thank all of the families from our group that have supported us and allowed us to come down here to make a difference in the lives those who really need it. We would not be down here without your help!! Our support will be needed for years to come in this area. Being here really makes you think. It has helped us realize that we must give thanks for all that we have been given. Peace, love, and many thanks! Justin and Maggie

Slidell- Day 1- June 3,2007

2007-06-04T23:26:00.000-04:00

Our twelve member team arrived safely at Peace Lutheran Church, Slidell, LA Sunday evening. After a good night of sleep, we arose at 6:30 a.m. to begin our work here. As you wait to be assigned your work site there is a certain amount of excitement, nervousness and anticipation. Our group was sent to two sites, the first a food pantry where our team hung ceiling insulation inside a 20-30 foot ceiling. The second group went to a nearby home to finish drywall installation and taping and mudding. I'm happy to report the temperature this June is literally some 15-20 degrees cooler than last year. While it is warm while you work, the heat is not unbearable. Both groups made great progress on day one.
This evening we went to Gethsemane Lutheran in Chalmette for dinner. This is the church we worked at during our November trip. I was excited to see the progress the church has made. All the rooms we worked on are now functioning in some sort of capacity. They were able to host their first group of volunteers last week! We ate our dinner in the fellowhip hall, it sure looked a lot different than last fall when we arrived. We shared our DVD from the trip and the members were very appreciative of viewing it and thankful for our mission trips to Louisiana. It was very emotional to be there, but joyous to see Gethsemanes progress
Our dinner was authentic Chicken Andouille Gumbo, with bread pudding for dessert. Everything was delicious and our time of dinner and fellowship was awesome. One comment that was shared by all the Gethsemane people was thank you for coming here and please continue to tell the people back home thanks. Also, please don't forget about us- they call it Katrina Burnout! It's been 21 months since Katrina and alot of people have forgotten about the needs down here. While so much has improved on the north shore of Lake Ponchatrain, the south shore is still in much need.
Thanks to everyone who has supported this trip financially and especially with your prayers.
We were able to present Peace and Gethsemane with a check as well as help out some individuals because of your generousity. Please know your donations are aiding in some wonderful ministries. Its neat to see it unfold!
I'm thankful to be here. - Cindy

Gaby (from Gethsemane Lutheran Church)

2006-12-06T21:02:00.000-05:00

To the LCR Hurricane Relief Team and TO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION as well as LDR who supports them Amy Larsen, Jason Leupen, Scheffie Lindquist, Justin Long, Kathy Meyer, Mark Meyer, Ed Nemann, David Wagner, Cindy Zorn, Pastor Zorn: Thank you for coming down here to put up our walls.

Due to my weekday job to support my family, I was not able to stop by and meet you this week you worked so hard. We are indeed worshipping in the sanctuary again, even set up a table with an Advent wreath which God had sent us the Saturday before Advent. His timing is 'close' but always on time. Amazing.

I enjoy your blog, it wets my eyes. I also enjoy the pics. One of your members is sitting on a little bitty chair which was one of several donated to us from another Lutheran church. We use them as the 'front row' during service, where the kids come for the children's sermon each Sunday. Pastor arrives Thursdays and spends a few days in the community each week, Tuesdays and Wednesdays he is on his phone and computer organizing stuff. He is quite amazing with these organizing skills, and is relentless in his commute. After all, there
are 27 openings for Pastors in our synod, and we are blessed to have someone so dedicated in spite of the distance.

Anyways, the little chairs are in the front row because Lutherans never use the front row. This way they can sit in the second row, and the front row does not get wasted. (we have to carry chairs from the shed to the sanctuary each Sunday, and back. The little chairs stay, so there are less to carry). Seems like anything that comes our way through God's love is used. I want to mention the little closets that took so much time. They are PRICELESS.

One thing in our house (yes, we are in) I miss, is closet space as they are not all fixed yet. At the church too, having worked the food events, Sunday school, Youth stuff, Social ministry and whatever, and currently the donations that come through, I DO APPRECIATE the presence of closet space immensely. Each time any of you puts something in the closet or takes something
out, or walks along a hallway without clutter (as the clutter is inside the closet) and does not have to step over or around boxes, you should remember the great work you did on the closets. They are very very very important, although out of sight. I guess a closet is like a volunteer behind the scenes. You know what they do only if he/it is not there.

God bless, and I hope you come back. email me and my husband will cook some Southern food for your group. We can have a meal together at the church.

