April 22, 2011 by MarkH.

To begin, we, E Crew, need to set the record straight on the water balloon battle of Wednesday.  Crew E totally annihilated Crew F, leaving them soaked and whimpering that they wished they had landed a better crew addition than Jay Nowaskey.

Having made considerable progress in the double shotgun house (see Thursday’s post by the other part of our team, Crew C), we were sent to a wilderness outpost.  We used shovels and sledge hammers to fend off all varieties of native New Orleans swamp monsters: cockroaches, gecko lizards, and the occasional stray crocodile.  In between the battles, we helped clear a site for a landowner so that the family can begin to think what will be next in their lives.  We filled a large construction dumpster half full, then headed back for showers and preps for our tourist time in the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Following showers and lunch, we all headed down to New Orleans to partake of the local culture, food, shopping, and beignets.  Street performers captivated the team, specifically the magician show at Jackson Square.  After dinner, we all met at Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets, before heading back to our home at the church.  Our Thanksgiving Circle, though lengthy, was quite moving as we all expressed our joy in having been able to participate in such a wonderful experience.  God’s grace has been so apparent this week, as we have moved from a team of 53 individuals to a family with many members but one body in Christ.  We look forward to our reunion during the summer and the January 2012 YOAM trip, tentatively scheduled for January 1-8, 2012.

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April 22, 2011 by MarkH.

Can’t believe it’s Thursday already!! This past couple of days, crew C (Alex, Allie, John Z, Kate, Kelsey, Eric, Willa) has been teaming up with crew E (Greg, Nathan, Robin, Sydney, Papa John, Valerie). We’ve been working in half of a duplex located in downtown New Orleans and putting up sheet rock. Although most of us arrived with hardly any construction experience, we learned many new skills in a short amount of time. For example, putting sheet rock on walls and ceilings, using screw guns, sawing, and installing insulation. 

 While working in the hot stuffy house, we needed to drink lots of water. However what goes in, must come out. With no plumbing on site, we were welcomed to use the  facilities at the local Episcopal Church. In our travels through the New Orleans neighborhood, we found a good carry-out restaurant for Wednesday’s lunch. We also spent some time driving to other crew’s houses to ambush them with water balloons. Unfortunately, yesterday we went to join crew E in the fight against the Falcons yet we were on the wrong street and missed the drive-by ballooning. No matter what the Falcons said, crew E annihilated them.

Busy with our jobs, we had a nice surprise. Another renovation crew stopped by the duplex. This crew was the Mennonites who are had previously framed our house. Many of the girls found the young men easy on the eyes.

Yesterday, we had an awesome visit by our homeowner, Jocelyn Green, and her daughter, Jasmine. They are very nice people and we are very glad to help them.

Addendum dateline 4-22-11 FRIDAY!  Wow - how can it be the last day of work already! It seems like it was just Tuesday!  We have been immersed in God’s work here and as is often the case we are filled up because of it.  So many in this community embrace us and welcome us in so many ways it is impossible to put it into words. Over this last week we have tiled, sided, sanded, drywalled, counseled, cried, laughed, taped, mudded, baked, fried, driven, demolished, taught, learned, prayed, and worshiped together as servants.  As we have gone about these activities we have grown in our faith, and in the community of believers.  In this world such experiences are rare and precious.  I thank God for all those here who volunteered to be in service, and for all those back home who have supported us and who have been praying for us on this jouirney…mark

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