2500 Volunteers Rebuilding 350 Homes

On the morning of Wednesday, August 29, 2012 I found myself sitting at a coffee shop in Germantown, TN with my friend and fellow pastor Sam Shaw.  Sam and his church are partners with our church plant in the New Orleans area.  He is also a great friend. 

That day was a tough one.  My family was in Memphis because we were on the run from hurricane Issac.  During that coffee meeting the storm was pounding the city we love.  We were still unsure if we would have a home to return to in a few days.  For someone who lost everything in Katrina back on August 29, 2005 it was a bit unnerving. 

Sam prayed with me and encouraged me like great Christian friends do... then he says: "Matt, if this thing is bad and causes substantial damage to your community would you be interested in having 1200-1500 volunteers come to the New Orleans area to rebuild over 100 homes in 8 days?" 

WAIT... WHAT?!  "Are you crazy" I said.  "It's no joke, I'm a part of an organization called Eight Days of Hope and that is what we do when disaster strikes, we show up to help in a big way so we can show the love of Christ to a hurting community."  He told me that once the dust settled and we see that there is a need then he would connect me to his friend Steve Tybor, the President of Eight Days of Hope.

Well, as you all know the damage was significant.  About 20 minutes from where I live, in Laplace, over 8500 homes sustained significant damage from the storm.  So I called Sam and he gave me Steve's cell number.  After talking with Steve I still did not believe it.  100 homes in 8 days seems a bit impossible.  As a pastor I am not in the business of impossible, God can do anything through his willing people... but this seemed like a stretch.  Steve assured me that God would enable great work in our community if it was His will and if we have Faith in Him for the fruit of our effort.

Well, he was right!  Eight days of Hope under promised and this week is over delivering.  If you asked Steve... it is not because they are special, it is because God is BIG and has a plan for our pain.  Hope is being born in Laplace, LA because... not 1200 people but 2500 faith filled people showed up to work on homes in our city!  There are not 100 homes being rebuilt but upwards of 350 homes will be worked on this week! 

God's love is on display in Laplace and Hope is being born in hearts.  Thank you God for the lesson on FAITH.  Thank you Steve for teaching it.

Check out the Times Picayune article from today!

Rebuild 100 Homes in EIGHT DAYS! Come Help!

I was introduced to Eight Days of Hope by Dr. Sam Shaw, one of our partner pastors in Memphis, TN.  I met with Sam for coffee right after my family evacuated to Memphis during the Hurricane this past fall.  When he told me he was involved in an organization that could rebuild at least 100 homes in 8 days I did not believe him but committed to follow up with the contacts he had given me.

Then I met Steve Tybor, the President and founder of Eight Days of Hope.  He shared stories of how they got started and how peoples lives were impacted by his LARGE crew of contractors, construction workers and just regular Joes.  I knew Steve was a christian and that his organization was founded to serve because of Steve's Christianity but I wanted to know that the Gospel would be central if Eight Days of Hope came to the New Orleans area.

A lot has happened the last few months.  We've partnered with local churches and associations and with the parish.  Funds are being raised.  Housing has been secured, food trailers are coming. And people are excited to have help!

In a couple of months hundreds of men and women will descend on Laplace, LA armed with hammers, paintbrushes, supplies and the Gospel of Christ.  900 people are already on board for this event.  I am very excited!  

Here is where you come in:     I want to invite you to join us!  We need more construction workers, contractors and regular joes to come serve our city.  Dates are March 9-16. To learn more and to register go to:

www.eightdaysofhope.com  Click "VOLUNTEER"

The event is FREE of charge. Food & housing is provided.    PLEASE let us know if you register to come.  Our hope church family would love to spend some time with you while you are here.  E-Mail

Martinique Ave... I think I need a van!

It has been months since I posted on my blog.  So much has happened on this little church planting adventure the last six months.  I am blown away by God's goodness to us.

I've got a bunch of great messy mission stories to share but I'll start with one about Martinique Avenue.

This past summer our church spent some time serving the children and families that live on Martinique Ave.  This is a street 3 blocks from my house but worlds away from the way I live my life.  You can read more in my previous 3 posts from a few months back.

This past weekend we had a group of ladies down from ClearView outside of Nashville, TN to help us with some projects.  Andrew Goolsby and I took the ladies on Saturday afternoon to Martinique to knock on doors and invite people to our Community Meal & Worship Gathering on Sunday night. We also were offering people a ride to church since the crew from CV had a church bus with them.

Walking the street on Saturday, it was so good to reconnect with our friends on Martinique after a couple of months of not serving there.  I've missed the kids and families there but have continued to struggle to know how to proceed with making disciples in this community.

Before this week only two people from Martinique had ever come to one of our gatherings. And I feel like they only came because I paid restitution on a theft charge for one of the guys that came. In other words, I bailed him out of some trouble so to repay me he came to church.  I had some doubts that anybody would get on the bus when we arrived on Sunday evening.

I was wrong again about Martinique.

A crew of children, a mom and a grandmother got on the bus.  Needless to say our gathering was a little different this Sunday.  Here are some pictures:

CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW MORE PICTURES FROM 

OUR COMMUNITY MEAL AND WORSHIP GATHERING

Martinique Avenue (Part 3)

READ PART ONE
READ PART TWO

I said I would come back to this... Anna Claire did not initially respond well to our time on Martinique.  The moment we arrived she began to complain.  "It's hot. The long grass is itchy on my legs. I want to go home. I'm thirsty daddy."  I know my daughter.  Even though it was hot and the grass was itchy there was something else on her mind... some fear or hesitancy that was going unsaid. 

