The dynamics of my weekly schedule have changed considerably since my last update. We are no longer waiting for our volunteer groups to arrive… THEY HAVE ARRIVED! We started the Spring season out slowly last week, which is good since I am still trying to get the hang of everything! Last week, our only group was a group of 8 senior adults and their leader Ricky Allen, all from First Baptist Church of Statesboro, GA. A vast majority of my job description involves matching volunteer groups up with project sites throughout the city. I am constantly building relationships with local residents, ministries, organizations, and schools so that I can effectively put our volunteers to work when they arrive. FBC Statesboro requested that they work in a nursing home, encouraging the residents, playing games with them, building relationships, and all of that. And indeed they were a tremendous blessing to the people there. Here's your fact of the day, the mean age of nursing home residents in New Orleans has dropped considerably (i.e. from 85 to 65 in some places). The reason… as you may guess, when the floods after Katrina wiped out their homes, many of the senior citizen population had no other choice but to move into an assisted living facility prematurely. They found themselves homeless. I remember hearing about Pastor Mel's 80-something parents last summer. Their home flooded over 8 feet. They had it paid off, but the only assistance they were able to get to rebuild their home was in the form of a loan. At 80 years old, taking out a $60,000 loan doesn't make the best financial sense, does it?

I must add, however, what was most fascinating to me about this group. They were willing also to do some relief work, so for two days I partnered them with Bethel Colony South, the men's rehabilitation ministry I've written about several times. Pastor Mel told me they would be gutting out a house that hadn't been touched since the storm, now 18 months ago. When FBC Statesboro arrived, I sized them up as they walked in. The group consisted of Ricky, one other man named Mooney (easily in his late 70s, early 80s) and the rest were women all over 60, one of them was 84 years old! I turned to Linda and whispered, "Do you think I should call Pastor Mel and tell them he may want to rethink the gut-out idea?" She, having seen this group at work in previous months, assured me that they were beyond capable for the agenda of the week. I'll admit, I still had my doubts.

So on the days they were to gut the house, I had to go see for myself. And as you can see from the pictures… they proved me wrong! These guys, well mostly gals, were tough! Nothing was an obstacle for them, not age, not the heat, not the dirt and the mold, nothing.

I mention all of this not just to tell a story, and not just to report how I was encouraged and blessed by this group. I say all this to encourage and challenge you… to throw aside any obstacles, real or imagined, that are keeping you from doing all that you can do to make this world a better place, and if you're a Christian, to spread the love of Christ to a hurting world. If an 84-year old lady can gut a house, imagine what you can do!

Familiar faces
 This past weekend was great for several reasons. I started off my Saturday morning bright and early, going out with Hoot (campus police chief), and 4 guys from Bethel Colony South. We went back out to Violet, LA where Hoot and some of his ministry partners are transforming a nursing home (heavily damaged by Katrina) into another rehabilitation ministry for men. Once again, we were up on the roof replacing the shingles. I'm getting the hang of it now, and my hammering skills are definitely improving! I also spent some time with Sue, the previous owner of the nursing home and now partnering with Hoot, who is living in a trailer on the property. She is going through a very rough time, as most people are who lived through the storm and are starting a new life. All of it is putting a strain on her marriage, her walk with Christ, and everything else. So please join me in lifting her up in prayer. I am going to try to hang out with her a couple times a month to try and encourage her during this difficult time.

Saturday, one of my best buds Melinda and her boyfriend Tyler came to visit. They stayed for several days and we had a lot of fun hanging out in the city. They helped out his granddad who lives near by and visited his grandmother who is in a nursing home. It was such a blessing having her here. There were a couple of occasions that we were just busting out laughing at stuff, and I realized that it was the first time I had laughed that hard since I moved here. Of course, I have met new friends here and we have a good time together… but there's nothing like spending time with the friends and family who know you best.

