Clara's Story, Y'all!

Sabrina, Ilyn, and Clara at the Broadstreet Mission VBS in New Orleans

From Clara Farley, an eighth grade participant on the New Orleans Mission Trip:

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank y’all so much for your support, especially in prayer. This trip was one of the best experiences of my life! I have learned and grown so much; there is no way to put the feelings into words. I am just so grateful to have had the opportunity, as an eighth grader, to go and experience all the things this mission trip had to offer.

I was very pleasantly surprised from the get-go. I was expecting to feel very out of place and self-conscious the whole trip because I was one of three eighth graders out of sixty kids (that includes the teams from Chicago and Canada). But high school kids aren’t as scary as they appear, and they all turned out to be very sweet and accepting. They all really loved the Lord, and man, it is a powerful thing to have sixty kids all worshipping and serving the Lord at one time and truly meaning it.

We had wonderful leaders on the trip. Our worship leader was/is I believe an actual recording artist, and has a huge heart for youth worship. One night we did what he called an “Improv” night. He said that we could do whatever we felt we needed to to worship. If we wanted to sing, sing; if we wanted to pray, pray; if we felt we needed to fall asleep, then he said to go upstairs and fall asleep in our “Daddy’s lap”. It was totally awesome. My friends and I probably prayed for close to and hour and a half. It was amazing.

I was blessed with a wonderful ministry team of six girls and one boy. They were all really awesome; major prayer warriors. We had some great experiences together. There are so many stories that I don’t know which one to tell. A very cool story was one about learning to listen. . . .

On Thursday afternoon, before VBS began, I was exhausted. I had gotten barely over three hours of sleep the night before and I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with a bunch of rowdy kids. I was headed to the restroom, and while I was waiting, I noticed a couple sitting at the end of the hall. I felt a need to talk to them, but I ignored it.

‘He’s talking on the phone anyways,’ I thought as I tried to justify my disobedience. I turned around just as a little girl ran out of the bathroom. (She was adorable!) I smiled and then felt that urge again, that little voice telling me to talk to the couple and find out if the girl was their daughter so that I could invite her to VBS and the family to the BBQ afterwards.

I prayed, ‘No God! Please, I’m tired, I’m grumpy, and I’m the last person you want to be a witness at the moment.’ But that didn’t make me feel any better. ‘Fine’, I prayed, ‘If they’re still there when I come back, I’ll talk to them.’ I took as long as possible in the restroom. I don’t think my hands have ever had a better washing. (The ABC’s thing really works if you’re stalling for time) When I peeked my head out the door I rolled my eyes. ‘Okay, you win,’ I thought, as I saw them sitting on that bench, unmoved, ‘Here goes nothing!’

I took a deep breath, and headed down the hall. I waited politely until the man was off the phone, and then asked if the little girl who had run out ahead of me was their daughter. When they said yes, I invited her to VBS, and told them about the BBQ afterwards. They were thrilled, probably to get the kids out of their hair for a couple hours so that they could find a place to stay.

It turns out that they had driven down from Tennessee a week and a half before, thinking that they could find lots of work in New Orleans, rebuilding, painting, etc. It turns out that there was zilch work, and they had been living out of their car ever since. Well, I went and found the little girl and introduced myself, (Sabrina was her name), and found out that I had just acquired a new best friend, or a.k.a., a shadow.

She followed me everywhere, and I was shocked to see how much she reminded me of myself at that age. Down to the very way she outlined the shape she would be coloring with marker before she filled it in.( If you didn’t catch it, she was from Tennessee, and have you ever heard an eight year old girl with a Tennessee accent? It is love-at-first-sound, I assure you.)

I took every opportunity I could to find out what this girl believed. I honestly don’t remember how we got into this discussion, (my memory left me when I turned 14), but I asked her if she believed she could get to heaven through good works. She said, “Of course,” and it was then I realized why God had not moved that couple on the bench; to give me the opportunity to plant a seed in this little girl’s life.

I snagged a Bible from a friend, and kept it with me, waiting for the right opportunity. Finally, after VBS, but before the BBQ, I got her away from the group, and we started talking. I don’t remember how the conversation went (man that memory!), but I got her to pray, and I think she got it. That was one of the clearest examples I’ve seen of a spiritual battle going on inside someone.

I could tell that she understood, but something was holding her back. She prayed for forgiveness, and she seemed . . . . .well, different I guess, but there was something there that wasn’t letting go. I was really discouraged. I was thinking, ‘Man, this seed is going to die Lord. You see her parents; tattoos, cigarettes, you name it. What kind of environment is that?’

