New Orleans Journal Continued...

New Orleans Day 6

Today was our free day. We headed back to the city to hang out. Our first venture was the ferry to no where. We took a ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers and back. The only thing we found was a statue of Louie Armstrong (which only Erica, Jessie and I really found interesting…) and an opportunity to deface some public property. Yes we left our mark on a bench in the ferry terminal.

After that we hit some shopping centers and a few went to the Aquarium… pretty low key and relaxing.

During the evening festivities, when all the groups come together, all of the leaders took part in a skit for the students… what they didn’t tell us ( and I found out later that they didn’t tell us on purpose to ensure our participation…) was that it was one of those gross you out, pass the food and drink along and everyone share eachother’s spit and stuff kind of skit. I don’t do that. The mere thought of it makes me sick. The only person I would drink after, eat after, etc… would be Ashley my wife or Ava my daughter… and I’m not even too crazy about that! However, I didn’t want to be mister party pooper youth pastor. So with my stomach in knots, I went through with it…luckily there were only two people ahead of me… My students, knowing my germ a phobe tendencies, had a blast watching me go though it. And of course, there is video documentation.

After the “fun stuff,” we had a closing worship service. At the end, they just opened up a time for people to connect with God – sing, pray, whatever. It was a cool time – looking around the room at the different races, denominations, types of people from different geographical locations… there was a great sense of unity. No one was fussing about doctrine, or worship styles, or worried about any sort of differences. They were just focusing on Jesus. That was refreshing.

New Orleans Day 7

Headed home! The trek through Louisiana and no where Mississippi found us back in Huntsville in the early evening. Over all it was a great trip. A memorable one – a lot of laughing, a lot of funny instances, a lot of one liners, and a theme song. I don’t think any of us will ever be able to listen to Coldplay’s Viva la Vida with out reminiscing about our experience together working in New Orleans.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

New Orleans Day 5

Everyone was moving slow this morning. I’ve got a bunch of tired teens! We headed back to Carol’s house to start priming the outside. We finished the job, and were treated by Carol with some incredible, homemade gumbo. Great stuff!

Team Effort had is set up for all the groups to work half a day today, and have free time for the after noon and evening. After cleaning up, we headed to down town for some sightseeing and hanging out.

On our way to downtown, we stopped in the Ninth Ward to see the levees. It is always an emotional experience. Thinking about the destruction and lives lost... Last year was a feeling of hopelessness and deep sorrow. However, visiting again this year, and seeing little bits of progress, left me with a feeling of hope and restoration for the area. There were houses being worked on, and the progress, however little, was great to see.

That evening we hung out in the French Quarter and took our time browsing through Jackson Square. For dinner we hit the Hard Rock Café. For some weird reason, I have this compulsion to buy a Hard Rock t shirt in every new Hard Rock Café that I go to. I have always done that…. And I’m starting to have a pretty good collection! However, it doesn’t hold a candle to Chelsey’s… She has the same habit, and definitely has me whooped on the number of shirts. We had a great time at the restaurant – I sat with Kenneth, Chris and Devon. Devon drank sweet tea like a camel preparing for a long trip through the Sahara. The waiter finally pointed him in the direction of the tea dispenser and said get it yourself.
After dinner, we spent more time walking around… and found Urban Outfitters… which I liked to never get everyone out of! We probably spent over an hour looking at books, t shirts, etc… We spent time walking along the water front and just chilling out.

Later that evening we hit up Café Du Monde. One of my all time favorite coffee shops – downtown New Orleans, taking in the city atmosphere with coffee and bignets… Can’t beat it.

Back at the church, more UNO.

Quote of the day…maybe the week? “That’s raw.” Kenneth Tillman // all day everyday.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

New Orleans Day 4

Today it rained. And rained. Luckily we worked inside, and got any work we needed to get done outside finished between rain showers. We worded at a different site today – finishing trim work, moving tile, working on the floor… and then hopped over to another site and prepped the outside of the house for the primer we were going to apply tomorrow.

