Planting Love and Harvesting Hope

 
One of the privileges of working with HisHands2Go is to see the effects of the changes happening in people's hearts as a result of their experience rebuilding in New Orleans.  Volunteers of various ages, races, cultures, and backgrounds are susceptible to this change.  There's just something amazing that happens in a person when they've spent significant time- their own personal time- investing in another person.  In the setting of HisHands2Go work, people are rebuilding homes for people who have lost much.  They are loving them by hammering nails, tearing down rotting wood, and listening to the stories of the people they are assisting.

The Harvest Bible Chapel team from Illinois has returned for a 3rd year of working alongside HH2G.  For several high-schoolers this was their 2nd or 3rd trip here.  Though we do not see them between their trips, we see a change in they way they work, how they interact with the homeowners, their leadership with the other students.  What a privilege we have.

The Harvest Bible Chapel team picked up the work where the IU team left off with Mr. Desoto "Bobby" Jackson and Mr. Cambell, and even started a new job- a demolition job!  Right off of Canal St. a home was not only damaged by the hurricane, but nearly burned down completely.  A large group of the students attacked the garage out back and cleared out the bushes and weeds on the property.  I just love those kinds of jobs!

Thanks Harvest!  Ya'll did an awesome job this week and we look forward to seeing you next year!

Good Ole' Midwesterners

 
The Midwestern folks of America are known for their hard-work ethic and generosity towards their neighbors.  You can imagine how excited we were to host a team of 48 people from Indiana University!  This team combined of guys and girls from IU worked efficiently to complete several jobs, and to bring a few other jobs close to completion- working for homeowners such as Mr. Campbell and Mr. Desoto "Bobby" Jackson, and the rehab center Teen Challenge.   

We at HH2G enjoy facilitating a memorable experience for the volunteers that work alongside us.  One of the ways we do this is to encourage trips to other parts of the city that they are not rebuilding in, partake in beignets and chicory coffee at the famous Cafe du Monde, and of course get a taste of the authentic cajun food that southern Louisiana is known for.  The IU team fortunately joined us in the month of March, smack dab in the middle of crawfish season!  Before this team left New Orleans they were treated to a shrimp boil in the bywater, and the next day we provided them boiled crawfish- yum!

Thanks to the IU team for their hard-work, you've completely raised the bar to the other Midwesterners coming down to the Crescent City!