Well, unbeknownst to me, He did see them, and not only that, but at the same time I was praying with Sabrina, one of our leaders was praying with her parents. They accepted Christ whole-heartedly. When I found out, I was overjoyed! Now Sabrina could at least have parents who were attempting to live Godly lives, and could try to help her get past that last barrier. I went and congratulated them, and told them about my talk with Sabrina. They were thrilled, and said they would definitely try to keep the lines open with her.

Right before our group was about to go back to base, a couple hours later, Sabrina’s dad came up to me and said, “Thank You.” Figuring he was talking about hanging with Sabrina for the afternoon, I said, “No prob., my pleasure.” Then he looked me in the eye and said, “No, really, Thank You for everything,” Then I realized he wasn’t talking about Sabrina, but thanking me for taking that inconvenient minute out of my day to come over and talk to them. It literally changed their lives.

On the drive back to base, it hit me hard. If I had been insistent on being disobedient to God’s voice; if I had not taken that inconvenient extra minute out of my day; two adults would probably not know the Lord, and one little girl would never have the opportunity to grow up in a family where her parents loved God. I learned a valuable lesson that day. If you feel God calling you to do something, do it right away, not before it might be too late.

There are so many more amazing stories that I could tell. God is just so good, and I am overwhelmed with the love He has shown me through this trip. Before this, I really struggled reading my Bible, but now my Bible is more highlighted and tabbed than my mom’s! It is such an amazing book, and yes, I know that y’all know that, but I still can’t get over it. I find a new favorite verse every time I open it. And now prayer isn’t a wish list, but a very refreshing dialogue.

Everything I do has a new meaning. Even in ballet class, whenever I feel tired, I just imagine I’m dancing for God, and it doesn’t seem so hard anymore (and it is much easier to keep smiling). School has a new title: the mission field. It shocks me now more that ever to see the lack of love for God in my Christian school. I have a new mission, to bring that love back!!!!

Again, I can’t thank y’all enough for your support. I hope I have many more opportunities like this in my future years. But for now, I’ll just treasure the memories of this one.

Blessings,

Clara

Jeremiah 29:11-14

A Conversation with Coletta

It was our first day of ministry in New Orleans. We split into groups and prepared to go out into the neighborhood surrounding Broad Street Mission on a prayer walk, a Spirit-led prayer exercise in which we walk the streets and pray as the Lord leads, hoping to have conversations with people that will lead to ministry. And boy, did we ever find one.

I went along with a group that included Lizzy Rago, Lauren Politis, Ariel Araujo, Rebecca Halverson, Clara Farley, Vangy Celestre, and Gary Kerr.

We walked to the end of the block and stopped to pray for God’s leading in the direction we should go. Vangy felt strongly that we needed to backtrack and pray for a woman sitting on an old car seat that we had passed, and Lizzy felt strongly that we needed to walk through the gate of a hotel parking lot we had passed. So, we split into three groupings: Vangy, Clara, and Ariel would go talk to the lady, Gary K., Lizzy, and Lauren would go through the gate, and Rebecca and I decided to stay out on the street and lift up both groups in intercessory prayer.

So the groups went off on their tasks, but as soon as the gate group walked through the gate of the hotel, they were yelled at over a loudspeaker by the hotel owner to get out of her parking lot. Lizzy came out and joined Rebecca and me, while Gary and Lauren charged back in to apologize to the hotel owner, hoping that an apology might open some doors to conversation. As we prayed, Lizzy felt that someone inside the hotel was hurting, and we asked God to comfort that person.

When Gary and Lauren went inside the hotel, they found themselves in the midst of a heated argument. The hotel owner was arguing with a woman, yelling and screaming at each other. Gary and Lauren decided to pray silently for God’s peace to wash over them both. Ultimately, the owner kicked the woman out of the hotel, and she left. This gave Gary and Lauren an opportunity to speak with the owner.

So the woman left the hotel, walking right out the same gate that Lizzy had felt compelled to walk through earlier, and right into our group praying outside. Rebecca, Lizzy, and I looked up from our intercession to see her standing there, wearing a low-cut evening dress and high-heeled shoes, tear trails down each side of her face.

Lizzy was the first to speak. She bravely tried to strike up a conversation with the woman, though it didn’t seem she was very eager to talk. We found out her name was Coletta, and she had just been in one of the hourly rooms in the hotel. The man she had been with had paid for an additional three hours for her to stay, but when the man left, the hotel owner kicked Coletta out.

