March 2007 Mission Trip to New Orleans
(click on any photo to view
a larger image)
On March 10th, under a beautiful, pre-spring
sunny sky, More than 20 Elders from Central gathered in the parking
lot with our 8 mission trip particpants and their families to send
them to New Orleans with prayer. The group, members of Central as
well as Blue Mound and Prairie Avenue Christian Churches, were off
for a week of adventure and hard work, helping the rebuilding initiative
following the devistation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the fall
of 2005. Below are their stories and their photos!
Reflections from Joy:
The Sunday before our team left for our NOLA
(New Orleans, LA) Mission Trip, a Commissioning Service was held.
As a worker/team member, I was charged with representing Jesus Christ,
my congregation and other Christians in New Orleans. I thought what
a task! While pondering the words the congregation and I had spoken
during the service, I realized that with the thoughts and prayers
of my church that were accompanying me and God's love and presence,
I could and would be able to meet the challenge. What a wonderful
adventure and experience! Teamwork and bonding happened big time --
between individuals within a team and between the three service teams.
Awesome is the best word I can think of to describe the mission volunteers
(a total of 30) and all the work that was accomplished. I received
a double bonus on this mission, not only did my faith receive exercise
but so did my body! Mission Station Manager, brother Vance, ended
each workday by gathering us together and asking, "Where did
you see God today?" The answers were as varied as the volunteers.
What a wonderful way of ending a day by focusing on God and all He
created.
A photo of Westside Christian Church after
the floodwaters receeded and scenes from the rebuilding projects
today!
Reflections from Ken:
As is usually the case, I feel that I received so much more than I
gave. I gained so much from the other "missionaries" on
this trip. As my minister so aptly stated in our commissioning service,
I am "home improvement challenged". Ed, Don, and Brent are
very knowledgeable about construction, and they were very good about
sharing their knowledge with me, allowing me to learn as we worked.
I spent a day with Joy and Nancy, applying glue to cove base, which
they crawled around the bathrooms and showers installing. It wasn't
a glamorous job, but they stayed at it all day, and the rooms looked
great when they finished. Shirley and Janet were our "runners"
and were busy driving to and from Lowes and Home Depot, among other
places, picking up supplies needed at the work site. They even drove
to Baton Rouge to pick up windows for the parsonage! I dare say that
without their efforts, not a single project at the mission center
would have been completed. What little time I got to spend with them
was very rewarding. What a great group of people!! Their heart for
mission and willingness to do whatever jobs needed doing was an inspiration
to me. I hope for opportunities to work with all of these new friends
on future mission trips.
I was also impressed by the other missionaries at Westside Christian
Church. We met and worked with a group of college students from the
University of Kentucky at Lexington who gave their spring break to
come and work, instead of heading to Florida, Mexico, or any of the
other "party spots". They pitched in and kept working until
their jobs were completed, and then looked for more work! We also
encountered a group of non-Disciple teachers who took time off from
their jobs to come and work for a few days at Westside. They had been
turned down on their first request to come, but they called and asked
again. This time, they were accepted. And they worked hard!
Finally, I need to mention Vance & Jeannie, and Paul & Anna,
the resident missionaries at Westside. Vance is the "guiding
light" at Westside. He came to pastor the church and oversee
the mission center despite his wife's health problems. Jeannie is
undergoing treatment for cancer, and has suffered several other ailments
in recent years, yet she and Vance presented such a positive, expectant,
and grateful attitude to all of us. Paul and Anna live in Mississippi
and leave their home to drive down and prepare meals for the workers,
staying for days and weeks at a time. They have a great sense of humor,
and it was fun listening to their banter as they prepared our meals.
Saints all!
We ended each work day with Vance asking us, "Where did you see
God today?" I can honestly say that I saw God in every person
there. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this mission
trip. I look forward to the next one.
P.S. I just have to add that
the one picture that is missing is one that not one of us was
prepared to take. When Vance took us into the bunkhouse, and
the realization hit us that the dorm is co-ed, the shock on
our faces must have been hilarious!! What a Kodak moment we
all missed!!
The dining room and co-workers from Kentucky!
Sight-seeing on the French
Quarter!
Some well-deserved R&R
on the French Quarter at the end of a long, hard week!
Reflections from Janet:
This was my first mission trip and I really didn't know what to expect.
I wondered if I could do the things that needed done. Once we arrived
and saw what needed to be done, I knew I was up to the task. We worked
on the church and rebuilding the parsonage. My job was the errand
runner where I went many places to get the supplies that were needed
during the week. I saw areas that haven't been touched and people
standing outside Home Depot looking for work. Every place that I went
for supplies, I found the people to be friendly and helpful if I had
questions. This trip has changed the way I look at life and I was
happy to have the opportunity to do this trip.
Some photos of the devastation
in and around the Ninth Ward include a portion of the infamous
levy, now rebuilt; an abandoned Six Flags park; and many scenes
of destroyed homes and businesses.
Reflections from Don:
FOR ME the most rewarding thing was at evening time after a long day
of work was to sit around and the entire group of people from KY,
TX and IL listenened to Vance. He was the minister for Westside Christian
Church and he told many stories about the Church and area affeted
by Katrina. But when the group was assembled he would ask WHERE DID
YOU SEE GOD TODAY. Many responded with alot of ways they saw God.
