The Georgia Division sent a team of young adults to New Orleans from September 20- September 24, 2006. The team set off with the claiming Isaiah 43:2:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
The nine member team was made up of members from four different corps. The group began the trip barely knowing one another but quickly became a team.
The team left Atlanta on September 20 and enjoyed an eight hour van ride to New Orleans. They arrived at 6:30 pm, just in time for the weekly prayer service. Major Mike Hawley greeted the team in the parking lot and invited them inside. It was at this first prayer service that Hawley let the team know the importance of the mission he felt called to give them.
One year ago New Orleans had flooded, many of the residents were forced to leave and many businesses closed down. Likewise, the Salvation Army had closed its corps when flood waters had made the building unsafe for people. Just this summer the building has been restored. On October 1, the Territorial commander will preach at the grand reopening of the corps.
Our Team’s Mission
Our team’s mission was to follow up with people who had been to the Salvation Army for disaster service and received spiritual care. We were given their addresses, a map and fliers that announced the reopening. We were also to minister to all of the residents around the areas of the addresses we were given.
As our team started meeting people we realized the massive need that still exists in the city. One team came upon a woman sitting on her porch with her sister. The lady showed us her house. She kept saying, “There is nothing left.” But then she said, “My sister lost more. She lost her husband and all her kids in the storm.” She then asked the team to pray for her sister. As we gathered around her there wasn’t a dry eye in the group. The realization of the important things in life seeped deep into the hearts of those praying.
At another stop a team found a family whose front yard was full of sewage. The smell was horrid. The inside of the home was filled with fumes as well. They thanked the team for stopping. They said everyone else had just driven past. One of the women there said all she needed was a hug. That was something the team was happy to give her.
At another location the team saw a group of guys dealing drugs. The team went over and invited them to church. While the team was there a car pulled up and asked what the team was there for? The dealers announced to the car that it was The Salvation Army.
At another location a team knocked at the door of a house. A lady came to the door and asked who they were? The team responded, “The Salvation Army.” The lady said, “Oh praise God I was just praying for help and you guys knocked on the door.” As the team entered she began to tell them her story. She had not left her house because she was afraid she would get lost in the paperwork and not be able to receive assistance from FEMA. As a result she had gotten sick and ended up in the hospital. Her feet were black from the fungus which resulted from her walking in the water. As she told the team the story they listened to the song she had playing in the background.
God will make a way,
When there seems to be no way,
He works in ways we cannot see,
He will make a way for me.
It was to this song that she was praying, “God please make a way.” And as she prayed the knock came on the door and it was our team.
In all well over 100 people were visited and invited to church. There were many more stories just like these from our visits.
Our Team’s Spiritual Experience
Our team had devotions together each day. The first day we focused on the battle not being against flesh and blood but against Spiritual powers. We read a prayer together asking God to help us put on the full armor of God.
The second day we were invited to participate with some of the workers at the recovery center in their daily devotional time. Our team was asked to give a couple of testimonies. Regina Scott from the Lakewood corps gave her testimony about how the people she had met had opened her eyes to the need in the city. John Ragan gave his testimony about how incredible it was to reach out to people whom the workers we were with had previously witnessed to. He commended them on the work they had done.
Captain Richmond was invited to speak. He spoke from Matthew 21. This is the passage that talks about being able to do all things through faith. The passage says if you have faith you can even have a mountain thrown into the sea. What an appropriate passage in light of the woman the team met.
The third day the team discussed having a passion for souls. We talked about what we could personally be involved with in order to help out the next time there is a major disaster. The fourth day of the trip we gathered for a small worship service in the chapel of the New Orleans Corps.
During this worship service Katrina Scott gave her testimony about how much the trip had meant to her. She said she had always thought of New Orleans as a place where people go to party. When she first heard about the trip she struggled with why she wanted to go. In the end she said she remembers telling her young daughter she was going to New Orleans to work because the people there needed her.
Just after the service Nathaniel Weaver came to me and said that although he thought he would only need his Bible for the Sunday morning service, he found out God had a much greater purpose for it. On Saturday evening he was sitting in his room and found he had an intense desire to read the scripture. He opened up his Bible at Matthew. He read the whole book of Matthew and half of the book of Mark. Praise the Lord for His Holy Spirit.
The City of New Orleans
The Monday night football game was played in New Orleans just after we left. Ironically it was the Atlanta Falcons versus the Saints. Many in the media portrayed the city as finally getting back to normal. This simply was not the case. Some areas of the lower ninth ward look like the disaster hit just yesterday. The team was able to go through some of these areas.
While in the French Quarter I saw a shirt that said Rebuild, Restore, Renew Orleans. I believe it is just this that the Lord is hard at work through The Salvation Army and many other agencies in New Orleans. Perhaps we can join them in prayer for this city.