We also learned that her heart was filled with hatred because of all the pain she had experienced at the hands of people who had mistreated her throughout her life. She had been molested by her father as a child, gang raped as a teenager, and as a young woman, put out on the street by a husband to sell her body for dope money. Coletta’s mother and grandmother were both involved in ministry, and she told Lizzy that she sounded just like her mother.

As the conversation continued, the rest of our group joined in to listen. Lizzy continued asking questions and sharing about the goodness of God. At one point, Coletta pointed at us and told us that she hated each and every one of us for being in New Orleans and speaking with her about God. Then, she looked at Lizzy and demanded to hear her testimony, almost as a challenge, as if to say, “What do you know about life or pain or God? What could you have to say to me?”

Lizzy shared how she put her faith in Jesus at an early age, how God is her friend, how she’s never alone. She talked about feeling lonely, like no one cares about her, but then remembering that she’s loved by God. As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. Coletta couldn’t even look at her. She turned her back to Lizzy, and tears streamed down her face, too.

Because Coletta had been victimized by men her whole life, I backed off and let the girls and Vangy do the talking. I prayed silently and I wept. How can it be that life for this woman could be filled with so much hardship and pain, and life for our youth group girls could be so free of it? How could it be, O Lord?

The conversation continued, and we eventually ended up back at Broad Street Mission. Little by little, Coletta’s heart softened. Eventually, she broke down in open sobs, her body doubled over next to a chain-link fence. Vangy went to her and comforted her with a mother’s touch, as the girls gathered together in a circle and prayed. It was then that Coletta decided it was time to stop running from God. She wanted to get clean, to get her life straight, and she knew she needed help.

Vangy had Coletta speak with Erica, the woman who runs Broad Street Mission. Erica has extensive experience with people in Coletta situation, and she has contacts with multiple rehab programs in the city. With Erica, Coletta committed to a year in Mama Jan’s rehab program. Rebecca, Ariel, Lauren, Clara, Lizzy, Vangy, and Gary K. spent the next hour with Coletta, encouraging her and praying for her, as she waited to be picked up by Mama Jan. They gave her a Bible that they all signed and highlighted their favorite verses in.

Coletta asked that Ariel read her Psalm 51, a psalm her grandmother had made her read over and over again as a young girl. It is a psalm of confession and forgiveness, or brokenness and restoration. The perfect passage for this moment in Coletta’s life.

As she prepared to leave with Mama Jan, Coletta looked once again at the girls and called them her daughters, and her angels. She once again pointed at them as she had before, but this time she said, “I love each and every one of you.” Hate had given way to love.


There was much rejoicing that day, and I wish I could say that this story has a happy ending. Unfortunately, as is the case all too often in life, it does not. You see, within a few hours of being at Mama Jan’s, Coletta ran. She left without telling anyone and disappeared. We have no idea where she went, or where she is today.

And so, we pray for her, knowing that wherever she may be, God is there. We pray that she eventually stops running and finds rest in the arms of her Savior. And we’d appreciate it if you would join us in that prayer.

New Orleans '08 Mission Trip Video

G-Dub put together this video for our supporter thank you dinner last Saturday evening. It's a combination of photos and video footage from our trip to New Orleans. I hope you enjoy it!

Look out, world!

In case you missed it, this comment on a previous post by one of our junior high age participants really nailed the purpose of our trip:

The power of prayer was painfuly evedent on this trip, it showed me that with prayer you can heal, with prayer you can soften a heart, with prayer you can bring a little kid to Christ, and with prayer (and a few tears) God and sisters and brothers in the Lord can resolve almost any problem. I thank God for showing me that, and I thank God for showing me that even the most unlikely people can turn out to be your best friends.

This is the kind of trip where there is no way you can come back the same. My whole out look on life, heart, prayer life, and passion for the Lord has changed. I praise God for this trip, I have never experienced any thing like it. (PRAISE THE LORD!)

Look out world!

-Lizzy

A Proud Leader

My time in New Orleans was really special for the way I was able to connect with our students, to laugh with, pray for, challenge, support and encourage them as they leaped out of their comfort zones to serve Christ.

Through God’s power, our team was able to:

visit people we’ve met in past trips and remind them that God is working in their lives…

provide inner city children a safe place to play, eat, and learn about God…

bless and pray for people in a variety of circumstances…

lead children to Christ for the first time…

make new friends outside of our own groups…

consider how God may be challenging us to live differently back home…

serve by painting at Bethel Colony (men’s rehab center)…

look homeless people in the eye, shake their hand and give them dignity…

serve lunch to hungry people in need…

comprehend just how lucky we are, and how much we have to be thankful for…

I firmly believe that there is no greater pleasure in all the world than to experience the privilege of God working through you to bless someone else. A close second might be the delight to see firsthand so many students experience this pleasure for the first time! What a week!

