Revive, Rebuild, Restore, Re New Orleans

I've just this morning returned from an amazing mission trip to New Orleans.

The Georgia Division took a team of nine to help restart corps work there. We were able to pray with a woman who had lost her husband and all her children in the storm. We ministered to people in the ninth ward. We prayed through the lower ninth ward (most people have not returned to their homes in that section). We invited over 100 people to attend the reopening of the corps on Oct. 1.

I found a shirt in the french quarter which said,"rebuild, restore, re new orleans." In our worship time on Sunday morning, one of the spiritual care workers there said she wanted to see the city revived. While talking with my wife Kelly, she reminded that re means "again."

New Orleans was founded by two frenchmen who while taking into account the mammoth mosquitos, swamps and alligators, saw great potential in a port city at the base of the Mississippi. They named the city after Orleans, France the home of Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc overcame great odds to become a national hero. Perhaps it was this spirit the pioneers hoped to employ by naming the city Noevelle Orleans. It worked. A city was birthed overcoming great odds!

What's in a name? The summary of a character and culture forged through history. The hope of a rebirth. Perhaps a prophetic message about the spiritual needs of a people whose hearts have been flooded by the tragedy. Let us pray for the people of New Orleans. God, Re New Orleans!