Hi NOLA Group Leaders,
Let me begin by apologizing for not getting directions out to you until now. I arrived in NOLA on Monday night and have now gotten settled and, more importantly, have met with our ministry partners for the summer so I know more information to tell you.
So, here we go!
Directions: The physical address of the Knights of Columbus hall is on Vicksburg Street. From I-610 in NOLA take the Canal Blvd. exit (Exit 1 on 610). Go North on Canal to Harrison Street and turn right. Go one block and turn right on Vicksburg. The Knights of Columbus Hall is the third building on the right. I have enclosed a picture of the building and a local area map from mapquest for your convenience.It is in MS word format and is attached to this email. If you have trouble pulling it up please let me know.
Ministry partners:
As I said in my first email, even though it has been three years since the storm, there is still a lot to be done. Gradually, the nature of the ministry here is turning more toward helping people rebuild their livesinstead ofjust their homes.
As I begin this section let me tell you that I am very excited about where God seems to be is leading us this year. I can see some great blessings coming for you and your groups and the ministries/people you’ll be parntered with. Let me also say that plans can change. So while I am working on scheduling and planning all of the events of your trips, etc. things can change a lot between now and the time your group arrives.
Ms. Phyllis’s house:
Ms. Phyllis was the victim of fraud after the storm. She owns a duplex near where you’ll be staying. Her house was left standing after the storm but was severely damaged. You can still see the markings on the side of the house from where the Search and Rescue teams checked the dwelling after the storm. She hired a contractor to refurbish her place but he took the money and ran. The work he did do was of poor quality. Inside, kitchen counters were installed incorrectly so you cannot fit a stove or dishwasher where they should go. Electric receptacles were installed but were not attached to wires. The list goes on and on. Right now much of the inside has been corrected but the outside still needs a lot of work. That is where many of your teams will see action. Many of you will very likely get the opportunity to help get the outside of Phyllis’s back in shape.
Pastor Brown:
Pastor Brown works in the Gentilly/East New Orleansarea of NOLA. He has a heart for people and an ability to connect with the folks in his neighborhood that is amazing. He believes the Great Commission and goes out to connect with people wherever they might be. His vision is to get the neighborhood back up and running and to get the people connected into some sort of community. Right now, a low percentage of the folks that evacuated for Katrina have returned. Additionally, many of the houses have been purchased by the state and are just sitting there, unoccupied, with no plans for renovations. Pastor Brown has vision though. Some of the folks associated with the church are attempting to buy an apartment complex that has not had much done to it since the storm. The plan is to turn that into housing for many residents of the neighborhood so they can start to come back. AIM teams might very well get to make some of the initial steps toward getting those apartments renovated. Of even more importance to Pastor Brown’s neighborhood however is prayer and getting the people connected. AIM teams might have the chance to prayer walk and connect with the neighborhood folks. Pastor Brown has been fighting this fight for 20 years and you might get the chance to stand with him.
Broad Street Mission:
The folks at Broad Street areworking with everything they’ve got. They have a soup kitchen, evening basketball outreach, are in the process of refurbishing a house so it can be used as a shelter for battered women and are attempting to start a learning center/VBS for the summer. As you can tell, there is much to be done at Broad Street. While AIM teams might be involved in any of those ministries, the part that struck a chord with my wife and I was the VBS/Learning Center. This will be used to help low income kids learn about the Lord and learn in general. The ministry has been given 20 laptops and is in need of tutors. AIM teams might be involved with running VBS in the AM and helping as tutors in the PM. Additionally, opportunities to help in the soup kitchen are always present.
Beacon of Hope:
Beacon of Hope has started from the ground up since the storm. They’re focus is community revitalization and encouragement. AIM teams will get the chance to help the folks at Beacon catalogue who is in the neighborhood—-who’s there, how long they’re staying, etc. Additionally AIM teams might be able to bring a welcome bucket of needed supplies to these folks. Beacon needs the contents for these buckets. While your group might not end up working with this organization, you can always contribute by bringing Wal-Mart gift cards so you can buy supplies for the welcome buckets once you get here. Beyond cataloguing residents and welcome buckets you might get the opportunity to connect with these people who have been through so much. Through cookouts with the neighbors and just listening to people’s stories as you visit you will get to share Christ with the hurting.
Other ministries:
Central City Missions: Central City is run byMark Druin. Mark and his wife have been urban missionaries to NOLA for about 10 years. They had a church going until the storm. Most of the congregation hasn’t returned. NowMark is starting from the ground up. AIM teams could be involved with helping Mark by getting families attached through VBS.
Mama Jan: Mama Jan runs an Alcohol and Drug rehab for men and women. Her residents are shown how to have a deepening relationship with Christ and are being encouraged to help bring folks into the Kingdom. AIM teams might get the chance to help Mama Jan in her ministry or through VBS.
Feeding at Tent City–There are still homeless folks and refugees living in tents under I-10 that AIM teams might be involved with feeding.
There are some other potential things out there as well but those are the main ones. You could be involved in any or all of these projects during your time in NOLA this summer. As I said before, plans change, but as of right now, I am looking forward to teams blessing many of these who have been serving faithfully for many years and others who just need help.
On to logistics:
In NOLA you will have bunk beds. You will need sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. It might not be a bad idea to bring a sleeping bag and sheets as it might make the bunk beds a bit softer to use the sleeping bag as an extra mattress.
Get ready for a great summer. It is going to be an exciting time. Please pray for wisdom for the staff as we prepare for you and please feel free to email me with any questions you might have. You will receive a phone call about a week before your trip from the Project Facilitator responsible for your group. They will be your contact at that point. Until then, please let me know any questions you might have.
As this email has a lot of important and critical information and since there seems to have been some email lost in cyber space, please send a reply to this message to let me know you have received this information. As always this will be up on the blog so you can find it again later.
Thanks and God Bless,
Mike
[email protected]
http://michaelmccord.myadventures.org/