Home Sweet Home!

I am pleased to report that the New Orleans team arrived back home safely last Friday night (or should I say, veeerrrrry early Saturday morning?)

The only snag was a delay in our layover, though in my opinion the extra time turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as impromptu bible studies and prayer sessions popped up right there in the airport!

Though exhausted, and missing our new found friends, our team is excitedly looking forward to a special thank you dinner for our supporters at the church this Saturday evening. We will be sharing our pictures and stories, so that we can all give glory to God for what He's done in and through us this past week.

Keep checking back, because we hope to continue posting stories and pictures from the past week.

God Bless!

Can't Wait to See You Again

By: Cory Kick

I have taken advantage of the opportunity to come to New Orleans, Louisiana with the Fair Oaks Baptist Church youth for the second year in a row. Last year, God amazed all of us, and so far this year hasn’t been any different. We had many particular places to visit last year and one was a Christian alcohol/drug rehab center for men run by a man named Pastor Mel. We met him last year and he was a very strong believer and was very others-oriented; he always put others before himself. Unfortunately, when we showed up at his ministry site, we found out that he was in Israel. Even though he wasn’t there, God used us like we would never imagine.

We arrived at the rehab center at about eight in the morning while the members were watching a DVD of a man named Dr. Evans giving a bible study sermon. All of the men seemed to be very interested in the study and were taking notes themselves. I assume Pastor Mel has the men take notes so it keeps them focused, and it really works. They often shouted out bold statements that reassured us that they were believers and didn’t care what anyone thought. One particular thing I remember Dr. Evans saying was “It doesn’t matter if you have a PhD or a GED; when you walk into the Kingdom of Heaven, you all will be going through the same door.” That was really inspirational.

When the guys finished their bible study, one of the leaders acknowledged us and thanked us for coming. They started a session of brief praise and worship. All they used for worshipping was a decently sized bass drum and their voices. No microphones, no guitars, no bass, no drums. It wasn’t the type of worship that I had become accustomed to at Fair Oaks. Nevertheless, their worship was just as strong and meaningful. It was nice to see past drug addicts singing about how much they loved the Lord without caring what anyone else’s opinions were.

After the praise and worship, the leaders invited two of the members to come and give their testimony in front of everyone involved in the program. The first man’s name was Mike and was a crack addict. He had met Pastor Mel in a bar a little over six months ago. Mike had just finished a few hits of crack and was frustrated that this random guy came in to mess up his high. Amazingly, God gave Mel the words to say that would influence him to come check out his rehab program. Mike has been involved in the program since that day and has been sober since then. He plans on sticking to the program for at least another six months. The second man that shared his testimony was named Joseph. He was also a crack addict. Joseph went all over the southern United States area when Hurricane Katrina hit. He met Pastor Mel and was also admitted into the program. He has been there for about the same amount of time that Mike has.

Next, we went out to the shed that we would be adding a few coats of paint to. The shed was across from a washer and dryer. One of the members of the program couldn’t walk very well, so he didn’t do any construction. He usually did the laundry for all the other guys. Since he was standing about ten feet from us, we talked pretty much the whole time we were there. His name was Sean Brooks and he had a very interesting past. In 2003 Sean was involved in a drug deal and was shot five times in the back. He lost six pints of blood. Naturally, he fell to the ground. He was lying there in his own blood thinking “Where am I going: Heaven or Hell?” Sean was admitted into a local hospital where he found out one of the bullets hit him right at the base of his spine. He couldn’t feel his legs and the doctors told him he was paralyzed. They said he probably would never be able to stand, let alone walk again. He wouldn’t let himself believe that. He trusted that God would be merciful and help him with this issue. Eventually, Sean was able to walk, but only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. He’s now using a cane, but I think Sean wouldn’t mind using it if it meant he would be able to walk. He kept telling us how much he loved us and how thankful he was for what we were doing. It was very easy for him to connect with Daniel Araujo, Michael Grieb, Clara Farley, Rebecca Halvorson, Lauren Politis, Vangy Celestre, as well as myself.

When we finished painting the shed, Sean showed Daniel and me his bed. On the wall, he had a few pictures of family and friends. Sean seemed to really appreciate that we would be willing to go check out his space. At the time, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. But thinking back on it, he didn’t get that opportunity all that often. He showed us pictures of his 10-year-old daughter who he seemed to love unconditionally.