The rain actually provided us with a nice chance to talk to the homeowners. Carol and her 92 year old father in law were there, and invited us in out of the rain. We squeezed into their little living room and hung out, listened to their stories. They seemed so glad that we were there, and talking with them about life, food, New Orleans culture and more was one of the highlights of my day.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

New Orleans Day 3

Worked into our schedule is time for small group discussion, reflection, etc… We had our first small group time last night. We had some great discussion and the students came out with some great insight.

One of the things that we discussed is how foolish this venture may seem to people who are not followers of Christ. We’re giving up our own free time, paying around $300 per person, staying in less than ideal conditions, and sweating like it’s the cool thing to do while working for someone else for no pay. Destinee mentioned that her friends didn’t understand why she would want to go on a trip like that.

We live opposite from the rest of the world. Jesus lived the opposite way from the rest of the world and taught his followers to do the same. I’ve asked a lot of students when they feel the most alive and excited about life…and most of them point back to times of serving, giving, mission trips and the like. I think trips like these are so valuable in the lives of teens. Jacob mentioned that he was glad for this trip so he could get away and clear his head… And that is what these trips do – they get us out of the routine, the comfort zone… and put us in a place where we are open to God doing something great in our hearts and lives.

We also discussed the frustration of the owner of the house changing colors on us…and I’m glad we did. Great discussion followed – we talked about the need to check motives and remember the reason we came, and that being to serve. This spurned talk on how blessed we are, how grateful we should be, and the least we can do is make sure she likes the new color of the house after it was ravaged by Katrina.

Its 8am – I am reflecting on last night as breakfast is starting to be served. Now its back to the paint brush. However, my group is no where to be found…

We finished the house today. I am proud of my students – they worked very hard today, and longer than they were supposed to – they had a drive to get the job done, and I loved seeing that!

Tonight after dinner, we took a trip to a local Walmart for some more Gatorade, and a stop at a Starbucks that we found. After that is was devotions, small group time and the longest game of UNO ever! Great bonding time for everyone.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

New Orleans Day 2

This morning, after a shower and getting ready, the Louisiana humidity slapped me in the face as soon as I stepped out the door. 7:45 am, and it is already suffocating.

The groups are stirring, readying themselves for work. The gym is pretty quiet and calm – perfect for getting my head together for the day. A little Crowder, a little weak coffee, a little quiet time and I’m ready to roll.

One of the cool things about this experience is the diversity of people we are staying with. One of the groups here are Presbyterian Asian Americans from New Jersey. I noticed this morning that everyone from their group was up, dressed, and having some hardcore devotional time on their own. After that, they had group devotion and prayer time. Their disciplined approach to the week is great – I hope my group sees it…J

We are working across the city from where we were last year. We passed the vacant lot on Elysian Fields that we worked at. We are working a neighborhood that groups have been working on all summer, and it is progressing nicely. It is cool to be part of a larger picture like that. Color is coming back to houses, yards are being cleaned up. Up and down the street you see groups busy working on houses around the area. I imagine just the simple act of adding a fresh coat of paint is a nice mental and emotional uplift.
We started, and got a pretty good way into the day, and a good portion of the house painted…and the owner decided she was not happy with the color of the house. I was a little ticked at first to say the least – we had made a lot of progress, and now were about to have to start over. But then the thought occurred to me… this lady lost everything…is it really so much to ask that she truly like the color of her house? Realizing all over again that it wasn’t about us, we worked on.

On the way back to the church, we stopped at a gas station for some needed cold drinks. I am always amazed at the ability my teens have to create a ruckus everywhere they go. Where ever we are, we are ALWAYS the loudest, craziest, messiest and on and on… I guess it’s a reflection of my leadership…J At least there is never a dull moment. I’d rather have a group with ample personality than one with none at all.

Quote of the day: “Someone dropped they pickles…that’s not cool…” Chris James//Lunch Day 2

// a van, a paint brush and a bunch of teenagers

I have decided to post my journal entries from our New Orleans trip. It was a great week with my students. Times like these always make a deep impression on our lives.

