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!

SPRING BREAK 2011 kick-off

University of Central Florida shipped a team over to New Orleans the second week of March- consisting of many volunteers who had never been to NOLA before.  They spent the week painting for a Mr. Campbell (who treated them to yummy lunch food everyday- luckies!), and for Teen Challenge of New Orleans.  They were joined by a team from Pennsylvania- a group of gentlemen with one lady among them.  The Penn. team focused on a roofing job.  They found (as volunteers here in NOLA often do) that as they peeled back the layers of roof, they discovered more and more rotting wood and needed repairs.  They were up for the job though.

In addition to hard work, these teams enjoyed experiencing the multiple cultural facets of the city- from the ninth ward to the French Quarter and Uptown.  The excitement of being in New Orleans was at least doubled- as they came during the week of Mardi Gras!  Parades were running night and day and the streets were filled with party-goers.  An exciting time to be in the city.

Thanks so much to these two teams who kicked-off our spring break!

Thoughts for Pondering

The flood of volunteers that typically overtakes the city of New Orleans during spring break has not disappointed in 2011.  As I drive down the road I see multiple homes being restored and rebuilt by the generosity, sweat, and love of volunteers.  The home across the street from my office had volunteers working inside and outside last week.  When I passed them on Friday they were cheering and clapping- no doubt celebrating the accomplishment of bringing a home-owner much much closer to being back in their home.  Not just their house... their home.  Maybe they were the ones to put the finishing touches on the house and were handing the keys over to the homeowner.  Now that is definitely something to celebrate.  I wonder who that homeowner is.  I'm sure they have a story to tell- everyone does you know.  Not just stories about their experience through hurricane Katrina, but about their lives before and after.  I hope the volunteers were able to hear those stories.  They may have rebuilt a home, but they have made an impact on more than just the hurricane aftermath chapter of the homeowner's life.  The effects of their kindness will carry on through the rest of the homeowner's life.

Krewe de Kansas- Sept. 2010

The guys of Family Life Assembly of God (Pittsburgh, KS) brought with them cooler air and lots of sunshine when they joined HH2G for a week in September. Veterans of the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, this team of 5 jumped right into the work. We utilized the carpentry skills amongst the group by assigning them to build a ramp for Mrs. Julia Brown. Julia travels in a wheel chair, so the guys worked on her deck and added a ramp for ease of access to her home.

The Kansas team was also able to reconnect with a homeowner they blessed in the summer of 2009. Steamboat Willie, a New Orleans dixieland jazz musician, always wanted a back deck, and this team delivered. Our staff is continually amazed by the connections that form between the volunteers and the homeowners they work with.

Grace Church of Chapel Hill (NC)- AUG 2010

Grace Church brought a wonderful mixture of volunteers to HH2G... There were young and old alike, and a few FAMILIES! Serving others together as a family can be an awesome experience. It can create strong memories and bonds that remain throughout a lifetime. It was a great experience to host such a team!

Half of the crew from Grace Church finished up several projects at Mr. Desoto Bobby Jackson's home, both inside and outside of the house. The team was privileged to experience the act of handing over the keys of the house to the homeowner, Mr. Jackson.

GREAT JOB TO ALL TEAMS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO WORKED ON MR. DESOTO BOBBY JACKSON'S HOME!!! There is no way that the full amount of gratitude for your hard work could be expressed. Know that you participated not only in rebuilding a home, but in deeply touching someone's life with the love of Jesus.

The other half of the team worked at the home of Pastor Green. HH2G did most of the rebuilding of Pastor Green's home, and returned to continue the work. The team painted the outside of the house, as well as laid tile in the house, complete with a small mosaic :)

First Presbyterian Church (CA)- JULY 2010

After a year off from HH2G, First Presbyterian Church returned to New Orleans with fond memories of their previous visit, and an eagerness to make more memories this visit. It's wonderful to welcome familiar faces back to HH2G- and we were privileged to do so with this crew, right down to a young lady who experienced her first trip to New Orleans back in 2007!

The crew of First Pres. worked hard to return Mr. Desoto Bobby Jackson's home to a functional state. With skilled workers to lead and non-skilled workers to fill in where necessary this team accomplished much! This crew accomplished so much that the next team was able to finish most of the work left in Mr. Jackson's home!

To the team members of First Presbyterian of Santa Rosa (you know who you are ;), it's always a pleasure to host and work with you. We look forward to seeing you all again!