The Trip Home: The Beginning Not The End
The 2010 National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, LA is over. But what a ride!
The official programming ended Wednesday morning with a final 2-hour party to infuse energy into the departing crowd to go and “Make disciples of all nations!” The kids heard from Jeffrey Meins, DCE, about how to apply what they’ve learned at their schools and with their friends. And there were many laughs along the way!
After the Mass Event, our group was privileged enough to get a guided tour of several area churches that are have been or will be repaired after Hurricane Katrina through the work of LCMS’ Camp Restore. Our youth travelled to New Orleans back in 2008 and worked on one of the churches, so it was great to see the finished product!
The destruction Katrina caused in the Lower 9th Ward is well chronicled, but it takes being here to actually begin to comprehend the enormity of it. In that parish, houses … disappeared. They were there on August 28, 2005, and at daybreak the next – they were gone.
Robert Green, a local who lost two family members and his house in the storm, opened his heart and the door of his new home to our kids by sharing how God is bringing good things out of a terrible disaster.
“More good came out of this than bad. I feel blessed because, you know, I only lost two family members. I’m blessed to be alive.”
His humbleness was striking to me. We find ourselves complaining about the littlest of details. We’re hungry and want to eat something. We don’t like the curtain in the living room and want to replace it. Our water bill goes up and we don’t like it. This … this is a man that gets it. Praise be to God for his story and his willingness to share it. What a lesson!
Today’s agenda is simple – GET HOME SAFE! We will be leaving our hotel around 11am this morning to get to the airport. We have a connection in Orlando (yes, that Orlando) before flying into Midway. If all goes well, we’ll be touching down around 8pm CDT in Chicago. We’ll get our luggage and get on a bus … and we should be at Redeemer by midnight tonight.
Then … the real test begins. Before bedtime last night, our group noted that this journey is only yet beginning. Our kids – not the adults leading them – were saying that we have proven little about what we’ve learned, and now only getting back to Peoria and putting that faith into practice will be the difference! I look forward to the powerful Wednesday night “UNPLUGGED” Youth Group sessions to come. I look forward to seeing what God does through the servant hearts that were born here.
You should, too. As was said by the keynote speaker on Monday night, this group does not represent the Redeemer Lutheran Church of the future. This is the Redeemer Lutheran Church of NOW! Tomorrow begins the beginning of the journey leading up to the 2013 National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, TX.
Prayers for a safe travel day today, and prayers for a wonderful day in Jesus Christ for you! Amen!!!
Signing off from the Bayou.