March 21, 2008 by MarkH.

Comments and experiences from the REAL leaders on the Slidell 2008 trip:

Caroline Sellers

This is my fourth trip down to Slidell for Katrina relief, and each time is even more rewarding. Seeing my old town being repaired and seeing other people caring as much about Slidell as I do always cheers me up. My experience is different from others simply because I used to live here, but it’s so rewarding to see how, as the week progresses, Slidell isn’t just my home; it’s everyone’s. Slidell Spring 2008 has really been such a great way to spend spring break. My crew has been working on a church, trying to get it functional for the first Easter service it will have since Katrina 2 and a half years ago. Although there are many problems we’ve encountered, somehow with the grace of God everything keeps working out in its own time and in its own way. I keep learning and growing in my faith and in friendship. I’m just really grateful to be back home, doing God’s work, and having such a fantastic time with everyone here.

Megan Rogers

So, this trip is amazing. never have i ever experienced the love of so many people. everyone is amazing. I love absolutely everyone here. i wish i had something philosophical to say like i usually do, but im awstruck by the beauty of the trip. the personalities shine through the tiles we put down and the boards we build up. the shower pressure may not be strong, but the power of this trips impact is. love megrog.

James Higgins

This is my first mission trip sp I really didnt  know what to expect. I didn’t know what the work would be like or what I would see, but I am truely blown away. I have been on three different work sites the past four days and they were all filled with people who were there to help people  for the sake of helping. Everybody in my crew got burnt to a crisp in the sun the past two days and tommorow we will slather on the sunscreen and get back out to the job to help those who need it.

Hannah Hardin

So, being a planner of this trip has been one of the most difficult and time consuming things I have ever committed to. Saying that, now that this trip is over- I have no idea what I am going to do with my life, but I know that missions and helping people is exactly what I would like to be doing. Being here is always ana mazing experience and somehow it’s always different, I’m so happy that this worked out and we all made it here. This is the highlight of my year, and having my seventeenth birthday here only makes everything that much more incredible. it’s amazing to see how everyone gets along and genuinely cares about eachother, I don’t think I could find that anywhere else. This is my vacation and my passion.

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March 20, 2008 by MarkH.

Here is a review of progress from some of our leaders on the trip:

From John Stapleton:

We have three crews at a house finishing the roof and floors.   Once we’re done another team will install some kitchen cabinets, then an electrician and plumber will finish their parts, and the homeowner and his daughter can move back in.   It shouldn’t take more than two or three more weeks.  This will be a pretty big day for them after living in a tiny FEMA trailer for two and a half years.   The homeowner spends time sharing with us what it’s been like starting from the day-after mess, going through the process of getting the trailer, and how much it means to be able to move back into a home. 

 The teams have blended into one big team, with lots of smaller teams forming depending on what needs to be done and who is interested in doing it.  The youth have been teaching others the skills they have, and learning new skills as they go.  They’re getting the chance to swing hammers, use the pneumatic nail gun, saw various boards and trim, saw floor tiles, and work with lots of messy adhesives, grout, and paint.  The days go by fast, and then it’s back to the church to shower up and head to Wal-Mart and Sonic for the civilized side of life.  Later in the evening there is time for devotionals and thanksgiving.   We’ve extended our strict policy of flexibility during Glen Mar mission trips to include physical flexibility (yoga exercises) along with our spiritual and mental focus.   Many on the work teams report positive benefits to the aches and pains of construction after doing the stretching exercises. 

Several houses in the neighborhood are now occupied, and several more are under construction.  Some are being done by professionals, including the one next door.  The roofers at that house were impressed with our team’s quality work and spent some time taking pictures of us from their roof.  They also stopped by to chat and are lending us a tool tomorrow to bend and cut the sheet metal for the trim and soffit.   Our team stripped the section of roof needing replacement down to the bare plywood, and installed the tar paper and shingles up to the top of the roof all in two days.  Tomorrow they’ll put in the crown and trim.

Inside we’ve been finishing the grout in a kitchen and powder room that were installed by a prior team, and installing tiles in a bathroom and entry way.    The tiling looks great and will give the house a nice finished look.  We’ve also been putting in the baseboard moulding and painting the trim. 

Teams from other parts of the country are here to help, including teams from other denominations.  UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is the place they prefer to go here in Louisiana because of the organization and get things done ethic.  UMCOR estimates Slidell to be 85% complete, while New Orleans is only about 10% rebuilt.  A big difference is the local red tape.  UMCOR has managed to work through it in Slidell, but is only starting to have some success in working  through the local restrictions in New Orleans.   We’ll probably be spending more time in New Orleans on future YOAM trips, with UMCOR expecting Slidell to be mostly done this August.

