I had the privilege of spending a week in the Big Easy over New Years and I saw again how far the city has come since I was last there, in August. There are more businesses open, more traffic, and excitement in general for the city’s main industry- tourism. It was a big week for N.O. as there were 2 large scale college football games and a major convention taking place there. People are optimistic that New Orleans is coming back. And while at a quick glance, it looks like a normally functioning city, you don’t have to wander very far to see the remaining scars of a city maimed by flood and wind damage not quite 2 ½ years ago.
I was there to work with a group from Austin, Texas. The church has made several trips to the gulf coast with C.O.I. They are very servant minded and they keep coming because they know that the need is still great in the area. They worked at the home of a single mother who operates a sewing business from her home as a means of support. She has been working on her house for a year and a half and is getting tired of living in a trailer – it is hard to believe that there are still many in the city that are not yet living in their homes. She was very thankful and was a great encouragement to the team in the work they came to do.
The Bible tells us that by our fruit, we will be known as Christ’s followers. Well there has been much fruit in New Orleans from believers coming to meet needs, and reach the lost. We have heard on several occasions that the reason that the city has come back as far as it has is because of Christian volunteers coming and spending time, energy and money to help. In fact, on a couple of occasions during this week in N.O., strangers walking by our work sites stopped to talk to us, opening the conversations with something like. “Do you know what I see here?” as they look at the group. “I see Jesus – thank you for coming to help us”. What a wonderful declaration of God’s love in this city! What an open door to share God’s love and gift of salvation with those who don’t know him! Please remember that the need is still great in this city. Let’s keep being the hands and feet of Christ in this city.
