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Mission
Trip
New Orleans, July 2007
When I returned from my week in New Orleans
not only did I return with new memories, experiences and friendships, but
I returned also with a new appreciation for God and the beautiful world that
he has created. I’m sure most, if not all, would agree that God was ever-present
throughout the entire week.
Personally I felt his presence from the moment we left the church parking
lot, when I prayed that I would be able to survive a 22 hour car ride with
Catie, to the moment we returned safely in Liverpool. Before arriving at Camp
Bethlehem I was faced with the first of many challenges for that week. .
. .the twenty-three mile bridge. Now I'm not a big fan of bridges, and Catie
can attest that I was basically flipping out at the beginning of this endeavor.
However after a few minutes of closing my eyes and taking deep breaths I
found myself looking to my right and seeing one of the most amazing sunsets
I’ve ever laid eyes on. . . no lie I took at least twenty pictures of the
same thing, not only to keep me distracted from the gigantic bridge we were
crossing but to cherish the captivating pink, yellow, red and orange that
filled the sky that evening, a picture that would remain in my head for the
entire trip.
The remainder of the week was filled with talks about safety and hydration
importance, early morning breakfasts, hard work and heat, late afternoon showers,
devotionals and usually the day ended with either sight seeing of New Orleans
or rest and relaxation. During the course of the week I worked at three different
sights, Charlie Brown’s house, the Tilbury road house and Montrel’s. Now
I'm not the most experienced with handiwork so when it came to painting,
mudding and mucking I wasn’t exactly a “pro”. However, I quickly caught on
and with each newly acquired skilled came new experiences, some startling
and shocking, others memorable and heartwarming. Part way through the week
our activity for the evening was an airboat adventure down at the bayou,
complete with gators, adorable little earphones and yet again the most amazing
sunsets I have ever seen, even more beautiful than the one I saw when crossing
over the terrifying bridge. I constantly was taking pictures for the entire
ride and was intrigued by how calm and serene the waterfront was.
When I was on my way to New Orleans I expected to see much devastation and
depression, and although there is still much work that needs to be done I
was shocked at how beautiful New Orleans remains. The world God has created
is gorgeous and although Katrina was able to destroy many buildings, homes
and property she was not able to demolish God’s stunning creation. The animals,
nature and people of New Orleans were greatly affected by this disaster, but
they were not destroyed. The comical alligators with marshmallows floating
on their heads and kissing the tourist, the captivating bayou with breathtaking
sunsets, and the optimistic people like Montrel, his daughter India and the
plumber at Charlie brown’s house all made an impact on me and my experience
in New Orleans, and as I was sitting in the airboat staring out into the open
water. . .the same waters that caused so much pain only a year prior, I realized
how truly beautiful all of God’s creation is.
On our last night in new Orleans we took a driving tour of some of the areas
still extremely disgruntled from Katrina, like St. Bernard’s Parish and the
9th Ward and although that drive was pretty emotional for me I was yet again
reminded of the beauty of god’s creation. As I was about to take a picture
of some of the devastated area the battery in my camera began to die, and
ironically enough the last picture on my camera, before it shut off, was a
picture of the first sunset I saw upon arriving in New Orleans. Yes, this
trip made me feel good about myself because I was helping the people on New
Orleans, but I also feel like I grew in faith because I became more aware
of God’s creation and more appreciative for all that which god has so graciously
blessed us with. “I am coming Home! I will rebuild! I am New Orleans!”
- Courtney Johnson
If you were part of the Mission Trip and have a
story you'd like to share,
please e-mail Bonny McCabe.
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