If you know me, you know a little bit about how much my mission trip to New Orleans meant to me. I had been feeling the push to go there for years. I just really wanted to help. I had no idea how to though. I had just graduated college and wanted to start volunteering and getting involved in the things I was passionate about. A friend of mine at the time told me that her church was going to New Orleans as they had been doing the past few years. I had never been to the church but was going to their Super bowl Service and I loved it! I grew up Catholic and had never been to a church like that before and really didn’t know they existed. I decided to sign up for their New Orleans trip and it was absolutely the best decision I’ve ever made.
From beginning to end I loved every moment of this trip. There were several meetings before so we could get acquainted with our GO group. There were about 300 of us who went so they put us in groups of about 8 to 10 so we could get better acquainted with people before the trip. I loved my GO group everyone was so loving and so uplifting and so much fun. We had time to meet with each other throughout the trip and dive into how the trip was affecting us and we could talk it out with each other. I had my first experience with really praying, I had never been in a setting like this at all before, never done a bible study, mission trip or anything but the sit kneel stand of a Catholic church. I was pushed to do things I wouldn’t normally do, pushed to address feelings I never bothered to deal with. I was pushed by people who whole hearted idly believed in me when I was unsure of myself. I went to love on people and to do good for them and came away feeling more love and support than I’ve ever could have imagined and it was from people who days before were complete strangers. Complete strangers who also went on the trip and people from New Orleans who lost everything, who had nothing five years earlier, they prayed for ME. They asked me what I missed in my life, what I had been through, they wanted to know my story and how they could pray for me. Everyone was just so upbeat and five years later all they wanted was for someone to care what they went through and they knew each and every one of us were there because we did care. My heart melts every time I think of the city of New Orleans and everything it has taught me.
The people I worked with in New Orleans are the reason I want to volunteer my time. They are people who went through something horribly tragic that you and I have no concept of. Whether it’s a hurricane, a mother or father who were not present or an abusive parent, an illness, anything at all, something that hinders them from living a life that I am absolutely blessed with. They just want someone to care. Someone who doesn’t make excuses as to why what happened to them is their fault. And they are so gracious. So thankful for your support. And they 100% lean on God. And many people regarded us as angels sent from Him. What an amazing feeling to be a part of something far bigger than my small world.
Seven years later Cincinnati is the number one home builder with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. That is a huge deal. Crossroads doesn’t stop at homes though, they build into kids at the church with bible study, crafts and games. They do vision screenings, clean up and paint schools, and of course the photo team. I got to snap pictures of families. Families that lost everything, every memory, every photograph they ever had. I got the help replace them, to build new memories with them. What a huge blessing I was given.
I’ve been feeling the push to go back this year. I no longer feel like I would be ‘new’ to prayer ‘new’ to my faith. While I gave the trip everything I had back in 2010, I think I would be able to bring more now. I even thought about doing Habitat instead of photo, maybe. I would encourage anyone that’s ever felt the need to go and help the city of New Orleans to do it. I promise you, you will not regret it.
Ms. Sonya had the most impact on me, read her story here:
Ms. Sonya
And watch the video from last year!
Also you can see most of my trip recounted in my July 2010 blog entries
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