muscles, monkeys, and meatballs galore!

On the 4^th day of August, in the year 2013, Benjamin Duvall arrived in New Orleans with a crew of folks from Gospel Community Church in Fort Wayne, IN.  This just so happens to be where Suzanne Duvall, HH2G hospitality coordinator, is from, and Ben just so happens to be her brother!  In addition, included in this bunch of arrival was a big surprise in the form of her parents and niece.  The week was off to an awesome start!  

 

If you note the title to this page, you’ll notice three words.  Let’s begin with “muscle”.  Now, ‘round these parts Mid-westerners are known for their hard work and big hearts.  Of course it was no surprise to find that this team possessed those traits as well, and exhibited them on and off the job.  The team was split into three groups.  One group went to work alongside Pastor Jose at Philippi Evangelical Church of God in Christ, located in the lower 9^th ward (by the homes developed by Brad Pitt).   They worked on the children’s building, strengthening the frame and working to repair and reconstruct the inside of the building.  They had the privilege of working with several members of the congregation, who joined us for dinner one evening.  They brought gumbo to share, beautiful voices to sing with, and lots of laughter and good conversation.    

 

The second group worked hard at Garden on Marais, even in spite of the record highs in temperatures that week!  Nut sage has been a serious nuisance this year at the garden, so a few people went to battle with it, while a group of guys led by Ron Duvall began prepping the hoop house for shade cloth.  Once the hoop house is set up with the shade cloth it will be functional year-round.         

 

The third group spent their days doing some much needed painting and St. Luke AG.  Bathroom doors, closet doors, the stairwell, and an entire brown wall were painted beautifully.

  

When the team wasn’t eating, sleeping, or working, they were playing spoons (a dangerous game I might add J), or exploring the city, especially the live oak trees in City Park!  This is where the word “monkey” comes in.  I’ve never seen so many people climb 1 tree before!  They were all over it, and some people climbed up to higher limbs.  Seriously, they looked like monkeys.   

And last but not least, let me explain the inclusion of the word “meatballs”.  We have a tradition at HisHands2Go that on spaghetti and meatballs night you can have as many meatballs as you want.  This practice, of course, inspires competition amongst team members.  Prior to this team’s arrival, the record of 55 meatballs consumed in 1 sitting was held by a college student from Florida.  Well, allow me to present Rachel, the new record holder of the most meatballs eaten in 1 sitting… 60.  That’s right, folks…60!!!  

1 + 1 + 1 = a job well done!

The last week of July this year the Boyd family returned from Minnesota to volunteer with HisHands2Go for the second time.  Mother (Tammy) and daughter (Jordan) made the previous trip, and this year they brought along a third, Jacob.  The trio completed the final major job on Mr. Albert Franklin’s home… painting.  Mr. Franklin’s house is a duplex, both sides identical.  Tammy, Jordan, and Jacob painted one entire side (indoors) of the house, closets and bathrooms on the other side.  For those of you who have ever painted the inside of your home, you’ll understand what an undertaking this was for three people.  They did all of that in the span of 4 days!  Amazing!  The color is a light peachish/goldish that looks beautiful in the sunlight.  Check out the pictures below.
At the end of their week with us, the Boyds had the privilege of handing over the keys of the house to Mr. Albert Franklin.  

 

So very many of you volunteers reading this have worked on Mr. Franklin’s home over the last several months.  Every single person’s hard work combined made this final act of handing over the keys possible.  Allow me to pass on to you Mr. Franklin’s gratitude for all of your hard work, words of encouragement, and love.  He says that he remembers all of you with love and thanks God for you every day… and he said something about keeping your pictures out where he can see them regularly :-)  Next time any of you are in town you’ll have to stop by and say hi to him and see the final product!  Until then, take a look at the pics below, and maybe scroll back through previous months to see the journey of reconstructing his home.

Krewe de St. Viv

Tim- Jan-Julie- Hannah- Austen- Noel- Rylie- Gabe- Ian… the names by which we call the awesome folks from St. Vivian Church up in the great state of Ohio.  A 12-seater van containing lots of luggage, excited teens and their gracious chaperones careened its way down I-65 bound for New Orleans, LA.  We were privileged to host a few familiar faces, one of them being quite possibly the top HH2G recruiter we know! (ahem…Gabe ) .
Though exhausted from their travels, they nonetheless plunged right into work on Monday morning, spending most of the day assisting at Garden on Marais.  The remainder of the week they furthered the progress on Albert Franklin’s home.  So many of our volunteers have poured their love and hard labor into Mr. Franklin’s home, and it’s well on its way to completion!

