Ready, Set, Go!

Sunday morning brought mixed emotions in our house. The bags were packed, the lists were crossed off. With the usual last minute panic well under way (did we get everything we need? did we remember our toothbrushes?), we loaded into the car and took off for church.

It was so exciting to finally be there, actually leaving, beginning our journey! When we stood together for Spencer's blessing, I was shocked at our sheer numbers. Standing shoulder to shoulder, we really were quite a group. How in the world, I wondered, had God been at work in each of our separate, hectic, stressful lives to somehow bring us all together? And what would He teach us?

One of the things we all learned together was how valuable it is to check, double check and even, triple check. Before we ever got onto 285, the Jordans broke from the group. Dan Valentine, our fearless leader, had left his laptop in the parking lot and our first Mission was established. Recon, for you Military type. Two quick phone calls to the lead vehicles and a sharp turn right as we looped back around on Atlanta Road and the North FPC Parking Lot.

Catching up to the other vehicles in Montgomery, we did a quick lunch, reloaded and returned to the highway whereupon it proceeded to pour down rain for nearly thirty miles. And I do mean pour.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful... which is how you like a road trip to go. The miles were long, but the kids were great. The teenagers were loud but their exuberance was encouraging. And just about dusk, we came into the city of New Orleans.

This morning, in church, we sang Hossannah and waved palms to recreate the images that greeted our Lord Jesus as he arrived into town for Passover. Throngs of worshippers greeted Him with praise and joyful singing.

I could not help but think of the contrast to what we were doing today on Palm Sunday. Even though we arrived at our destination as a motley crew, spread thin between SUVs and church vans... even though we came as a source of light and hope... even though we came to use our hands for His glory... there was nothing that could have prepared us for our arrival into our town.

Desolate is the word I would use to describe it. Silent. Messy. Broken.

Miles and miles and miles of destruction that seems infinite. HELP scrawled across someone's roof. A street corner indiscriminate because of all the debris and garbage piled upon it. Empty baseball fields, empty schools, empty homes.

Funnily, I heard that old scripture, repeated so many times in so many Sunday School lessons... this time with a whole, new, different meaning.

"Let my people...GO!"

We have much to do.