Next, we went back into the room where the bible study was held to have lunch with the guys. Michael and I sat next to Sean, and we talked about everything from giant cats to the New England Patriots losing the Super Bowl. It was nice to be able to open up to someone I hadn’t even known for a whole day. I couldn’t have done that myself; God was with me the whole time helping me connect with Sean.

Saying goodbye to Sean wasn’t easy for me. We went back out by the shed and took a quick picture. Next, he individually thanked all of us for being there and gave us a hug. I pray that Sean will stay in the program and stay clean so he can support himself as well as his daughter. I am excited that he now knows that when his time here on earth is over, we will meet again in Heaven, which is a great thing to look forward to.

Meeting Mamma Jan

By: Jacob Roth

This morning we had the opportunity to visit a rehab type place run by a lady called “Mamma Jan”. She was most definitely an interesting lady. She’s a big lady in about her mid-50s, and she might be one of the wildest, craziest, and most unforgettable people I have ever met.

We arrived at her place in the morning when she was busy preaching to the people staying at her place (which she calls her “kids”). We went and sat down and she welcomed us and gave us background on what her place does. Basically, she takes people off the street who struggle with addictions and puts them through her rehab program. Even if they run away or start using again, she’ll always accept them back.

Soon after we got there she began to share her testimony. It was absolutely amazing. She said that she was raised in a witchcraft-oriented family, and got into just about everything terrible you can imagine. She was continually rejected and disowned by her friends and family. She even at one time had multiple personalities because she was controlled so much by the devil and his work. One was a champion pool shark, one was part of Hell’s Angels, one was a bar room dancer on Bourbon Street, and I think the last one was a witch.

Sometime later (I don’t remember how old she was) she was getting arrested and decided to fight the cops. She ended up getting a couple of them pretty good, and was eventually sent to solitary confinement in prison, where she was bound at the hands and feet by shackles. Soon she started hearing a voice repeating, “You need Jesus,” over and over again. It was then that she realized that Jesus was the only one who loved her and did not reject her no matter what she did or didn’t do.

After that, she started attending church, even though she still dressed and talked like the street woman she used to be. She recalled being there and having the other people at the church act afraid and ignore her because of her appearance. But that didn’t stop her, for she loved Jesus way too much and wanted to spend every moment thanking Him for what He does.

She was eventually led into street ministry, although her ministry is hardly anything you would normally think of. She told us stories of grabbing a man on the street into a headlock and casting demons out of him. She even told us about putting “anointing oil” into a super soaker and chasing a crowd of drug dealers around the streets with it. She had so many outrageous and crazy stories I can’t even fit them all here (ask us when we get home).

Many call her radical, insane, crazy (which she is a little of all of those), but without a doubt she is a woman who loves God with every ounce of energy she has. She explains her methods by saying “As Christians, you have all the power of Jesus inside of you. What’s the point of having it if you are too scared or boring to use it? Have fun with your faith!” I think she makes a great point.

After sharing her testimony, she told us that we should be more excited about Jesus. So she had me get up in front by myself, and jump up and down yelling “Thank you Jesus!” as loud as I could. It was pretty cool.

Although I probably won’t tackle someone on the streets and cast demons out them with a super soaker of oil anytime soon, I know that I will never forget my encounter with Mamma Jan.

Prayer Requests for Tuesday

Friends, we had an amazing first day of ministry. The stories just keep coming. I'm encouraging students to write them as soon as possible, but there's not a whole lot of time for writing. But rest assured, more stories are on the way.

As for today, please pray for the following:
- Yesterday, we had about twenty kids at our VBS program. Please pray that God would grant us momentum to carry this program throughout the week. Pray that we might reach kids who have yet to make a decision for Jesus.

- Today, a large portion of our group is going to prepare a meal and deliver it to a large "tent city" where many dozens of homeless people have put up tents under an overpass. Please pray for God to communicate His love to these men, women, and children through our team.

- Today at 4:00pm our time (2:00pm back home), we are combining forces with the mission teams from the other two churches for a basketball outreach, at the abandoned school we worked at last year. There are many neighborhood teenagers, and we are praying that they may be reached for Christ. Please cover this outreach in prayer this afternoon.