Also, a group of seniors and chaperones from The King's Academy, my last place of employment, was passing through on their way to a Spring Break cruise. I'm jealous! Sunday morning they attended Gentilly/Elysian Fields Baptist Church with me (two churches have merged as a result of Katrina… the pastor of one church left, and the building of the other church was destroyed, so it was the best option). As of this week, the church is meeting in the gym as they begin repairs on the sanctuary (you can still see the flood line on the sanctuary walls). After church, I led them over to Pontchartrain Park, a nearby neighborhood that was heavily damaged by the recent tornado. From there I took them to the Lower 9th Ward, one of the most devastated areas from the Industrial Canal breach. Even though their time and interaction with Post-Katrina New Orleans was brief, I believe that it left a lasting impact on each of them. And hopefully, many of them will return at a later date to get their own hands dirty here in the city.

This past week and upcoming…
 The groups this week have been phenomenal. They have each blessed me in a unique way. A college group from First Baptist Church of Powell, TN (go Vols!) had the opportunity to work across the street at Indian Village. They did some yard clean-up, house gutting, trash pick-up, and more. One thing to remember is that even though we're sending groups to work on houses and yards, each house and yard is owned by a person or a family, and they each have unique stories and needs. I always love it when our volunteer groups share with me what goes on throughout the week to put a name and a story with the work that is being done. One house they worked on is owned by an elderly man. When the waters rose, his wife panicked. She could not swim, and to his (and now our) horror, she shot herself. Another house that the team from Solid Rock Baptist Church worked on is owned by a woman in her 80s. Just weeks before Katrina her husband died, followed by the death of her daughter. And then came Katrina to take away everything else. These are not just destroyed homes after destroyed homes I pass by everyday, these are stories after stories of hurting people trying to pick themselves back up after such great loss of both loved ones and possessions.

I can only hope that God continues to move in a mighty way through the work of the groups that are continuing to come as volunteers to this city. Next week we will have over 200 volunteers coming through MissionLab. Praise God! Continue to pray for me and the MissionLab team as we prepare for their arrival. Include a prayer of safe travel for each group. And pray for all of us as we meet the needs of the upcoming week.

Blessings to you all,
Hannah
Cleaning up after the storm
As you all know from both the news and my last update, a tornado ripped through this already broken city last Tuesday morning, taking the life of one woman, and stealing hope from countless others.
Saturday morning was my first time to survey the damage. The images were all too familiar, as I remembered my tours last summer of the 9th Ward post-Katrina. The tornado's path was mapped out by complete destruction. On either side of the path, roofs were ripped off houses, windows had been blown out, and debris was everywhere. A thing to remember here in this city, this "debris" was once a part of someone's home, a part of his or her life and history. Imagine losing all of your precious photographs, your great-grandmother's dining table, the china given to you on your wedding day by your parents who have since passed away. Granted, life is not about storing up treasures while on Earth, but there is a sadness involved in losing what is familiar to us and having to start over. And that is what so many families have had to do in this city. And what many are having to do once again after last Tuesday's wretched storm.

More than just seeing the damage, I had the opportunity to help clean up. A team of us went out from the seminary to the neighborhood of Ponchatrain Park (within a mile of the seminary). We were joined by teams from LSU, the Arkansas Baptist Association, and various journalists from local and national agencies who volunteer for clean-up when they get the chance. The house we were assigned to belongs to Melvin and his wife Mary. Mary suffers from arthritis and is confined to a wheelchair. They are living out of their FEMA trailer while their house is slowly being worked on. It is still completely gutted and lacks a roof. Luckily, the storm didn't damage the house, but the backyard (which has remained a wreck since Katrina), received further damage and needed desperately to be dealt with. That was our task. We worked for several hours and were able to clean it up completely. It was a massive undertaking, and we were all proud to have accomplished it! God truly gave us the strength because I heard many comment on the impossibility of the project. I am a firm believer of remembering how God has worked in the past. Last summer, I saw Him assist His laborers in some amazing undertakings, and I expected no less from Him on Saturday. With His strength, we finished the task and I pray we were a special blessing to Melvin, his wife, and also to the neighbors and FEMA workers who observed our efforts. May God receive all the glory.