New Orleans Day 1

We met and left at 8:30am. Travel was smooth – we made a stop in Montgomery to pick up 3 more students – cutting short their vacation to sweat with us in New Orleans. I love the fact they were willing to do that. The trip participants this year are Kenneth, Zach, Chris, Jacob, Devon, Jessi, Erica, Chelsey, Tiffany S., Destinee, and Tiffany G. 12 total. Once we hit Mobile, the travel became tiring and tedious. We hit traffic coming home from the 4th of July weekend at the beach. As our trip tradition – we stopped at the state lines for pictures.

Arriving in New Orleans for the second time kind of felt like a missional homecoming for all of us. We were able to reflect on last year, see how things had changed and progressed, and dig up the passion and compassion we have for the people here that was established on our last venture here.

We crossed the ferry @ Algiers, and took roads through neighborhoods to get to Aroura United Methodist (our residence for the week). The district that we are in seems pretty well recovered from the disaster – though not completely put back together, it is in working order. The church we are staying at will make a comfortable home for the week – bunk style beds, hot showers, gym for hang out time, cafeteria style kitchen… We also have 2 other groups housed here with us. There are groups from Indiana and New Jersey. It’s a great element for the teens – meeting others outside their race, cultural zone, and denomination.

After an evening of meetings and setting up – it feels like it is going to be a good week. We start work tomorrow with paint brushes and paint. We will be painting the outside of a house that is part of a whole street undergoing renovation.

One of the notable things that happened today was our dinner experience. We chose Bennigan’s. It ended up being a not so wise choice. Needing to be back for a devotional service at 8pm, we figured we had time to get in and out of the restaurant, and save ourselves yet another fast food meal. The restaurant was pretty much empty, so our plan seemed like it would work great… Yeah, it didn’t. We finally got our drinks after a 45 minute wait, and got our food at ten till 8. We were stuffing what we could down, and putting the rest in to go boxes. This wasn’t good for a group of teens with traditionally weak stomachs. Most were feeling it by the time we got back to the church!

In many ways – that’s just life here. Everything is less convenient and efficient than it once was. In the midst of rebuilding, the people have adapted to a new way of living.

The 7 Types of Camp Counselors

Being a student pastor, and having spent a good deal of my summer at youth camp, I wanted to pass along this post from Prodigal John on the Stuff Christians Like blog. It is a rundown of the different types of camp counselors out there. And I have to say that I laughed pretty hard at a few of these... and sadly, there were some faces that came to mind!

You can find Prodigal John here: http://stuffchristianslike.blogspot.com/

1. The Joe Cool
Aliases:That guy that all the girls love.
Natural Enemy:Sir No Showers a Lot

Background:I wanted to be this guy. He was the counselor that was so cool he seemed out of place. It was like some land of cool had helicoptered him in on a rope. He listened to music you never heard of, had a tan even if the sun hadn't been out and like the man in the Dos Equis commercial, "his blood smelled like cologne." Best of all, he didn't seem to care about it. This was not something he was manufacturing in his cabin. This was natural. He wasn't shopping at the Chess King or wearing Z-Cavaricci's to look hip (what we did in the early 90s), he was comfortable in an old t-shirt. He was the dude Abercrombie ads try to create in a fake way. He had never surfed, but he could. He had a weird way with animals and set the fastest time in the swim test when no one was looking. My four year old might be this person one day. She had to get six stitches yesterday after a pool incident and waved off the lortab pain medication in favor of calmly reading a Strawberry Shortcake book while the doctor sewed up her chin. That is exactly how the Joe Cool would have handled it. He probably would have even made reading Strawberry Shortcake look cool, he's that good.

2. The Disciple
Aliases:Prayer Warrior, Holy Roller, Hardcore for Heaven
Natural Enemy:The Pastor's Kid

Background:This girl was slightly more holy than Jesus. She is the one that got up each morning at 4 to greet the sun and wave at the sparrows in the woods, what a glorious feeling. She was a champ at Bible competitions but wouldn’t give you any of the answers because like a teacher that forces you to look up a word in the dictionary instead of spelling it for you, she wanted you to learn on your own. If she was in high school, she was heavily involved in the youth group. If she was in college, she attended the "Harvard of Christian colleges," whatever that meant that year. She wasn't judgmental like the Narc, but wasn't afraid to use the word "smite" or correct the special guest speaker the camp brought in if he was not doctrinally sound.