Windows are in now.
Gaby

A Final Reflection by Pastor Zorn

2006-11-20T16:12:00.000-05:00

It is good to be back home and especially good to be sleeping in my own bed after a week in the top bunk that did not accomodate me comfortably in Slidell! It is difficult to put these hurricane relief trips into words. Somehow, "great," "awesome," and "wonderful" just don't seem to be appropriate in light of such grief and destruction. Given the nature of our work and the people and stories that we encounter, it feels inappropriate to offer any words that convey positive feelings.
Within the context of that spirit, I would simply offer that I am grateful for our Church, the ELCA, and for our church, Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. The ELCA is still a very visible presence in this part of our country that has a long way to go to restoration. In Louisiana, where the Roman Catholic Church and the Baptists are dominant, people are learning about Lutherans. Our mission is not one of knocking on doors, but rather, is a witness of sharing God's love through tangible acts of kindness. Many people in the Gulf have told us that the Lutherans have been one of the most prominent groups involved in Katrina relief.
Lutheran Disaster Relief (LDR) is well organized and will be on the scene for years to come. In partnership with Peace Lutheran, Slidell, they are constructing a building to house fifty relief workers. At Gethsemane Lutheran, Chalmette, the church that we worked on, they are converting some of their preschool space into dormitories and showers to house relief workers there. Their pastor explained that the mission of their church has changed midstream and they are reacting to new "opportunities" brought about by Katrina. This church will be the light of Jesus in the darkness of Chalmette for years to come and residents there will come to know Jesus through acts of love and kindness carried out by the members of Gethsemane.
I asked one of the LDR coordinators if this week (Thanksgiving) will be a slow week for them. To the contrary, she said they are staffed up for several large groups, over fifty people, from Lutheran congregations across our nation that will spend their Thanksgiving week doing relief work!
I am also thankful for our congregation. We have completed our third relief trip and twenty-five different people have participated, many of them in more than one trip. We are already talking about trips in 2007; there will probably be two more.
While I just can't put positive words on the relief experience, I will say that I am grateful for the ELCA and equally grateful to be pastor/member of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. Sometimes we wonder why the word "Evangelical" appears in ELCA. While we may not be an evangelical church that knocks on doors, we are nevertheless, evangelical in our works of kindness and love in the Name of Jesus who is Lord.

Destruction Photos

2006-11-19T12:11:00.000-05:00

Jason Leupen - Nov 19

2006-11-19T11:37:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share some final thoughts that illustrate the enormity of the work remaining. On Thursday, Gail from the the St. Bernard Parish Public Schools stopped by our worksite. We presented her with a check and she shared how the school system is coping with life post-Katrina.

She shared that the school system had about 16,000 students and 20 buildings (15 of which were schools) before the storm. At this point, 15 months after the storm, they have only 2 working buildings and only about 3,500 students!! Five buildings will be completely torn down. Of the students (and their families) that remain in the school system, she estimated that less than 5 percent are actually living in their homes - the rest are living in FEMA trailers on their property or somewhere else.

It's difficult to illustrate this in words, but imagine if EVERY house in Anderson Township (or whatever community you live in) was destroyed. Imagine that as you drive down ANY street in Anderson Township, only 1 house is occupiable, and FEMA trailers sit on every fourth house. That is the situation in Chalmette and St. Bernard Parish School District. There is much more work to do and the experts are estimating 5-10 years.

On a positive note, our church (both LCR and the ELCA) are doing great work down there. So many people told us that the Lutherans (and Lutheran Disaster Response, specifically) were playing a huge part in the recovery and are absolutely vital. It feels so good to be a part of this great ministry.

Peace,
Jason

Mark & Kathy Meyer - Nov 17

2006-11-17T21:23:00.000-05:00

Good evening. It has been a fulfilling week of hard work. We have been working on putting up sheet rock all week. On Monday, "The Holy Roller" told us what at great job we were doing and that our screws where dimpled just right...today we just tried to get them dimpled. Yesterday we spent most of the day working on two small closets, it was depressing to think we worked so hard and so long on such a small area, but by the end of the week it's amazing that our group hung sheet rock in 6 large rooms, a kitchen, 4 tiny closets, and 7 other rooms a hallway. It has been amazing to witness the talents and teamwork come together this week to accomplish the work. Plus we were finally putting a house (God's house no less) together instead of pulling it apart. We encourage everyone to remember the people who have been effected by Hurricane Katrina. Consider coming on the next trip, you'll be amazed what God can accomplish through you.