Mardi Gras

In stark contrast to last Tuesday, this Tuesday marks a big, fat celebration, Mardi Gras. My main complaint about this holiday that is celebrated here for approximately two months… traffic is horrendous! Although I'm not big on crowds, I did feel it my responsibility to do this city the honor of attending at least one parade. Saturday I went to Endymion (the name of the parade) with a few girlfriends and our friend Edmund. We were on the family-friendlier side of the parade. Most of the "craziness" occurs miles down the road in the French Quarter. It started off slow, but we ended up having a fun time. Taylor Hicks was the Grand Marshal. My friend Emily caught a string of beads from his hand.

The band Journey was the Co-Grand Marshal, and Styx was on a float as well. (Both of those a bit before my time, but I'll include pictures in case any of you are fans!) We didn't stay for the entire parade… our pounds of beads around our neck got the best of us. Edmund called us Mardi Gras divas.

So I can now say I have been to a Mardi Gras parade. I get invited to one about every day, but I don't have the energy to keep up with all of that! And… I have homework to catch up on.

I know I mentioned the Mardi Gras festivities in my last update, but I neglected to ask you to pray on behalf of all those out there in that colorful mess. I saw at least three young girls before even 6pm who couldn't even hold themselves up to walk because they were so drunk. It is saddening to me that so many people think that moments like these are the highlights of life. There is so much more to life… so much more to life outside of the "what's in it for me?" and "how much fun can I have?" attitude.

I am praying for wisdom for myself this week... lots of scheduling and coordinating. As I've said before, it's a giant undertaking. Please continue to pray for me as this is what God has called me here to do, and I want to do it well… not to mention the upcoming groups and the ministries/organizations throughout the city are depending on me for it.

Happy early Fat Tuesday to each of you! One good thing about Mardi Gras for me… it's a paid holiday.

Blessings,
Hannah

Busy in Preparation
Things are definitely starting to pick up here in New Orleans as we are gearing up for hundreds of volunteers to flood our campus during March (Spring Break month). I have the enormous task of coordinating the weekly agendas for each volunteer group. I enjoy the challenge, but it can be overwhelming, like when you have a group of 62 and the places they want to go only have room for 10-20 volunteers at a time. I also get to ride around the city to make contact with new ministry sites. That is an exciting part of my week, meeting new people, assessing the work that needs to be done, etc. I've included a picture of one daycare we are planning to send many volunteers to help care for the kids (relieve the staff) and also do some exterior work to renovate the facility. Please pray for me and the rest of the staff that God will give us wisdom in all decisions and the strength and energy to complete every task. Also pray for the teams that will be coming here in the upcoming months. Pray that God will prepare their hearts, bodies, and minds for the work, His work, that they will be involved with when they arrive.

I want to introduce you to two people this morning...

Eurie
In previous emails, I have mentioned the rehabilitation ministry across the street, Bethel Men's Ministry. During the day, those men work at various places around the neighborhood. Several of them come across the street and work on the seminary's campus. I see one man, Randy, every day. I always say hi to him, ask how he's doing, and offer encouragement when I can. He asked me one if I had ever heard the song, "I Can Only Imagine". He said he'd been dying to hear it lately. By the end of that week, I made him a CD with that song on it, and also selected several other songs that I thought would be uplifting to him on his journey against addiction. He was thrilled and came back the next day saying that another man at Bethel wanted to have one. I happily agreed and made one for Eurie as well. A couple days later, Randy dropped a note on my desk. I opened it up to read a beautiful thank you letter from Eurie. Tears came to my eyes as I read the words of a grown man who has been through so much pain and so many struggles during his life. I went on to read about how he found new life in Christ and was truly a new creation, a changed man for all eternity. Praise the Lord! Later that day, I got to meet Eurie in person. He told me how he was a mere 115 pounds when he arrived at Bethel months ago. Now he is a healthy man, very strong build even. How wonderful to witness such a remarkable transformation, not only on the outside, but more importantly, on the inside. I encouraged him to share his testimony with others. I believe it's so important that we use our life circumstances, good and bad, to encourage others who may face similar situations.

