New Orleans, Here We Come!

It’s high time for an update, is it not?

For the last three months, Neil and I have been helping staff the combined DTS, Crossroads DTS, and Family DTS — it’s been a full and awesome season! We’ve helped facilitate small groups, participated in weekly one on ones (We love you, Josh & Meg!), helped in hospitality in the classroom, watched over school finances, among other things… Part of staffing the school also includes sitting in on any classes our schedule allows — we continue to be challenged spiritually… I think the more we learn, the more we realize how much more we have to learn.

Six of the kids started school at the YWAM school — Christian Heritage. We are so thankful for this school. While challenging them academically, this school loves and focuses on discipleship. Our kids have done a significant amount of adjusting and transitioning in the last year+ — this transition has been stretching, particularly for our older kids. We’re convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the right thing is often the hard thing. So while it’s been challenging for a couple of the kids, we’re trusting that He’s using this for good in their (and our) lives.

Lecture phase of the DTS has officially ended. Tomorrow begins outreach prep. Neil and I will be leading a team of families, alongside a couple of other YWAM staff to New Orleans. Our original plan was to go to Puerto Rico for 4 weeks following New Orleans. But due to Covid restrictions, we made the decision not to go.

Our team includes 5 other families (9 parents and 12 kids). We leave on Friday morning! Our plans include homeless ministry, serving at a food bank, kids ministry, encouraging police and firefighters in the area, among other things. Also, Hurricane Sally is headed toward New Orleans, landfall is expected on Tuesday. Pray for New Orleans! And we’re holding all our plans loosely… I think our primary ministry will be the ministry of availability: however we can help, encourage, love on the people of New Orleans is what we’ll be doing.

After two weeks in New Orleans, we’ll say goodbye to the team of families who will be moving on to ministry in Denver, Colorado for a couple of weeks. And from there, they will minister for another two weeks at a reservation in Bemidgi, Minnesota. Our family will stay in New Orleans for a few more days, where we’ll continue to do outreach as a family.

We will be in New Orleans for about 2.5 weeks. We are so thankful for your prayers for us and for our mission! We’re praying we have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with many!