Krewe de St. Viv… we expect to see your smiling faces here again next summer!

Lyrical Laborers

Hark!  Is that singing I hear?  It is indeed- the sound of voices blasting out tunes while working hard on the job.  If we had to give a summary of this team from UCF Catholic Campus Ministries, we'd have to say they go about their work of serving others with an infectious joy.  This group of college students (many of them having graduated 2 days before leaving for New Orleans) continued work on Garden on Marais, as well as Albert Franklin's home.  As with previous teams who have worked on Mr. Franklin's home, these guys ended their week on a high note after spending time with Mr. Franklin and gleaning from his encouragement, gratitude, and life.

The crew that worked on Garden on Marais accomplished much to further the function and future role of the garden in the surrounding community.  We extend a thanks to all volunteers past and present that have poured their hard work into helping this garden take shape.  I'm proud to announce that we have beautiful tomatoes growing, as well as basil and arugula.  Tomatoes are especially hard to grow down here, so they seem to taste especially delicious.  Perhaps next time you are here you can feast on the fruits of your hard labor!

March Madness 2013

Way up in Indiana people identify March Madness as a month of competitive groups of athletes projecting a ball through a hoop… but in New Orleans it means a whirlwind month of volunteers flooding through the city, doing good and enjoying the sights.  This March HH2G hosted no less than 120 volunteers, and boy was it fun!  University of Central Florida, St. Louis University, University Baptist Church, Indiana University, and First Baptist Woodway joined forces to further the work on the homes of Mr. Albert Franklin, Mr. Earl, and Mr. Julius Sanchez.  These hard workers also conquered the job of tearing up the grass at Garden on Marais, which is another big step in restoring the grounds for growing food and educating folks.  These volunteer teams were comprised of junior high, senior high, and college students, all united with the purpose of serving and uplifting the residents of New Orleans.
Thanks to every volunteer that came to work with HH2G this March.  It was a pleasure hosting you all.

Nearly 8 years after Katrina there is still much to be done in the way of rebuilding homes, but there are plenty of new projects awaiting volunteers as well.  So HH2G veterans, don’t hesitate to come back soon!  And newbies, there are wonderful experiences awaiting you here in New Orleans, so come on down (or up, or over) for a service trip!
We look forward to seeing you all!

We're baaaaaaak!

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls,
we at HH2G hope this post finds you and yours happy, healthy, and enjoying the first few weeks of this new year! It's been a while since we've updated our blog- the Christmas season kept us busy, as I'm sure it did all you.  However, we are back on our game, ready to move forward in 2013. 
Before we move on though, I want to shout a thanks to the two UCF students (you know who you are) that spent their time here working hard, as well as the Indiana University team that was here the week before Christmas.  Thanks for all your hard work!  We hope to see you again this spring!  AND we hope to see every single person reading this note in New Orleans this year- and bring a friend (or 10)!

Giving Thanks

2 turkeys 
cornbread stuffing 
sweet potato casserole w/candied pecans 
garlic mashed potatoes w/gravy 
homemade dinner rolls 
gussied up green beans 
ham 
homemade pecan pie 
homemade pumpkin pie complete with whipped cream.... 

 these are a few of my favorite things! 

This year I paced myself.  Even in the midst of the young 17 yr. old seated to my right who heaped her plate high... TWICE!... and among gentlemen who went back for 4ths... I, Suzanne Duvall, defeated the gluttonous appeal of the Thanksgiving feast and paced myself.  My coveted reward was a full and not the least bit angry belly.  I added my full and happy belly to a list of what I am thankful for. 

Here are just a few of the items on my list (in no specific order):

A close family- of blood and of heart

My puppy dog Ginger and her frisbee ;) 

Modern bathroom facilities

Redemption and chances to move forward

Warmth

Thunderstorms

Soft green grass to lay in

Hilarious moments

Nieces and Nephews

Unspoiled food

Children and all their sillyness

Peaceful slumber

Music

Vacations

What are you thankful for this year?