Jimmy
Finally I want to recount a story my professor shared with us yesterday morning. As you all know, there was a tornado early Tuesday morning that ripped through several neighborhoods, killing one elderly woman. The damage was extensive. Some houses were totally demolished. FEMA trailers were flipped over, windows, roofs, and walls were broken out. I can't imagine living somewhere right now with broken windows. Last night the low was 31 degrees! Not so cold compared to Tennessee, but with broken windows and damaged roofs, the cold will creep in fast! Dr. Taylor went out with his Urban Missions students to help clean up and deliver hot meals to some of the families. He met a man named Jimmy. Jimmy asked Dr. Taylor if this second disaster in less than two years meant that the end of the world was coming. They talked for several minutes. Dr. Taylor shared with him things you can know for sure about God and His gift of salvation to all of us. Jimmy was curious but would often change the subject. Finally Dr. Taylor asked flat out, "Jimmy, if you died today, would you go to Heaven or Hell?" Jimmy's eyes widened and then he said, "Well, I try to help people, and I try not to hurt anyone." But then Jimmy added something Dr. Taylor had never heard as a common response to that question, "But I guess that doesn't really answer your question, does it?" Indeed, it did not, and Dr. Taylor went on to explain how it is not by works that anyone is saved. They continued in conversation about Jimmy, his now destroyed trailer, his wife with cancer, and his concerns about this broken city. Then Jimmy asked, "So how DOES a person get to Heaven?" Once more, Dr. Taylor shared with him the plan of salvation. Dr. Taylor prayed with Jimmy and when he finished, he asked Jimmy if he wanted to pray and receive Christ as his Savior. Jimmy said yes, and on Tuesday afternoon, Jimmy became a new believer. Hallelujah! God is good! :)

So keep Eurie and Jimmy in your prayers as they begin this new walk with the Lord. It's not an easy road, but it's the best road. And it's the ONLY road that will lead to a life eternally in Heaven with the One who died so that we might live. Thank you, Jesus, for the cross, for saving me and giving new life to everyone who calls upon your name and believes that You, indeed, are Lord.

It is my prayer that everyone who reads this can also be thankful to God for His love and salvation.

Thanks, as always, for your support, encouragement, and prayers!

In His name,

Hannah

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved… for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:9,10,13)
I got a call at 6:30am this morning from my former boss, Ellen. My first thought was, "Oh, no... something has happened to one of the girls!" Thankfully, she reassured me that nothing was wrong on her end, but that she was calling to check on me. I had no idea what she was talking about.

She informed me of the tornadoes that came through New Orleans early this morning. And indeed, as many of you have seen on the news, the storms were severe last night with much damage as a result. I watched the news this morning to see footage of neighborhoods that are still recovering from Katrina, and now this. One woman who has damage on her home mentioned that she doesn't know if she has the strength this time to start over. And that is probably going to be the story of many here.

The seminary received no damage from the storm, but within one mile of here, one elderly lady was killed as a result of the destruction in this neighborhood. The hardest hit area was Westwego (~20 minutes from here). And jump over a few blocks across the Mississippi River to Uptown, an area where several of my friends live, I spend a lot of time, etc. I don't think they would have been directly affected by the damage, but maybe by power outages, traffic problems, etc. I'm sure I'll be hearing from them about it soon. In total, several were injured and the devastation is extensive. (So you know, the seminary is located in Gentilly, in case you're curious as you hear reports from New Orleans.)

Please join me in praying for the people affected by this storm, especially for the families who have suffered loss of life or injuries. Pray for us who are working here, that we may have wisdom on how to best serve this city in the name of Jesus.