3. Sir No Showers a Lot
Aliases:Stinky, Smelly, Dude bathe already
Natural Enemy:Soap

Background:Something about camp can bring out the smelliest in people. I guess because they're outside and in nature they think they can throw off the shackles of civilization like regularly bathing and deodorant. This guy often lives on the mistaken belief that girls dig guys that are filthy. The worst thing about this counselor is when he tries to tie his "dirt merchant" ways to some sort of holy mission. Some guys all grow goatees together but this guy makes not using water as a cleaning agent some sort of act of sanctity. There's a very good chance that he doesn't wear shoes but has instead allowed a few solid weeks of being barefoot to turn the bottoms of his feet as hard as leather. Avoid this guy at all costs. Don't ever let him help out in the kitchen.

4. The Nicest Person that Ever Lived
Aliases:Sunshine
Natural Enemy:That's not very nice of you to ask.

Background:This is the only counselor that will write you when camp is over. No, scratch that, this is the only person from camp that will write you. And I'm not talking about emails or text messages. I'm talking about real letters, made of paper and stamp and time. Probably on her own personal stationary. She loves camp. She always has and takes feels true joy from helping you enjoy it too. Sometimes this person may be the daughter of the person that owns the camp, although occasionally the kids of camp owners are too close to the camp to see how special it is. It's just where their dad works.

5. The Reformed Rebel
Aliases:The legend
Natural Enemy:The Narc

Background:This is probably my favorite camp counselor. Despite being young, they've been through the wringer a few times already. They used to pull pranks that are still legendary at camp but won't help you pull your own. Not that they are against pranks now but they want you to learn the lessons of this life yourself. They aren't afraid to show you bumps and bruises from the mistakes they've made and if you ever get into a campfire confessional, this is the person you want sitting next to you. They aren't afraid to cry and seem to have a really honest, intimate relationship with Christ. It's less like someone trying to shout up to the heavens and get the attention of a massive deity and more like someone talking with a friend that they really love.

6. The Narc
Aliases:Phariswat Team, Fun Police
Natural Enemy:Everyone, particularly people "making purple."

Background:This is usually a self appointed title. I don't think that camps actually assign or completely endorse this person, but they exist. Their mission for the week or the summer is to make sure everyone is following the rules. They don't see the rules as something to help prevent accidents or injuries. The rules are guideposts to an efficient, effective camp experience and anyone that steps out of line needs to be corrected. Often this person is the only one that has access to the bullhorn which in some scary situations they actually brought from home. If you steal their bullhorn, hypothetically speaking of course, they will magically pull a whistle out of nowhere and use that instead to keep everyone on point.

7. The Rebel
Aliases:The bad seed, the "how did that guy get to be a counselor" guy
Natural Enemy:Whoever finds the contraband he hid in a shallow hole by the ropes course.

Background:This person is pretty rare, which I think is probably a good thing. But sometimes, you'll encounter a counselor that seems to break all the rules he's supposed to be enforcing. He sneaks out at night when the kids are asleep to go into town and mingle with some locals. He wears his ropes course safety helmet backwards and is the only one in recorded history to have actually hit the camp owner with a water balloon. It makes little sense that he works at the camp but there's a theory that he got the job through blackmail. Or his dad is the pastor. Either way, keep an eye on this guy.I haven't gone to camp in years but if I do get to make a cameo someday, expect to find me hanging out with the Reformed Rebel and the Narc's stolen bullhorn.

Words from Crowder

This is a great piece written by David Crowder. He has an awesome way with words as well as an uncanny ability to take real life and experience and pull spiritual truth out of it. This is a piece that he wrote for Catalyst. It caught my attention, having just come back from New Orleans, encountering the homeless there, and in light of the homeless ministry that our church has recently started. Check it out:

Rid the Yard of Sticks
By David Crowder++ CATALYST MONTHLY EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE

It is a Saturday afternoon in Waco, Texas and I am at home sitting on the couch with my wife. The television is on and it is displaying a golf tournament and we are observing this through half-opened heavy eyelids. It’s rather lovely.

