This week was Spring Break for most students across the country. Typically I would have gone home and sat around doing absolutely nothing, which is great sometimes! It also would have been an opportune time to make a trip down to the beach, one of my favorite places ever. But this spring break I felt called to do something more with my time. I wanted to give my time away for this past week and use it to share the love of Christ with the people of New Orleans.
I love New Orleans. I think it is one of the most interesting and beautiful cities in the South. Every where you turn, there is something new or fun to look at! Lately I have prayed over and over for God to break my heart for the hurt and lost people of this world and if you don't already know this, you ask God for something like that He will not hesitate to give it to you. Over the past few months my eyes have been opened to many needs not only around my college campus and my community, but to everywhere. So off I went with a group of students from the Ole Miss BSU to New Orleans, LA. (I'm going to break this down day by day)Days 1 and 2:
Prayer Walking the Irish Channel:
This activity is something that I have never done much of but have found a passion for. My team and I went out to a neighborhood called the Irish Channel that is full of poverty, crime, children, and senior adults. It was very tough for me to see extreme poverty only one block over from extreme wealth. While prayer walking we encountered a few people, even some visitors from China, and were able to share the gospel and pray with them while walking around the area.
Before heading to our next locations (Lower 9th Ward), three of us really had to use the restroom. Now I promise you that this detail is COMPLETELY relevant to the story I'm about to tell you. Out of all the "sketchy" gas stations in New Orleans, I am fairly convinced that my friends Daniel, Kaylee, and I picked the absolute worst. After discovering that the bathroom was in no shape to be used, we realized that there was a Subway across the street and decided to use their facilities instead. We kept asking ourselves why we would pick THAT gas station out of all the other places we could have gone. Then it all started becoming clear.
As we were walking into the Subway, we noticed a few homeless people on the surrounding street corners and decided to buy them a few Subways pizzas while we were in there. Daniel took a pizza to the two men on one street corner and Kaylee and I took a pizza to the woman on the other. As we walked up to her, we saw that she had a dog with her and a backpack with everything she owned in it. The woman was tattooed from head to toe and was holding a sign that said "Anything would be a blessing." Kaylee and I introduced ourselves and learned that the woman hadn't eaten and a while and did not know when she would get to eat again. We offered her the pizza and a cold bottle of water and asked if we could bless her food before she ate it. As we were praying for Nikki and her dog Bailey, the Lord's presence was absolutely unreal. When we left, the smile on her face and the tears in all of our eyes were so refreshing and such a blessing. God uses all of us in mysterious ways...even when we have to use the bathroom!We then traveled to the lower 9th ward and cleared some overgrown lots where houses once were before they were destroyed by Katrina. It was absolutely devastating. We did this for the rest of the day and all day the next day. It was physically exhausting. We were so blessed, however, to have a meal prepared for us by a local to the 9th ward, Mrs. Leetha. What an amazing woman. Mrs. Leetha does not have very much for herself and her family but was so kind to prepare a feast for over 30 students working on lots all week. And let me tell you, she sure can cook!
Days 3 and 4:
On these last two days we spent our time at a house in Uptown painting the exterior for a elderly lady who we were to call Mrs. Julia. She was amazing! This project wasn't as demanding but was a great way to minister to Mrs. Julia and others in her neighborhood. It was also a great experience because through all of the activities I was able to build relationship with the people of New Orleans and my team members. Even though I didn't get much rest in New Orleans, the experience I had were well worth the hard work. God showed me some amazing things.
I would like to ask that you guys continue to pray for the people of New Orleans who are still struggling with their loss from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The effects of the hurricane are still very prominent and the hurt is very deep. I would also ask that you will pray for Nikki and the many people like her who are hurting and counting on the kindness of others to get by. Pray that the people who are struggling, lost, and hurting will come to see God's love, grace, and mercy and will understand that He has wonderful things planned for them and that He loves them so much. And lastly, pray for the teams that are still down there working this next week.
Thank you all who helped fund this trip for me! I couldn't have done it without you guys and I am so appreciative of the opportunity! :)
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