Thanks for your prayers and support!
Spanish Church

Last Sunday marked my first time visiting the 1st Baptist Spanish-American Church. I had a wonderful time! Even though God has blessed me with an independent spirit, it was still a bit intimidating to walk into a church where English is rarely spoken and you are the only Caucasian in sight! I received many friendly greetings and noticed smiles on every face I saw. I felt at home there. I was reminded of my time in Mexico and almost let my mind drift into believing that I was truly back in Matamoros. The only time I felt uncomfortable was when the Pastor was asking who the visitors were. About 6 individuals or families stood up and introduced themselves to the congregation. The ladies I was sitting around were smiling at me, encouraging me to do the same. Finally, I mustered up the courage, stood up, and introduced myself and told a little about why I was here, where I worked, etc. (All of this in Spanish, mind you!) The service was great... Lots of upbeat praise music. And by God's grace, I was able to follow along with the sermon nearly 100%. Afterwards, they had lunch and then prepared for their two Sunday afternoon ministries. 1 - English classes. 2 - Going out into the neighborhood to minister to the Hispanic community. Last Sunday, I didn't have a coat so I stayed inside to sit in on an English class. Yesterday was my second visit to this church and after they fed us red beans and rice, a group of us rode over to an apartment complex that, since Katrina, houses hundreds of Hispanic residents. We introduced ourselves, invited them to English class, and spoke with them some about the church, God, and other things as they were interested. I plan to continue to be involved with FBSAC, especially on Sundays. There are many great friendships to be made, like with Elva, a beautiful, petite, 40-something lady who told me today of her childhood in Guatemala... How her mother was an alcoholic, spent some time in jail, during which Elva had to live in an orphanage at 8 years old. When her mother was released from prison, she forgot to ever pick up Elva from the orphanage. Adoption papers had already been started for a family to take Elva out of the orphanage when finally her older sisters intervened and arrived to take her home. Elva reminded me as I was leaving today how everyone, every person, has a story to tell about their life. We have all been on a unique journey, and it is exciting for me to meet new people on my own journey and listen to them share with me where they've been, the place they are at now, and what they see for themselves in the future. Elva's story encouraged me to continue praying for Manuel, and the other children in the orphanage I spent many days in during my time in Matamoros... that God would provide for them in a special way when everything and everyone else in life may abandon them.

Work and Radio Interviews

This week I have been busy with my job, organizing the mission trips for groups coming as early as this month and especially for the many "Spring Breakers" who will arrive in March. There is one group coming nearly 24 hours from Amherst, Massachussetts! For those of you who are near a computer on Fridays, it will be a common thing for me to be on Lifesongs Radio at 9 & 4 CST. You can listen through an internet broadcast by going to www.lifesongs.com. On the right you will see a picture of a speaker. Click it or click the link that says "Listen Live". It will take you to a page that shows a Windows Media Play button. Click it to open the live broadcast. MissionLab has a 3-minute segment each Friday morning and afternoon, and often that duty will fall on me. I was quite nervous this past Friday morning, but I should be more comfortable with it from now on!

Up on the Rooftop

No reindeer paws or Santa Claus, but at 9am on Saturday there were 8 freezing bodies roofing what was once a nursing home and is now being re-built as a drug/alcohol rehabilitation center. The 8 bodies included myself, Travis (co-pastor of the church plant "Sojourn"), Hoot (the Head of the Campus Police for NOBTS), Jeff (recently moved down here to work where work is needed after Katrina) and Eddy, Jose, Heraldo, and Warren (four men from Bethel Men's Ministry -- a drug/alcohol rehab facility for men struggling with addiction which attempts to get them on a right path with society, with themselves, and with God). Typically Sojourn has a greater turnout of volunteers, but apparently everyone wanted to sleep in that morning. It's a good thing we weren't scheduled to gut a house that morning, or Travis and I would have been in a mess by ourselves! But God is awesome, and He had everything under control as this was a unique morning of partnering with Hoot and the men from Bethel. We had a great time getting to know the men as we stayed on that roof for hours, and hours, and hours. In fact, we typically close shop at 3:30, but because of delays in supplies (and also a late lunch that didn't arrive until after 3!), we worked well past 5:30 and arrived back to campus around 7pm. Did I mention it was FREEZING?! :) But I am not complaining... I had a wonderful day and hopefully I will get a chance again to help with the reconstruction of this facility, and I look forward to what God will do through this ministry. Please join me in praying for Eddy, Jose, Heraldo, Warren and the other men of Bethel. They have a tough journey ahead of them. For some of them, success is right around the corner, while others will find themselves once again trapped by their addiction and back on the streets. Let us not be quick to judge, but instead, quick to intercede for people like them who have few others who will take the time to encourage and pray for them.
It's been a couple weeks now since my arrival in New Orleans on the 7th. I've had the chance to get settled in and now it's time to update you guys on what the transition has been like and what I've been involved in so far.