I feel the need to point out that I live in one of the more economically depressed sections of town, as in, seriously, two of our neighbors call themselves the Rockstars because, they sell “rock,” (as in crack cocaine) – they do a brisk business. So, again, this time with context, my wife and I are sitting on our couch on a Saturday afternoon watching the “sport” of golf with lots and lots of Fidelity and Buick commercials.

Abruptly, I am jarred from this, my privileged slumber, as, “David! David!” is yelled at loud volume from somewhere behind me. I now feel the need to point out that we do not have any curtains on our windows. We’ve been in our house 6 years and curtains have held only occasional importance, like now, with, “David! David!” being shouted from the street at the window located directly behind my head, which is again causing me to think, “Seriously, we’ve been here 6 years? We need some curtains.” I turn and peek over the couch. It’s John. I say this to my wife, “Oh, man. It’s John.”

John is an elderly black man who has no home. He is one of Waco’s homeless. He is my neighbor. He comes around and wants to pick up the sticks in my yard. He says, “David, I’ll just get these sticks out of your yard if you can spare a few dollars.” We do this often, rid the yard of sticks. It’s really helpful – you can imagine – the ability to move about your yard without the obstruction of sticks. So, here is John, standing in the street outside of my window, watching us watch golf, when he decides he needs to tell me something. Peering over the couch, my eyes meet with John’s and I am left with no choice outside of meeting John at my back door.
“Hey John.”
“Now, David. I don’t mean to disturb you. I see you and your wife in there just relaxing, watching the TV, the golf I see, my apologies.”
“That’s quite all right. What’s going on John?”
“Well, like I said, I don’t mean to disturb you, I just wanted to say congratulations.”
I pause. I’m not sure what my line is supposed to be. I had all of my lines ready. I had formulated them on my walk from the couch to the door. I have no idea what he’s talking about. I think to myself, John is genius. This is a new angle. I’m trying to anticipate his next move and I’m forming fantastic pieces of discussion that will totally make John get a real job and stop living on the street and asking me if he can pick up my sticks. I respond, “Uh, thanks.”
“Yep. You’re gonna do it. We’ve all talked and we know you’re gonna bring ‘em home. Just like last time. Yep, congratulations. We’re all pulling for you.”
“Uh, OK. Now what might this be regarding?”
“Those Dove awards. You’re gonna win ‘em! We all prayed and we know you’re gonna do it, you’re gonna bring ‘em home you hear me?”

I pause. I have no idea where to put this. John has basically told me that the homeless population near my house is 1) aware that there are such things as “Dove Awards” and 2) that my band and I have been nominated for some, and, 3) seriously? (!) The homeless had some type of meeting, or assembly, or whatever, and are praying we win? What on earth! That is the most ridiculous thing ever, and – what, seriously? Thoughts like this are in my head: David, you make assumptions that are wrong. You need to repent. You are evil.

Social or civil justice issues are incredibly difficult objects to get my head around. It is a given that most of us desire to live in a just society; the awkwardness lies in agreeing upon just how exactly we arrive there. It’s easy to become pessimistic and passive even when attempting to effect change, i.e. after hearing Red Campaign marketing costs, or reports that mosquito nets I sent contributed to a water shortage crisis due to the nets actually working and people surviving malaria. Thus, obviously, it resulted in a rising population and a rise in water consumption, thus resulting in a water shortage, which now those same people are dying from.

To carry the story of God in a way that makes a real, tangible difference to those we live among can be really frustrating at times. I think the only way to not become paralyzed by the task, is, to get close enough to these issues for them to turn into names and faces that walk up to your fence on a Saturday; who lean in and yell your name and give you something that leaves you smiling and tearful and repentant and a little more in love with the people God has made.

I love how Crowder brings out the fact that he had his formulated response to the man shouting his name. It makes me wonder if we keep most of our responses formulated as we respond to the world around us as believers. This article really made me think about how I need to embrace people issue to issue, need to need - and not have a preconceived, arms length way of dealing with them.