Cindy Zorn - Nov 17

2006-11-17T21:14:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Slidell. Today was our final day of working at Gethsemane Lutheran Church. The week flew by- I wish we could stay longer there is so much work to be done. Having a chance to rebuild is a very different experience than mucking houses. The work is much slower and more precise. It helps you to realize that the rebuilding process will take a very long time.
I encourage anyone reading this to consider a trip to the Gulf Coast. Your physical presence will be greatly appreciated and is much needed. This afternoon, I spoke with a man who is a member of Gethsemane. He shared with me how grateful the people are for volunteers. The people are so busy trying to rebuild their own homes and lives, there isn't enough time to help with the rebuilding of the church. Having a place to come and worship will give them some sense of normalcy in their lives. There are so many stories... Keep the people in your prayers.
Thankful for the opportunity to serve Gods' people- Cindy

Justin Long - Nov 17

2006-11-17T20:07:00.000-05:00

The work-week is over and I just took the time to sit down and write about my experience. This is my first trip to Louisiana. It is good to see that some areas have recovered pretty well, such as Slidell. But Chalmette, and other areas closer to New Orleans are still very damaged. They really do need alot of help still. They estimate that it will take several years to fully recover. The trip has been a great success. Our crew really worked hard. I encourage anyone reading this to consider volunteering some time to help out down here. Giving our time and efforts provides much needed hope to the people here. Let us not forget that every little bit helps.

Peace and love, Justin

Photos - Nov 16

2006-11-16T21:05:00.000-05:00

Amy Larsen - Nov 16

2006-11-16T21:03:00.000-05:00

The weather was cool today after a very hot and humid Wednesday - a great day to work! The work of reconstruction sometimes seems to move very slowly. When mucking you see much being accomplished...and truthfully you don't need tons of talent! But re-building is different and some small spaces and tasks can take what seems to be a long time. But the work is progressing well and today Cindy was able to start priming the Sanctuary- wow - what a difference! My "feeling blessed" this week goes to the wonderful LCR crew I am able to work and share with...what a great bunch of people and hard workers! (P.S. It's Thursday and that hard work is making us all tired!)

Pastor Zorn - Nov 15

2006-11-15T20:31:00.000-05:00

Deconstruction and Reconstruction
A year ago our efforts in the Gulf was wholly in deconstruction, or as we call it in Slidell "mucking." This trip has a very different feel to it. We have been reconstructing Gethsemane Lutheran Church. Reconstruction takes a lot more time! It is hard to believe how long it takes to reconstruct a community that was destroyed in such a brief amount of time!
Last night we drove past Shannon and Tommy's house. They were the young couple whose house we mucked a year ago to the day. It was heartening to see a trailer in front of their house and a small fence around it for their baby to play in. Half the house was lit and furnished! The other half of the house was still dark. From the appearance of this site, it looks like the family is on the way to recovery! Many of the houses in their neighborhood are still dark so it felt good to see that our efforts a year ago had helped put this family on the road to recovery.
One of the members of Gethsemane happened to come by the church today. She had been a teacher in their pre-school for twenty-three years before "the storm," as they call it here. She and her husband have moved to Baton Rouge and it seemed that she had not been back in quite a long time. She has started a new life in a new place. We also heard that the pastor of Gethsemane has moved to Tennessee. He comes to the church on the weekends and lives in a trailer on the church property. After the church gets reestablished he will retire. As I processed these pieces of information coming together, I realized something; it is one thing to reconstruct buildings (houses and churches), but it is something totally different to reconstruct communities (families and congregations)!
I am heartened to see that Slidell has recovered in many ways and Chalmette is on the road to recovery. But that is only the physical structures that are visible to the relief worker. When you listen to the personal stories of people living here you realize that lives and communities are not nearly as quickly reconstructed!
So many of the locals have commented that the volunteers bring them hope. It is a commodity that is still desperately needed here. Please continue to remember these good folks in your prayers. They are still very fragile!

Photos - Nov 15

2006-11-15T20:16:00.000-05:00

David Wagner - Nov 15

2006-11-15T20:05:00.000-05:00

Greetings,

We spent the day again today puting up sheetrock and taping/spackling the walls already up. Putting up sheets is a bit quicker work than the taping so a few of us traded jobs as more moved to taping. It looks like the sanctuary will be completed in time for the Church's first service Thanksgiving Weekend but the classrooms will still have more to be done after we have returned to Cincinnati.

One of the church's members stopped by yesterday to thank us for the work we were doing. He said that their Pastor has relocated to Tennessee but returns each weekend to conduct services. They have been meeting in their former fellowship hall toward the back of the building. It must have been difficult as the room is still without glass in the windows. Looking at the houses in the neighborhood it looks like the church building is in better shape than most. It is tough to see the amount of work still needing to be done fifteen months after the hurricane.