A marvelous praise to report… My apartment is 95% furnished and completed! Within ONE week, God provided in some amazing ways for me to furnish the space. #1 - I found some incredible deals and furnished it for less than half of what anyone (myself included) would have expected. #2 – on top of the great deals… I received a large and unexpected financial gift to help cover over half of the total cost! GOD IS GOOD!! He is faithful… AND (I've learned) He has great design-sense! :) Well, that's my own opinion I suppose. "Hannah-ology" as Pastor Mark would say.

Some may think, why is this even important? And the answer is all about God's provision. Do I need the comforts of a cute apartment all to myself? No. Is it nice to have? Of course. Would I have settled for less? Of course. And there will probably come times in my life when I will have to settle for much less (…I'm imaging a small hut in Africa, or the bare minimum in Latin America… who knows!?) The lesson I will always remember from this is that God knows my needs (and my desires). In fact, He knows them even more intimately than I know them myself! And that fact absolutely blows me away! Before coming here, I thought… just give me a dorm room. It's simple. No extra furniture required. No hassle. But God knew my true needs and my true desires. He knew how refreshing it would be to give me my own space to come home to each day… How great it would be for me to have the freedom of that space to use my gift of hospitality for others who want to come visit or to have people over for dinner or fellowship. I was settling for bare minimum, trusting Him in the basics. And He blessed my trust and obedience and gave me even more. How cool is that?! :)

I love my job! Getting paid to work for an organization that is all about missions… what could be better? Work is slow for now, but once groups start arriving in upcoming weeks, things will pick up as we address the unique needs of each group. Meanwhile, the phones keep ringing with people who want more information about bringing their own groups down.

Even though the job is what I came here for, the reason behind all of it is because I have the desire to minister to this hurting and damaged city. I look forward to each opportunity I have personally to get my own hands dirty with rebuilding, ministering to individuals, and more. This past Friday was my first opportunity to do that. I managed to get my 40-hours in before lunchtime Friday so I could meet up with a group that was in the last stage of house-gutting. I worked the rest of the afternoon in a FEMA suit, full nose/mouth mask (think pest exterminator), goggles and a hammer in hand. I felt like a miniature version of the marshmallow man from Ghostbusters. I pounded out sheetrock from walls, ceilings, and places of houses I honestly don't even know what to call them! And of course… I LOVED IT! (…My hands were sore for two days…) I'll be painting again with this group on Saturday at the home of Alberto Rivera. He, his wife, and two sons are living in a FEMA trailer in front of their home. With the help of teams like I'll be with this weekend, hopefully they will get moved back into their home soon… after all, it's been over 16 months since it was destroyed!

I've also been to Rachel Sims Baptist Mission (the oldest of its kind in the U.S.) for a Youth Game Night. I interacted with the youth some, but mostly I just conversed with one of the directors to get more information about what goes on there, the type of programs they have, etc. I am still praying about where God wants me to get plugged into ministry during my own time. That is one option and there are many others. There is one opportunity I explored today that I feel has great potential for me as a ministry and even a church to attend. It's called First Spanish-American Baptist Church. I talked with the pastor today and he and I are very excited about the possibility of me plugging in there with Bible studies, services, English classes, and Hispanic outreach throughout the city. Mexico in New Orleans! I love it!! And that's not intended to be a politically incorrect statement… most of you know of the time I spent living in Mexico… and my heart has been forever opened to that culture and ministry. If I can't be in Mexico, at least I can be a part of what is going on here in terms of Hispanic ministry. I will keep you informed!