Anna Claire attends a great public school that is relatively broad in its ethnic and religious diversity.  She is exposed to a lot of different kids... Not to mention our sort of adopted, college aged son Reuben who African American and has lived with us for two years and shares a bedroom with our 3 y/o son.  So its not that she is unexposed to different.

I asked her when we got home why she had complained so much.  Bottom line: Discomfort bordering on fear.  She did not say it that way but I got it.  After several questions from mom and dad she finally said it...

Me: "Anna Claire, why wouldn't you play with the other kids?" 

AC: "I was the only one." 

What she meant was that she was the only kid like her: white & middle class.  And she was uncomfortable.

From the mouth of a little kid comes the hard truth that is real for most of us.  Different is uncomfortable, especially when I am not in the majority.  Being around people that are different brings to the surface some unfounded fears.  Stereotypes become more pronounced in our minds when ignorance and fear are allowed to rule the day. 

I don't want to ignore the fact that Martinique Ave does have a reputation.  Drugs are being dealt there.  Crimes are happening regularly along those 4 short blocks. 

The question for my Christian family and other Christian families is this: Will Fear, Ignorance & Apathy be more powerful in our lives OR will the GOSPEL lead us to build relationships, meet needs, share the Gospel and make disciples among ALL peoples? 

A PICTURE & A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Three years ago I went with several friends to Quito, Ecuador on a mission trip to meet needs and share the Gospel with children & families in that community.  We spent a week serving a community that was different from my own in ethnicity and in the social and economic situation.  There was no fear in GOING with the Gospel to Ecuador... as a matter of fact it was a great adventure that I consider one of the high-marks of my Christian life.  I've been thinking a lot about this trip as we serve over on Martinique Ave.

I have come to the conclusion that the only difference between the two is me... and the fact that Martinique is around the corner from my house and I can't get on an airplane at the end of the fun and escape it all.  Martinique means some changes in my everyday life... not just in a week of my life.

We had some friends from Martinique at our Worship Gathering last week.  
More Soon 

Martinique Avenue (Part 2)

READ PART ONE HERE

When we pulled up, at about 7 pm to the empty lot on the corner of Martinique Ave and Driftwood Blvd we found knee length grass, a "For Sale" sign and a lot of trash. Surrounding us were overgrown 4-plex apartment buildings, the back of the bowling ally and a shopping center.  All along Martinique Ave were small groups of adult men standing guard.  Across the street sitting on a concrete ledge that runs along the back of the bowling ally parking lot sat a 9 y/o kid named "Reuben" along with his two teenage sisters and a little baby that belonged to one of the girls.  They cautiously watched our team, all wearing green Hope Church shirts, unload recreation equipment and a water cooler.  They looked at us like we were crazy and a little out of place... because we were. 

My first thought as we unloaded was: "this is never going to work and if it does what in the world will we do when this week is over."

One of the volunteers walked across the empty lot and asked Reuben if he likes soccer and if he would like to kick the ball around.  After an awkward second or two one of the girls told him he could play. 

A few minutes later three other 10-12 y/o boys came walking by on the other side of the street, again, looking at us like we were crazy... They stopped for a second to watch us kick the ball.  One of the boys yelled across: "Can we play?"  I took a couple of steps toward them and yelled "Come on! YES, of course you can!"  Two came to play and the third ran to find some more friends to join in.  The next thing you know we've got 14 boys and one little girl ranging from 5-12 y/o playing a big game of kickball in an empty overgrown lot on the corner of Martinique Ave and Driftwood Blvd.  

Then our first adult showed up.  About 30 minutes into the kickball game a 29 y/o man named Larry in his grey 'wife beater,'  baggy jeans, tattoos, gold teeth and dreads came walking up.  I was cautious at first because I did not know what sort of relationship he had with the kids or how he would respond to our team.  Knowing what I know now I am certain at first when he arrived he was trying to figure out who the heck these green shirt people were that were playing with his little cousins and their friends.  First thing my new friend said was: "I Love Kickball, can I help?!" He jumped right in with us and helped lead the games. 

By the end of day one on Martinique we had made about 20 new friends who were all excited about a week of Kickball and Bible stories, some fears were alleviated and some walls of fear were coming down in my heart and some Hope for a new ministry opportunity was taking root.

Then there was Anna Claire.  I forgot to mention that my six year old daughter was with me the whole time.  She stuck out like a sore thumb among the kids that first day.  The moment we arrived she began to complain.  "It's hot. The long grass is itchy on my legs. I want to go home. I'm thirsty daddy."  I know my daughter.  Even though it was hot and the grass was itchy there was something else on her mind... some fear or hesitancy that was going unsaid.  In my next post I will tell you what she said in response to my questions that Monday night once we made it back home.

I want to interject a note here.  I've used the words "hesitant" and "cautious" in these posts about Martinique Ave and the people we have met not because of any racial animosity but because of fear for myself and my family.  Martinique has a reputation and when we look at life through a lens absent of the Gospel... It makes sense.  Fear exists in me because of my lack knowledge and relationship with my neighbors.  Fear based in ignorance.  Ignorance based in apathy.  Apathy based in a lack of GOD FEARING LOVE.  Please read this paragraph again... then the text below. 

READ JOHN 4:7-21

Here are a couple of verses:    

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."

More tomorrow...