Back from the Big Easy

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Sorry about that. That's what a short vacation back-to-back with a mission trip will do to you.

I've just returned from a week in the New Orleans area, serving as one of the adult leader for a high school age mission work trip. Specifically, we lived and worked in the Slidell, Louisiana area. A half a decade after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the need for recovery work continues, particularly among the poor. Slidell alone had 18,000 houses lost or severely damaged. The day before the hurricane hit, Slidell had 3% unemployment. Twenty-four hours later unemployment was at 69%.

Our faith system has certain values. Among those is the belief that Jesus (who we believe to be God in human form) may be encountered in those who society tends to regard as the "least" among us. It's always refreshing to me to see how people under 20 years old get this without the hindrances and barriers that seem to afflict those of us who are older. Our little group worked to finish the house of a woman who hasn't had her own home since 2005. Clearly our church's kids saw Jesus in their service and in the gracious lady who allowed us to work on her house.

It's not rocket science, this thing we call serving Jesus by serving others. Whenever I need to be reminded of that, a youth mission work trip always restores my faith. I'll see you around the next bend in the river - sooner this time!