Part of a bigger picture

250,000 community service hours logged by Lutheran Youth in New Orleans in just three days! As part of my job of director of Teen Life Ministry I took a group of 40 to the National ELCA Lutheran Youth Gathering in New Orleans this July--what I thought was just going to be another youth trip of no sleep and lots of people turned out to be life changing in so many ways for so many people. Check out this article:

Imaging going to a location with 36,000 other people for the common purpose to go beyond ourselves to bring love and peace--little did we know, but this is what happened. Life transformation happened to the 36,000 people that came from all parts of the country, but long-lasting life changes came to the people of the city.

Hurricane Katrina, which happened four years ago in 2005, still lingers among the people and places in New Orleans. My first time in New Orleans was February 2009 and I did not know what to expect, but there was not a sense of joy from the community during that visit. People seemed to still be trying to get back to normal but yet there was so much destruction that remained. Driving around the city I was blown away by how deserted it still was and I felt the cloud of gloom that continued to linger over many people.

Specifically, our group cleared about half of an acre of the backyard at a church in Mandeville and also mulched the playground, I was amazed at how different things look after a day of work. From the many people I know who were also leading groups, I heard many stories of the transformation that occurred. For example, there are many parks around New Orleans that have literally been boarded up since Katrina happened. Imaging being 10 years old and walking by your neighborhood park everyday to see it as a place of destruction. There were 3 different groups that worked on this project; one day the group took down all the boards/ply-wood and the next day a group began to gut the park and on the third day the final touches were complete and the park was usable. On day two, the neighborhood kids came out to sit on the curb and watch; they offered high fives and words of encouragement. This is truly the love of God and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit at work.

Sharing the gospel and love of Jesus is not about going door to door and telling people about the love of Jesus or giving them a pamphlet about how they can love Jesus. Loving our neighbors is sharing the gospel and love of Jesus and helping them restore their community.

The people of the city showed hospitality beyond anything I have experienced in a city that size. Notice the picture above, that sign was at a palm reader station; people poured out love right back to us. I heard a story about a small group going into a restaurant and the locals buying them breakfast, this city is being more transformed than it ever has been. People would drive by and honk their horn, and some even rolled down their windows just to say 'thank you for being here' or 'thank you for helping our city'.

Words cannot express how incredible for me this experience was to be part of the 36,000 people together in New Orleans for a purpose beyond ourselves. This truly was life changing and my prayers continue for the city that they may continue to see the hope within and continue to share the love of Jesus to all people who come to visit.