As the week has progressed I have been surprised at how much I have learned about others in our group. Some are folks I have sat next to in church for 7+ years but still only knew on a superficial level. The two things that have made the biggest impression on me so far are the destruction of the hurricane and how much I enjoy Kathy Meyer's sense of humor. It is surprising how long you can know somebody without really knowing them. That is probably something we can all improve upon within our church family.

After three days here and another day in travel I miss my family and miss work but am grateful that I was given the opportunity to come here and be part of this construction effort. There is still much work to be done.

God bless.

Sincerely,

David Wagner

Photos - Nov 14

2006-11-15T07:59:00.000-05:00

Scheffie Lindquist - Nov. 14

2006-11-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

It's truly extraordinary how the Lord works! Who else but He could take 10 different people with such a wide range of abilities and make them into one lean, mean sheetrocking team! Each day that passes we become a better team, more proficient and efficient. We're sheetrocking a church. The work is hard, there's no question. But among the exertion, there is a lot of laughter, a joy in being together and doing this work that so desperately needs to be done. We are just 10 people and in the neighborhood where we're working house after house is just a shell. Some have not even had their flooded contents removed yet. Looking at the devastation that still exists 14 months after Hurricane Katrina passed over is sobering. But with each panel of sheetrock that goes up in this church, with each layer of "mud" that we apply, we're helping a community of people regain their place of worship. And hopefully, a little bit of themselves.

Jason Leupen - Nov 13

2006-11-14T08:05:00.000-05:00

All 3 car loads made it down to Slidell Sunday night. Pastor and Cindy were the last to make it to Peace Lutheran around 10:30 CT at night (I think he has to work on Sunday mornings??)

Monday was our first real work day here in Slidell. After breakfast and devotions, we had to go to another Lutheran Church (Camp Hope) to get "oriented". (Camp Hope is the tent city that the June trip team had to stay in - we have it much better here inside Peace Lutheran Church!!) The 2 hour orientation was sponsored by LDR (Lutheran Disaster Response) and covered basic volunteer information as well as safety information.

Monday was also LCR's turn to cook and clean. So after orientation, we headed back to Peace to do our chores and get the pot roast started for supper. Ed and Pastor help with the potatoes.

After the chores were done, we went to Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Chalmette (right outside of New Orleans) to do sheet rocking, taping & mudding. Gethsemane was destroyed in the Hurricane and flood and they have not been able to worship inside the church since then. They are hoping to have their first worship service inside on Thanksgiving (if we can get the drywall out of their sanctuary :-) . Justin Long is our resident expert drywaller!!

Then after work, we headed back to Peace for some yummy pot roast!!

Packing Up - Nov 11

2006-11-11T12:01:00.000-05:00

Packing up the vans!

Leaving tomorrow!

Pastor Zorn - Nov 9

2006-11-09T18:34:00.000-05:00

“Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39

On Sunday, November 12, ten members of our congregation leave for our third hurricane Katrina relief trip to Slidell, Louisiana. We have received our work assignment. This time we will be working at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Chalmette, right outside of New Orleans. This church was destroyed in hurricane Katrina and they are hoping to have the church restored in time for worship on Thanksgiving this year. We have been told that they received a delivery of several hundred sheets of sheet rock that need to be hung. My back is already sore!
Virtually every member of our congregation has come back from our prior relief trips saying that it was an incredibly powerful experience. Experiencing the monumental devastation of others first hand and becoming vulnerable to their grief and suffering has a deep impact on our lives as Christians.
Personally, what I learned from my participation in our relief trip last November was that Jesus’ teaching about losing life to gain it is true. Quite honestly, I have struggled with that passage of Scripture my whole life. In my life, losing has always meant… losing! But Jesus says that when we lose for His sake (and the sake of our neighbor) we will gain. What I discovered was that I had been trying to understand that teaching intellectually rather than spiritually. Last November, along with the other members of our relief team, we gave ourselves away for an entire week to those who were suffering in Slidell. During that week I did not think or worry about what was happening back home. I was fully immersed in the lives of those whom we were helping. And yet, at the end of our week I felt as if I had gained something beyond words; a deep sense of peace and spiritual connectedness to my “neighbors.” This is the peace of Christ which surpasses all human wisdom and understanding. It is a gift!
So we prepare to leave for Slidell again, vulnerable and open to our neighbors, vulnerable and open to God’s peace. Please hold us up in your prayers and please pray for the faithful of Peace Lutheran Church in Slidell (our hosts) and Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Chalmette (our neighbors).

Pastor Zorn