On to New Orleans!

A New Adventure Begins…

It has been exactly three weeks since my Mission Year teammates and I parted ways in Oakland. I have been back in Chicagoland with my parents since then and in a matter of days, we’ll be on the road headed towards New Orleans. New Orleans!?!? Honestly, the shocked remarks have come most from people in the Gulf Coast who I have contacted prior to my arrival. The fact is, over a year after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there is still much to be done. When I visited Mississippi in early June, I realized just how much I didn’t know. We were told that it would take at least 10 years for a full recovery, if not more. The Gulf Coast still needs a lot of help and so I am going!
As we drove along the Gulf Coast highway, through towns like Long Beach, Ocean Springs, and Pass Christian on our way to Gulfport, Mississippi, I could not believe my eyes. Such total destruction, buildings left in rubble, mansions completely flattened. At first I was overwhelmed with thoughts of God’s power, a strong hand that could command the winds and waters to bring such devastation. I questioned my role in responding. I wondered what His reasons were for bringing on this storm. I honestly questioned Him: God, since You brought this on, do You just want it to stay this way?? God met me in these thoughts of sadness and confusion and reminded me that His is a story of continuous hope and redemption. Every instance of destruction comes with an opportunity for rebuilding. From Adam to Noah to Nehemiah to Lazarus to Jesus—God has been bringing life and hope out of desperate situations. Throughout history God’s story has been one of bringing His people back to Him and back to His promise. God is providing us, His people, an opportunity to respond to this disaster in love. We are called to be His hands and feet, and that is the work that I am excited to join in rebuilding the Gulf Coast.
The other important reason why I pursued this opportunity was the chance to live again in community. Now when I explained that to my Oakland teammates, they sort of looked at me like I was crazy. Because I must be! Living in community during Mission Year was difficult and frustrating, yet at the same time the best thing for me. It wasn’t the best in an always-the-most-fun sort of way, but best in a hardest-thing-ever-but-most-growth-producing way. I was brought to a place where I could learn things about myself and my understanding of other people that I never would have seen had I lived again by myself or had I chosen to surround myself with only those people who thought and acted just like me. Throughout this past year, I have grown in understanding and appreciation for God’s vision and heart for unity among His people. I have gained a new perspective on what it means for the Body to really work like a body! I want to be a part of this community because I have seen the beauty of God’s vision and long to continue pursuing it. It won’t be easy and it won’t always be pleasant…but worth it? Definitely.
So the next big question after why is what! What will I be doing in New Orleans? Good question. This opportunity has been arranged through a partnership between the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Mission Year. Instead of trying to go down and re-create the wheel in disaster recovery, these two organizations have wisely pursued collaborating with existing groups that already have experience working in the Gulf Coast. My official position is Volunteer Coordinator at Desire Street Ministries/CURE. Since 1990, Desire Street Ministries (DSM) has served the impoverished neighborhood around the Desire Housing Project within New Orleans’ 9th ward with programs that meet the residents’ specific needs. Desire Street Ministries exists to revitalize the community through spiritual and community development. Desire Street Fellowship, part of DSM, is a founding member of a local church association called CURE (Churches United for Revitalization and Evangelism). CURE was formed by local pastors who share a common vision for the church’s responsibility in the community. CURE hopes to promote unity among the churches through corporate movements of prayer, fellowship, evangelism, and partnering for a better community.
The short answer for what I’ll be doing in the Volunteer Coordinator position was given to me by my supervisor, Ben: “The most consistent thing is that everyday is different!” Flexibility seems to be the key word in disaster recovery so I’m sure this will be a big lesson for me all year. Some days I will be contacting churches and other groups to recruit volunteer teams, figuring out the needs in the Upper Ninth Ward community where we’ll be working, and trying to match volunteer skills to resident needs. Some days I will be helping those volunteer teams with the logistics of their visit to New Orleans and taking care of various details that come up. Other days I may be doing more administrative duties in the Desire Street/CURE offices. I will be answering phone calls and helping residents try to locate resources and navigate the confusing bureaucratic systems of public assistance. As Ben put it, there are a lot more questions than answers at this point. To learn more, you can check out the websites for Desire Street Ministries and CURE at www.desirestreet.org and www.desirestreet.org/fellowship/cure.html.
As I mentioned above, doing Mission Year gave me such a wonderful opportunity to see how people can partner together to advance God’s Kingdom of love and hope. Without a doubt, I could not have made it through the year in Oakland without my support team sending their love, prayers, gifts, donations, and encouragement from all over the world. My goal is to raise $3,000 to offset the costs of doing this work and living in New Orleans and it is a privilege to offer you the chance to partner with me in this adventure. The residents of the Gulf Coast still need your prayers, as do my teammates and I as we settle in New Orleans. I am completely aware that not everyone can or wants to spend a year living in the Gulf Coast disaster zone, which is why I invite you to join me in this journey through your prayer and financial support. It is in this way that God calls us each individually to unite to bring the good news of life and grace.

with Love,
Emily


If you are interested in coming down to the Gulf Coast at any point to volunteer, please do not hesitate to let me know!