Two and a half weeks
So, here it is. The details of my past two and half weeks. February 23 I left for the Mardi Gras outreach. It was incredible. Hard at first. But I got some good advice from a friend and the just went out an "enjoyed the party." I met some amazing people. I prophesied over someone for the first time in my life. I gave a homeless lady my socks. I talked to a lady from Slidell, which is where I went over Fall Break, so that was incredible and I got to pray with her. Mudded out a house. That made me want Mardi Gras to be over and for Spring Break to start because that was what I did over spring break. But here is the story of the trip: Last year, I was at the "Rainbow Table." I'll explain. There is a section of Bourbon St. where it is all gay bars and gay strip bars. That is also where there are the Christians with condemning signs and bullhorns saying that they're all going to burn in hell. So, my team sets up a table where we hand out water and lemonade and we have a huge sign that has a rainbow in the background and it says "God Loves Everyone." We just go, hand out lemonade and love on people. Let them know that not all Christians are like that and that we know they are human. So, last year I was at that table. My partner, Anthony, and I went onto Bourbon St. to hand out water and the first lady we saw was about to pass out in the street. We carried her to our table and sat her down. I spent the whole night holding her in her chair and listening to her talk. She was going in and out of consciousness but when she was awake she told me her story. Her husband had paid for her and her boyfriend to go to Mardi Gras. Her boyfriend left her in the middle of Bourbon St. (not smart) to go into the gay strip bar. She was really upset. I just held her. Then her boyfriend, Ariel, came out with two strippers to take her, Gretchen, to their hotel. My friend from my team, Liz, stopped him and got into an amazing conversation. Then Ariel took Gretchen away. I've thought about her almost every day since then. Just before I was leaving for Mardi Gras this year I was talking to Liz. She said that she really thought I was going to see them again. I was like, yeah, okay, that's impossible. It was Fat Tuesday. I was at the Rainbow Table. We ran out of lemonade so we just walked the streets. There were four of us. Two got into a conversation. Then the third did. I couldn't leave them and it would be awkward to join their conversation so I just stood there. Praying and looking for someone nearby to talk to. Then, dear lord, who walks by me? Gretchen. For real. I saw her and I was like, "Gretchen?!" She looked at me but had a look on her face like she didn't know who I was. Of course she didn't, she couldn't even stand, how could she remember me? But thankfully, Ariel was right behind her. They introduced me to Gretchen's husband and I asked, "What are you doing down here?" This is what Ariel said, "Well, I can't explain fully right now because we are late. We are meeting some friends about three blocks from here because we're with a team handing out tracks." What???!!!!! Oh yes. They are saved. I was never a strong advocate of street witnessing for long term effects. But now, I am all about street witnessing and all about Mardi Gras. It changes people's lives!!!! All I did was hold a drunk lady for a few hours and now she is "advancing the Kingdom." It blows my mind. I don't quite understand it but, it happened. Praise the Lord.
I also got prophesied over and it was intense. It was good. It was right on. I love Jesus.
Now, Spring Break. I'll make it short since this is long. March 5 to March 10 I mudded out houses. Mudding out: try to image a house that was under water for days and has been sitting abandoned for 6 months. Wet, smelly, black mold and voodoo juice (6 month old food in the fridge mixed with flood water). We go into these houses and clean everything, I mean EVERYTHING, out for the owners. It would take them about two months to do it themselves and we can do it in two hours. So I mudded out for five days. Intense. Hard work. Amazing stories. I'll tell two, if you want more, ask me, I have plenty. The first house we went to was the house of a 97 year old woman who had lived in that house 97 years. She was there because she wanted to try and salvage some things. When we were done, she wanted to go walk through the house. I went with her because it's dangerous for us to be in there, let alone a 97 year old. She walked into the kitchen and turned around to face me. Her eyes welled and she said, "It just so hard. This is my life. I worked so hard for this and now it's gone." I lost it. I bawled. She started crying but she came up and gave me a hug and said, "It's okay honey. It's fine. It's all going to be okay." Ha! I was supposed to be the one being strong for her. Then we went outside to pray. Someone asked her if there was something we could pray with her about. She said, "I just want to praise God for everything that I have." I just don't understand. I have nothing to say to that. That women I only know as "Auntie" and her faith and trust in God will be with my the rest of my life.