Again, everyone is well. We are amazed at God's faithfulness to use us, if only we make ourselves available. Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Serving Him,
Pastor Gary Weston

Painting at Pastor Mel's

Posted by: Karina Bauermeister & Max Vale

Katherine, Bryan, Jake, Michael, and we (Max V. & Karina) went to Pastor Mel’s place to paint the wall of a shed. Pastor Mel helps men with addictions and houses them for 6 months. We waited in their meeting room while the paint was getting picked up, and 2 people, Steve and Sean, shared their testimonies. Steve was raised in a Christian home, but his dad was really harsh on him, which led to his doctor prescribing him to take tranquilization pills. Later, when he was off the pills, he discovered alcohol and realized it also “numbed” him. Through lots of struggles and the meetings of the right people, he soon realized his life was messed up and he needed God.

Sean was shot 7 times in his life, two by accident and five by his friend. Two of the places he was shot were his aorta and spine, and he lost a gallon of blood through his aorta wound, half the amount of blood that people normally have in their bodies. He got out of surgery and was told that he would never walk again. He was always into a lot of drugs, pretty much anything you could imagine. He was sober for a year at one point and he didn’t think that he needed God’s help anymore. But he finally realized that he couldn’t make it on his own and he needed God’s help. So he came to Mel’s place.

And even as we walked in, he was reading the Bible and writing everything he learned down. He also taught us that we need to forgive everyone. He used his friend’s shooting as an example. It took a while, but he finally forgave his friend. And he was also walking around the place. He said it was by God’s mercy that he could walk again.
We toured around the buildings, and as we did, the people there were so hospitable and generous. We were walking and twice two people asked us how many of us there were, and one brought us a chocolate and caramel bar, and another one (it was actually Sean) brought us chips. We could clearly see the love of Christ in them.

So we toured the buildings and saw their living quarters and future development sites. Then we finally got to paint. Once we started painting, someone there went up to us and asked us if we would like lunch. We were just blown away at how generous these people were.

We were painting and the person who bought the supplies was there advising us how to paint well. It was so funny because after everything he said he always said “Amen!” Like, “To get in the grooves, you’ve got to get your paintbrush really full of paint, amen?”

So we finished the first coat. Max had paint all over his hands, and was trying to wash it off in the water, but it wasn’t working too well. Someone brought out hand soap for him. We were going to wash the paintbrushes, but someone offered to do it for us. Then we went inside for the lunch they prepared for us of barbecued chicken, potato salad, stuffing, and chocolate cake (Bryan and Max had potato salad for the first time!), which was absolutely marvelous. Then we took our dishes to the kitchen and they said they would wash the dishes. Then we left.

We had a great time, and it was such an encouragement to us to see these people who had previously been addicts to show such strong faith and servanthood.

Day Two: Easter Sunday

We celebrated Easter this morning at Victory Fellowship. They presented an "illustrated sermon" on Jesus' sacrifice for us that included music, drama, and preaching. We all especially enjoyed the worship music, which was modern and loud and rocking!

After church, we visited the various ministry sites we'll be working at this week and prayed over them. At Broad Street Mission, we met a little boy named Dominic. He was excited to see our group, and excited that we were spending the whole week in his neighborhood. So as we prayed for Broad Street Mission and for our week of ministry, we prayed for little Dominic too. As each student prayed, Dominic would work his way over to that person and lay a hand on their shoulder to agree with their prayer. He was precious for sure.

We told him we'd be back tomorrow, and invited him to come to VBS and to bring all of his friends. Several students are really looking forward to seeing him again. I know I am, too.

Prayer requests:

-Tomorrow is the first full day of ministry for us. Pray that God does exactly what He wants to do through us.

-Tomorrow, our VBS starts, with Alpha Team (Karina Bauermeister, Zaira Lara-Nava, Ian Gingrich, Becky Smith-Covey, Max Vale, Cory Kick, Molly McRae, Bob Nass, and me) leading. Please pray for a great first day that sets the tone for the rest of the week.

-Others from our team will be helping to prepare and serve food to homeless people at Broad Street Mission. Please pray our hearts will be filled with compassion, and our spirits filled with boldness, as we serve and pray and listen.

All are in good health and spirits. Please keep on praying. Hopefully tomorrow, we'll have the first of our reports written by a student this year, plus some pics for you.

May God's joy and peace be with you all.

Serving Him,
Pastor Gary Weston

Day One: We Have Arrived

Well, we're here, all safe and accounted for. Not too many snags along the way, apart from a 45 minute delay in Phoenix. Both flights were smooth and uneventful, just like I like 'em!

Our base for this week's operations is a Knights of Columbus hall in Lakeview, just north of the area known as mid-city. It's a very nice, very quiet neighborhood. Along with our team, there are teams from two other churches here, which means more than sixty people living together for the next week.