March 2007 Mission Trip to New Orleans(click on any photo to view a larger image) |
 |
On March 10th, under a beautiful, pre-spring sunny sky, More than 20 Elders from Central gathered in the parking lot with our 8 mission trip particpants and their families to send them to New Orleans with prayer. The group, members of Central as well as Blue Mound and Prairie Avenue Christian Churches, were off for a week of adventure and hard work, helping the rebuilding initiative following the devistation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the fall of 2005. Below are their stories and their photos!
 |
 |
 |
Reflections from Joy: The Sunday before our team left for our NOLA (New Orleans, LA) Mission Trip, a Commissioning Service was held. As a worker/team member, I was charged with representing Jesus Christ, my congregation and other Christians in New Orleans. I thought what a task! While pondering the words the congregation and I had spoken during the service, I realized that with the thoughts and prayers of my church that were accompanying me and God's love and presence, I could and would be able to meet the challenge. What a wonderful adventure and experience! Teamwork and bonding happened big time -- between individuals within a team and between the three service teams. Awesome is the best word I can think of to describe the mission volunteers (a total of 30) and all the work that was accomplished. I received a double bonus on this mission, not only did my faith receive exercise but so did my body! Mission Station Manager, brother Vance, ended each workday by gathering us together and asking, "Where did you see God today?" The answers were as varied as the volunteers. What a wonderful way of ending a day by focusing on God and all He created.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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A photo of Westside Christian Church after
the floodwaters receeded and scenes from the rebuilding projects
today!
|
||
Reflections from Ken:
As is usually the case, I feel that I received so much more than I
gave. I gained so much from the other "missionaries" on
this trip. As my minister so aptly stated in our commissioning service,
I am "home improvement challenged". Ed, Don, and Brent are
very knowledgeable about construction, and they were very good about
sharing their knowledge with me, allowing me to learn as we worked.
I spent a day with Joy and Nancy, applying glue to cove base, which
they crawled around the bathrooms and showers installing. It wasn't
a glamorous job, but they stayed at it all day, and the rooms looked
great when they finished. Shirley and Janet were our "runners"
and were busy driving to and from Lowes and Home Depot, among other
places, picking up supplies needed at the work site. They even drove
to Baton Rouge to pick up windows for the parsonage! I dare say that
without their efforts, not a single project at the mission center
would have been completed. What little time I got to spend with them
was very rewarding. What a great group of people!! Their heart for
mission and willingness to do whatever jobs needed doing was an inspiration
to me. I hope for opportunities to work with all of these new friends
on future mission trips.
I was also impressed by the other missionaries at Westside Christian
Church. We met and worked with a group of college students from the
University of Kentucky at Lexington who gave their spring break to
come and work, instead of heading to Florida, Mexico, or any of the
other "party spots". They pitched in and kept working until
their jobs were completed, and then looked for more work! We also
encountered a group of non-Disciple teachers who took time off from
their jobs to come and work for a few days at Westside. They had been
turned down on their first request to come, but they called and asked
again. This time, they were accepted. And they worked hard!
Finally, I need to mention Vance & Jeannie, and Paul & Anna,
the resident missionaries at Westside. Vance is the "guiding
light" at Westside. He came to pastor the church and oversee
the mission center despite his wife's health problems. Jeannie is
undergoing treatment for cancer, and has suffered several other ailments
in recent years, yet she and Vance presented such a positive, expectant,
and grateful attitude to all of us. Paul and Anna live in Mississippi
and leave their home to drive down and prepare meals for the workers,
staying for days and weeks at a time. They have a great sense of humor,
and it was fun listening to their banter as they prepared our meals.
Saints all!
We ended each work day with Vance asking us, "Where did you see
God today?" I can honestly say that I saw God in every person
there. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this mission
trip. I look forward to the next one.
 |
 |
 |
|
P.S. I just have to add that
the one picture that is missing is one that not one of us was
prepared to take. When Vance took us into the bunkhouse, and
the realization hit us that the dorm is co-ed, the shock on
our faces must have been hilarious!! What a Kodak moment we
all missed!!
|
||
 |
 |
 |
|
The dining room and co-workers from Kentucky!
|
||
 |
 |
 |
|
Sight-seeing on the French
Quarter!
|
||
 |
|
Some well-deserved R&R
on the French Quarter at the end of a long, hard week!
|
Reflections from Janet: This was my first mission trip and I really didn't know what to expect. I wondered if I could do the things that needed done. Once we arrived and saw what needed to be done, I knew I was up to the task. We worked on the church and rebuilding the parsonage. My job was the errand runner where I went many places to get the supplies that were needed during the week. I saw areas that haven't been touched and people standing outside Home Depot looking for work. Every place that I went for supplies, I found the people to be friendly and helpful if I had questions. This trip has changed the way I look at life and I was happy to have the opportunity to do this trip.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Some photos of the devastation
in and around the Ninth Ward include a portion of the infamous
levy, now rebuilt; an abandoned Six Flags park; and many scenes
of destroyed homes and businesses.
|
||
Reflections from Don: FOR ME the most rewarding thing was at evening time after a long day of work was to sit around and the entire group of people from KY, TX and IL listenened to Vance. He was the minister for Westside Christian Church and he told many stories about the Church and area affeted by Katrina. But when the group was assembled he would ask WHERE DID YOU SEE GOD TODAY. Many responded with alot of ways they saw God.
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Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
(217) 428-4336