Now, the last day we were there we were at another elderly lady's house. The water was above her roof when the flood hit. It was bad. But all that she wanted to salvage was her husband's wedding band. Let me tell you, you will not understand the impossibility of that happening until you see what a house looks like when we walk in. I can try to explain but I wouldn't do it justice. Just know that it is impossible. Around 10am we took a break. I hate breaks. So I snuck out early and went back into the house. The homeowner followed me and we started talking. She told me that they hadn't found the ring yet and she was real scared that they wouldn't. Then she told me that there was one more thing she wanted. Her and her husband had been married since 1942. They renewed their vows every year. And every year they had the minister who renewed their vows sign their name and date in a bible. That bible was on a bookshelf in her den. Now, the easiest way to get to the den was through the back room. The entrance to the back room was blocked by stuff up to my chest. She asked that when we got to that room if I could make sure people looked for it. I said of course. She left and I went back to shoveling. But I kept thinking about her request. I put my shovel down and crawled over the heap of stuff and into the den. Thinking there would be a few books for me to look through, my heart sank when I saw the entire room was a pile of books up to my waist. But I was determined to find that book. I squatted on the books and started looking at every one for that red Bible. About 300 books and 2 hours later, I found it. I had this Bible in my hands. Of course there was water damaged and some mold but during that two hours I told myself that it didn't matter what condition it was in, I was going to give it to her. I looked at the inside just to make sure. The first few pages where 1942 to about 1970 were gone. But the last few with 1971 to 2005 were there. I left the house and walked out to her. I handed her the Bible and watched the tears well in her eyes and mine. We shared a few words and I left. About 10 minutes later, another member of my crew walked up to her with the ring. How do possible things come true? Our compassionate and loving Lord. Now, don't think that I'm trying to brag. I'm not, I truly do not think that I did enough this week. I told you that story so you will see that God is faithful. I don't understand the hurricanes. I really struggle with trusting God and believing he is in control after seeing what I saw this weeks. But this story and the so many I have that are just like it, encourage me so much. It reminds me that God is so much bigger than I am. His ways are so much higher than mine. He does things everyday that I don't understand. And he knows it. He knows we struggle with belief. So he gives us little reminders that he will take care of us. That he knows our hearts and our thoughts. The Lord does care about the little things. He know everything about us, and though I know so little about him, I know that he loves me and that he was always take care of me.
I also got prophesied over and it was intense. It was good. It was right on. I love Jesus.
Now, Spring Break. I'll make it short since this is long. March 5 to March 10 I mudded out houses. Mudding out: try to image a house that was under water for days and has been sitting abandoned for 6 months. Wet, smelly, black mold and voodoo juice (6 month old food in the fridge mixed with flood water). We go into these houses and clean everything, I mean EVERYTHING, out for the owners. It would take them about two months to do it themselves and we can do it in two hours. So I mudded out for five days. Intense. Hard work. Amazing stories. I'll tell two, if you want more, ask me, I have plenty. The first house we went to was the house of a 97 year old woman who had lived in that house 97 years. She was there because she wanted to try and salvage some things. When we were done, she wanted to go walk through the house. I went with her because it's dangerous for us to be in there, let alone a 97 year old. She walked into the kitchen and turned around to face me. Her eyes welled and she said, "It just so hard. This is my life. I worked so hard for this and now it's gone." I lost it. I bawled. She started crying but she came up and gave me a hug and said, "It's okay honey. It's fine. It's all going to be okay." Ha! I was supposed to be the one being strong for her. Then we went outside to pray. Someone asked her if there was something we could pray with her about. She said, "I just want to praise God for everything that I have." I just don't understand. I have nothing to say to that. That women I only know as "Auntie" and her faith and trust in God will be with my the rest of my life.
Now, the last day we were there we were at another elderly lady's house. The water was above her roof when the flood hit. It was bad. But all that she wanted to salvage was her husband's wedding band. Let me tell you, you will not understand the impossibility of that happening until you see what a house looks like when we walk in. I can try to explain but I wouldn't do it justice. Just know that it is impossible. Around 10am we took a break. I hate breaks. So I snuck out early and went back into the house. The homeowner followed me and we started talking. She told me that they hadn't found the ring yet and she was real scared that they wouldn't. Then she told me that there was one more thing she wanted. Her and her husband had been married since 1942. They renewed their vows every year. And every year they had the minister who renewed their vows sign their name and date in a bible. That bible was on a bookshelf in her den. Now, the easiest way to get to the den was through the back room. The entrance to the back room was blocked by stuff up to my chest. She asked that when we got to that room if I could make sure people looked for it. I said of course. She left and I went back to shoveling. But I kept thinking about her request. I put my shovel down and crawled over the heap of stuff and into the den. Thinking there would be a few books for me to look through, my heart sank when I saw the entire room was a pile of books up to my waist. But I was determined to find that book. I squatted on the books and started looking at every one for that red Bible. About 300 books and 2 hours later, I found it. I had this Bible in my hands. Of course there was water damaged and some mold but during that two hours I told myself that it didn't matter what condition it was in, I was going to give it to her. I looked at the inside just to make sure. The first few pages where 1942 to about 1970 were gone. But the last few with 1971 to 2005 were there. I left the house and walked out to her. I handed her the Bible and watched the tears well in her eyes and mine. We shared a few words and I left. About 10 minutes later, another member of my crew walked up to her with the ring. How do possible things come true? Our compassionate and loving Lord. Now, don't think that I'm trying to brag. I'm not, I truly do not think that I did enough this week. I told you that story so you will see that God is faithful. I don't understand the hurricanes. I really struggle with trusting God and believing he is in control after seeing what I saw this weeks. But this story and the so many I have that are just like it, encourage me so much. It reminds me that God is so much bigger than I am. His ways are so much higher than mine. He does things everyday that I don't understand. And he knows it. He knows we struggle with belief. So he gives us little reminders that he will take care of us. That he knows our hearts and our thoughts. The Lord does care about the little things. He know everything about us, and though I know so little about him, I know that he loves me and that he was always take care of me.