It's true (and hard to believe!)... the first youth mission trip of the summer is over and everyone is back home, safe and sound. We had a great week serving in Slidell, Louisiana. We worked with Project NOAH (New Orleans Area Hope) which is a youth mission organization working alongside the Northshore Disaster Relief organization, on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain. They are also a part of UMCOR and are continuing the work of rebuilding homes and lives 4 YEARS after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area. We were honored and blessed to serve alongside these organizations.
Here are some pictures from our trip....
(which are all out of order, because I am really bad at this!)
The last night at Project NOAH there was a talent show...
guess which group was voted the most talented? Sulphur Grove!
One of our teams worked to paint the interior of a house... which the family should be moving into in the next few weeks. Here's Taylor cleaning off a paint tray...
Alison was also on the painting team. Their team's name was Team Shem! They paint like pros!
Our other work team spent the week tearing out ceiling insulation, reinsulating it (the wrong kind had been used) and then drywalling the ceilings and some walls. Daniel shows his awesome skill at holding drywall up with his belly. Nice work Daniel.
Rachel and Peter looked pretty sweet while they were pulling down insulation. Or pretty sweaty maybe! It was 120 degrees (heat index) multiple days while we were there, but no one complained about anything but the stink! Troopers!
On Wednesday afternoon we toured through some of the hardest hit areas of New Orleans. This is the lower 9th ward. It was scene to some of the most devastating flooding when the levy failed. These are all that remains of many of the houses that once stood here.
When we first arrived in Louisiana we went on a swamp tour in the Honey Island Swamp. Abby was REALLY afraid a gator was going to get her. She demonstrated this fear for us with the cement gator in the parking lot!
A special thank you to:
Our other work team spent the week tearing out ceiling insulation, reinsulating it (the wrong kind had been used) and then drywalling the ceilings and some walls. Daniel shows his awesome skill at holding drywall up with his belly. Nice work Daniel.
Rachel and Peter looked pretty sweet while they were pulling down insulation. Or pretty sweaty maybe! It was 120 degrees (heat index) multiple days while we were there, but no one complained about anything but the stink! Troopers!
On Wednesday afternoon we toured through some of the hardest hit areas of New Orleans. This is the lower 9th ward. It was scene to some of the most devastating flooding when the levy failed. These are all that remains of many of the houses that once stood here.
Only 5% of the people who once lived here have returned. There are almost no houses in the area that were inhabitable after the flood. Make It Right is working to rebuild houses in the Lower 9th Ward.
When we first arrived in Louisiana we went on a swamp tour in the Honey Island Swamp. Abby was REALLY afraid a gator was going to get her. She demonstrated this fear for us with the cement gator in the parking lot!
We all posed for a group shot as we were preparing to head back north.
What a team, what a week!
A special thank you to:**Big Dan, Pastor Kim, and Abby "the bulldog"-
-you were wonderful leaders and we couldn't have done it without you! Thank you for giving of yourselves, your time, and your energy to help us grow in service and love. Thank you for believing in us!
**Project NOAH, UMCOR, and NDRI-
-The work you are doing is an inspiration to us, thank you for letting us serve alongside you.
**The people of Louisiana-
-Your story of survival and rebuilding has inspired us. We are honored and humbled to have spent time in your midst and are blessed by you.
**Sulphur Grove UMC-
-Your support of us and our desire to serve is always a blessing. We wouldn't be able to do it without you. Thank you for serving us and allowing us to serve others!
**
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