Rebuilding the Big Easy

Nate had a chance to lead 50 students and staff on a relief trip to New Orleans over spring break. Here are a few pictures to capture the essence of the week.

We were broken into four groups to work on various projects during the week. The group I was in worked on a house built in the 1700s (above)  that had extensive water and termite damage. We finished the work of gutting the house, mostly by pulling out the old flooring. (above) We also were able to begin laying a new roof on the house. (above)

A lot of New Orleans has been rebuilt, but much remains to be done. While some areas were affected very little, areas like the Lower Ninth Ward were devastated and may never fully recover. Above, I am standing near the top of where the levy broke pouring 17 feet of water into the Lower Ninth. Where a neighborhood, fully populated by houses, used to stand, now stands mostly fields with overgrown weeds. For most houses, all that is left is the front porch. (Center right) It has been mostly through the work of Christians that these people have been given hope of a second chance.

Summer Plans

We have a chance to take a new direction this summer in helping to lead the Northwoods Summer Project in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. This is an all men’s project where we will be helping to develop the students into godly servant leaders. We will do service projects, evangelism and training with them. In addition to this we will take weekend trips, canoeing, hiking, and camping in the woods north of the city. These men will be pushed emotionally, spiritually and physically and will come out walking more closely with Christ and ready to lead on their campuses.

Our whole family will go and live in the same housing area as the students (on a college campus in North Bay). It will be fun for Shelly and our kids to be around these great guys in addition to other staff families that will be there this summer.

Kids' Column

We have really liked the snow while Daddy has been gone. We’ve had 76 inches this winter and Mommy thinks she’s shoveled 70 of  those inches! I liked making a tunnel in the snow. We also had a “pond” in our backyard and did some “ice skating” on it. We’ll be able to play outside more now that it’s getting nicer.

During our last snow storm we built a fort and had a snowball fight. It was a lot of fun. Did I tell you I lost a tooth? It was so exciting! But my new tooth is being slow about growing in. I’m working on wiggling the next tooth.

I think it will be much easier to ride my scooter when there is no snow in the driveway. I liked making snow angels and ice skating in the backyard. I have a new friend, Miss Darcy, who is a speech therapist. I like to play games when I see her.

I have learned that rolling a ball down a driveway that is covered in snow is not nearly as much fun as when the ball can roll fast and make Mommy run. It has gotten easier to walk in all that snow—it was really hard at the beginning of winter. I will be 2 very soon and I am talking a lot.

 Caleb

Thank you all for praying for me while Nate has been gone. God has worked in my life and I don’t dread his traveling like I used to. I do think it snowed every time he was gone this year. I so appreciate him being here to shovel for our last (?) snow fall!

Please pray for us as we finish the school year—yes, school is done in mid-April! We want to finish well and feel somewhat prepared for next year when we will have fewer co-workers.

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