I received the following email from Chris at 2:00 AM this morning. Those folks are working hard!

Monday July 16, 2007 – Celebration Church Relief Center

Rain and lightning greeted us this morning. The windows on the front of the relief center were white with condensation giving a good indication as to how humid it was. The temp wasn’t all that high, but humidity was about 200%.

Our students are pretty amazing and they have fun too. This morning our assigned “relief center job” for helping to keep things running was serving and cleaning up after meals. We also have to make our own lunches each day. Glenn assigned the guys the duty of preparing for breakfast and clean up , and the girls were to make lunches. Well, it doesn’t take very long for about 30 guys to set out milk, cereal bagels, English muffins, etc. In fact, they stacked the individual cereal boxes up in very cool arrangements. Then, they formed two lines at the door way. When any female entered, they whooped and hollered and clapped. Everyone was all smiles. It was good to see the guys treating the women with respect.

After breakfast it was time for devotions and work detail assignments. One of the pastors with Celebration Church shared he and his wife’s story of what happened when Katrina hit (they had been married 3 mos at the time) and lost everything in their apartment). They were able to save a few things when they evacuated. We listened, we prayed, we worshiped.

Our work assignments for the day were all geared towards indoor work since there was rain and lightening. These are our assignments:

• One group is now engaged in building out a new tool center for the relief center, which involves building 20+ foot high walls to reach from floor to ceiling.
• One group has been assigned to work in the Church’s day school taking care of 5th grade and under kids.
• One group is painting newly installed doors in the relief center
• Another group is helping to sort out the massive amount of clothes that has been donated.
• Another group is working on the home of the pastor who shared his story. The home is “gutted” but in need of everything after that, including a roof that doesn’t leak.
• Another group is working on re-wiring their Internet access and network connections in the relief center.

Several of the kids have expressed that they wished they were “gutting” a house, but still approach all the work before them with great attitudes.

The day was long, the work was tiring and in the end the shower felt good to everyone. After dinner we went to a nearby mall to play “Glow in the dark mini-golf”. Basically, a room illuminated by black lights. Everything looks like it was from the 70’s in there. We had a good time, and got back to the hotel (after a little confusion) safe and sound.

God sightings list:

• Good attitude and fun with getting breakfast going.
• Great sandwiches and lunches from the girls.
• Good attitudes regarding the work assignments.
• Fun time of fellowship.
• Safety for all.

That’s it for today.

In Christ’s name,

Chris Whitson for the New Orleans mission trip team.

Earlier posts in this series:

• ignite prepares for new orleans trip
  
• new orleans update #1
• new orleans update #2