River Valley in New Orleans

Well, you plan for months, work your plan, then it's over. Or is it?

Our trip to New Orleans is over, and the excitement about missions has just begun in our church. I have heard of at least 2 families who are looking for projects near and far. Some are talking about getting back down to N.O., some Appalachia.

During our time there, we passed out 6000 fliers for Hope Christian Church, cleared overgrown lots, and worked mainly at a house whose owner, Kevin, has been trying to finish for about 3 years, one sheet of drywall at a time...all by himself. Bruce and Monty ran into him several times at Home Depot and offered him help, which he kept refusing, and finally gave in. Well, he had about 25 people at his house last week taping, mudding and sanding drywall, and replacing rotted boards on the outside, scraping and painting the exterior. We probably got finished in a week what he would have completed in 4 months. Kevin's neighbor has been deep in prayer that he would get his house completed so that his family could move back in. That is answered prayer. Crossroads will stay with him until the project is completed. (The praying neighbor spent 3 1/2 days in their attic after Katrina with 6 family members, including an 18 month old, waiting to be rescued.) That is another story all together.

I had forgotten the really cool thing about when a mission trip is over. New friends. Our whole team has rallied around the Dale Family and their work in New Orleans. I love sharing friends with friends. We are all so better connected at church after spending 10 days and nights literally eating, sleeping and serving together. To me, that is one of the best parts of serving; how it changes our lives.

The current plan is for River Valley to take a team to The Dominican Republic in July 2010. Those details will be worked out over the next few months, so keep us in prayer. There were so many of our friends, family members and others in our congregation who stepped up with prayer, financially and with baked goods, (thank you Clore's) to get us through. Thank you so much for all you did to make this trip possible.