I'm sitting outside on a quaint brick porch, enjoying the cool of the evening as I type this. The hall is buzzing with excitement and energy. Tonight, students from all three churches are mingling, laughing together, playing games, and getting to know one another. The sounds of joy echo out into the night. It's a very sweet sound.

Tomorrow, we celebrate Easter at Victory Fellowship, a large church here in town that also runs the mission we'll be working out of. Then, we'll visit the week's ministry sites to pray for God's blessing on our efforts.

More good news. Internet access is close by. This means daily updates are likely, so keep checking back here for more info, stories, and prayer requests.

And speaking of prayer requests, here are a few:

- Pray for God to go before us in everything we do this week. Pray for open doors for VBS, soup kitchen, construction, and prayer ministries.

- Pray for clear leading from the Holy Spirit as to what we should do and how we should do it.

- Pray that our students would love people boldly, as Jesus would. No more, no less.

- Pray for logistics issues including transportation, meals, chores, etc. to go smoothly.

Thanks for your support. I can't wait to see what God's going to do.

In His Service,
Pastor Gary Weston

Insomniac

I should be sleeping. But I'm not.

In just three and a half hours, Katherine and I will be picked up by our ride to the airport to begin this year's Spring Break Mission Trip. In just four and a half hours, we will meet up with the rest of the mission team at the airport and start the large scale process of checking bags for 37 people. In just six and a half hours, our plane will be taking off.

Which is why I should be asleep right now. But I'm not.

Just thought I'd share.

We Serve, Because He Served

One of the traditions I love at Fair Oaks is how the Good Friday Service coincides with the commissioning of our students as they head out on their annual spring break mission trip.

Tonight was a special time of remembrance of the day on which Jesus gave His life for us on the cross. Just as He desired to be a servant to others on this Earth, we are going to New Orleans to serve and love others in need.

Thank you to those of you who prayed over us this evening, and thank you to those who will be lifting us up in prayer throughout the week.

A few of the students in our group:



Students performing their skit for the congregation:



The team standing for prayer:



God willing, the next time you hear from us, we'll be in New Orleans!

Big Prayers

I must confess, as a youth leader it is so easy to live from event to event. I'll prepare for what I'm teaching that evening, then the next day I'll take on the next thing. It's a way to keep focused, and not get overwhelmed, but the tyranny of the immediate can keep me from dreaming big.

It really hit me this week, as I came off the rush of my weekend of chaos, that though I'd been looking forward to the upcoming mission trip to New Orleans, I haven't been dreaming big enough.

Specifically, I was challenged by the thought, "If God answers all my prayers for this trip, what would that look like?"

It's so easy to let my prayers focus on basic things like safety, and raising money, and unity within the team. And don't get me wrong, those things are necessary and good. But they are not the reason we are going!

So, I invite you to join me in praying big prayers. Asking God for things that only He can do. And if He doesn't answer them all, that's ok. But the book of James says that "You do not have, because you do not ask." So, let's do our part.

Lord, I pray for transformed lives. I pray that each one of our students and leaders would be 'Jesus with skin on' to the people we meet in New Orleans. Bring us to new depths of love and compassion!

I pray that through our construction work, houses and lives would be rebuilt. I pray that fear would have no hold on us, that we would boldly share our stories of faith, and clearly explain the reason for hope we have in Christ Jesus. Help us to pray attentively, to hear and obey that 'still small voice' as You direct our steps.

I pray for new friendships that will last a lifetime. I ask that by our prayers, You would bring spiritual, emotional, and even physical healing to the hurting people that we will encounter.

Oh Jesus, I pray that many would make you Lord of their lives, and finally know the joy and freedom of a saving faith. Lord, I pray that You would redeeem the horrors of Hurricane Katrina, and through the tragedy Your children would see Your hand at work, and give You the glory You deserve.

Oh Jesus, be glorified in us. Take our eyes off of ourselves, and help us to love You more. In Jesus' name, amen.

New Orleans 07 Pics

Wow... in just four days, I, along with 36 others from Fair Oaks Church, will be heading to New Orleans for a week long mission trip! This will be the third year that the Fair Oaks youth group has gone to New Orleans to serve and encourage those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Looking back definitely stirs my excitement about what God will do through us in the week ahead, so I've put together a slide show with some of last year's pictures. Enjoy!

For more pictures and stories from last year's trip, click here.

You're Invited

Don't forget... tomorrow afternoon (Sunday, April 22nd, at 4:00 pm) will be our mission team's "thank you" dinner at Fair Oaks Church!

We look forward to sharing many of our New Orleans stories and pictures with all those who supported us both prayerfully and financially.