From Colleen Beaumont:

  I am so proud of all your children.  They are amazing young adults.  Each crew has an opportunity to wake up early and prepare breakfast and clean before they are off to the sites to work.  After working hard all day at the site, they come back and help with kitchen duties; cooking, baking, creating, serving and cleaning up.  All with smiles and never a complaint.   They are my saving grace.  The adults are equally amazing.  The patience they exhibit throughout the day is phenomenal.  I thank God for the opportunity to be part of this energetic and truly awesome group.

From Dave Eddy

After we arrived and moved into our accomodations, we woke up early Monday morning and received a very informative and motivational Dale Kimball, the Director of North  Short Disaster Relief. He talked about how, little by little, the community of Slidell has made a nearly full recovery due, primarily, to the work of the many volunteers who week-by-week have incrementally re-built houses for those who are unable to do it themselves. The kids we have here are unbelievable. They work very hard and have a great time while doing it. We have worked on a house that Mike Owens and his daughter Megan will live in when it is completed some time in the next month or two. The kids have put a new roof on part of the house, tiled an entire master bathroom, grouted a large kitchen and laundry area, and have performed a great deal of finishing work and clean up. Mike, the owner, remarked this morning when we came to work that we had accomplished quite a lot so far. In addition to all of the hard work, we have gotten to know Mike, his daughter Megan, and their dog Bo.

From Valerie Wetstone: There are several special joys to working on this mission trip.  One is the opportunity of working with such a wonderful group of young people.  I am so amazed by their willingness to give up their Spring Break to come to Slidell, to put in some very long days doing hard work, to sleep on floors, and to take semi-hot showers with little to no water pressure.  The other thing thing that also impresses me is how willing they are to try doing something they have never done before.  Our crew was assigned a roofing job.  Only two people in the entire crew had ever been on a roof (and I was NOT one of them), but there they were, climbing up onto the roof, walking around as though they were born there.  (Not me-I am on the roof but definitely not looking as though I belong there).  Yesterday our crew removed the old shingles and tar paper and replaced one section of the roof with new tar paper.  Today we began replacing the new shingles-hope to finish tomorrow.  Collin E-10 extra credit points in biology just for carrying those shingles up the ladder.  (Mr. Sabota-I will clear this with you later).

Tonight at dinner (we had gone out to eat at a local restaurant), a man stopped in our dining room and thanked us for coming down to help the people of Slidell in their time of need-to be the arms and legs of Christ.  This trip came about because the youth of our churches wanted to be those arms and legs.  We are here because they are here.  Your kids are fantastic-what a joy and privilege it is to be here with them!

From Pat Lee & Tom M.

Our first day in Slidell was spent cleaning up brush around a playground at an Elementary School.  This was one of the few schools that was opened again after Katrina.  Their kindergarten playground was heavily damaged by Katrina.   We also painted their tool shed.  The kindergarten kids came out to see us and play with us after their naps.  The youth enjoyed playing them while we adults heard the Katrina stories from some of the teachers.

Our second day we joined another crew working on a church.  The goal is to get it ready for Easter Sunday.  There is a lot of work to do but we think we can have it ready.  So far rotten spots in the floor have been replaced, walls have been built and drywalled, and rotten bathroom floor have been completely replaced.  A broken glass back door had to be removed and some rotten wood outside replaced.  The new door was temporarily set in place and will be installed tomorrow.  The exterior siding around the back door will also be replaced.

We have a great team and they are all working hard.  We are very proud to be a part of this group.  We are here for guidance when they need it but they are sometimes guiding us.  Their ideas are very good so most of the time we take their advice.

Today is Hannah’s birthday and she is on out team.  She is such a talented young lady.  We wish her a very Happy Birthday. 

To finish off the night, the several vans have gone to Walmart or Sonic; then it will be off to bed for everyone.  

From Randy Hippen:  Our team worked Monday on a church to help it re-open on Easter in Slidell.  Tuesday morning: We worked with a great team of folks from Michigan replacing the shingles on a single story home in Slidell in the morning.  Then we headed to an eastern suburb of New Orleans in the afternoon to replace the shingles on a two story home and help a college group from Nebraska on mold cleanup inside the home.  Wednesday: We continued working in New Orleans on the two story home.   

