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Mission Trip Journal

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June 2006 New Orleans Mission Trip Update

I will attempt to relay the information given on the phone from Shannon, Joy, Lisa, and Denise.
Marilyn Henderson

Monday night, June 12.

The first reaction of everyone was the devastation is so unbelievable. The pictures on TV don’t begin to tell the story. They have been working on gutting a house belonging to a woman named Elvie. She has talked to the kids and told them how blessed she is to have her friends and family. The “stuff” she lost is just that, stuff. I have truly been blessed. When the group talked with her about seeing all of her things pulled out of her house and if it made her sad, she just replied with a positive attitude that she was doin’ just fine. “Things and stuff don’t matter. I have my family.”
Denise visited with the church custodian, Carolyn. The April mission team dry walled for her. She will be able to move into her house soon. She told of being on her roof for 5 days before being rescued and then waiting for a bus for 3 more days. She lived on water and a little fruit. Yet she too is able to say that she has been blessed by the Lord.
A second house is also being gutted. It is owned by a 70 year old woman who is now living in Colorado. The kids saw the woman’s shoes sitting beside her bed and realized that people really fled with nothing and that this house actually represents a person’s life. They wanted to find something to salvage and send to her. Up in the attic in an old china cabinet, they found a photo album. They were able to salvage that album. The album along with a prayer shawl will be sent to the woman.
All of the adults reported that the kids are just incredible. They are all working hard, no complaining of the heat, and are worth more than their weight in gold. They are up at 6:30 and ready to hit the sack by 10:00. Lives are being changed.
Thank you for the prayers.

06/15/06
The following pictures were sent from our students in New Orleans. They show the devastation in the area along with the outside and inside of one of the houses that they're working on.

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2Mission Trip Thursday P.M.

With the gutting of two houses finished, a group moved over to a home in the south part of the 9th ward. Very little clean up has happened in this area. They worked in a home of a 91 year old woman called Grandma Spooner whose daughter lives in Sioux Falls. Her granddaughter, Bridget Gauff was also on hand. They were so grateful for not only the hard work that our kids did but for the well mannered kindness that the students displayed. They were able to salvage some precious photos and a hand made wooden bowl that had been made by Grandma Spooner’s grandson. They were so grateful for the help that they are hosting the group to a gumbo dinner on Sat. night as a show of thanks.
City workers stopped by to take the appliances that had been removed from the house. When they heard some of the group members say they were low on water, the city workers brought out a cooler with ice cold bottled water. They said, “This is the least we can do for you who came so far and are doing so much. Just a little way for us to say thanks.”
Thursday night the group had a dinner that was made by the members of the group. The shrimp gumbo and rice was a huge success. The church members then requested that our kids sing for them. Some of the kids have decided to join the choir for the Sunday morning service.
The locals who are observing our group and the adults who are with the students continue to marvel at the positive attitude and strong work ethic shown by our kids. God is good and touching lives.






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