It’s definitely a God thing!

Projects are a big part of these trips but more important are the relationships that are formed in the process of the work.   
The relationships established with the home owners are wonderful but the enhanced relationship with God and amongst the team members is absolutely priceless.  

First and foremost, it’s incredible to watch people grow spiritually and increase the intensity of their relationship with God.   In some cases, the growth can be seen right before our eyes.   “The light comes on” so to speak.  God places something or someone in our path that flips that switch and we see things in a whole new light.

Alot of us go with the “human” thought that we’re going to bless the people of New Orleans.  While that may happen, God sees to it that working with and for those people ends up blessing us more in the process.   It’s incredibly humbling to go to a complete stranger and say to them “I’m here to serve you, what can I do?”  

The bottom line is, God is much more about growing us spiritually than He is about what we’re doing while there.  The work is only the vehicle for that growth.  In reflection is when we see that since we stepped out of our box, God has blessed that step tenfold. 

To further increase spiritual growth, there are 25+ of us living for a week or two(in some cases) in 1000 square feet with only two bathrooms.   If two bathrooms for that many people doesn’t test a person’s faith, I’m not sure what would!   Grace and patience become very necessary  and evident.  It’s so amazing to see the growing bonds between the team members.  It doesn’t matter where you are financially, personally or spiritually, the playing field is leveled in a hurry with these kinds of logistics.  Let’s just say there aren’t a lot of secrets in this kind of environment.   We pray, we joke, we worship, we laugh(alot) and we fellowship.   We celebrate the good things that happen during our day and if someone is struggling, it doesn’t take long for another person to see that and come around them in friendship and prayer.   How a person can become so close to others in such a short time, close enough to feel like family is truly a “God-thing.”    
  We have a lot of team members who return year after year and when they do, it truly feels like old home week.   With Crossroads being a larger church with multiple campuses, trips such as these create a relationship bond amongst the team members and campuses represented that may not happen otherwise.  A person can sometimes fall through the cracks of a large church, but its activities like these that seal up those cracks.  

If an opportunity arises for any of you to go on a short-term outreach, I would highly recommend it.  You will never be the same again!  It will definitely ruin you for the ordinary!

 

Home Sweet Home

The last of our group arrived back home late yesterday afternoon.  What an incredible two weeks!  The relationships that were formed amongst team members and the divine appointments that were made are absolutely priceless. 

Mike said it best at our team meeting the last night together…we’re no longer just fellow Christians, people who go to the same church or who took a trip together.  We’re now family!

 

We’ll be posting a few more pictures in the next few days so be sure to stop back and take a look. 

Working at Albert’s house

 

Last day of work

We were able to hand Brian keys to his home today.  He only has power to the post outside his home and no water but he was moving a air mattress in so he could sleep in his home tonight.  He has moved from place to place since Katrina hit and was so excited to be able to have a home with a locking door  He didn’t care that the only electricity he has is on a long extension cord.

 

Brian is one excited man!

Welcome home Brian Berteaux, welcome home!

Projects have been progressing nicely.  Sorry for the lapse in posting but time has been scarce.  Hopefully we’ll have more pictures tonight.

 

Please pray for safe travels as we head home in the morning.  We will drive as far as Sikeston, Missouri tomorrow and be home late Saturday afternoon.  Also, please pray for Jeff, one of our team members suffering from a back issue.  Thanks for all of your prayerful support!

Four campuses represented

We have four campuses from our network represented in the teams this year.

 

Freeport campus

 

White Pines campus

 

Galena campus

 

and for the first time we’ve had two people from our Northern Range campus in Commerce City, Colorado

 

We also have team members from two other churches with us.

Silver Creek Reformed Church, German Valley, Illinois

 

Stockton United Methodist Church, Stockton, Illinois

 

It’s been wonderful to see different denominations and age groups working side by side.  What a great example of what God’s kingdom should look like.

Just another night back at the ranch…

They’ve already completed a 500 piece puzzle and are now working on a 1000 piece.

 

Card playing

 

and no evening is complete without a haircut or two!

Week Two Monday & Tuesday

Our electric was out again last night so we’ll do both day together this time.

Projects are progressing wonderfully. 

Most of the work is being done now at Brian’s house and across the street at Alfred’s house.

It’s the first time we’ve had two projects so close to each other like this.  How handy is that?

Our mornings start off with some worship and devotion time.

 

Starting the day and deciding who is going to do what.

 

Brian, one of the homeowners

 

Some of the week two team with Brian

 

Amanda stepping back and letting Kerry do his thing.

 

Brian working on windows

 

Coffee and donut break.  Both homeowners brought donuts for the team today.  Krispy Kremes doesn’t have anything on the little bakery they get their donuts from!

 

Jeff with Alfred, the homeowner across the street.

 

The crew has been sheet rocking Alfred’s house but a few of them also worked on this small shed behind the house.  Alfred was thrilled with this little bit of “lagniappe”.

 

Some of the ladies painted the fellowship hall bathrooms at St Luke’s this afternoon.

 

Last night a bunch of us went out looking for warmer work clothes.  JCPenneys made out really well with all of our purchases.  The highs have been in the 40’s which is unusual for New Orleans and it’s supposed to get colder yet before the week is out.   I guess we’re just getting prepared to head north again in a few days.

Beautiful Sunday!

What a great day spent worshiping our Lord and seeing his creation.

 

We started out with breakfast at Betsy’s Pancake House.

 

Houses being rebuilt in the Lower Ninth Ward.

 

Part of the second week group on the industrial canal wall.

 

Services at St Lukes and lunch with the church family afterwards.

 

The pelican’s bill holds more than his belly-can.

 

Sugar Cane 101 by Professor Derby

 

Raceland Raw Sugar production plant – sweet!

Saturday project pics

Safe

One of the beautiful sprawling trees in New Orleans

 

Week One folks arrived home safe and sound today to a frigid and chilly Northern regions.  Week Two people have arrived with the exception of one more flying in tomorrow morning.  The week two team looks to be as amazing as the week one.  I barely had the car parked and they had changed into work clothes and wanted to go to the project.  How eager is that?

Sunday will be filled with breakfast out, church, lunch at the church afterwards, some sightseeing and great team time.  Monday morning we’ll hit the ground running again for our final four days here.

We should have more pictures to post Sunday night or Monday.

 

On a different note, we, as a team would like to extend our sympathies to the Mike Williamson family.  Mike’s son, Glen(his wife Colleen) is our Freeport campus pastor. 

Glen & Colleen, we know this is a rough time for you but please feel all of our prayers headed your way.  We love you guys!

With deepest sympathies,

from the 2009/2010 New Orleans outreach team members

Week One Team

Wow, what an incredible group of servants! 

It’s become a tradition of sorts for our teams on their last night together to share what they’ll take home with them from this mission experience and what impacted them the most.  One of our team members shared that they came on this trip to find their “Servants heart”.  That person definitely found it along with others who most definitely possess one.  We have had a great week full of fellowship, laughter and serving.  Every time we go home from one of these trips, we ask ourselves “how can it get any better?”  Then the next time we go, God blows us away again!  I never cease to be amazed at how God orchestrates these outreaches.  He puts the right people in the right places at the right time like no human being could possibly do.  He is a supernatural God without a doubt!  We don’t only come away with a mission experience but a whole new bunch of brothers and sisters.  These people truly feel like family by the end of the week.

 

“OFFICIAL” team picture

 

“UNOFFICIAL” team picture

 

A wild bunch of servants, they are!

Brian Barteaux home

At least a portion of our team has spent everyday this week working at Brian’s house.