Hope to see you there!

Renew Orleans

For me, one of the most powerful moments of our New Orleans trip was when we visited the lower 9th Ward (the neighborhood that received the most damage from Hurricane Katrina). I had visited the area during Oct 2005, during the World Race orientation, so I felt as if I had some idea what to expect.

This time, however, I was not surprised by the level of damage that I witnessed, but by the fact that for the most part, people are not returning to the area. Some debris has been cleaned up, some houses have been torn down and hauled away, but the only thing that is coming back is nature. Dead lawns are being replaced by growing weeds, houses stripped of their siding are now being covered in vines. I was reminded more than once of war-torn Bosnia: where buildings bombed out by the war now serve as oversized planters for trees, branches poking out of gaping windows.

So often, we feel that as Americans we are somehow sheltered from experiencing profound tragedy. One walk through the lower 9th Ward easily proves that is not the case. Let's not forget about our brothers and sisters in Louisiana; may their tragedy stir us to compassion and action, for as long as it takes to rebuild broken lives and Renew Orleans!

Hearing Their Stories

Ryan Gomez shares with us his reflections on the trip, and the story of one of the amazing people God brought across his path this week:

Some of us set out on this mission trip knowing what to expect, and knowing all the hard times and fun times that were ahead. For me, it was my first mission trip, and it definitely had a huge impact on my life and relationship with God. I met a lot of cool new people and made new friends and saw the devastation from Hurricane Katrina.

We worked at a place called Broad Street Mission, where we helped out cooking for homeless people and cleaning up the place. We interacted with them and listened to their stories as we told them ours. Most of the stories that they had to share with us were not very happy ones, but they always seemed to have a good ending, some kind of light.

There was one homeless man I met at the mission that had an impact on my life, and my whole perspective of how we live it. His name is Charles Daniels, a man who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division during Vietnam, where he was placed on the front lines. After surviving Vietnam, he knew that a Hurricane would be nothing. He left his house in New Orleans when the water began to rise and met up with a Vietnamese man who said he would pay him to help find people. At first Charles accepted the money, but then realized that God would not bless him for taking it. He crumpled it up and threw it in the water and continued looking for others. His brother thought that he died and had arranged for him to be cremated. He later reunited with his family and friends.

Charles’ story taught me that even in the darkest of times there is always a little light, which is the light of God, and if you follow that light you will eventually come out of it ok.

This trip has taught me to be a better person, and has helped me to communicate better with others. My relationship with God has grown through prayer and just by watching all the wonderful things He has done in this short time that we have been here. I couldn’t have asked for a better spring break, and I can’t imagine what it would have been like if all my old and new friends were not here with me.

I have taken a lot from this trip, and hope to continue my ministry when we return home. God bless.

When God Speaks...

Here's a great story from Rachelle Cihonski about seeking God's advice, even when doing something as simple as planning our day. Check out the lesson God taught her:

Listening to God is a challenge, trust me. I struggle with it probably more than anyone I know. Why? I have a big mouth that doesn’t want to shut, ever. But I learned that when we actually take the time to listen, amazing things begin to happen.

My story of listening to what God wants is a funny thing that goes something like this: On Wednesday, I was trying to decide which I wanted to do that day, construction or the homeless shelter. Well, I talked to Russ about this and his answer was “pray about it”. So that is exactly what I did during devotionals. I asked God to clear my mind and then I opened my Bible to a random passage and asked him to use that to speak to me. Now, here is the thing, construction that day was tearing off a rooftop of a house and the verse I read was Isaiah 22:1-11 and it said this:

This message came to me concerning Jerusalem: What is happening? Why is everyone running to the rooftops?

The whole city is in a terrible uproar. What do I see in this reveling city? Bodies are lying everywhere, killed by famine and disease. All your leaders flee. They surrender without resistance. The people try to slip away, but they are captured, too.

Leave me alone to weep; do not try to comfort me. Let me cry for my people as I watch them being destroyed. You inspect the walls of Jerusalem to see what needs to be repaired…But all your feverish plans are to no avail because you never ask God for help. He is the one who planned this long ago.

These verses were an answer to prayer (I spent the morning up on the rooftop), as well as a parallel idea to the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. This passage totally opened my eyes and helped me to realize that if I actually take the time to listen, God will answer, even in the most bizarre ways. He taught me the most important lesson I will probably ever learn: how to shut my mouth and listen to the Creator, the one who gave me my voice.

Trust me, if you take the time to hear what He says, He will make sure that you get the idea, one way or another.