From Karen Wright: Our crew has been blessed to work on the Overcometh Church, a small church community that would like to worship in their sanctuary for Easter service.  At first the task was overwhelming, with many small jobs and little hope that we could organize and get it together.  But, after a few shifts with the crew, we have had three great days and a lot of progress. Brother Sam, an associate of the church, stopped by today for the first time and his visit really motivated us even more to get this job ready for Sunday.  His gratitude and smile are etched in my heart.  The youth have constantly amazed me.  Their energy and enthusiasm makes this trip even more special.  Their faith and devotion to God have strengthen me in ways I didn’t know were possible.  Looking forward to sharing more stories with everyone in person.

With an amazing group of adults and youth being led in the spirit from Slidell, goodnight to all! Mark

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March 19, 2008 by MarkH.

Unlike any other mission trip I have been on, this time I am not on a “crew” (an amazing group of youth and adults who become your best friends for life) and I am not getting to actually do the physical work that is what most see as the “mission” we are being here in Slidell.  But I am constatnly reminded that the trip is as much, or maybe more, about serving the needs of people as it about the work.  Certainly we are here to serve a need, to assist those who have and are still suffering loss and suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.  In this I am still struggling as I am mostly working behind the scenes, doing food, shopping, running errands.  We brought with us a lot of tools, hammers, saws, gloves, goggles, but also “mission tools” which are those tools we use to accomplish our goals, some who have been on Glen Mar mission trips will recognize many of these: 

NO ONE CAN DO MISSIONS, RATHER WE CAN BE A MISSIONARY FOR GOD

IT’S ABOUT RELATIONAL MINISTRY WITH CONSTRUCTION ON THE SIDE

FLEXIBILITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET ON THIS TRIP

ASK, “WHOSE NEEDS ARE BEING MET?”

REMEMBER TO PRAY and PRAY AGAIN, YES, THEN PRAY AGAIN

THIS IS A YOUTH LED TRIP – INVOLVE THE WHOLE TEAM IN ALL DECISIONS – ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH

IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE, NOT WORK

WHEN THINGS DON’T GO AS EXPECTED – PRAY FOR PATIENCE

WHEN VOICES ARE RAISED – PRAY FOR CALM AND PEACE

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO IT – PRAY FOR GUIDANCE

WHEN SOMETHING TOUCHES YOUR HEART – PRAY IN THANKS

WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE GOD’S PRESENCE – PRAY WITH PRAISE    AMEN!!

I do get to share with what is going on during the Thanskgiving circles in the evening…and what they share is simply miraculous.  I will post more on what all the groups are doing later today.  Be sure to find the uploaded images. And know your support is what has made this misssion possible, in turn changing the lives of those on the trip, and those we are in mission to here in Slidell and New Orleans. More later today to get you caught up for the last two days!

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March 17, 2008 by MarkH.

and all in their lime green 2008 YOAM shirts sat in the airport while Kim Bowman took our photo. After a long, safe couple of flights (from BWI to Atlanta and then to New Orleans) and CiCi’s pizza for all we arrived at Aldergate UMC and got set up on our cots and mattresses on the floor and stage. All were rested, and very thankful for a safe trip and a lot of fellowship and friendship being shared. Many strangers asked about our bright green shirts which gave us an opportunity to tell them about the amazing youth who are leading this trip. We devoted about the amazing God we know, Jehovah, who is responsible for this mission. The first devotion focused on Mark 9:37 again…the scripture on our shirts. We have entered into the harvest!!

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March 15, 2008 by MarkH.

the second YOAM trip to Slidell, and the details are calling…they have changed, but the mission is the same; To be a missionary for our God. We will, as the scripture in Matthew 9:37 goes, go out into the harvest, which is plentiful, as the disciples were directed to go out where the workers are few. We are 43 in number, but the task is still monumental in Slidell and the Gulf region even this 2 and a half years after the devastation of Katrina. What God has in store for us we do not know, but I believe this will be an awe-filled, awesome experience, an adventure in which we will be transformed, and God will use us in amazing ways to be in service to Him. I am looking forward to being in that service and to being led by the amazing youth of this YOAM trip to see God and His harvest in new ways, and be in fellowship with the people of Slidell as we do the work we are called to this evening and this coming week.

Please pray for YOAM and a safe mission experience for all. Pray that we will be held in God’s safe embrace, that we will experience His presence as we do His work, and we will carry His message to others through our words and deeds.

In case of an emergency please contact myself, at (301) 452-5077, or Amanda Watson (youth pastor at Bethany UMC) at (410) 300-7542. We will be able to contact anyone on the trip.

God bless you all, in His service,

Mark

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