This weekend was great. I spent a lot of time with a group involved in a local church plant here called Sojourn. (Check them out here: http://www.whatissojourn.com or check out http://www.crestwoodbaptist.org) Basically, it's a church geared towards reaching those of the post-modernist generation. As one pastor put it, "If you have to ask what that means, you ain't in it." :) I mention all this to say first how thankful I am to have found a group to minister with and just hang out with. Also, I'm thankful for what this group is trying to do for the city and for how on fire they are for Christ. It's a wonderful encouragement for me, and I believe God will use them to teach me to become bolder in my own faith. Sunday I spent the day watching like 8 hours of football with them! (I didn't know I could even do that!) Unfortunately, the Saints lost (I'm being converted, well, I never truly had a professional football loyalty, so it was an easy conversion). The city has been very excited for the remarkable season, and I believe that no matter where loyalties lie--for a city that is hurting and has lost so much--I think it's wonderful that they have been able to rally behind a team in this way and had their spirits lifted. So, Go Saints! Or as they say here… "Who Dat?!" J (At least Peyton won his game that night…)

Classes start for me tomorrow. I will be taking two, so I'm hoping my load with work and everything will remain manageable. You can certainly always pray for my time managing skills, although I'd like to say I'm improving in that area.

Also pray that I will be God-led in all that I do, from the steps I take, to the conversations I have, to the ministries I am involved in and everything else in between.

And… sorry if I did not reply to your email. I got behind during the first week, but I read them all and will do my best to always send personal replies! And I appreciate them and the wonderful reports I received from FBC Friendsville's end gathering!

Blessings to you all and thanks as always for your prayers and support! I will send pictures as I begin taking them throughout the next months.

All for Christ,

Hannah
I was journaling last night and I wanted to post some thoughts and observations I have of my new place here. I've included some of my personal prayer requests for those of you who are so graciously praying along with me during my journey.

1.8.2007
I am sitting now in my bed (AKA: borrowed air mattress) as one of the newest residents in the city of New Orleans! I will say that my arrival here is such an exciting one! I have been looking forward to returning since I left this place last July. As I drove in, I was semi-astounded that not much had changed. So far, it looks exactly like it did when I left last summer. Dead trees lined my drive into the city. Six Flags of New Orleans remains completely desolate. Piles of debris are seen on the streets and in front of houses and buildings (or what's left of them). As I was driving around the neighborhood near Edgewater Baptist Church, it was night time and the darkness was enhanced because there were not many houses lit up from within or without. I peered straight through several houses that remained empty from interior demolition. I sat in on a grief recovery session at the church and heard one woman mention her 80-something neighbor who is currently living in Portland, Oregon. Her house remains un-gutted, awaiting demolition some 16 months post-Katrina! (And people have been asking me if New Orleans is back on its feet. CERTAINLY NOT!!) This is why I am here. That lady is why I'm here. Those piles of debris, the dead trees, and most importantly… the dead hearts and souls of this city are all reasons I believe God has brought me back to this place. This place of beauty and also much the opposite. I learned today there have been 12 murders here since the beginning of the year. It is January the 8th!! Such contrast to the comforts of Maryville I've taken for granted all these years. It is okay to be in a place where I don't sit so comfortably as both a person and a Christian. A place where I am forced to get out of my lazy-boy. To be conscious of the battle around me, both a worldly one, and certainly a spiritual one. I pray that God equips me thoroughly for my purpose here. I pray that if there are any areas that I am lacking, He will reveal them to me and together we can work through that area and experience tremendous growth. I am so thankful for this opportunity, and yet, I feel sometimes unprepared for the full extent of my duties here. God has brought me so far, but I've still got so far to go. My desire is to be like Christ. I pray that I fully surrender so that I may truly walk in the light as He restores my soul, purifies my heart, and renews my mind.

Peace and blessings to you on your own journey,

Hannah
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About Me

About Me
In 2005 God asked me to surrender my life to His plans and purpose. Everything changed. From Mexico to New Orleans to Namibia to Haiti it's been one incredible adventure with the Lord after another. This blog is a piece of that journey.

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Hope For Life Children's Home

Hope For Life Children's Home
Wanna meet some special kids? Visit www.hopeforlifehaiti.com and see what they're up to and how you can help! Click on the photo above and "Like" them on Facebook!